Reflection: Our Roots and our Times

REFLECTION: OUR ROOTS AND OUR TIMES

A Colour and Form Society, Members' Exhibition.
A visual artist statement of life, values and art; reflecting one’s roots.

This exhibition theme links to the Colour and Form Society’s 70th Anniversary celebration in December 2022. With its foundations in diversity and creative freedom,the Colour and Form Society promotes independent expression in art.

This show representing the artwork of 53 of our members was exhibited at the Beaux Arts Gallery in Brampton from April 6 - 30, 2022.

AWARD RECIPIENTS

Our juror for this Members' Exhibition was CFS member Stephanie Schirm.
Her reflection on the show:

"This is a wonderful show based on "Reflection" during our challenging times; it was difficult to make decisions on winners, as there are so many magnificent pieces to choose from. I based my decision process on design, composition and technique. What made the final impact were the accompanying statements which each artist supplied."

To read the juror's individual comments on each prize-winning artwork,
please click on an image to view it in Expanded mode.

FIRST PRIZE

Golnaz Khadivi Zand

NICHOLE

ARTIST'S STATEMENT My painting is inspired by the narrative of a Jamaican immigrant woman. She relocated to Canada with her children in order to pursue work and a better life. Prior to her arrival, she viewed Canada as a utopia and her attitude toward the new world is radically different. Her mind has a frame in which all colours can be realized separately, but the actuality of the world is quite different.

JUROR'S COMMENTS "Not only is this a striking piece; demonstrating pristine traditional oil technique combined with contemporary colour and pattern applications. Khadivi’s accompanied statement sealed the deal."

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SECOND PRIZE

Carol Walthers

LOVE BEGAN WITH YOU

ARTIST'S STATEMENT ‘Love Began With You’ is the beginning of a letter that I imagine writing to my late mother. Even though she is no longer with us I am guided by the beautiful person that she was. More and more I see the wisdom of her gentle, passive and loving ways.

JUROR'S COMMENTS "This piece struck me first thing as I walked into the space, as it intrigued me compositionally and by the wording; having me to want to know more. Wonderful technique in using watercolour to achieve an art deco style. And the heart warming statement that the artist supplied made the" Love began with you" that much more powerful."

THIRD PRIZE

Anne Hoover

RESTLESS

ARTIST'S STATEMENT I walk the fine line between abstract and realism while painting the figure. The marks and the pose reflecting emotions; both conscious and unconscious, feelings of passion, joy, excitement – and at times, inner turmoil and anxiety; acting as a mirror - a reflection of living in this time.

JUROR'S COMMENTS "Visually a very powerful piece. The composition, choice of colour and brush stokes of this piece defiantly screams restlessness. I am sure we all had experience this restlessness at one point during the pandemic, or as artists who are in constant flux with themselves to accomplish a new direction; both are made reference to in the Artist's statement."

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HONOURABLE MENTION

Kelly McNeil

MY HEARTS IN THE HIGHLANDS, A-CHASING THE DEER

ARTIST'S STATEMENT
"My heart's in the Highlands, a-chasing the Deer"; from a poem by Robert Burns. It was over 200 years ago that my father's people came from Scotland to settle in the Cape Breton Highlands. My girls go back every summer and the heart, music and culture of those settlers still exist strong.

JUROR'S COMMENTS Strong piece where the visual supports the vision of the artist, through the interaction of the sisters and nature. Wonderful compostion and colour application."

HONOURABLE MENTION

Catharina Goldnau

LACE

ARTISTS'S STATEMENT My work is inspired by objects of utility, past or present. The round bowl-a universal containment object is as much a utilitarian as it speaks to the beauty of a simple form, reinterpreted with custom clay. It retains its delicately textured surface in the fire, the essence of the object preserved.

JUROR'S COMMENTS "This is a magnificant piece and intriguing through it's colour and form. It is reminiscent of the first vessels man created, imperfect yet perfect. "

OUR MEMBERS' EXHIBITION

REFLECTION: OUR ROOTS AND OUR TIMES

A visual Artist Statement of Life, Values and Art

April 6 - April 30

Beaux Arts Gallery, Brampton, Ontario

To view an artwork, click on it to display the full size along with its information:
title, medium, price and the artist's statement.

