2008 03 HR

6
March/April 2008
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Serving the Canadian art industry www.brushstrokemagazine.com
James E. Pay Boats at Peggys Cove
Artist prepares well to paint quickly
Quebecs Robert Roy Paints Passion in Every Stroke
Sharon Strand Sigfuson
Through the Looking Glass
Limited palette suits alla prima artist perfectly
Robert Roy Darlene Gait
The Watcher
Les Jumeaux
Esquimalt Nations artist captures pride of her people in her paintings
Publishers Corner
contents
creates 7 Artist to serve her people
Darlene Gait, an Esquimalt Nations artist, is inspired by the environment, wilflife, and her people.
ho would have believed the RBC Painting Competition could have stirred up such a reaction from those in the arts across Canada? There are four pages dedicated to readers responses in this issue, and I probably could have published a whole magazine. In addition to those published, I also received MANY letters from writers who did not want them published. When all was said and done, I only received one letter disagreeing with the original letter writer (David Howells of Nova Scotia) in last issue. I found that interesting and worth further investigation. I would like to suggest to all readers that you pass this issue (and probably last issue as well to get them up to speed) on to as many art critics, university professors, professional jurors, curators, etc. that you know. From what some major galleries have said and from some of the coverage in other art magazines, etc., work based on excellent drawing skills and technical ability is what is on the rise with respect to sales. Work that, in letter writer Bernard Poulins works needs to be interpreted is on the decline. If that is true, is Canada behind in getting with the program or is Canada on the leading edge by embracing works that need to be interpreted. The very intense reaction to the RBC Competition and David Howells letter leaves me wanting more. How do critics, professors, professional jurors, curators, etc. feel about this issue? Do they support David Howells point of view, or letter writer Graham Flatt, who thanks the RBC winner for challenging the
12 Visual Arts Summit

Making Waves of Change
15 Saskatchewan
Artist Likes Limited Palette

Sharon Strand Sigfuson believes the fewer colors, the better the harmony.
standards by how we judge art? Should national competitions have jurors with different art preferences, or should they have jurors from different areas of the country, or are things fine the way they are? How could things be changed for the better, if you indeed think change is necessary? I cant wait to hear more of your points of view. ................ In this issue there is coverage of some of the results that have come from the Visual Arts Summit in Ottawa late last year. It is exciting that a group has now been formed to lobby for the visual arts in Canada. It appears that the initiatives made at the Summit are now finding their way to fruition, and Im sure the best is yet to come. Bravo!
21 Outdoor Life
is Quebec artists passion
Robert Roys energy and passion for the outdoors spills enthusiastically into his colorful paintings.
29 Prepare
PUBLISHED BY JENSU DESIGN PUBLISHER: Susan Blackman
All material printed in this magazine, written or depicted, is protected by copyright of this magazine and/or the artist, and cannot be reproduced in any form without express written permission from the publisher. All views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of Brushstroke Magazine. Brushstroke makes no recommendations as to the purchase or sale of any product or service.
2 Canadian Brushstroke Magazine March/April 2008
before painting
James E. Pay believes that is the key to creating successful paintings.
All letters or contributions to Brushstroke Magazine are subject to editing with no limits or liability. JENSU DESIGN Box 5483, Leduc, Alberta, Canada T9E 6L7 Phone: 780-986-0789 Fax: 780-986-8393 E-mail: info@jensu.ca CANADIAN BRUSHSTROKE MAGAZINE Box 3449, Leduc, Alberta, Canada T9E 6M2 Phone: 780-986-0789 Fax: 780-986-8393 E-mail: info@brushstrokemagazine.com www.brushstrokemagazine.com
32 Industry News and

