Parades and little kids

Santa's brother was hard at it again this year creating little replicas of his famous brother to hang on your Christmas tree. Doesn't he look great beside Rebekka Pom's handcrafted Rocking Zebra. He delighted the kiddies who were waiting for the parades to start, and tugged at the heartstrings of parents nostalgic for a old time Christmas. the tracor parde of lights was spectacular and the folks doing the Santa Claus parade out did themselves, lots of lights and music.

Tara Imerson

You can see the cracks in the mortar, feel the rust, see the wind blowing in Tara's paintings. People think that they are photos, but they are much more than that. These are statements of forgotten places, And Tara's special process makes for intimate viewing, of watercolours, framing without glass.

Christmas is coming...

George Perdue has finished his show on the "Wall" and Rosemary Hasner Headwaters Tourism Artist of the Year 2010 is now up. Rose has some new pieces on display and some old favourites of her mixed media photo collages. Here till Dec 7th. Right now the shop is preparing for Moonlight Madness, the town of Orangeville will be alight with tractor parade, real reindeer, and Santa's brother carving in the window at Dragonfly. We have put out all the handmade ornaments like raku stars, beaded dragonflies and wooden birds.

Facelift

OK, so I didn't use the Botox myself , instead the shop has had a makeover! Thanks to Erin Ulrick and her Dad the shop now has some beautiful new jewellery cabinets. They are works of art with lovely glass tops and drawers for our huge collection of jewellery makers. The best part is that they are made with recycled windows which ties it in with our recycled doors beautifully. I love the way it opens up the room, you can see paintings on the walls and it welcomes you down the hall to the very last studio. Add to this a few layers of fresh paint, and we'll be ready for our busy season.
George Perdue has just replaced Carol Gregg on the Feature Wall, and Jill is in the window. This is an exciting time because every day new things are coming in. Today we got some crotcheted cotton and woolen hats made by Susan Reynolds.

Culture Days

OK it's the beginning of 'Culture Days'  Such a lot going on. We started the day today at the Mayor's Breakfast where Dragonfly was honored with an Arts and Culture award for "Community Impact by a Business" How lovely! Beth and I did lampworking demos all day.I'll be doing demos Sat Oct 1, Rachel Clark Hall will be at Dragonfly Friday from 2-4 Sunday Oct 2 Roslyn will demo from 11-2 Jill will show texture with pastel Oct 6 on Oct 8 Susan Powell will be painting nudes and Susan Reynolds will be doing some beautiful bead weaves....there may be some other surprises so stay tuned.So enjoy the next two weeks with lots to see and do. Try Headwaters Arts Festival, Authors Night, friday.

Advertising

Oh advertising.....what to do- there is so much choice these days. I don't like to insult people, with obvious messages, or bother them with incessant emails. but I want to let my customers know when I get new artists in, (especially when I am so excited about them,) or when we are having an event like the demonstrations we'll have during the Headwaters Arts Festival. or when a popular artist  like Susan Pippy comes in with new ceramic fish.(yes she has!) So..the print ads, local papers, snap, In The Hills, hopefully fit some of my market, glossy magazines are cropping up all over, they promise to feature a' pick' in exchange for an ad or two. and recently I was approached by radio. hmmn certainly a different medium, a different clientele as it spans a larger area, from Oakville to Collingwood, but now new challenges what if they represent the gallery in a way that I don't like at least with print I pretty much do the ad myself. decisions decisions!, all the charities in town claim that my donations are great advertising...why do you ask am I doing this soul searching? A customer came in last week and asked how long we'd been here, she loved the shop, and had been coming into town for years to visit a close-by shop but hadn't been into ours! I'll let you know how it goes!

Rose Marie Armstrong

Rose Marie paints from her heart. Anything that has resonance with her, memories of hot summer days, an afternoon in an apple orchard. an old door. Come check out her meticulous oils in the Window on Broadway. On the feature Wall, Marg Peter has some lovely big sky  country scenes. In other news, we have been working on the store to make it brighter and more welcoming and I think it's working!

Rachel Clark Hall - Rugged Beauty

Well, her paintings are rugged and she is a beauty! I think you'll agree, but back to the paintings now...The window is full of late summer memories, the old pump is just begging you to start pushing at the handle in anticipation of a refreshing drink of water tumbling out. The lounge chair is beckoning I think a good book is beside it. Exuberant, rugged partly abstracted paintings that have been doing well in Toronto galleries lately, we welcome back Rachel to Dragonfly and ask her to up her prices! whoa, some bargains here! Also in the same palate, Rachel has made some dynamic purse fobs/keyrings/necklaces. They look great in the window with Karen Gunna's leather sac bags.