Thelma Amos

Amelia

Acrylic
NFS

STATEMENT:
As a non-representational piece there is no intention of recognizable evidence of the world, and yet in reflection, it can be viewed not only as a segment of one’s artistic journey, but of one’s life as well - flat sections next to layered junctions, bright areas juxtaposed with dark, and periods of calm followed by chaos.

Raquel Aurini

Sundown

Oil On Canvas
$575.

STATEMENT:
“Sundown” reflects how we spend our time once the season allows us. Every year we gaze upon nature as it has a healing effect on us. It’s a Canadian ritual to spend time at a cottage or camp, looking at a picture much like this one.

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Janet Baker

All Dressed Up With Someplace To Go/Remember When

Multi-media Assemblage
NFS

STATEMENT:
This piece looks back to a simpler time, to childhood, to dressing up for a new experience, perhaps an outing, or first day of school—as a reflection on being young, on uncertainty, on mixed feelings of both excitement and apprehension. In my mind it could be sub-titled, “The Universe Will Unfold”.

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Monica Burnside

Ice Creams Are Cool

Oil
$800.

STATEMENT:
My oil painting entitled "Ice Creams are Cool" reflects back to my childhood days when my parents, brother and I made many family outings together. I used a photograph made by my father as my reference for the painting. I was born in Koln, Germany and when I was two years old, we emigrated to Toronto and became Canadian citizens.

Lynden Cowan

Naptime

Oil
$750.

STATEMENT:
Naptime shows a little red fox that I came upon in the woods near my studio, dreaming and reflecting on life around him.

Jan Creelman

No one Told me it Would Lead to This

Multi media batik
$750.

STATEMENT:
Within this series, I explored what would happen with dye and wax on watercolour paper. By leaving my roots (on fabric) and what I knew behind, I chanced it and really didn’t recognize the person who emerged on the other side. No one told me it would lead to this.

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Susan Mandel Davidson

101 Years & Growing

Acrylic and mixed media
$1180.

STATEMENT:
My roots in Canada started when I married an amazing Canadian. He introduced me to Canada’s possibilities through its foods, arts, politics and sciences. The latter would save my life. I live where safe insulin production began 101 years ago. This visual eavesdropper reflects on her Canada in this mixed media painting.

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Mary Anne Dente

My Happy Place

Oil
NFS

STATEMENT:
It all began as a child with daytrips and cottage visits, sketchbook and paint box in hand. Thus began my appreciation of the majestic trees, rocks and waterways of the Canadian Landscape and the desire to communicate its power and vibrancy. Further inspired by the many artists I have met, instructors or fellow painters, I continue to find the outdoors my starting point, My Happy Place.

Betty Drebot

My granddaughter

Oil on Canvas
NFS

STATEMENT:
“My Granddaughter”, a portrait of my adopted granddaughter, Emma, born 2 months early on a Christmas Eve weighing 3 ½ pounds. My daughter spent every day during Emma’s 2 months stay in the hospital, struggling for her life. I fell in love with her the first time I laid eyes on her tiny body and we have remained close ever since. I am so proud to have this strong determined lovely young woman in our family.

Mary Elizabeth Duggan

Rocks With Mussels

Acrylic
NFS

STATEMENT:
Plein air artists experience one constant — change. In 2019, I painted the Fundy shores. Every cycle of tide exposed the sea bed scattered with new evidence of the fragility of life. That was a reminder; respond with paint to the ‘here and now’ or miss the moment forever.

Nathalie Freniere

Dawn of a New Day

Oil
$960.

STATEMENT:
Mother Earth is the source of life. Our everyday behavior allows us to honor her greatness and her life sustaining energy. Dawn of a New Day reminds us that not only do our roots stem from deep within her, is a reflection of our times and, future in time.

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Martha West Gayford

Katima

Oil On Canvas
$5000.

STATEMENT:
I am one person with only one voice. So it is with each human being. In these horrific times of the brutal Russian aggression against the Ukraine the single voices of millions of individuals have joined together in an inspiring cry for compassion, for humanity. My portraits are a search for this humanity.

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