Spring Greetings from The BOND HEAD ART GROUP!

Spring Greetings with SPRING COLOURS !

This was a fun night! Friday, April the 9Th was the launch date for the spring show opening for The Fine Art Group of Bond Head. This took place, as always, at the Woodwright Studio in the heart of the village. This group is a fine example of how a bunch visual artists can join forces for inspiration and support. Every member presents a totally different style and medium , an independent way of looking AND seeing the task at hand. The group feels that versatility is strength; the pool of combined knowledge becomes a resource that benefits all involved. You get help if you feel stuck and your approach in turn helps another; "Here, try this, see what happens....." It is about fellowship and support: getting together in a nourishing environment, sharing the sacred ART space .
There is safety in numbers.

Like-minded souls help each other to get ahead.

Pictured with me are members Nadia Laundry (front), Mary Artymko (centre back) and Coral Dryden (right).

Nadia has developed a distinctive way of drawing with coloured pencils. Her approach is highly concentrated, her designs carefully laid out. These semi-abstract studies of plants, leaves, lines,textures ...will make the viewer fantasize about exotic fabrics, wall papers and rhythmic, visual puzzles.

Coral has plenty of different toys in her tool kit. I have known her for her detailed pencil drawings and watercolours and.... I was totally blown away after discovering that she is also an accomplished printmaker! Ask to see her portfolio, it displays a wonderful spread of bold monoprints; you will absolutely love what you'll find in there!

Mary Artymko is an established name in the local art scene, a painter extra ordinaire and a well loved instructor. Her work hums with bright colours; paint so appetizing that it simply calls to be touched, fondled, licked and eaten! The painting I 'm holding is titled "Lovely", 10"x8" acrylic on canvas by Mary Artymko. It now hangs in my living room!

This display gives you some idea how very varied the works are. Click on the photo to enlarge it for viewing. Winter landscape on left is by Charlotte Brown, mountain scene in in the middle is an oil by Meade Helman, the abstract on the easel with green, white and rust leaves is a detailed coloured pencil drawing by Nadia Landry.

This is the man! Meade Helman is his name and he is the heart of this group, his spacious studio is its home and the meeting place. Meade is a true renaissance man. He paints, draws, ... builds musical instruments out of old cigar boxes, bakes wicked chocolate squares...turns out vegetarian gourmet meals and keeps you entertained with funny stories.

Talking to Meade always cheers you up. This man has a decidedly positive outlook on life, no matter how grave the situation might be, Meade will find the bright side and bring it to focus. A natural comedian, Meade will make you laugh. You just got to love him for that!

Meade's favorite medium is pastel, landscape his favorite subject matter. This one titled "Killbear Trail Sentry" is a 13 1/4"x 10" pastel on matboard.
A PASTEL PAINTING is surely one very difficult customer; it requires immediate and careful attention. The pigment is rich, dry powder that is rubbed in to the surface of the support (paper, board, fabric etc.) If not handled with extreme care it will smudge or shed. Environmental changes could be lethal: vibration, heat and humidity can cause the paper to expand or shrink, forcing the pigment particles to separate from the ground. Not for sissies.

Now you might ask: why bother , -why to use pastel if it is such a challenge? The answer is simple: THERE IS NOTHING AS BEAUTIFUL AS PURE, SATURATED COLOUR! And that is just what a pastel painting at it's best can be!

Meade has found his language and his paintings clearly present his outlook in life.
They are bright, they are happy. They simply glow with joy.

This is a close up detail of "Apple Blossoms In The Garden" (full image below) 16"x20" pastel on matboard. Now in private collection.

"Seen Better Days" 16"x20" pastel on matboard. Meade loves derelict old buildings , wonky architecture and varying reflections. Sunlight so bright that it makes you dizzy.

Charlotte Brown is a young painter with a bright artistic future. Here she is with some of her self portraits. This is a fun exercise that this group decided to engage together: Every member painted/drew a self-portrait and then some portraits of each other. The results yielded an interesting spectrum of studies, some serious, some tongue-in-the-cheeckish, some detailed and some barely suggestive. The exercise turned out to be a meditative observation: how do I see myself, how do I see you?
Last year the group did a similar joined project: every member produced an independent original of the same subject matter: an abandoned old pickup-truck in an over grown landscape.

The results were entertaining and engaging: it was fascinating to notice how differently we all see and comprehend whatever it is that we are looking at. Diversity is wealth!
Every single piece of work delivered a different story, every artist revealing different elements of the subject matter. The viewer could compare the results to the resource material (photographs of the actual scenery) and get involved with the project : What do I see? How would I paint/draw this? What would I include/omit? What is my mark/ my story?

A buttery detail of one of Charlotte's landscape paintings. Don't you just love the way she uses the paint?! These confident strokes let the viewers eye to do the blending. This is colour that talks!
The other two members of the group are Joseph Stellato and Jeff Dryden. These gentlemen will be featured on a later blog entry..I got so caught up in talking to so old friends that I totally missed some works and have no photos to post. Joseph Stellato has a unique approach to a multimedia, three dimentional painting and Jeff Dryden follows in the footsteps of his mother Coral with uncounted hours invested in drawing.

The group puts together a theme event a couple of times a year. You will be able to view the latest projects at the Beeton Honey Festival which is coming up on May 29th. For futher information you can always call or e-mail me and I'll get you the latest developments. To find out more about this group: artwork, up-coming events, commissions and study opportunities please e-mail Meade at meadehelman@rogers.com or Mary Artymko at mary.artymko@yahoo.ca.

In a bright, springful frame of mind,

I remain,

Outi, your frame dame :)