18
Mar/Apr
2010
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Serving the Canadian art industry • www.brushstrokemagazine.com
winter
Plein Air
issue
RED IN WINTER
Sharon Lynn Williams
A Visit to
the Arts &
Letters Club
of Toronto
DOUGLAS PURDON
Crayons
started
art
career
Publisher’s Corner
PUBLISHED BY JENSU DESIGN
I hope no one tells my husband, but I am head over heels in love
with Alexandre Cabanel, and, as always, Rembrandt Harmenszoon
van Rijn. There are others as well. I am shameless, and my recent trip
to New York was an opportunity to boldly spend time with all of them.
New York is a smorgasbord of sights, sounds, smells, tastes and
textures and I enjoyed them all. But I have to say that, although the
Broadway plays were incredible, the food was superb, and the shopping for fashions was a great treat, my favorite part of the trip was my
trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and jaunts to art book stores.
The book store shopping was so successful that in two different
stores I had a huge stack of art books shipped home to Canada because taking them home in my luggage was impossible. I could barely
lift them.
But the highlight — the pièce de résistance — was the Met. It was
there that my loves were, and I could barely keep my hands off them
(although the guards were there to make sure I did!)
At the time I visited, there were absolutely incredible displays of portraiture and figurative works.
A 1600-something portrait of Rembrandt just reinforced for me why
the Dutch artist is considered one of the greatest painters in European
art history. From another room in the museum I viewed his self-portrait and it compelled me to leave where I was to view it immediately.
From the distance it was outstanding and from closer it just about
stopped my heart.
I felt the same about the portraits by Cabanel. When William-Adolphe Bouguereau’s work was added into the mix, I could barely keep
my head and heels straight!
This trip was a huge reminder to me of the power of original art. It
can be exhilarating to see a good reproduction, or to see an image in
a huge, hard-covered art book, but there will never be anything like
the real thing!
CALL FOR ENTRIES
4th ANNUAL
‘ARTS WITHOUT BORDERS’
Juried Fine Art Show
DEADLINE APRIL 15TH, 2010
www.artswithoutborders.ca
or 780-847-2294 - ask for Cindy
2 • Canadian Brushstroke Magazine • March/April 2010
PUBLISHER: Susan Blackman
FEATURED ARTISTS THIS ISSUE:
Douglas Purdon, Sharon Lynn Williams,
Dan Gray, Kristine Sue Sarsons, Zan
Barrage, Jerry Markham, Mary Ann
Archibald, Carol Hama Chang, Loretta
Baker Sawatsky
All material printed in this magazine,
written or depicted, is protected by
copyright of this magazine and/or the
artist, and cannot be reproduced in any
form without express written permission
from the publisher.
All views expressed are those of the
author and not necessarily those of
Canadian Brushstroke Magazine.
Brushstroke makes no recommendations
as to the purchase or sale of any product
or service.
All letters or contributions to Canadian
Brushstroke Magazine are subject to
editing with no limits or liability.
JENSU DESIGN
Box 5483,
Leduc, Alberta
Canada T9E 6L7
Phone: 780-986-0789
Fax: 780-986-8393
E-mail: info@jensu.ca
CANADIAN BRUSHSTROKE
MAGAZINE
Box 3449,
Leduc, Alberta
Canada T9E 6M2
Phone: 780-986-0789
Fax: 780-986-8393
E-mail: info@brushstrokemagazine.com
www.brushstrokemagazine.com
TM
WEBSITE:
By Susan Abma
www.projectheroes.ca
PROJECT HEROES™ will see every fallen Canadian soldier
from the Afghanistan war commemorated in a 14 x 18” framed
work of fine art, with the intent to exhibit the paintings in every
province in Canada, along with other commemorative paintings, military paraphernalia, personal items from the soldiers,
including written material such as letters they wrote home, and
video clips, etc.
Artists Susan Abma, Shairl Honey, and Cindy Revell have
been touched by the bravery of the soldiers who died serving
our country in Afghanistan. As painters, they will have the
extraordinary honour of recording history and preserving the
memory of these exceptional men and women.
By Cindy Revell
With your help, they will be creating a massive, historic, military
oil portrait collection. The fallen soldiers from Afghanistan
could possibly ‘live’ in their paintings for many hundreds of
years.
