Before the Summer – Part II

As we told you last month, the organizers of the "Before the Summer Show” show travelled far and wide to find exciting artists who are new to the show, and they have also included some fine craftspeople to add to the variety.

This will be the 12th year the show has taken place and it will again be held at the Firehall Theatre, 185 South Street, Gananoque, on Mother’s Day Weekend, May 10 (6pm to 9pm), May 11 (10am to 5pm), and May 12 (10am to 4pm). There will be music by Evening Edition on Friday evening, a cash bar all weekend, and on Sunday, there’ll be a draw for a gift certificate to the wonderful 1000 Islands Playhouse.

Here is a little bit about the artists who we didn’t have room to include in last month’s article:

Rosalyn Insley

Rosalyn Insley says, “I love the outdoors (though I am partial to good weather!). I find the country side invigorating – I close my eyes, hear the twittering of birds, the rustle of leaves, the lapping waves against my kayak – what could be better than this! I want my paintings to be more than pretty pictures – I want to capture a moment in time, have it evoke a feeling or a memory – of a favourite spot, a perfect moment in time, a childhood spent free in the outdoors. I want to capture the aching beauty of a sunset, the gentle embrace of a sunrise, the excitement of an approaching storm. I want the viewer to smell the pine needles, hear the water crashing over the rocks, feel the breeze whispering through tall grasses. It’s a tall order, and I enjoy working every day, trying to achieve this.”

David Hale

David Hale, a well-known Gananoque musician, says, “Grandfathers from both my parents passed before I had a chance to meet them, yet each provided a little genetic artistic thread that I’ve embraced. Since retiring to the Gananoque area in 2014, I’ve explored music from Dad’s side and painting from Mom’s. When the brushes call, I do my best to meet their expectations. I love trying to capture landscapes in an authentic, but stylized manner. I can get swallowed up in the details and am constantly reminding myself “this is an impression, not a photo.” Self-taught, I’m trying to share some of the things that capture my eye . . .”

Jules Crowley

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 colour and broader brushstrokes. Her landscape paintings usually involve river, lakes, and “the islands;” memories of a childhood growing up near the River and summers spent at the cottage.

Ed Vanderbaaren

Also born and raised in Brockville, Ed Vanderbaaren’s artistic journey took an unconventional path. High school lacked art classes, and it wasn’t until after graduation that he delved into the world of creativity. The summer of 1973 marked his initiation into pottery, followed by unforgettable drawing lessons with Mr. Aromi, who imparted the quirky wisdom of using fresh bread as an eraser for charcoal. In 2011, he established his pottery studio, dedicating most of his spare time to the intricate dance of potting and painting—a testament to the enduring passion ignited by those early artistic encounters.

Candice Nixon

Candice Nixon says, " I fell in love with glass while working as a Graphic Designer. Glass was a side hobby that turned into a passion leading me to open my own business and become a full time artist in 2004. I work in both Glass-on-Glass (G-O-G) and Glass Fusing techniques. My muse is the simple beauty I see in
nature and everyday life. Glass enables me to capture the essence of this ever changing face by exploring the many ways it can be manipulated. I create unique glass artwork for homes and gardens - sometimes combined with hardwood or repurposed items like antique windows, bottles and century old barn board using vibrant colours and textures that mimic the natural world to evoke the viewer's senses and emotions."

Eda Brown

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. Eda has always been a painter. Studying graphic design imbedded a visual vocabulary and design-sense upon which to build. Eda spends most of her time in her home studio on the banks of the mighty St Lawrence River where she is inspired by her surroundings each day. Working mainly with oil paint, she creates landscapes which have a loose and painterly feel.

Martha Stroud

Martha Stroud spends a lot of time exploring the area around her cottage on Bobs Lake, and, closer to home, walking along the Cataraqui River. There is always something inspiring wherever there are trees, especially in the autumn. She was also inspired last year by a workshop offered by Debra Krakow, entitled 'Whimsical Interiors'. She has been painting small areas of her condo and friends' quirky furniture, inventing wallpaper and adding ghost cats, ever since.

Pamela Prince

Pamela Prince is a self-taught wire artist who was first inspired to create gifts and custom jewelry for family, friends and friends of friends. While continuing this tradition, her passion for wrapped gemstones, Herkimer diamonds and fine metal craft eventually led her to participate in a select few juried artisan events in Leeds and the Thousand Islands.  Her small workshop in the beautiful Thousand
Islands overlooks a wild marsh, hence “Sur le Marais”!

Michael Hart

Michael Hart 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. Regardless of medium or style, he continues to find inspiration and excitement from the challenges of
painting intriguing shapes associated with water and seasonal landscapes.

The artists we featured last month, who are also in the show, are: Monique van Someren, Laurel Wilson, Jenn Raby, Marielle Simzer, Valerie Spence Hounsell, Karen Leslie Hall, and Barb Carr

Don’t forget – visit the Firehall Theatre on the Mother’s Day Weekend! We look forward to welcoming you to view some wonderful art.

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!