New Painting

"Passages", acrylic on gallery canvas, 40" X 30".

Comparing acrylic and oil paints is like comparing your children - you love them both for their unique qualities.

Having recently gotten back to working with oil paint, using cold wax on cradled panels, I thought I would use similar techniques using acrylic paint and gel medium on a large canvas. The biggest difference I found was that the acrylic was more 'slippery' than the oil and wax. Also, I was a little more gentle working on the canvas than I would have on a cradled panel. All in all, though, I was fairly pleased with the result.

This piece will be showing in the 7th annual juried exhibition "Portals" at the John M Parrott Art Gallery in Belleville from June 4 to July 16. Opening Reception is June 4, 6 - 7:30.

Opening Show

Here are a few photos from the opening of the new show at Gallery 121 in Belleville:


Maureen Swann and Ann Fales in the gallery welcoming visitors.


Maureen's very clever and balanced "Swan Totem".


Some of Ann Fales' beautiful fabric works of art.


Visitors admiring guest artist Molly McClung's sculptures.

Gallery 121

Last month I was invited to be a member of Gallery 121, a co-operative gallery in the city of Belleville. May is the first opportunity for me to show in this space. Don Pinder and his show design team have done a fine job of hanging the diverse artwork of 20 members. Each month the exhibition changes, with a new featured artist, drawn from the membership, and a guest artist. This month's featured gallery artist is Ann Fales, a fibre artist from Thomasburg. The guest artist is sculptor Molly McClung.


Above are two of my new oil works, along with three smoke-fired sculptures from my "Soundscape" series. Tonight is a Belleville "Gallery Hop", so we are looking forward to visitors coming to see the show. The official opening reception is on Sun., May 10 from 2 to 4 pm.

Also on tonight is the opening for the Quinte Arts Council's juried show Expressions 2009 at the John Parrot Gallery in the Belleville Public Library, from 6 to 7:30. I have another of the new oils showing. It will be interesting to get feedback on my new work.

The Belleville Art Association Gallery and Gallery ArtPlus are also open tonight for the Gallery Hop, so it will be a busy night for art lovers, and many opportunities to see stimulating artwork. I will post photos later of all the events.