For more information on this project, go to:
www.projectheroes.ca
ATTENTION GALLERIES:
By Shairl Honey
**Venues in major Canadian centres that are equipped for and large
enough to host this exhibition in 2012 /2013 are invited to contact
Project Heroes™ at 780-986-0789 or email info@projectheroes.ca .
All venues will be considered, but the venues chosen will be those
best suited to the project.
The paintings shown above are - Top: Cpl. David Braun, Centre: Cpl Cole Bartsch, Bottom: Cpl. Andrew
Eykelenboom. The fallen soldiers’ portraits will be revealed on a rotating basis. The entire collection will not be
displayed together until after the first exhibition in 2012.
Canadian Brushstroke Magazine • March/April 2010 • 3
En Plein
Air
(winter)
Artists from across the country submitted plein air paintings
for this special issue. This was not a competition, but just a
place to showcase some of the variety of plein air work that
is being done in Canada. We had many entries so we are
unable to bring you all of the work that artists sent to us.
4 • Canadian Brushstroke Magazine • March/April 2010
‘RED IN WINTER’
Artist: SHARON LYNN WILLIAMS
Calgary, AB
Location of painting:
Outskirts of Calgary, AB
Medium: Oil
Size: 8 x 6”
Website: www.sharonlynnwilliams.com
Blog: http://sharonlynnwilliams.
blogspot.ca
‘NEW YEARS
DAY’
Artist: DAN GRAY
Errington, BC
Location of painting:
Vancouver Island
Medium: Pastel
Size: 18 x 24”
Website:
http://members.shaw.ca/
dfgray/
‘FROSTING’
Artist: KRISTINE SUE SARSONS, Sundre, AB
Location of painting: Near Okotoks, AB
Medium: Pastel
Size: 6 x 13”
Website: www.kristinesarsons.com
En Plein
Air
(winter)
Canadian Brushstroke Magazine • March/April 2010 • 5
‘SAVAGE
WINTER’
Artist: ZAN BARRAGE
Mississauga, ON
Location of painting:
Scottsdale Farm
Medium: Oil
En Plein
Air
(winter)
Size: 8 x 10”
Website:
http://artezan.blogspot.com
6 • Canadian Brushstroke Magazine • March/April 2010
Artists from across the country submitted plein air paintings
for this special issue. This was not a competition, but just a
place to showcase some of the variety of plein air work that
is being done in Canada. We had many entries so we are
unable to bring you all of the work that artists sent to us.
En
Plein Air
‘SLEEPING LADY’
Artist: JERRY MARKHAM
Vernon, BC
Location of painting:
Leavenworth, Washington
Medium: Oil
(winter)
Artists from across the country submitted plein air paintings
for this special issue. This was not a competition, but just a
place to showcase some of the variety of plein air work that
is being done in Canada. We had many entries so we are
unable to bring you all of the work that artists sent to us.
Size: 9 x 12”
Website:
www.jerrymarkham.com
Canadian Brushstroke Magazine • March/April 2010 • 7
‘TOWARDS
LAWLOR’S
ISLAND’
Artist: MARY ANN
ARCHIBALD
Halifax, NS
Location of painting:
View from Government Wharf
in Eastern Passage
Medium: Oil
Size: 12 x 12”
Website:
www.maryann.ca
En Plein Air
‘WINTER
ROADWAY’
Artist: CAROL HAMA
CHANG
Edmonton, AB
Medium: Oil
Size: 12 x 12”
Website:
www.carolhama.ca
8 • Canadian Brushstroke Magazine • March/April 2010
En Plein Air
‘GATEWAY TO THE
PASTURE’
Artist: LORETTA BAKER
SAWATZKY
Pierceland, SK
Location of painting:
Artists’ farm near Pearceland, SK
Medium: Mixed media (Charcoal,
pastel, gouache
Size: 12 x 18”
Website:
www.lorettabakersawatzky.com
deltaart@telusplanet.net
www.deltaart.ca
Canadian Brushstroke Magazine • March/April 2010 • 9
AFAC 2010 Conference for Artists
www.artforallcanada.org
Would like to thank:
S
P
O
N
S
O
R
S
PRODUCT DONATIONS: Armadillo Art and Craft, Creative Catalyst Productions
Inc., Golden Artist Colors, Guerrilla Painter - Plein Air suppliers, Sakura of America
TECHNOLOGY SPONSOR: We would like to thank Softmatch.com for its
continued support of Art for All Canada Inc.