Information
Whos showing where? What competitions can you enter? Who won awards? Heres where you look to find the answers.
letters...
Readers react to letter regarding painting awarded national prize
*To read last isssues letter, click on this (high resolution) link and go to Page 3: http:www.brushstrokemagazine.com/issues//2008/hires/2008_01_hr.pdf
Dear Editor, Hoorah and kudos to David Howells of Nova Scotia for his courage to call out loud and clear that the Emperor indeed is nude! We have always thought creative effort should be self evident in the product; that the spirit or spiritual message should shine forth. It appears; however, much of our jurisprudence speaks mostly in "artspeak" to justify the politic. Peter D. Haight The Dorland-Haight Galleries Inc. Milton, ON out loud what most people think in silence. I am not an artist, but I am an art lover. Once I took art classes. The teacher told us we could do anything we wanted, as long as we could knit a story around the artwork. And if people would not understand, just say that it's because they are ignorant of art. So I saw students spill by mistake some paint on their canvas and says that it doesn't matter because they would find a nice story to explain it. I saw students laughing among themselves about their crazy stories that they would say to explain their work. Anything could explain a lack of discipline. Anything could explain a work quickly done. Anything could explain a work done wrong. To my understanding, this kind of thinking is an insult to people's intelligence, and it surely doesn't serve the art industry. I did not continue art classes. I would have been able to do that kind of art, but I did not have enough talent to do real art. Since I had too much respect for real artists, I had to abandon, leaving room for the admiration of real artists' works. But I feel that in the future, we will look back at this era as a poor time in arts. I look forward to the time when the quality in arts will return. Lyne Lafrenere Montreal, QC
Dear Editor, In reading the letter sent by Mr. David Howells of Nova Scotia and published in the January/February issue of your publication, I wish to support his position and thank him for his brave and eloquent writing as to the state of our art appreciation jurors, curators and gallery directors who seem to dictate to all others what is good taste and talent in art. I am an art collector and feel it is high time for the voice of the majority of art lovers to speak their own mind and not allow the experts tell us what is good art and discourage any difference of view by the claim that the public does not really understand true art. All you need to do is to visit all major international museums as I have had the privilege of doing and you can see no one is viewing the so called great art of recent times as dictated by the present priesthood of art curators and everyone is enjoying the works of the classic masters of all time. I hope others who see this as Mr. Howells has presented would add their comments to his. Mark Granfar Victoria, BC
Dear Editor, I have read with a lot of interest the letter of David Howells "Reader takes exception to painting awarded national prize" in your last issue. It's about time someone speaks
Dear Editor, In response to Mr. Howells letter condemning the awarding of the prize to Arabella Campbell. Shame on you Mr. Howells. How dare you impose your obviously myopic opinion of excellence on the rest of us. Just because Ms. Campbell chooses not to wallow in the abyss of high representationalism or to subject herself to rendering recognizable subject matter to appease the coddled masses does not mean that her efforts are not worthy of such praise. Am I a fan of Ms. Campbell? No, not really. I find her painting intriguing and surprisingly comfortable to view. Have you Mr. Howell taken the time to put yourself in front of the painting, to personally assess its impact? Did you even try to see the visual push and pull that exist? ...Continued on Next Page
Canadian Brushstroke Magazine March/April 2008 3
letters...
Readers react...
My only view of this painting is from the magazine, so I, too, am guilty of not having had the opportunity to view this image in person. Still I can marvel at the subtle ambiguity of the painted areas in relation to the white spaces. Do you really think that this does not require an amazingly high degree of sophistication to create a painting that pulsates yet does not confront nor affront? Have you ever viewed Piet Mondrian's work? Mondrian did not require the staid trappings of the mundane world to create strong art. He understood the visual dynamics of the human eye and embraced them for all they were worth. Perhaps you presume Ms. Campbell's painting to be a simple work and was chosen for political reasons. Perhaps the jurors were looking for something different. Perhaps whatever Ms. Campbell was trying to say, to communicate, was not meant for you. Are you really that naive to suggest that a painting must have a degree of representationalism to be successful, that abstract art cannot be terribly complicated? In all fairness, I have seen my share of "fake it 'til you make it" art and art that has been touted as the next best thing that is really nothing more than hot air and hype. Just as all artists are not created equal, nor is all art equal. Not all abstract art is crap. Not all representational art is good. One must go beyond one's comfort zone and experience new ideas and concepts in order to grow and be healthy. Abstract often involves a high degree of sophistication of color application and usage of negative space. Concepts all too often neglected in our drugstore autofocus, point and shoot mentality of painting all the subtle nuances of our bad reference material. However, you do raise several substantial points. Juries awarding prizes of this magnitude and importance should be held accountable for their decisions. Public debate of what constitutes good art is really at the heart of this matter. The ability to dialogue and present conflicting ideas is the hallmark of a free society. But seeing as how the general populace continues to pander to the market and allows themselves to told what is good art and voraciously consumes the latest media and marketing hype that rolls down the line in an attempt to feel enlightened and cultured, debates such as this will surely endure. To Ms. Campbell, congratulations on your award, for creating a powerful and intriguing painting and for challenging the standards by how we judge art! Graham Flatt Lloydminster, AB
Dear Editor, I totally agree with the letter of David Howells from Nova Scotia: Reader takes exception to painting awarded national prize. I have been thinking exactly the same and I am so glad someone was able to express it so intelligently. Liliane Bernier St. Boniface, QC *Editors Note: The following writer has addressed the original letter point by point. Portions of the original letter are in italics and the writers response is in regular font. Dear Editor, With respect to the artist, Arabella Campbell and to RBC for supporting the arts: A few personal thoughts regarding Vancouver artist Arabella Campbell, recently (in September, 2007) named the national winner of the ninth annual RBC Canadian Painting Competition. Quoting from the Media Newsroom on RBC's site: "The paintings were judged by some of Canada's finest artists, curators and gallery directors. Campbell was awarded a $25,000 cash prize for her original work entitled, Physical Facts Series #6. What does such judging (in this case) say about the jurying/ judging system itself and paper credentials? It says very little and it says a lot. Throughout my 40-year career in the visual arts I have stayed away from art competitions. My second reason is that I was never part of the in crowd of creative peoples - therefore never invited to participate - (the three times I dared impose myself, I was pooh-poohed before my work was ever presented to the esteemed judges and my peers.) Don't let me go there My first reason for ignoring the competition aspect of the art world is that we are always told that it will be judged by some of Canada's finest artists, curators, critics and gallery directors. (Finest by whose standards?) Rarely are these people ever even named. Why would anyone ever submit themselves to a competition whose judges are faceless and biography-less prior to the submission of work? To respect a judge, I must know of their background, experience, writings, academic and creative or artistic credentials, and the recognized excellence of their offerings i.e.: I want to know that they will judge me on their ability to objectively recognize both my knowledge (or lack thereof) of the visual language requirements associated with creating artwork and the ability (or lack thereof) of my work to speak for itself. ...Continued on Next Page
letters...
Readers react...
A juror is someone I should be able to look in the eye and feel the confidence emanating from their qualified pores. Her winning painting acknowledges the support structure of the actual canvas, she said. Ha, ha,ha,ha,ha,ha. . . . Ooooh, that's deep!!! What a riot! Other works have explored the colors of gallery walls and the tools and methods of the painter. The judges praised Campbell's intelligent results [that] both critique and glorify the medium of painting. Pleasing in its symmetry and window-like effect alone, this painting also has a witty, [Mobius strip]-like conceptual effect, turning painting backwards and inside out, the judges said. I haven't heard such drivel since the 90s! Sad to say, but we are our own worst enemies. By ignoring and even negating the value of skill in the area of visual speech we have conveyed upon colloquial speakers the title of poet laureate. Just because we now say that artwork created with less than a wall painter's skill is art does not make it so. Genius does not occur simply because we say it does. Genius to this day is still the result of skillfully saying in an extraordinary way that which (until then) has been seen as ordinary. And even then, the title of master or genius should be handed out with enormous care. Faith is a fragile thing! Because we have abandoned skill and craft as measures of excellence in visual speech. everyone democratically calls themselves poet. Now, all we have left is admiration for the less than acceptable, expressed in the lowest common denominator fashion. A true poet is one who writes and writes and writes as a dancer dances and bounds and leaps to heights only possible through much talent and effort - and still these practitioners simply call themselves writers and dancers - still they go to a job everyday because dancing and writing rarely pays the bills. . . In the visual arts, on the other hand, we far too often treat our audiences as ignorant, let hangers-on explain what we have created and demand that we be supported in the bohemian life we have become addicted to. And from our first brush strokes, we expect to be called artist. As the younger generations so aptly put it: Go figure! Surely, at some point, there needs to be some degree of public accountability or explanation following such an award at such a prestigious national competition. There is no public accounting in such a jurying process. This is a private firm offering a private award. The authorities of RBC choose who the judges will be - based on a trust that those they choose know what they are doing. That you and I disagree with their choice is par for the course. It is because the jurors are not accountable that the status quo remains. They should be accountable for what they say. The futures of all art students are heavily based on what is or is not deemed acceptable in the art world by these people. Where were the different voices of the media following this? Different voices of the media? Come now. The only reason such a competition is ever reported is when the donor of the prize is a big corporation. Art competitions are not akin to the opening day of a block-buster movie, the super bowl or last night's bloody hockey battle. More often than not, the creation of artwork is not considered important except to those who practice the craft. This is the visual arts - that hobby activity which shot itself in the foot long ago when it abandoned excellence in the craft of visual arts. Having then shot itself in the head, it now sings the praises of lowest common denominator offerings - defining bad technical skill as a style. Once, artworks created a buzz. Writing about artwork focused on the content, the power and connection that the piece mysteriously and gloriously had on the general population. Today, the public is considered (by the powers that be) visually illiterate. Writing about artwork therefore is no longer about the artwork but about the artist's statement about defining what the artwork's creator has tried to say. In other words contemporary artwork doesn't even speak for itself. It needs an interpreter. It can't stand on its own. Critics, (or should I say art journalists) simply took up the flag - maintaining the illusion that the work they deem to be art must have its hand held through their indulgent explanations. But in reality, artwork which cannot speak for itself can never be art. It would be refreshing to see someone in a position to do so, raise questions about the accountability and the competency of the judges, or at least the results of their actions/decisions. That is where good art critics (don't laugh, there are some!) and competent commentators come in : (see Rob O'Flanagan, Russel Smith, etc.). This is just one more thing that helps to skew public understanding as to 'what is art?' and 'what is good art?' Every critic (purported or real) should have their say. It is more important to have several independent voices speak on a topic than have comments questioning the other commentators. ...Continued on Next Page
letters...
Readers react...
We all must maintain a variety of voices in order that the reading public make up its own mind as to who is or is not making intelligent and informed commentary on artwork . (Note, you may have noticed that I have an aversion to calling all art-related creations art. It's like calling anything that is old valuable antiques.) How can the experts be wrong? Who should we be listening to, if not to them? The question should be: Who deemed the experts to be expert? Let's not kid ourselves. It is NOT required that you be an art expert to write a column in a paper or review the visual arts on television - though speaking an unintelligible jargon, more creative than the artwork spoken about, seems to be. Writing about art is akin to how we perceive its importance in schools. In elementary and high schools the subject of art is taught by anyone who happens to be free during the specifically designated art class periods A qualified and competent art or music teacher is NOT a requirement in our school system. Adding salt to the wound of perceiving the arts as not worthy of expertise, I was recently advised by a very red-faced fine arts school administrator that skill in the areas of drawing and painting were not necessary to obtain a diploma in the fine arts. . . I wonder where we would be if the medical faculty took on that contemporary philosophy? Why not take the institutions responsible for such things to task; at least opening the door for a little dialogue. All major financial supporters of the arts should be cherished, but I dont think that means ignoring things like this. How many more times do we need to see blank canvases in various arrangements or such a simple geometric graphic on a canvas being passed off as art? We all know and understand the arguments behind passing such things off as art. The defense of such pieces often seems to have been given more thought than the piece itself took. Your paragraph is a whole lecture topic in itself. Again, I repeat, a corporation can do what it pleases whether we like it or not. As the Medicis did in the past, they are footing the bill. At least they can say that they are doing something to highlight the visual arts. That's more attention than most schools, local, regional, provincial and federal governments do. And that is where we should be soundly complaining. Food for thought: How creative or new is this, conceptually or otherwise? Is RBC's most recently awarded painting new? - (as in : modern art = redefining boundaries every second of every day?) No. This painting is a throw-back to a hard-edged era. But its pastel tones are more reminiscent of a kinder and gentler edge style; one a post-modern hotel suite designer might pick up as dcor. Its look is as pass as most canvas coverings are today. Innovation (if that means "good" art) is definitely in a tizzy these days as the bottom line is to grab attention wherever, whenever and however you can get it. Hard-edge is definitely gone. . . You have to pee in a jar filled with traditional or religious icons if you want any reaction from a rather blaz public. Is talent self-evident in the piece or should that matter where a statement is being made? Does making a statement that does not require the ability to paint (to be conveyed) carry any less weight than a painting clearly demonstrating such ability? Do we use examples of art history to defend this or can it possibly be no more than it is? I feel your pain David. Contemporary artwork is too often about the creator - about navel-gazing, about therapy, which doesn't much go beyond the realm of the person making the statement. In simpler terms it's all about ME. Sad as that may sound, I leave you with a few last comments: A bad painting is one which is more often than not an exercise in self-absorption. And like a bad speech, it is endurable for the first five minutes. After ten, an enormous amount of patience and polite endurance is required to continue looking at it. After fifteen, it becomes annoying, and after twenty minutes downright unbearable due to the repeated yawns it inevitably causes. Art is the heartbeat of a nation, the colour of its imagination and a reflection of the intensity of its commitment to the well being of its citizens. Bernard Poulin Ottawa, ON
letters...
If youd like to submit a letter to the Editor on any art topic, please send it to: editor@brushstrokemagazine.com .
WEST (Yukon, Alberta, B.C.)
THE LAND THAT OWNS ME Acrylic, 25 x 66
FIRST NATIONS ARTIST CREATES ART TO SERVE HER PEOPLE

