So much news to share right now. The summer months were extremely busy, and hope I don’t forget anything to tell you.
AFCA
First off…..Had an exciting phone call from Vancouver informing me that I have been awarded Signature Status in the Federation of Canadian Artists. This is not easily obtained so I am thrilled. To get to this level you must first achieve seven points within a four year span ( if a point is beyond four years it has aged out and does not count). You receive one point for every Federation juried show that you are fortunate to be selected for (most are in Vancouver). If you have the seven points you apply in the small window of time that comes up every year. They accept only 60 applicants for this stage. From there it starts to whittle down and if successful going to the next stage you need to send 10 of your artworks digitally for the committee (made up of about 30 senior Signature members) to assess and judge. If you make it past this stage then they give you a two week span of time to send three originals so they can inspect them very closely and judge if you meet their high standard. They accepted 18 of us. The paintings we shipped to Vancouver will be in a special exhibition there before unsold work will be returned. Feel very honoured and proud to be a Signature member of the Federation of Canadian Artists. https://e1.envoke.com/ct/5096/2718273/779544539/e5c6f6c71e3b83209b26364046b3efdb
Next, my painting UNDER COVER moved to its new home in Port Frank, Ontario. Under Cover is a beautiful 36 by 48 inch oil on canvas painting that tied for 4th place out of 66 Countries in the American Art Awards in 2021. The judges for the American Art Awards are the top 25 art museums and galleries in the USA and the following spring they collaborate and assess in great detail all of the pieces they had selected as winners, and have done this since 2009. They assign a value in American currency and collectors can access this in the American Art Awards Winners Gallery. I am in the 2021 ( also have Rattling Brook Falls that placed as a tie for 3rd place and is still avail). Very appreciative of my new collectors. Have shown the value here of what the judges feel its worth is, even though I presently do not price the canvases at that level yet in my studio.
Felt honoured to be invited to an event hosted by the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdswell, Ontario's 29th Lieutenant Governor at her Suite in Queen's Park. The occasion was the launch of Breath.Heart.Spirit Exhibition , celebrating the 150 th Anniversary of the Ontario Society of Artists mailchi.mp/0627497a4884/s... Some artwork was displayed on the walls, I had opted for the visual exhibit, and after the opening speeches she signed where your artwork was shown in the special catalogue . There appeared to be about 100 of us invited. Absolutely lovely lady.
I am Honoured to be a Signature Member for the Artists for Conservation group, and included in the Vancouver exhibition at the Van Husen Botanical Gardens. On the list of Signature Members, my name is almost opposite another artist's name that you might recognize , but there are also several other artists whose work I admire like Suzie Seerey-Lester and Michael Dumas as Signature Members of this prestigious group. Feel lucky to be included with them.
This year I had the nice feeling of being included in the "Ones to Collect" section, that is in the Oct/Nov issue of the Southwest Art Magazine. Avail in Canada at Indigo or in over 1,000 Barnes and Noble bookstores in the USA.
I was Delighted and honoured to be included in the special editorial of the prestigious group Artists for Conservation, in the September edition of the wonderful "Western Art Collector" magazine. Available in Indigo or in the USA at Barnes and Noble bookstores.
This is my newest completed painting, "Secluded Pond " , 24 x 36 inches , oil on canvas. The scene is from the Snively Reserve which is a large wetland in the north-west part of Oak Ridges in Richmond Hill and very difficult to access on foot.
And finally, I have been using QR codes for the convenience of interested folks.
Hope you get the chance to visit the beautiful Alton Mill Arts Centre, built in 1880, and visit me in studio 202 :)
Back to the easel ;)