SPEAKERS: Liv Babra, Kathryn Bevier, Barbara Chappelle, Donato Cianci,
Robert Fisher, Cathy Groulx, Valerie Kent, Edwin Longueville, Soudabeth Majidi,
Ashley McKenzie-Barnes, Nancy Jacobi, Janice Lambrakos, Bruce Outridge,
Doug Purdon, Heather Stubbs, Rheni Tauchid, Joanna Turlej, Suzanne Tevlin,
Helen Walter, Ed Yaghdjian.
ART ASSOCIATIONS:
Art for All Canada Inc., Artists’ Garden Cooperative, North York Visual Artists
Art For All Canada Inc. (AFAC) is a not-for-profit organization, run by artists,
to help artists to develop, show and sell their work commission-free.
10 • Canadian Brushstroke Magazine • March/April 2010
T
S
A
L
L
L
A
C
CALL
CALL
FOR
FOR
ENTRIES
ENTRIES
We want to show off
Canada’s artists,
and our competitions
help us do that!
Be sure to enter your
artwork in our
competitions —
not only do you have a
chance to
WIN
$1000
CDN
Still Life/Floral
Competition No.
9
Subject
Still Life/Floral
Medium
Two dimensional drawing
or painting medium
Entry Fee
$15 each
(You can enter as many works as you would like)
plus an award certificate,
but we also get a
chance to see your work
and we just may
feature YOU
in an upcoming issue of
Canadian Brushstroke
Magazine.
Entry Deadline
April 30/ 2010
*Winners and finalists will be featured
in the May/June 2010 issue of
Canadian Brushstroke Magazine
RULES - HOW TO ENTER
DIGITAL FILES ONLY
Enter with high res digital file only on CD only. Do not send digital
images via email to our offices - they
will be automatically disqualified. You
must print off the entry form on next
page, complete it, and send it along
with your CD and method of payment.
If you have more entries than
the space allotted, please print
another form and fill it out completely.
All CDs must be labeled with the
artist’s name, the number of entries
on the CD, each of their titles and
this issue’s Competition Number. All
files on the CD must be labeled as
follows: lastname/firstname/Entry No.
Example: John Smith’s Entry No. 2
would be labeled smithjohn2.
ELIGIBILITY
This competition is open to any artist
with residency in Canada. All work
must be original, not copied from any
other artist’s work, photographer’s
work or published work of any kind,
and must have been completed in
the last two years. The work can not
have won previous awards or any
distinction of any kind. No works created
under supervision are eligible.
We reserve the right to refuse any
entry, or ask for source material at
our discretion.
Canadian Brushstroke Magazine • March/April 2010 • 11
RULES - HOW TO ENTER (cont’d)
ENTRY FEE/DEADLINE
The DEADLINE for Canadian
Brushstroke Magazine to RECEIVE
entries is April 30. You cannot
courier material to our box number, so
be sure to send it in plenty of time
(Address is on submission form
below). The fee per entry is $15 CDN,
which can be paid by VISA, cheque or
money order. The fee MUST be included
with the CD and entry form submission.
The entry fee is not refundable.
COMPETITION JUDGES
The competition entries will be chosen
by Canadian Brushstroke Magazine,
and/or qualified judges of our choosing.
PERMISSION TO PUBLISH
Signing and submission of the entry
form, digital files and payment will
constitute permission for Canadian
Brushstroke Magazine to publish
your artwork(s), your name and information in our magazine, which is
released on the internet, and copies
archived on our website on the internet
for as long as the publisher
wishes to keep the archived editions
on the site. Submission of the entry
Entry 1
E
N
T
R
Y
F
O
R
M
also constitutes the entrant’s acceptance
of all competition rules. The
winner and finalists will be notified by
e-mail, and their work will be published
in the specified edition of the magazine.
The judges’ decisions are final.
Grand Prize winners may not enter the
competition for a full two years after
winning. Finalists may re-enter.
Canadian Brushstroke Magazine
does not accept any liability for
color variations that may occur as a
result of different computer screens.