Esquimalt Nations artist Darlene Gait paints colorful and spiritual images that capture the pride of her people.
irst Nations artist Darlene Gait of Vancouver Island, BC, is inspired by her Coast Salish culture. The acrylic paintings done by this Esquimalt Nations artist come alive with vibrant colours, poignant subject matter, and strong designs, making them immediately recognizable and in demand worldwide. Gait says her art reflects her passion for protecting the environment and wildlife as well as her belief in the oneness of humanity and the beauty of its diversity. "I always combine nature with my heritage in a simple way that is easy to understand for the viewer. It's done in a way that hopefully stirs emotion in the individual. There are many layers in my work: the landscape, the people, the nature and the wildlife, all combined to create the feeling of unit." Noticing other artists' work at an early age, Gait remembers walking past gallery windows in Victoria and Sidney, seeing pieces by Robert Bateman, Roy Henry Vickers and Marla Wilson. Referring to Wilson, Gait says, "Her talent blew me away. It really helped having someone to look up to when I was so young." The influence of these artists played a huge role in defining the artist Gait is today. "I was inspired by Robert Bateman's love of nature, and Roy Vickers bravery of painting outside the traditional boundaries. I also loved Emily Carr's work. Her colours are so rich," said Gait.
Another prodigious factor in Gait's artistic and creative development was her grandmother, Hilda Cooper. "My grandmother was a medicine woman a real medicine woman I want to make that clear," she insists. People would seek her out and pay her well to make their problems go away. Not just marital or health problems, but she even had a talent for quickly getting people out of jail when needed, according to Gait. Cooper began training Gait, at 3-yrsold, to take over the role of medicine woman. "I was like a sponge. I wanted to know everything. She would explain to me how nature worked, how patterns work in nature, how to associate colour patterns with nature. Teaching me really strange things like that." But Cooper died when Gait was 7yrs.-old. "It was a really traumatic event in my life. Within three years I started painting. I kept thinking about the things my grandmother had taught me. I still think there was something she said to me, or did to me, when I was a kid that made me love art so much. I was ten when I picked up a paintbrush and it was like everything was defined from that moment forward." Now 39, Gait has painted for 29 years. Thinking of herself as a spiritual being in a human body, and faithfully practicing the art of meditation, Gait believes her contributions to the First Nations people include spirituality and uniting them through the arts. "I know that's what I'm meant to do and it's a good feelingI know what I'm going to be remembered for." Believing that one of the biggest gifts you can give is learning how to serve others, Gait has found ways to create art that she feels best serves her people. "If you look at almost any piece I've done, it's designed to show pride of the people. They are looking ahead; they're not looking behind anymore." By being able to capture that feeling through a painting, and by explaining that feeling to people, Gait hopes it might give upcoming First Nations artists a sense of direction. "I believe it's important to think more about the future and focus less on the past. The past is part of our heritage, but the future is important for our next generations. We need to look ahead."
THE WATCHER Acrylic, 20 x 28
LEGEND OF THE ORCA Acrylic, 18 x 22
EQUALITY Acrylic, 28 x 36
And Gait has a big challenge ahead of her. In October, 2007 her One Moon Gallery, along with the Esquimalt Longhouse, hosted 'The Spirit of the Fall' event. It featured Native arts, crafts, a mini pow wow and several Native dance performances. From these dances sprung the latest project idea, one that will be perhaps her greatest in scope. "I want to do life-size canvas paintings of the Esquimalt Nation dancers in full regalia." Her biggest challenge is creating these life-size images of dance with movement and spirituality, "like our ancestors are watching over it." The images she captured in her mind and on videotape from these dances will help detail her canvases. She wants to show a spiritual side, an artistic side, and a humorous side of the children, the dancers and the elders she knows so well. "I just have to bring it all out. It's historic to me." This latest project, what she hopes will be a series of 20 paintings, will take her the better part of the next year to complete. One of the artistic accomplishments that makes Gait most proud is being an invited member of The Artists for Conservation Foundation - www.natureartists.com . The AFC represents a who's who of nature artists worldwide. Limited to 500 members, this prestigious group of many of the world's skilled nature artists is dedicated to the celebration and preservation of our natural heritage. The honour is two-fold for Gait. Aside from allowing her to give back to the nature that she so vividly portrays in her paintings, it also permits her to be part of an organization that includes one of the people who was so influential in her becoming the artist she is today: Robert Bateman.
Today you can walk into Gait's One Moon Gallery in Esquimalt and be swept into another world. The walls are covered with dynamic visions of eagles and elders, children and birds, wolves and wildflowers. "My studio is quite small but fairly organized. I like surrounding myself with inspiring photographs, art and sage. I always have a candle lit when I work, and listen to the radio or soft music. My dog Lily and my cat Henry are always at my feet." Gait also has a laptop computer that she uses for research and to store photographs that she often uses as reference. Aside from working in her studio, "I paint live during art exhibits or shows and occasionally in my art gallery for the public." She likes to use a mixture of mediums: acrylic on canvas, acrylic on paper, watercolor paint, coloured pencil, gouache, oil. pen. markers, ink and pencil. Before starting a new painting, Gait always sketches it out in pencil. The number of paintings Gait completes in an average year varies. "Some years I have done as many as 50, and the next it's closer to 20." The one thing that remains consistent is her love for color. "I use Liquitex, Atelier Interactive and Golden acrylic paints. Mars Black, Burnt Sienna, Hookers Green, Cerulean Blue Hue, Unbleached Titanium, Paynes Gray, Cadmium Red Medium, Van Dyke Red, Medium Violet, Chromium Oxide Green, Cadmium Red Light Hue, Prussian Blue, Cadmium Yellow Deep Hue, Light Portrait Pink, Naples Yellow Reddishthe colors go on and on and on!" As for brushes, Gait uses two good larger brushes: A one-inch Gold Sable Series and one-inch H.J. Series 968.
She also uses medium-sized brushes for laying color: four H.J. Aquatec Series 940; and four H.J. Aquatec Series 911. "And for detail I absolutely love these brushes: No. 1 and No. 2 Gold Sable Series 700. Also maybe a No. 1 Artisan Classique AC 802 White Nylon Round." Gait feels strongly that formal education does not make the artist. "Don't believe you have to go to school to learn to paint. You can do it on your own. It's your unique ability that will get you recognized in the end, not the diploma on your wall. There are millions of artists who went to school to learn to paint who nobody has ever heard of. In the beginning and the end, it will always be your unique style that will set you apart. Hold onto it and try to find people who inspire you to go further." Story and artist photo by Penny Rogers
CHILDREN OF THE SEA Acrylic, 18 x 24
SWEET-GRASS Acrylic, 18 x 24
Darlene Gait is recognized internationally, her art is exhibited and held in private and public collections worldwide. Her art is published by Rizvan Fine Arts, Island Art and Orca Publishing. Darlene has completed many commissions as a book illustrator of Native children's stories including the best seller 'The Secret of the Dance' written by Andrea Spalding and Judge Alfred Scow. She has received many awards including Book Illustrator of the Year, Verse and Vision Peoples Choice Award and the Aboriginal Achievement Foundation Award. She studied graphic design and illutration at Malaspina College. Her work can be found in One Moon Gallery and Eagle Feather Gallery in Victoria, Copper Moon Gallery in Nanaimo, Judy Hill Gallery in Duncan, and The Village Gallery Ltd. in Sidney, BC. For more information, you can visit her websites at www.onemoon.ca or www.darlenegait.com .
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New Canadian Alliance for the Visual Arts formed after Ottawa Summit
ollowing the recent Visual Arts Summit, a new group of visual arts organizations has come together to form the Canadian Alliance for the Visual Arts (CAVA). Rather than an official organization, CAVA is an independent alliance of national visual arts organizations determined to advance the status of visual arts in Canada. Through communication, cooperation and collaborative action this network will achieve common goals, as outlined in the Visual Arts Summits Collective Agenda www.visualartssummit.ca . Representatives from eleven of Canadas national arts service organizations make up CAVAs membership. These organizations, though diverse in focus, each have a
vested interest in the promotion and advancement of Canadian visual arts. CAVAs main objectives are to speak with a unified voice, to develop a cohesive strategy to improve the socio-economic conditions of artists, and to pursue the health of our art galleries, museums, artist-run centres and commercial art dealers so that Canadas extraordinary visual arts can flourish. After two productive teleconferences, CAVA held their first face-to-face meeting in Montreal on Feb. 1, with another scheduled for March 14. These meetings have set in motion a number of joint projects which will affect change for Canadian visual arts, both in the artistic community and the general public.
CAVA applauds motion for artists' tax exemption

