Wood for Earth Day

To celebrate Earth day...the trees are finally here , set in "antique brass' because silver just didn't work. I love the warmth of the brass , the chains are long, and I found cute little leaves to use as a garnish.  The Made of Wood show opened today.  In the Window on Broadway we have a fabulous wood worker, Wayne Muma. he has made some beautiful pieces, spalted maple, ebonized ash, apple.wood. Slide your hand across the fine surface, cast your eyes over the elegant lines, if they are not the right size of course he'll do custom orders.

Wayne Muma Fine Furniture.

Are these Easter Eggs?

I just made a few of these lovely little glass tree beads, my contribution to the Beads on Broadway anniversary celebration...which by the way we are calling the "Sassy Celebration " It is really to spread the word about the collaboration of Victoria Kirk from Sassafras with Beth Grant and her wonderful beads. Inspired by Beth's beads in 4 colour ranges Victoria has designed some lovely pieces, and Beth's been busy making beads. Altogether many little packages of jewellery are speeding across the country...to Winnipeg, PEI, and of course to Dragonfly Arts on Broadway.

Dragonflymania

Yes, they won't actually hatch for a few months now (even though it certainly feels like summer) the Dragonflies are flocking to the shop. These lovely brown ones are gracing the front of Jaroslav's mugs. More to come...

Vintage Post Card Cards

Rachel Clark Hall, our recycling queen, has just brought in some gorgeous cards that she has created from her Great Grandmothers Post card collection. On the front an old picture of Orangeville and the back looks like you could mail it. I placed them with Kaarina Dillabough's cool postage stamp necklaces, to complete your vintage post card experience.

Scarey or Inspired

Ok, I just happen to love Carmen's new works. She has brought in some wall angels, very cool, and these tins, incorporating animals and porcelain heads. The thing is, some people has been responding strongly to them in the opposite way. hmmm I guess that art does provoke strong feelings!

Aquamarine

One of the loveliest colours, soft sky blue, mixed with a hint of ice. Aquamarine is the birth stone for March. Beth has some made some beads for our Broadway Bracelet, which is also wonderful as the Broadway Necklace... Robin has put together an interesting display with cut aquamarine stones.

Something New Two

Our friends at Metallic Evolution have created a line of beautiful serving utensils. Stainless steel. Leaf motif. Could they be prettier? and who doesn't want a pickle fork? an olive spoon, or a cool coffee scoop?

Something New

Ok hockey town, I have a number of frames made from old hockey sticks, just right for the your little tyke or oldster"s team photo...I know cute eh? anyway it kind of fits into our tendency to favour recycling. They're even in Orange

What is it that you have always wanted to do

Someone told me that they just threw out their bag of broken pottery. Doesn't everyone have a secret project that is just waiting to get started. ..or finished. I know I've had my share of broken pottery bags. What makes the difference, tips the balance, Is it desire or time, fear or lack of experience? of course likely it's not mosaics, so let me know what it is that you're avoiding...

Beth collaborates with Sassafras

Victoria Kirk from Sassafras has designed her entire new line incorporating Beth's beads. They chose several different colour schemes and all of them are marvellous. Check out this long copper and glass chain that you can wrap around twice, or wear long. We have one in each of three colour ranges. and there are some great earrings and bracelets as well.

ReCharging

Yes, I love this time of year, all the artists whose stock was depleted by year-end, have had some time to create new works and fill up my shelves again. New mugs by Indira Singh, and Holly Speers, jewellery by Kristin Ross and Sassafras, new wooden salad bowls by Jim Lorriman, I especially like this cheery necklace made from vintage buttons in the shape of daisies, by Kristin Ross. You can also see her button bracelets, and she has brought some great long necklaces using vintage brooches.

Tell Me Her Story

Dragonfly Studio Artist S. J. Pringle has just finished a striking oil painting that I have dubbed the "Mona Lisa of Orangeville" partly for the old world feel to the painting, but also for the enigmatic expression on the girl's face... everyone has a different take on what her back story may be, so we have opened it up to the public. Through the month of March look deeply into her enormous eyes and tell us her story.. submit it to Dragonfly by Mar24 2012. Some stories will be read march 31 at 2 PM and the winning one will have naming rights to the painting and perhaps a print. So sharpen your pencils !

New Year

Thanks to all our customers in Orangeville and area for making 2011 the best year ever! And now for something full of energy for the new year, Elena Henderson and her vivid acrylc paintings, studded with memorabilia. On the feature Wall till Jan 24th. In the Window on Broadway Lou Boisleau gives us a peek into the studio of an artist, with some paintings, sketches and sketchbooks. Lou was taught back in the day by Doris McCarthy, and she did a good job! Come see his studies of Orangeville.

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!