Jack Zhou

New Artist, Northern Landscapes, and Colour! Jack is a master in capturing light in a landscape. He has caught the moment just after a storm passes and the clouds part. He equally shows a soft misty marsh or a bright sunny day on the lake.
Jack loves the natural world and it shows in how carefully he combines brushstrokes and contrasting colours to achieve his effects. His work is on the Feature wall til August 10th

Artists Against the Mega Quarry

Last weekend a number of artists gathered at Carl Cosack's farm to paint the landscapes that will soon be turned into an enormous quarry. That is unless it can be stopped. the land we will be losing is prime agricultural. The water table will be permanently altered and likely polluted. Traffic on our roads will make them impassable. At 2300 acres this will be larger than anything ever developed before in this area or indeed North America. Many people are doing thier part to fight this quarry, at Dragonfly we will be selling a handmade lampwork bead resembling the landscape we stand to lose. Necklaces, bracelets, and key rings will be available to order and proceeds will go to help Stop the Quarry.

Found Art Festival

Yes tomorrow is Founders Day in our sweet town. And so to celebrate we are having the "Found Art Festival" I find it's a great way to make people think differently about art. First they gasp as look at the widget that makes up an element in Carmen's work, then they slowly look at another part, then they slowly get the message that the work is conveying. Artists participating are Carmen Hickson, Jim Reed, Dogbite Steel, Sue Tupy, K Ross, Betty Harris, and many others So come on out, the streets are pedestrian only, there are sidewalk sales...Art does not GO on sale, so ...We will be doing demonstrations, and perhaps having a 'Starving Artist Bake Sale' hence the freshly baked dragonfly shaped cookies! decorate your own.

Press for Robin Pouw

Thanks to Sideroads of Dufferin County for the great article on Robin. We are thrilled to have her here at Dragonfly. She is working hard at some great commissions. It's page 46/47 of the current issue http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/launch.aspx?eid=202e50b8-2fa8-4e3d-a4e4-42d195002ce3&pnum=46

Carmen's mind

Yeah she constantly amazes me. This assemblage is called "Soundtrap". The statement that accompanies follows.... raised by wolves and comfortable being a predator, he knew his ability to call on birds with a lyrical whistle would help his ability to be leader of the pack... A sneaky and clever way of attack. Carmen Hickson you are sneaky and clever - the way your ART gets under my skin. this piece is of course part of the Found Art Festival.

Found Art Festival

Back by popular demand, the Found Art Festival is around the corner...July8 & 9th We are starting to get in new work from your favourites, Carmen Hickson, Dogbite, Rachel Clark Hall. Just so you know, this photo of 1955 artwork is from MOCA in LA, the artist is Robert Rauschenberg ...hmmn This coming window will be very interesting with button jewellery, sculpture , paintings and some larger items from Jim Reed, but in the meantime, it is the last day for Julia Veenstra's rich acrylics. She'll be taking them to a show in Hamilton. Jean Loney has the window now with beautiful new mosaics, some with 24 karat gold! Sideroads magazine did a wonderful article on Robin Pouw with lots of great photos of Robin and her jewellery.

Paint the Musician

Wow it was quite the experience to watch the artists painting Tamara. We had Jill Pringle, Roslyn Levin, Jim Reid, Theresa Minten, Catherine Barr, Sue Powell, and assorted kids. Tamara sung with such emotion, and truth and it came through in the sketches. This photo by Roslyn Levin gives you the sense of it. Sara May is playing right now, and it is a lot of fun. Thanks to both performers.

Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival.

To celebrate the Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival, Dragonfly is presenting two wonderful singer -songwriters We will be drawing/ painting the lovely Tamara of The Weather Station while she in turn plays and sings for us. Sat June 4th from 2-4 pm. If you miss her here she will be playing the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto on Sunday June 5
So on Sunday we will be enjoying the sounds of Sara May. She has already modeled for Jill Pringle, so we can't wait to see what develops. This weekend is the most exciting of the whole year if you are a music lover! lots of free concerts and dining/music experiences abound.
To top it off Broadway is having another Tax Free Weekend. Now we hope that the weather cooperates.

New Jewellery

Liz Kain has just sent new jewellery. these beautiful pieces remind me of tiny quilts. Semi -precious stones set in sterling silver, with cut out figures and enameled elements. Very sweet!

Julia Veenstra is back!

I just love Julia's work. Her colours are so bold, and fresh, brushstrokes are firm and create such movement. This cow is my favourite, but I love the tree, and the stone house. Julia's paintings will only be here till mid June.