parliamentary motion to exempt artists from paying taxes on their first $50,000 of income is being applauded by visual artists and institutions across Canada, as well as the Canadian Alliance for the Visual Arts (CAVA). The motionM431was introduced by Winnipeg MP Pat Martin (NDP) on Jan. 24 and reads as follows: That, in the opinion of the House, the government should: (a) recognize and acknowledge that artists contribute greatly to the social, cultural and economic wellbeing of Canada; (b) take note that, in other countries such as Ireland, income earned by artists, writers, performers and creators of art is exempt from income tax; and (c) give consideration to exempting up to $50,000 of annual income earned by artists, writers, creators, and performers who work in Canada's cultural industries." How many Oscar-winning actors and award-winning painters are languishing and not realizing their full potential for lack of resources?" says Martin. We need new economic engines and the arts and culture are legitimate means of economic development." Tax relief for artists isnt new. In 1995, Quebec introduced an exemption on an artists first $15,000 in copyright royalties when their total income is under $30,000. Since then, artist associations have been lobbying to bring this exemption to the federal level. "The income of many artists is already marginal. Mr. Martins motion would greatly assist them in improving their livelihood, professional practices and the creative economy as a whole," says Gerald Beaulieu, National President of the Canadian Artists Representation/Le Front des artistes canadiens (CARFAC). Artists in Ireland have enjoyed tax exemption for 36 years, resulting in highly successful artists internationally and increased public appreciation for the arts. In 2002 the amount of tax theoretically forgone to the Irish state because of the exemption was $24 million. The projected cost to the Canadian tax base is currently being calculated. Comprised of eleven national visual arts organizations, the Canadian Alliance for the Visual Arts is committed to advancing the status of visual artists and institutions in Canada.
Canada Council increases support for Visual Arts

anada Council for the Arts announced how it plans to allocate its new $31.5 million in federal funding. The visual arts will receive the largest increase of all disciplines: from $17 million to almost $21 million. This news comes following recommendations from the Visual Arts Summit in Nov, 2007. The new funds will be applied to the various visual art programs including operating grants to art museums and artist run centres, special project grants, and grants to artists. Specific program details, including new maximum funding levels for larger art museums, are expected soon. Other key issues facing the community include the need to review criteria for eligible operating grants of art museums and artist run centres, the new criteria for artists grants, a proposed exhibition fees program, assistance for touring exhibitions given the demise of the federal Exhibit Transportation Services on March 31, and the need for increased international exposure.
CALL T S FOR A L ENTRIES !!
L L A C
Floral, Still Life Competition

Competition No.
We want to show off Canadas artists, and our competitions will offer us a chance to do that! Be sure to enter your artwork in our competitions - not only do you have a chance to win
3
Flowers, Gardens, Still Life Two dimensional drawing or painting medium $15 each
(You can enter as many works as you would like)
Subject
Medium
$1000 CDN
plus an award certificate, but we also get a chance to see your work and we just may feature YOU in an upcoming issue of Canadian Brushstroke Magazine.
Entry Fee
Entry deadline
March 30. 2008
*Winners and finalists will be featured in the May/June issue of Canadian Brushstroke Magazine
RULES HOW TO ENTER

DIGITAL FILES ONLY Enter with high res digital file only on CD only. Do not send digital images via email to our offices - they will be automatically disqualified. You must print off the entry form on next page, complete it, and send it along with your CD and method of payment. If you have more entries than the space allotted, please print another form and fill it out completely. All CDs must be labeled with the artists name, the number of entries on the CD, each of their titles and this issues Competition Number. All files on the CD must be labeled as follows: lastname/firstname/Entry No. Example: John Smiths Entry No. 2 would be labeled smithjohn2. ELIGIBILITY This competition is open to any artist with residency in Canada. All work must be original, not copied from any other artists work, photographers work or published work of any kind, and must have been completed in the last two years. The work can not have won previous awards or any distinction of any kind. No works created under supervision are eligible. We reserve the right to refuse any entry, or ask for source material at our discretion.
RULES HOW TO ENTER (CONTINUED)

ENTRY FEE/DEADLINE The DEADLINE for Canadian Brushstroke Magazine to RECEIVE entries is March 30, 2007. You cannot courier material to our box number, so be sure to send it in plenty of time (Address is on submission form below). The fee per entry is $15 CDN, which can be paid by VISA, cheque or money order. The fee MUST be included with the CD and entry form submission. The entry fee is not refundable. COMPETITION JUDGES The competition entries will be chosen by Canadian Brushstroke Magazine, and/or qualified judges of our choosing. PERMISSION TO PUBLISH Signing and submission of the entry form, digital files and payment will constitute permission for Canadian Brushstroke Magazine to publish your artwork(s), your name and information in our magazine, which is released on the internet, and copies archived on our website on the internet for as long as the publisher wishes to keep the archived editions on the site. Submission of the entry also constitutes the entrants acceptance of all competition rules. The winner and finalists will be notified by e-mail, and their work will be published in the specified edition of the magazine. The judges decisions are final. Canadian Brushstroke Magazine does not accept any liability for color variations that may occur as a result of different computer screens. The artists will always be properly credited.
E N T R Y F O R M
Phone number:
E-mail:
PLEASE WRITE VERY CLEARLY
Entry 1
Title: Title:
Entry 2
Title:
Entry 3
Medium: Size: (hxw)
Medium: Size: (hxw)
Medium: Size: (hxw)
I enclose my cheque or money order for the total fee of $15 Canadian PER ENTRY OR, please charge the total sum to my VISA: _______________________________ EXPIRY DATE:_______________________Signature______________________________
I solemnly declare that all the works listed on this entry form are my own original artworks and I own the copyright to the work and to all source material used in creating this artwork. I understand the entry, including the form and CD, will not be returned, and I understand the entry fee is nonrefundable. I have thoroughly read and agree to all competition rules, and I understand I am granting the rights to publish my name, the artworks listed and information in an upcoming issue of Canadian Brushstroke Magazine and that the issue will be archived for an undetermined amount of time on Canadian Brushstroke Magazines website: www.brushstrokemagazine.com. **If you wish to receive confirmation that we have received your entry, enclose a self-addressed STAMPED postcard.
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Please mail this form and the properly labeled CD (see Rules - How to Enter) with properly labeled files to: Canadian Brushstroke Magazine, Box 3449, Leduc, AB, T9E 6M2
CENTRAL
(Nunavut, Saskatchewan, NWT, Manitoba)
Limited palette suits alla prima artist perfectly

