Before the Summer Art Show '25!

This year, Before the Summer will be held May 2, 3, and 4 at the Firehall Theatre, 185 South Street, in Gananoque. We start with a party atmosphere on Friday evening from 6 to 9, with music from Evening Edition, and a cash bar that will continue to operate throughout the weekend. The show will be open 10 to 5 on Saturday and 10 to 4 on Sunday.

We have some exciting new-to-the-show artists this year, as well as some favourites from previous years. Here is a preview of the work of the artists participating. For more information, please visit our website: https://www.beforethesummer.com.

Monique van Someren, Laurel Wilson, Barbara Högenauer

Monique van Someren, from Brockville, will bring a new series, the "Garden Party," which depicts the animals that visit her backyard. Monique sets these creatures in scenes inspired by her experiences, stories, and dreams.

Laurel Wilson, from Perth, paints landscapes featuring strongly delineated shapes, reminiscent of stained glass, and
Art Nouveau. "My intention is not to copy nature, but rather to be inspired by it, and to express the essence of the natural world that means so much to me."

Barbara Högenauer, from Prince Edward County, says, "I love the elusive quality of the landscape, the moving light, the mystery of what the eye sees. My canvas typically goes through various layers of paint, building up texture with palette knives and various mark-making tools until the final piece comes into its own – a very intuitive process. Attempting to interpret the natural world, creating work that evokes an emotional impact, is what intrigues and drives me."

Mike Doxey, Liz Schell

Mike Doxey, a potter from Portland, creates both functional and unique sculptural ceramics to be hung on the wall.

Liz Schell, Kingston, says that during her years building sets at the Domino Theatre, she would keep odd cuts of wood that were destined for the trash and turn them into 'funky' flower boxes. She expanded into tables, lidded boxes, and 'bird' flower boxes. Her art dolls are her most recent creations and they bring her much joy as they evolve. "Art is as vital as breathing to me and anything I can do to support the arts is my happy place."

Stacey Robb, Michelle Reid, Adele Webster

Stacey Robb, from Odessa, is a watercolour artist who expresses her emotions and connections to her subjects by her choice of colour, textures, brush strokes, curiosity, and adventure.

Michelle Reid, a Kingston artist, features both contemporary nature and urban subjects in her work. She is noted for capturing the sunlight through colour, but also for conveying a sense of the spirit of a place. Michelle says, “I love capturing the moments that I feel grateful to have witnessed, when the light hits just right and illuminates a mistakenly mundane moment. A reminder that beauty is all around and that joy can be inspired in the smallest shift of perspective. I find comfort and the connections made with people through this shared experience is the greatest reward in my practice.”

Adele Webster, from Kingston, uses a minimalist style to bring balance in an attempt to decipher the everyday chaos towards calm. She focuses on gesture and color, layering washes of paint on wood panels to create her work, which is inspired by nature's landscapes. She intends to create a mood or evoke a dream-like memory that one can escape into while enjoying the playfulness of the contemporary peaceful vista.

Eda Brown, Laurel Wilson, Jules Crowley

Eda Brown's paintings create a sense of place at a particular moment in time. The use of vivid and vibrant colours with quick brush work brings the viewer into a place that can be uniquely their own. Working mainly with oil paint, she creates landscapes that clearly have a loose and painterly feel. Eda lives and works in Brockville.

Jackie Kavanagh, from Ottawa, says, "I create playful, visually dynamic, fibre artwork using traditional handweaving techniques. Each piece is infused with vibrancy, joy, and a sense of whimsy. Weaving is a free flowing, spontaneous, and meditative process for me, in contrast to my engineering career, which has been governed by rigid structure."

Jules Crowley, originally from Brockville, has recently settled in Gananoque. She has had a professional career in theatrical costumes, makeup, hair, and fine art that spans over 35 years. As a portrait painter, Jules can capture her subject's heart and soul using subtle planes of color and broader brushstrokes. Her landscape paintings usually involve rivers, lakes, and "the Islands;" memories of a childhood growing up near the River and summers spent at the cottage.

Laura Kingsbury, Martha Stroud, Mike Hart

Laura Kingsbury says, "I have always been inspired by nature in my professional career as a wildlife biologist and in my artistic career as a painter. I have been painting wildlife and birds for over 40 years, but more recently have wandered into painting Canadian landscapes in acrylics. This new medium has re-inspired my creative soul." Laura lives in Merrickville.

Martha Stroud, Kingston, says, "This year I have been inspired by the beautiful old barns of Eastern Ontario. So many of them are in decay and I would like to capture them on canvas before they disappear. I see more every time I drive, and it takes me a long time to arrive anywhere because I can't resist stopping to take photographs."

Mike Hart; Michael explores landscapes and water related shapes using watercolor and acrylic mediums. Always striving to find a loose watercolor style, Michael often dabbles on the edge of abstract in his art. He has also developed a fan base for his playful paintings of nuns!

Monika Rosen, Pamela Prince, Terry Culbert

Monika Rosen, a Kingston artist, works primarily in oil and is fascinated by the relationship between the psyche and the landscape. "I turn to the human figure and the elusive, dynamic properties of water to explore the psyche, through change and healing. At the heart of my work is a relational framework—examining vulnerability and transformation within an interconnected ecosystem."

Pamela Prince, from Brockville, works with sterling silver and 14k gf wire to sculpt unique jewelry using an array of semi-precious gemstones, cultured opals, and Herkimer diamonds (see note below).

Terry Culbert says, "I have drawn since childhood. Forty-two years were spent in television behind and in front of the camera. Today, I am a full-time artist, creating alongside my life partner, Barbara Högenauer, in our in-house studio-gallery Prince Edward’s County Studio. Utilizing my drawing skills and my love for colour, my works vary from whimsical to almost illustrative. Each canvas tells a story, often humorous, always bold."

We look forward to welcoming you to to this year's Before the Summer in May!

[Note: Herkimer Diamonds, discovered in the 18th century near Herkimer, NY, are gemstones prized for their unique structure. Unlike most quartz, which grows with a single termination, Herkimers naturally form with two pointed ends and an average of 18 facets —without any need for cutting or polishing.]

By Martha Stroud

Martha Stroud's family emigrated from Ireland around 1908, to live first in Gananoque, then Kingston, and finally Toronto, where she was born. She has lived and worked on three continents but is very happy to have retired back to Kingston and the Thousand Islands area, where she tries to capture nature ever-changing on canvas. See Martha's past articles and the work of her many artist friends here and here!

Editor's Note: Once again Martha Stroud includes TI Life Readers with her notice. Several readers have already inquired as to when the show will be held - so we are pleased to learn it is on and ready to welcome visitors.