SPRING BAY—The official opening for the season of the Perivale Gallery in Spring Bay this past Sunday is a long anticipated sign of spring.
“We have a very exciting year planned,” said Shannon McMullan, gallery owner/operator, “this is our 37th season.”
“We have 11 workshops and over 50 artists/artisans featured in our gallery this year,” said Ms. McMullan. “Not only are there artist’s paintings, there are sculptures, pottery, jewellery and photography.”
“In the spirit of Thomson and the Group of Seven,” is one of the featured workshops we are holding this season,” said Ms. McMullan. The workshop entitled “Paint Like Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven,” will take place from July 20-22 and features artist Andre Hamilton. Participants will learn how Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven painted the Northern landscape using colour, shape, style and concepts, pushing to find your own creative voice. Best of all, you will leave with a few finished masterpieces of your own.”
“Along with Ivan Wheale, one of our featured artists is Jay Favot, who is based out of Sudbury,” continued Ms. McMullan. “He is very inspired by Ivan Wheale’s work and has been since he was a little boy. This is reflected in his work.”
As for Mr. Wheale he has “28 new pieces of work; all new this year,” he told the Recorder at the opening. Although there is no set theme, his works basically focus on “a little bit of everything.” Of course some of his works depict the Islands and scenes in the Georgian Bay for which his name is synonymous.
“One of the pieces is of a barn at Honora Bay before it came down; there is a prairie wagon, Georgian Bay works, an early piece of a Chelmsford barn and the way the area looked before subdivisions were constructed there,” said Mr. Wheale. One of his works depicts an old boat from Newfoundland, two pieces featuring Willisville and one entitled “Pebbles from Providence Bay.”
“Georgian Bay is probably my number one favourite place to visit and paint,” said Mr. Wheale. “Things are always changing and I never get tired of painting islands and scenes in Georgian Bay, things change all the time. I like to go out at this time of the year (spring), or the fall when it is quiet.”
Along with the ‘Paint Like Tom Thomson’ workshop taking place July 20-22, the gallery is featuring ‘Shedding Light on Landscapes’ June 1-3 with Barry Bowerman; ‘Intuitive Watercolour;’ ‘Luxurious Colour and Dramatic Shapes’ with Ruth Reid June 8-10; an Ivan Wheale workshop ‘Wheale’s Approach to Painting’ June 22-24; ‘Go Big or Go Home’ workshop featuring Cathy Boyd July 6-8; ‘Paint Lovely, Loose and Lively Landscapes’ with Andrew Hamilton July 13-15; ‘Magical Alcohol Ink,’ featuring Brigitte Bere will take place August 3-5, while ‘Colour Is the Plaything’ features Mark Hope in a workshop to take place August 10-12.
Next on the list of workshops is ‘Painting Shimmery Water; Get your sparkle on!’ August 17-19, with Lisa Free. ‘In the Style of’ features Linda Finn, on September 7-9, while Cathy Boyd will be returning to the gallery September 14-16 with the workshop ‘Fuel the Fire.’