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS, A SELF-PORTRAIT Oil, 32 x 24
Fewer colors create more harmony says Saskatchewan portrait artist Sharon Strand Sigfuson
ve been painting for about 40 years, says oil painter Strand Sigfuson, of Hudson Bay, SK. As a teenager I liked to draw and in my early 20s I started painting. Thats one thing about art - look at Grandma Moses - you can have a very active career in your later years. I never stop learning. Im at the point in my abilities and my work that theres a lot of magic there. Because she likes working large, her 14 x 18 home studio has a home-made easel on the wall that has notches that allow her to raise and lower her canvas. She says she used to have a large wooden easel, but always needed to ask her husband for help to raise or lower her canvas. Now she can do that easily on her own. She also has a homemade stand for her brushes and they all stand with the bristles upright and ready to paint. Her studio is in the basement and she uses 300 watt bulbs suspended from the ceiling and keeps the only window blocked because it is not on the north side. She has lots of shelving, a computer area, and another area where she stretches canvas on professional stretcher boards. She purchases her canvas by the roll, pre-primed.
All of her supplies get shipped from Mona Lisa in Calgary, AB. I call myself an impressionist-realist, says Strand Sigfuson. I like realism but I like to do it in an impressionist way. I work wet-in-wet (alla prima) style, from dark to light, and I draw in paint. I start by toning my canvas. I work all over the place so that it all pulls together. If I feel the need to change something, Ill either scrape it off or change the hues. When something needs adjusting, its usually just a matter of warming it or cooling it. A large painting might take her a week, but she will work certain parts completely in one session (for instance a shirt) and then blend it into the adjacent item so that when she goes back to paint the next day, there will be no hard edges. She works mainly with very large brushes and doesnt use any medium. I usually use filbert bristles. I draw with the 4, and paint with the 6, 8 and 10s. I like the brights and the palette knife also. I use smaller filberts for the whites of the eyes and teeth - that kind of thing.
She prefers Winton brushes in most cases, and Robert Simmons for the 4 and 6 filberts. Winsor & Newton and Grumbacher paints are her favorite. With the exception of Titanium White, for about 10 years she painted with Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Yellow Pale and Cobalt Blue, and then added only Dioxazine Purple, Quinacridone Orange (aka Quinacridone Gold), Sap Green and Cadmium Red Light. The artists limited palette is how I believe I get harmony in my paintings. She says she is quite prolific, mainly because she keeps a daily regimen, getting into the studio by 9 a.m. and staying until 3:30 or so at least four days per week. Her reference comes mainly from photographs. I find it much easier to paint from life, but I (usually) cannot get anybody to want to sit for the length of time it takes to do a portrait. Strand Sigfusons normal process for a portrait is to first mix a lot of color on the palette. She likes to start with a good dark, a middle tone, a light tone and a neutral tone and then blends them to create many other tones. Beginning by working in a basic background going into the edges of the hair and the form, she then works with the flesh and clothing, working from dark to light. She likes to establish her basic dark, middle and light tones before concerning herself with any detail. She introduces a bit of color when working on the middle tones in the flesh, and uses a light neutral tone to indicate whites of the eyes.
STEPHEN Oil, 36 x 24
RIGHT: A view of Strand Sigfusons studio. ABOVE: A close-up view of the artists home-made easel.
Sometimes she will put a dark color over the whole pupil. No detail is done on the eyes at this stage. I might push some color into the whites and the pupils. Normally the eyes are a push/pull and a little highlight. Her favorite portrait shes ever painted is of her youngest son Stephen. He is almost breathing. I can feel his personality, his soul. Its difficult to tell exactly how one paints, she says. If its working, you just did it and you dont remember how. Thats a bit of modesty, however, as she teaches many students per year, both in workshops and at her local art club. She uses the internet effectively and says she gets most of her commission work and sales from her website. Strand Sigfuson is a member of the Hudson Bay Fine Arts Club in her hometown. She says the club used to raise money by baking and
doing other things unrelated to art. When the club was dwindling in numbers, she and several other experienced artists jumped on board, but changed the method of fundraising to one that is becoming very popular with the club, both for increasing member numbers, and also for increasing the amount of visual arts available for the general public to view. Now, for a fee, the club will do murals in the community. Experienced artists like Strand Sigfuson do the design plan. When the design is approved by the client, apprentices (new and less experienced club members) help with the drawing and painting of the murals. All who contribute to the mural work sign the murals when completed. Strand Sigfuson likes this system because it encourages the newer painters, it gets more art into the community, and it raises funds for the club.
This is a photo of one of the murals Strand Sigfusons local art club recently completed.
This apprentice system allows the less experienced artists an opportunity to contribute to fund-raising for the club and an opportunity to increase their skills at the same time. Their major client right now is the local Legion that has signed a contract to purchase 10 murals over a period of five years. The club charges a fee plus the costs of the supplies (4 x 8 board, enamel paint to withstand the
weather, and a sealant for the edges). The client is responsible for putting a frame on the back to mount it with, putting on a stainless steel frame to keep moisture off the edges, and for erecting the mural. The last two murals designed for the Legion were Strand Sigfusons design. One theme was World War II, and the other was the navy.
SHARON STRAND SIGFUSON pursued her interest in art, as a young adult, by enrolling in the Famous Artists Schools correspondence course in fine arts oil painting. She continued her art education with classes offered by the University of Saskatchewan and the Emma Lake School of Fine Arts. The artist has had many solo shows and has also won many awards over her lengthy career. For more information about the artists work, visit her website at www.sharonstrandsigfuson.com .
Get outside and paint!

The Banff Easel
(Canadian and USA patented)
SIT ON IT! STAND BY IT!

Watercolors, acrylics, oils, pastels, drawing and more! And when youre finished, pack all your supplies together and roll it home! Made of strong Canadian Fir, this unique easel allows the artist the choice of sitting or standing while doing their artwork. The handy storage compartment holds all necessary supplies and the detachable wing tables make for easy access to your mediums while you work. Adjustable front leg allows for accurate balance on uneven ground and tested for individuals up to 250 lbs.
Sold exclusively through:
Artra Art Supplies Co. Ltd.

For more information, please call toll free at
PERFECT FOR BOTH INDOOR AND OUTDOOR USE!

Each $350.00 Canadian (+gst + S&H). Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery.
1-866-ART-8500
Pictured below: Canadian artist Jack Ellis demonstrates the Banff easel
Painter puts passion in every stroke

LES JUMEAUX Oil, 36 x 36
Quebec artist Rob Roy infuses his passion for life in his vibrant, energetic paintings.
lifetime pastime and passion is the inspiration for many paintings done by artist Rob Roy of SaintePerptue, QC. I have always been fond of playing outdoors. As children, my brothers and I were responsible for the upkeep of our own skating rink. After hosing it for nights, as soon as it was ready, we would put our skates on to better glide along the ice as if on a smooth marble, And even more enjoyable were the shinny hockey games on the homemade rink. Hockey or skating is so extraordinary! It has been part of my life for almost every winter day, says Roy, now 50 yrs. old. Imagine - your body is mounted on skates: speed, control, puck passing etc. Wow! Skating makes me smile almost all the time. I belong to a garage league group that meets regularly in arenas. As far as I am concerned, the absolute experience is when ten or twelve guys of all ages
and with different jerseys meet on the rink! Maybe this is that feeling of airiness that my clients feel in front of my hockey or ski scenes? Roy has been painting for 30 yrs. I was 19 years old when my father Louis set an easel in the very middle of the kitchen of our country home and offered me to have a try. From then on, I used every opportunity I had as an excuse to exercise my drawing and my painting. His impressive studio is one of his favorite places to paint, although its not the only place he chooses to paint. I love to paint in my studio where I feel at home. This studio is large and full of light but I often go outside because nature is so inspiring! I really do not feel at all out of place when I go out with my painting equipment and my sketch book. Direct drawing, wherever it occurs, captures more and more of my interest on account of this energizing approach that embodies my subject.
Roy built his studio himself. It is annexed to his home. My studio is really striking. The studio is open in its center from top to bottom while two large mezzanines go around the second and the third floor where my paintings are hanging joyously. The artist uses several different palettes, depending on where he is working. I have three paint kits. The first one that I use, either in my car or on my knees, is for the quick sketches made with the primary colors and sometimes with a couple more. I like this exercise because it goes well with nature. My second kit is reserved for my direct drawing of an event (plein air). Thats the big thing: the box! Its full of color tubes and many other things too. My last one sits imposingly in my studio, commanding respect and a very large palette. I am well open to many brands of paints. Nevertheless I would rather use the Rembrandt brand because of their famous lightfast pigments that they mix with quality oils. The painting becomes stable and resilient, making the colors odorless and pure, especially the whites. Although Roy has tried almost every medium over his 30-year career, he now sticks almost exclusively to two mediums. The mastery of my art comes from a long apprenticeship where I have tried my hand at almost every medium. But for the last ten years now, I have been devoting my time to oil and charcoal. I have a real feeling that the actual time is full of opportunities for me because I think I have full control of my art.
LEFT: UN APRES-MIDI DE FEVRIER Oil, 48 x 12 ABOVE: SORTIE DE GARS Oil, 48 x 40