Focus on the Body

Let your body move to the music! If Steve Wilson's art looks like it's 3-D that's because it is! Drop by our window and check out this life size realistic painting... this month we have a focus on the body and we'll be showing you how and asking you to come participate. During the Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival we will be drawing a live model and we'll have live music! Sounds like fun! June 4-5 from 2-4 pm

CATS

Christine Montague can paint anything...It's just that she filled our Window on Broadway with cats! Six foot tall ones grey ones, cats looking through screen doors (my favourite) and cats looking at the striking orange fish swimming in the foreground. In one painting, the cat is but a tiny spot in a window amid a lovely landscape.

Congratulations Wayne Cardinalli

Dragonfly is so excited for Wayne, he has been chosen to send work to The 2011 International Ceramics Festival in Mino Japan. Of the 3500 entries from around the world only 200 were chosen. Wayne has long been one of my favourite potters. Not only is his work comfortable in the hand and very well proportioned, I love his rich glazes and ornamentation. Using a work of art for your apple crisp is such a luxurious feeling!! The teapot in our photo is a glimpse of his unique style.

Student Art Show

It was very nice to be asked to jury the student art show that is now hanging at the Dufferin County Museum. There was some very obvious talent, and some good teaching evident. But... I wanted to see, I don't know, more originality, more variety, a message? I wonder how many of these young artists will continue in art, will they be encouraged? Will their life be enhanced because of their interest in art. It makes me wonder about our cultural future, ( maybe its Harper being elected.) how much attention will be paid to our young creatives. Will all our culture be made overseas, will our creative young people go elsewere to be fulfilled. Ahhhh, maybe I'll cheer up when I see their smiling faces on Saturday at the opening. Another great reason to go to the museum, Stitches Across Time, the show they have created, celebrates contemporary fibre artists and their inspirations from 100 years ago. well worth the trip. A huge thanks to Wayne and staff for doing such amazing programming.

Tax Free Weekend

Lots to celebrate this weekend, for Beads on Broadway the third birthday brings savings in the form of no tax for the rest of the month. Come and see the tribute to Newfoundland beads. And of course Kate and Wills wedding! What a day! Local artist Laurie McGaw had been chosen to design the coin to commemorate it, and Dragonfly has one. Check it out at the mint.ca or drop in and fill in a ballot. We'll be making the Draw July 1st

Hugh Russel Rocks the Window

The sculptures in the window are breathtaking! Three large dancers and four small western themes with horses. Hugh captures unbelievable action in the cowboy clown and you can almost hear the conversation and feel the cold in another sculpture. Every small detail of harness, rock or tree is carefully rendered. But the dancers...they are just superb, grace beauty and strength portrayed in bronze. Hugh is working on an exciting project...more on that later.

Tribute to Newfoundland

This bead is my newest, called 'far hoizons' It sort of reminds me of looking out from shore and seeing islands in the distance. Reactive glass gives a thrill, a different colour every time, from greens turquoises and blues -lots of fun for the maker. End of April, for BoB's third anniversary.

Kelly McNeil is back!

oh wow Kelly just gets better all the time. This little tiger is amazing, the colours, but my fave is the little kid on the shore line, looking for treasures. When you see the reflection of the water on skin, she finds colours that not everyone would notice. Now on the Feature wall, Jacek Wolski has some figurative work of another kind. Less ovious, but evocative, elegant. Oh and congratulations Neil Young on all those Junos!

Heart of Gold

I'm dreaming of a ....Yes folks we will soon have some beautiful pieces from Vancouver artist Jessie Turner. Hearts of gold, silver and winged hearts...by end of next week. Right now we have Elena Henderson in the Window on Broadway. I just love the fluidity of her Acrylics. Large bright pieces. She has a show opening this weekend at The Alton Mill as well. Beth Grant and I are gearing up for our tribute to Newfoundland to celebrate Beads on Broadway's 3rd anniversary. All the New beads are inspired by the rugged terrain, water, ice and rock. We are busy designing and playing now.

Spring Coming.....please

As you can see we are ready for it! in the Window on Broadway Susan Little has some bright vibrant watercolour flowers. Inside on the Feature Wall Lyn Westfall has brightened up the place with one of my favourite first spring flowers, the one pictured is "Magnolia in the Rain", 12x12 framed larger, $290...now now don't stampede, they'll be here till march 30th. We have also had delivery of some really fun cloth dolls by Betty Harris!

