Serving up colour at local gallery show
Five area artists team up for exhibit at Kawartha Artists’ Studio
The show Serving Up Colour has its opening reception at the Kawartha Artists’ Gallery and Studio on Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. with refreshments and artists present. This group show exhibits vibrant contemporary art by five Peterborough artists: Margaret Tough, Marilyn Simpson, Randy Woods, Ann Talbot and Theresa Morris.
“In this show we want to share the joy of making art with viewers,” says Tough. “For us the excitement is found in colour, whether the topic is landscape, still life, figurative work or abstract. The show includes an array of each - and with lots of colour.”
The group or artists are all now, or were, members of the gallery. Simpson and Tough are past presidents and have been active as volunteers for many years. Morris is in charge of the annual Spark photography display at the gallery. Talbot and Woods have been active in the art scene in the city for many years. Four are retired from careers in education, finance, and health, while Woods continues as a physiotherapist at PRHC.
These five artists are part of a small group who meet regularly to discuss art.
Tough’s focus is the human face and figure. She says that she finds the colour of light and shadow fascinating, reflecting emotion and mood. “The beauty of familiar objects inspires my work in colourful Still Life pieces,” she says.
Talbot says, "I would describe my art as mood and music dependent. I like to have fun with colour, movement and spontaneous brush strokes and lines."
Woods explains his motivation to create. “I try to capture a moment that stimulates the eye and triggers a mood or feeling that I identify with. I use colour, light and shadow, edges and perspective to enhance the viewer’s experience and make the connection that I felt while creating the painting.”
Simpson creates for the excitement of colour. “I enjoy exploring all aspects of colour but particularly the emotional component. For example, oranges will bring warmth and energy to a work and blues are often cool or calming, though they can be vibrant too. In this exhibit I think viewers will see what colour temperature each artist favours.”
Morris shares her motivations: “Art is an invitation into the expansive, wordless world of creativity and the imagination. In our hectic day-to-day world, art is a welcome oasis. Our hope is that the paintings in Serving Up Colour will call forth a lovely response from viewers.
These paintings have the power to intrigue our minds and touch our hearts."
The show runs until Sept. 23 at the gallery, which is located at 420 O’Connell Rd., open Wednesdays to Sundays, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, please call 705-7412817, visit www.kawarthaartists.org or like them on Facebook.
Believe book signing
Michelle Vickers will be signing copies of her book Believe on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Chapters, 873 Lansdowne St. W. The book explores how our beliefs shape our lives, and she invites readers to examine their belief systems so that they can experience more abundance and joy in life.
Vickers developed her philosophy after two years of living in isolation in a log cabin in the woods. She offers an online training program to help people become more confident and comfortable with who they are, helping them to overcome depression, anxiety and fear, healing from PTSD, and more.
For more information, please visit www.michellevickers.com.