Although his palette is often extensive, he prefers a relatively small choice of brushes to do his work. There is a wide array of paintbrushes on the market. Someone has to try many brushes before finally adopting the good ones for him. As far as I am concerned, I have five paintbrushes including the one inch square Raphael and a few softer brushes too. Roys process always starts with the basics. I always do a drawing or grisaille before painting. Working day after day after day, I try to get better on every occasion. I try to add a little more every time, always seeking to give a better fluidity to my characters. As any other professional, I put a lot into my work. I take it seriously and this is why I go into detail when it comes to color, tone, shade, density, intensity and aesthetics. All things considered, I think that we would need more than one life to accomplish all those thingsreally! My motto is: Work, work, work! I do think that I am becoming more and more of a workaholic. This strong work ethic has helped him develop his own unique style. My style is influenced by the fact that everything appeals to me and that every parcel of the earth is a prized treasure for me. The human being, and why not, the human element in general, are worthy to be part of my paintings. I paint with loving care and this is why I almost pretend that the style of my drawings reflects this attitude.
ABOVE: JOURNEE DE PLEIN AIR Oil, 36 x 36
BELOW: RICHESSE DU DESIR Oil, 40 x 60
Much of Roys style and technique was developed as a result of self-teaching and trial and error, but he says, After travelling all over the world, meeting other painters, I finally studied Arts at the University of Qubec in Trois-Rivires. The most amazing thing thats happened in his art career was when he did a plein air painting on a golf course to raise funds for a charity. The price soared to $26,000! Fifteen days later, another painting found a buyer for $16,000. Unbelievable! Roy and France have two adult children. Their 27-yr.-old son Isaac is in the music business in Qubec City and their 24-yr.-old daughter Pascaline is enrolled as an art student at Emily Carr University in Vancouver, BC. Roy says France, his manager, has always backed him. She is my right-hand man, so to speak. I can count on her for everything, from the smallest detail to the sale of the year. Meticulous in his approach to painting and life, Roy says he has a small bit of advice for other artists hoping to succeed. Always keeping your brushes or other things clean will add to your own pleasure of painting and will make you a better painter as well. ABOVE: UNE PETITE PAUSE Oil, 40 x 30
ROB ROYs work can be found in many galleries in Canada, including: Galerie Le Royer, Montral (Qubec);Galerie Le Chien D'or, Qubec (Qubec); Galerie Saint-Antoine, Trois-Rivires (Qubec); Galerie D'Art Drummond, Drummondville (Qubec); Canada House Gallery, Banff (Alberta); Gallery 133, Toronto (Ontario);Gallery Christin, Toronto (Ontario); State of the Art Gallery, Toronto (Ontario); River Coyote Gallery, Port Credit (Ontario); Pacif'ic Gallery, Saskatoon, (Saskatchewan); Woodlands Gallery, Winnipeg (Manitoba); Adele Campbell Fine Art Gallery, Whistler (British Columbia); Webster Galleries Inc., Calgary (Alberta); Rendezvous Art Gallery, Vancouver (British Columbia); and Lando Gallery, Edmonton (Alberta). To view more of Roys work, go to www.robertroy.ca .
Shairl Honey
Susan Box
Tracey Mardon
Johnson Gallery
7711 - 85 St., Edmonton, AB 780-465-6171 www.johnsongallery.ca Susan Abma
Susan Box
Cindy Revell
Johnson Gallery
7711 - 85 St., Edmonton, AB 780-465-6171 www.johnsongallery.ca
Susan Abma
MARITIMES
(NFLD/Labrador, PEI, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick)
BOATS AT PEGGYS COVE Watercolor, 12 x 16
lengthy preparation makes painting

Bedford, NS artist James E. Pay attributes much of his success to having a member of the Group of Seven as his mentor, and having a talented instructor who was a color expert.
STORY FOLLOWS ON NEXT PAGE...
quick
WEST DOVER Watercolor, 12 x 16
ack in the 1970s and 80s, artist James Pay, 75, was trying all kinds of different mediums. When his mentor told him to stick with one medium (watercolor) and become proficient at it before moving on to other mediums, he listened. The reason he listened so intently was that his mentor was the very renowned artist, A.J. Casson, a member of the famous Group of Seven Canadian artists. I went to visit him at his house in Toronto, ON, once a week. He was in his later years and he eventually quit painting because of his failing eyesight, says Pay. He told me, I could keep painting but I dont want to paint crap. He also told me Do your work up solid with watercolor and then move on to other mediums. I now do about 40 percent acrylics and 60 percent watercolor. I never moved on from there. Pay is very disciplined, spending about five hours each day working on something in the art business. This can be painting, marketing, teaching or learning. Hes also prolific, completing approximately 100 paintings per year. He can complete a watercolor painting in a day, and often completes his acrylic paintings in two to three
days. Im fairly quick, but it comes from all the preparation I put into it: Thumbnail sketches, knowing where my light sources are going to come from Pay works on a 5 table in his studio, which he laughingly says is not large because his wife says its too messy already. With watercolor, he soaks both sides of the paper and then places it on a sheet of acrylic so that it sticks to the acrylic while hes painting. He usually then lays a towel over top of the sheet of paper to soak up some of the excess water. I use large palettes I buy them as large as I possibly can. I have about 15 brushes and I use probably five during any one painting. He fills a large water can, saying that he doesnt like to run short of water while painting, and he has a lot of towels. Watercolor is all in the control of water. If Pay really likes the way a watercolor painting turns out, he often does a similar painting in acrylic because he can make it larger if he chooses. With watercolor he doesnt usually paint more than a half-sheet size. Im usually kind of medium-sized in my thinking.
Canadian Brushstroke Magazine March/April 2008
BADDECK LIGHTHOUSE Watercolor, 12 x 16
When working with photographs, Pay prefers black and white prints. I dont like to work with local colors. I want to choose them myself. He likes to work with Rembrandt artist quality paint, but says theres the odd color that I might use other brands. Generally I use only five colors in one painting. Some of his favorite colors include Prussian Blue, Ultramarine Blue, Alizarin Crimson, Light Red (or Venetian Red or Indian Red), Cadmium Red Light, and Titanium White (for acrylics). He likes Gamboge, which he says is an exceptionally lovely yellow in my view. In dilute its a fantastic color. He also uses Ivory Black, which he doesnt use on its own, but adds it to other colors. You need some darks to bring out the lights. Another favorite is DaVinci Quinacridone Orange, which he will sometimes use in place of Burnt Sienna because it is more transparent. I use very little mask I paint around. Thats an Edgar Whitney thing (1891-1987) or Tony Couch. Couch is a friend of Pay and his wife Eileen. Although Casson was his mentor, Pay credits another individual with his knowledge of color. Everything I know about color I give credit to Marjorie Smith. Smith was an
instructor to Pay many years ago. She had achieved her Masters degree at the University of Michigan. In those days, Pay says, she had to make a set of 28 watercolor paints using the original organic materials to achieve her degree. She passed this intimate knowledge of color on to Pay. Pay likes Canson and Arches papers and DaVinci brushes mostly flats, although he does have a Japanese round brush and a hake. I do my pencil drawings with 3B, lightly placed and I rub out most of the lines. If the pencil line doesnt mean anything, I take it out. If it means something, Ill leave it. I start at the top of the painting and work down. I do a lot of negative painting, saving my points of interest until last. I like varied edges some hard and some soft. Youve got to know your values. Casson told me in each painting to take your values from one to ten and try to use them all in varying degrees. He also advised me to be your own worst critic. Dont believe that everything you paint is a masterpiece'. He took that advice to heart. Even after all these years of painting, Pay still rips up watercolor works that arent successful.
Pay and Eileen have lived in many locations, including the Caribbean, where they lived from 1996 until 2000; and in Eileens native Scotland, where they lived from 2000 until 2004. When they moved back to Canada from Scotland, they settled in Ontario for a few years, but they missed the sea, so they moved on to Bedford, NS, where they say they are now going to stay for the duration. We love it here. The people are so friendly. Pay was born in Niagara Falls, ON. In Scotland, Pay felt honored to have been asked to teach for the National Trust for Scotland at Culross Palace. Pay sells his original paintings, art cards, open and limited edition prints including Scottish images, marine paintings, landscapes, and florals in many locations.
PLEASURE BOATS Watercolor, 12 x 16
Pays wife Eileen does the majority of the business side of his art, keeping in touch with clients, galleries, keeping
up his website, photographing his work and being his assistant at his workshops.
JAMES E. PAY, UA, trained as an artist in Canada, UK and the US. He is a signature member of the United Society of Artists, London, England and former vice-chairman of Central Arts, Scotland. Both James and Eileen are founding members of the Acrylic Painters Society of Ontario. He exhibits in many locations, including Artport at the Halifax International Airport and Painters Palette in downtown Halifax. For more information about James E. Pay, visit his website at www.theartofjamesepay.com .
David Brooks Anne McCormick
Johnson Gallery
Susan Abma
7711 - 85 St., Edmonton, AB 780-465-6171 www.johnsongallery.ca Margaret Klappstein