New Artist

So much going on this time of year, new art-work flooding into the shop. I just love Anne Marie Chagnon's new collection. There is gold liberally sprinkled into it. I was just unwrapping some garden art. Funky flower stakes and recycled bugs. But the best news is a new artist in the fourth studio. Robin Pouw is a goldsmith, and will be forging, casting, fabricating jewellery. She works in silver or gold using semi-precious stones and those wonderful precious stones like diamonds and sapphires. She will be designing and working on commissions. btw, she's very good, she won all the awards at her college.

Highway Sign

OK I've never seen grown women jumping for joy like I just witnessed when I showed my artists this picture!! hooray it's been a long time coming, and we deserve it. The sign indicates that the shop is more than just a retail space but also a valuable tourism destination, an interpretive centre, where not only will you see wonderful art but you'll see people making it as well. OK I think I was jumping as high as anyone. Very exciting!

Kandinsky

yeah...while in LA of course I went to MOCA. It was quite something to stand in a room full of Rothko's. It's always better to see he real thing and not just a print, or a book illustration. WhenI got back I went straight into the studio, and created the Kandinsky bead. I'm not sure if it will continue but I love the silver mesh and I think I'll add some murini next time. In other news we're discussing standardizing hours on Broadway... I currently close at 5 some others on the street close at 5:30 or 6. What do you think?

The Grammys

Yes Yes I went to LA during the Grammy Awards. Our place was right around the corner from the event location, and we got there just in time to watch the clean up crew. I think I may have seen a few of the performers at the Starbucks. We had a lovely time in LA, walked the beach and climbed some hills. Always nice to get a little warmer in the midwinter. Returned home in time for snow squals however. OK now back to the real world.

Dragonfly Studio Artists

News from the DSA's. Sue Powell's new years resolution is to spend more time in the studio. Yay! Roslyn Levin will be spending time writing a book on Sumie as part of her Reed Cooper Bursary from the DAC (Dufferin Arts Council) She is giving a talk at an international conference next month. Jill is trying out oil painting for a change, she's working on some cows, and she's very pleased so far. Beth has made some delightful beads in pinks and reds for valentines day. And all I can say is that there is a new dragonfly murrini annealing in the kiln as we speak...The last bit of news is that there may be a new artist joining the fold-very exciting!

The Coming Year

Last day for Lucille Weber, Elizabth Babyn ( the photo is an old one) is coming next, yes, another abstract artist, why is that ? Why do I crave abstracts in winter? I seem to enjoy the jolt, the making sense out of chaos, the colour, the excitement! This year, we will be showing pottery, sculpture, glass and garden sculpture in the Window on Broadway, as well as fine art. I can't wait for Steve Wilson's massive 3D paintings coming in June, during the Orangeville Blues and Jazz festival.

New Look

OK I know many of you will mourn the old doors and the chipped paint...but we needed a change and some brightening up. So, with the help of Debbie Essex, faux finish expert, Sue Sue Jill Roslyn and I scrumbled the doors a rich creamy white. Wow it really makes a difference, nice and bright, sets up the dark pottery, and still has the feel of old doors. Besides we had great fun bonding! Thanks all !

Renewal

January is the time to recharge the batteries! This past weekend I went to Ottawa and took a course with Lucie from Lunacy Beads. Lucie is one of Canada's best bead makers, her specialty is making huge complicated compilations of glass called murini. She generously showed us her techniques and tips for making murini. We got to make our own signatures, and a sample flower - which sounds pretty simple-but it was so much work ...and so fun! Her mermaid bead is a good example, the face alone is a murini with probably 4-5 pulled components that each take hours of work. I have used murini in my Starry night beads, but now I will be making them, watch for some interesting new directions in my Beadmaking, due to this renewal.

2011

Wow this is going to be a great year, I'm just finalizing the lineup for 2011. Already we have started the year with the wonderful world of abstracts. Lucille Weber, B J Thompson, and now Emelia Perri We have been planning events, like a repeat of the "Found Art Festival, and doing something really interesting for the Jazz festival. In the window right now, Emelia's work has a feeling, an urgency, Her prices are great too! two people have already expressed interest!! It's an exciting time of year also because we're cleaning up, changing things around and bringing in new artists. Steve Wilson and Kelly McNeil brought in new works, Tanya will be bringing new in the next few weeks. The potters need some time to replenish stocks and in the meantime Beth has been busy at the torch, creating some lovely beads for Valentines Day.

It's a New Year

Lucille Weber, yes she will try anything and everything in her artistic pursuit. Encaustic seems like a suitable follow-up to her acrylic abstracts. Lucille is our Featured artist for the month of January, be sure to catch the show. For the next two weeks, in the Window on Broadway is BJ Thompson. Her rhythmical abstracts are quite powerful.