news & information

BRITISH COLUMBIA
Victoria Sketch Club, March 15 until March 20: Annual show at the Glenlyon Norfolk School. Fourteen of the 35 artists represented at this show are active members of the Federation of Canadian Artists. ....................... West End Gallery (Victoria), Until March 20: Exhibition by Patricia Johnson Impressions of nature with a focus on atmosphere, light and color. April 5 until April 17: Graham Forsythes vibrant landscape oil paintings. ....................... Petley-Jones Gallery (Vancouver), Until March 22: An exhibition of paintings, drawings and watercolors by Llewellyn Petley-Jones (1908-1986). ....................... Two Rivers Gallery (Prince George), Until March 30: Pulse - An exhibition of artists Ann Nicholson, Monique Germaine, Paula Scott, Trevor Lloyd Jones, Judith DesBrisay, Mary Savage, Kim Stewart, Gerda Volz, Maja Swannie Jacob, Theresa Sapergia, Peter Rodseth and Hugh Perkins. ....................... Alliance Francaise (Vancouver), Until April 4: Mesa, a new exhibition by painter Catherine Tableau. ....................... Salmon Arm Public Art Gallery, April 5 26: Solo exhibition of Tatianna ODonnells recent works - large scale figurative trees with extended roots. In honor of the International Year of Planet Earth, ODonnell is celebrating with an exhibition of trees. Each painting is accompanied by prose she has written about trees and her own process in discovering them. ....................... Vernon Art Gallery, Until May 1: Borderlands Imagining the Immaterial, is a body of abstract paintings by artist Shawn Serfas (Topham Brown Memorial Gallery).
ALBERTA
Artpoint Gallery (Calgary): Until March 29: Nature vs Nurture - New works by artist Katrina Olson. Katrina Olson's multifaceted mixed media works are derived from details of portraiture, architecture and a combination of the two. Focusing on urban landscapes and the people inhabiting them. This collection directs attention to the debate between whether the environments people are in shape them, or whether they are a product of their genetic dispositions. ....................... Herringer Kiss Gallery (Calgary), Until March 29: Siobhan Humstons abstract acrylic and graphite works. ....................... TU Gallery (Edmonton), Until March 29: A show featuring sculptural wood animal furniture brought to life by Jamie Russell, Canadian artist and sculptor. ....................... Art Beat Gallery (Edmonton), Until March 31: Two new exhibitions by Kari Duke and Andrew Raszewsk. Duke paints the back alleys of Edmonton's older neighborhoods while Andrew takes us away from the city to the great outdoors. ....................... Art Gallery of Calgary, Until April 5: Matter of Denial, by Chris Flodberg. His collected works, tracing the progression of his career with a focus on the last three years. Flodberg's monumental canvases depict tables laden with food, lavish interiors and dilapidated urban landscapes.
ALBERTA
Art Gallery of Alberta (Edmonton), Until March 24: Window Dressing, by sculptor Shane Krepakevich. ....................... West End Gallery (Edmonton): Until March 27: Loose and vibrant paintings by Brent Laycock. March 29 until April 10: Colorful, whimsical works by Paul Jorgensen. April 12 until April 24: Robert Genn, well known for his landscapes, particularly of the West Coast and Rocky Mountains. ....................... The Centre for Creative Arts (Grande Prairie), Until March 28: A collection of work by 17 local artists features timeless images of the Edson Trail and those who traveled it. ....................... Fringe Gallery (Edmonton), Until March 29: Eleusis, featuring artists George Botchett, Margaret Braun, E. Ross Bradley, Vern Busby, Edmund Haakonson, Eileen Heidler, Keith Turnbull and Raymond Theriault. .......................
Call for Submissions

"Planet Earth", a juried Alberta-wide Open Exhibition hosted by the Alberta Society of Artists at the Leighton Centre, Calgary in the spring 2009, deadline Nov. 30, 2008. Forms may be downloaded at www.artists-society.ab.ca .
news & information

ALBERTA
Alberta Craft Council Discovery Gallery (Edmonton), Until April 12: The Future is Later, an exhibition featuring the work of three young glass artists: Bee Kingdom, Phillip Bandura, Ryan Marsh Fairweather and Tim Belliveau, who focus their attention on the future state of the environment. ....................... Art Gallery of Alberta (Edmonton), Until May 4 Seeing Through Modernism: Edmonton 1970 1985. This exhibition features the work of over 30 artists and traces the development and continuation of a modernist tradition in Edmonton in the 1970s and 1980s. ....................... Willock & Sax (Banff): New works by E. Ross Bradley, AOCA, R.B. (Bob) Campenot, John Chalke RCA, Arne Handley, Bradley Keys, Aaron Paquette, Darren Petersen BFA (ACAD), Robert Sinclair RCA, Barbara Tipton MFA, and Peter von Tiesenhausen.
ONTARIO
Artguise Gallery (Ottawa), Until March 19: Debut of new works by Ottawa artist Andrew Smith. Andrew's large scale oil abstracts are produced in a palette of deep earth tones, rich deep blacks and high contrast bright colour on vast fields of both light and dark. ....................... Roberts Gallery (Toronto), Until March 22: Bruce Steinhoffs exhibition of new work. Since his last exhibition, Bruce has traveled through France on an 1800 km cycling trip from Paris to Bordeaux via Normandy and Brittany. Oil paintings produced on that journey will be exhibited along side work produced in his favorite locations on the Eastern Shore of Georgian Bay such as Britt and Whitefish Islands. ....................... Edward Day Gallery (Toronto), Until March 23: Bare - new works by Heather Graham in the Main Gallery. ....................... Monte Clark Gallery (Toronto), Until March 23: Neubau, the solo exhibition of new paintings by Vancouverbased artist Holger Kalberg. Neubau means new construction in German. ....................... Susan Hobbs Gallery (Toronto), Until May 3: New work by Robert Wiens known for his large-scale, meticulously rendered watercolor paintings of tree trunks and limbs. ....................... The Ontario College of Art & Design (Toronto), May 9 until May 11: The 93rd annual Graduate Exhibition, presenting the work of more than 500 graduating students.
PETER HOFFER Provenance #3

Newzones (Calgary), Until April 5: Peter Hoffer. Hoffer's paintings invite the viewer to take part in the construction of both the landscape depicted and understanding of the painting medium with washes of paint, thick layer of resin, and exposed wood panel. Also until April 5: An exhibition by William Perehudoff. He has been painting for the last six decades. Throughout the 50s and 60s, he was an active participant in the Emma Lake Artists Workshops. In 1988 he was a workshop leader at Emma Lake. Perehudoff received the Order of Canada, recognizing his outstanding artistic achievements and for his ongoing contributions to Canadian art. From April 12 May 3: Marie Lannoo and Yechel Gagnon. Lannoo's paintings are made up of many fluid layers. The surfaces subtly shift in colour and texture as you move around them. For Yechel Gagnon, plywood contains an enormous potential as an artistic medium.
SASKATCHEWAN
MacKenzie Art Gallery (Regina), Until April 20: Warhol: Larger than Life is an expansive project of over 150 paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures, photographs, archival ephemera, and films spanning some four decades of production.
MANITOBA
Winnipeg art gallery, until march 23: PostSecret - The exhibition features more than 400 homemade postcards that brought together the most powerful, poignant, and beautifully intimate secrets collected by Frank Warren through his fascinating and compelling community art project. March 20 until June 29: The Harry Winrob Collection of Inuit Sculpture This collection of carvings constitutes the most significant Inuit sculpture donation made to the gallery in the last 30 years.
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ONTARIO CONTD
Art Gallery of Hamilton, Until April 27: TD Waterhouse Great Masters Series: Munkcsys Epic Christ before Pilate celebrates the return from long-term loan in Hungary of the Gallerys monumental painting Christ before Pilate by Mihly Munkcsy (Hungarian 18441900). When Munkcsy created the epic picture in 1881his most ambitious project to datehe had already established himself in Paris as the most internationally successful Hungarian artist of the 19th century. Featuring a crowd of life-size figures posed in various attitudes, the massive picture measures over 4 by 6 metres, or 13 by 20 plus feet. Christ before Pilate entered the Gallerys collection in 2002 as part of the donation of The Joey and Toby Tanenbaum Collection. Also until April 27: Atelier: Ora Markstein - Carved by hand from blocks of soapstone, marble and alabaster in every imaginable color, Ora Marksteins powerful sculptures reverberate with emotion. Until May 4: Two Artists Time Forgot - Frances Jones (Bannerman) and Margaret Campbell Macpherson offers a rare opportunity to experience first-hand the work of Newfoundlands Margaret Campbell Macpherson (1860 1931) and Nova Scotias Frances Jones (Bannerman) (1855 1944).
MARITIMES
Gallery 78, (Fredericton, NB), Until March 30: New work by Colin Hugh Smith - Full of bold colors cast energetically into images of flowers. ....................... Galerie Sans Nom (Moncton, NB), Until March 28: Escapisms by the artists Shana McCaw and Brent Budsberg. As in most of their collaborative work, the artists are interested in establishing a dialogue between the installation location and the piece itself. A miniature landscape is layered into the existing architecture, thus creating spatial tension along with the realization that a tiny hidden world may exist just beneath the plaster. ................... Peter Buckland Gallery (Saint John, NB), Until March 31; Jack Bishop, a recent graduate of the Nova Scotia College of Art & Design will be featured for the month. His work was selected for two imporJACK BISHOP David Suzuki 43 x 50. Sold by Gallery Page and Strange. tant public Purchased by Canada Council Art Bank. collections within the same month. One of his recent paintings has been acquired by the provinces art bank and another by the Canada Council Art Bank - home to the largest collection of contemporary Canadian Art. .......................
QUEBEC
Galerie Trois Points (Montreal), Until March 15: For Feldman : Symtrie inacheve, by Mario Cote. ....................... Gallery Gora, (Montreal), Until March 22: A new exhibition of contemporary artists H. Schatz (United States), T. Barr (Isral/Israel), and R. Katch (Canada).
School Touring Program awards $8,000 to three visual artists to tour schools in Newfoundland
The Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council (NLAC) awarded $8,000 to Don Foulds, Shirley Greer and Charlotte Jones. The artists presented their visual art and a series of visual art workshops for elementary students. Over the course of a full day students viewed a live exhibition of each of the artists work and discuss how pieces were created and the vision explored in each work. Students then took part in workshops exploring various forms of visual art including printmaking, painting, sculpture and drawing. This project toured schools in and around Port aux Basques and Cow Head in February 2008. The NLAC distributed a total of $64,000, with the balance of the funds distrusted to literary and performing artists.
news & information NATIONAL Budget 2008: Another opportunity missed, claims Canadian Museums Association
he Canadian Museums Association is disappointed with todays federal budget. Again, the Conservative government has missed an opportunity to deliver on its promise to deliver a new National Museum Policy and a renewed investment in the preservation of our heritage" says CMA Executive Director, John McAvity. McAvity was commenting on Finance Minister Jim Flahertys third federal budget. In budget discussions, the CMA provided specific recommendations on components of a new policy and to address cuts in the past two years to museum programs. Re-allocations within the Canadian Heritage department are a mix of good and bad news for museums. While there was little detail in the budget papers when released, $23.2 million in funding over two years for agencies to support digitization are being re-allocated to other priorities. This may impact on the Virtual Museum of Canadas digitization program but this remains to be verified.
The budget announces the re-allocation of $9 million over two years for National Museums to use for operating and infrastructure spending. Clarifying the budgets of the national museums is welcome and adds to the almost $100 million in funding over five years for National museums announced in December 2006. Together with the establishment of the new Canadian Human Rights Museum in Winnipeg, this government is contributing to national museums. However, it continues to ignore the needs of museums in communities across Canada that are fighting to preserve and protect our national heritage, says McAvity. In two years, this government has failed to deliver on its promise of a new policy." says McAvity. We once again urge Prime Minister Harper, Heritage Minister Verner and the Conservative government to work with the museum community to deliver a new policy during the life of this Parliament."
INTERNATIONAL
Charles Gibbons Represents Canada in Group Exhibitions of International Abstract Painters in China
uitai Art Centre in Tianjin, China, recently presented Color and Ink a group exhibition of international abstract painters. Canada was represented by Charles Gibbons. The art centre curator says Gibbons paintings, although two dimensional, expound a fascinating array of perspective that challenge the conventional distinctions between sculpture and painting, at both the techni-
cal and conceptual levels. Gibbons represented his Reva Series, using a circle element on harmonious to tumultuous backgrounds and the widest range of colors available. The Huitai Art Center will be presenting a One-Man show of Charles Gibbons work in October, 2008. The artists website is www.theartofcharlesgibbons.com .
the last word...

n the next issue, we will be providing information about some artist retreats in Canada. If you operate an artists retreat (perhaps a B&B or cottages, etc.) with specific attractions for artists, send us some BRIEF information about the facility and the area it is located in. We think our readers will be interested in knowing some of the fun, or remote, or just plain spectacular scenic areas they could possibly visit during the summer months. Please note that this will not be free space to advertise workshops at different locations. This is space to give readers a short bit of information about the location, some of the area attractions that might be of interest to artists and contact information. We will also accept photos, however dont send more than two per retreat location. We may not use photos of every location, and we will not use more than one of the photos per location. We require the information emailed to us prior to April 1, 2008. If you wish to send us information about this, please email it to editor@brushstrokemagazine.com - please remember to keep it BRIEF (6 - 10 sentences) and please put RETREAT STORY in the subject line of the email.
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James E. Pay Boats at Peggys Cove

Artist prepares well to paint quickly

Quebecs Robert Roy Paints Passion in Every Stroke

Sharon Strand Sigfuson

Through the Looking Glass

Limited palette suits alla prima artist perfectly

Robert Roy Darlene Gait

Esquimalt Nations artist captures pride of her people in her paintings

12 Visual Arts Summit

Artist Likes Limited Palette

32 Industry News and

WEST (Yukon, Alberta, B.C.)

THE LAND THAT OWNS ME Acrylic, 25 x 66

FIRST NATIONS ARTIST CREATES ART TO SERVE HER PEOPLE

Canadian Brushstroke Magazine March/April 2008 7

THE WATCHER Acrylic, 20 x 28

LEGEND OF THE ORCA Acrylic, 18 x 22

CHILDREN OF THE SEA Acrylic, 18 x 24

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Artra Art Supplies Co. Ltd.

CAVA applauds motion for artists' tax exemption

Canada Council increases support for Visual Arts

12 Canadian Brushstroke Magazine March/April 2008

CALL T S FOR A L ENTRIES !!

Floral, Still Life Competition

March 30. 2008

RULES HOW TO ENTER

RULES HOW TO ENTER (CONTINUED)

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(Nunavut, Saskatchewan, NWT, Manitoba)

Limited palette suits alla prima artist perfectly

16 Canadian Brushstroke Magazine March/April 2008

18 Canadian Brushstroke Magazine March/April 2008

Get outside and paint!

SIT ON IT! STAND BY IT!

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PERFECT FOR BOTH INDOOR AND OUTDOOR USE!

Canadian Brushstroke Magazine March/April 2008 19

Painter puts passion in every stroke

20 Canadian Brushstroke Magazine March/April 2008

LEFT: UN APRES-MIDI DE FEVRIER Oil, 48 x 12 ABOVE: SORTIE DE GARS Oil, 48 x 40

ABOVE: JOURNEE DE PLEIN AIR Oil, 36 x 36

BELOW: RICHESSE DU DESIR Oil, 40 x 60

22 Canadian Brushstroke Magazine March/April 2008

7711 - 85 St., Edmonton, AB 780-465-6171 www.johnsongallery.ca

(NFLD/Labrador, PEI, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick)

BOATS AT PEGGYS COVE Watercolor, 12 x 16

lengthy preparation makes painting

WEST DOVER Watercolor, 12 x 16

BADDECK LIGHTHOUSE Watercolor, 12 x 16

PLEASURE BOATS Watercolor, 12 x 16

Canadian Brushstroke Magazine March/April 2008 29

David Brooks Anne McCormick

7711 - 85 St., Edmonton, AB 780-465-6171 www.johnsongallery.ca Margaret Klappstein

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