The artists will be properly credited.
Entry 2
Entry 3
Title:
Title:
Title:
Medium:
Medium:
Medium:
Size: (HXW)
Size: (HXW)
Size: (HXW)
I enclose my cheque or money order for the total fee of $15 Canadian PER ENTRY
OR, please charge the total sum to my VISA: _____________________________________
EXPIRY DATE:_______________________Signature________________________________
*Please BE SURE to include a paragraph about yourself and another about each
painting for us to use in the event we publish your painting(s).
I solemnly declare that all the works listed on this entry
form are my own original artworks and I own the copyright
to the work and to all source material used in creating this
artwork. I understand the entry, including the form and CD,
will not be returned, and I understand the entry fee is nonrefundable. I have thoroughly read and agree to all competition
rules, and I understand I am granting the rights to
publish my name, the artworks listed and information in an
upcoming issue of Canadian Brushstroke Magazine and
that the issue will be archived for an undetermined amount
of time on Canadian Brushstroke Magazine’s website:
www.brushstrokemagazine.com.
**If you wish to receive confirmation that we have received
your entry, enclose a self-addressed STAMPED postcard.
Name (PRINT CLEARLY)
Phone Number (include area code)
Street Address
Email
City/Province
Postal Code
SIGNATURE
Please mail this form and the properly labeled CD (see Rules - How to Enter) with properly labeled files to:
Canadian Brushstroke Magazine, Box 3449, Leduc, AB, T9E 6M2
12 • Canadian Brushstroke Magazine • March/April 2010
The Arts & Letters Club
Publisher Susan Blackman was treated to a luncheon at the Arts & Letters
Club when she visited Toronto in March. Started in 1908, the club now owns
the building they originally rented from 1919 until they purchased it in 1986.
A
s I walked through St. George’s Hall, I knew I was in a very
special place. A place that artists from all across Canada would
love to have access to, or at least have a similar place they
could gather with like minds.
Built in 1919, the regal historic building, renovated with reverence,
is home to an impressive collection of art from past members. They
include members of the Group of Seven and other renowned artists:
Robertson Davies, Vincent Massey, Marshall McLuhan, Eden Smith,
Wyly Grier, Ernest MacMillan, Mavor Moore and many more.
Until 1985, the club would have been what many call “an old boys
club,” restricting membership to male members only. Since that time,
female membership has grown and one member said he believes that
the women members outnumber the men at this time.
Canadian Brushstroke Magazine • March/April 2010 • 13
Over half the members are professional members whose
careers are in one or more of the ‘LAMPS’ disciplines: Literature,
Architecture, Music, Painting/visual arts, and Stage. These are
very broadly interpreted, with photography, film, radio, television,
journalism, poetry, interior design, sculpture, illustration, set design, computer graphics, advertising and public relations coming
under one or more of these umbrella groups. Other members are
enthusiasts who enjoy the active appreciation of the arts, and
who enjoy an involvement with the artistic community.
The building has a bar/lounge area where the members socialize and discuss their latest art projects. It has a theatre (called The
Great Hall) that at lunch time or dinner serves also as a banquet
hall. There is a studio where live models are brought in for members, meeting rooms, a library, areas for props and costumes, and
more.
Some of the events that go on for club members include: film
nights, choral singing, poetry workshops, art exhibitions, concerts,
lectures, architecture projects and surveys, stage productions,
plein air painting, wine tasting, screenwriting discussions, photography workshops....
Two interesting displays at the club, notwithstanding the wonderful
collection of member art , include a display of the Executive Lists
and portraits of all of the past presidents of the Arts & Letters Club.
14 • Canadian Brushstroke Magazine • March/April 2010
The Executive Lists are superb examples of graphic
design for more than a century. They have to conform to
the same size which appeared to be approximately 8” x
16” and they have to contain the list of the executive on
the Board of Directors, but beyond that, each artist’s own
personal style and vision has shaped them. One was even
sculpted in solid bronze and the wall had to be reinforced to
hold the List.
The Executive Lists and the presidents’ portrait artists are
chosen by the club’s art committee. In the case of the presidents’ portraits, the committee puts their recommendation
forward to the President for approval.
The portraits of past presidents can be viewed at http://
www.artsandlettersclub.ca/index.cfm?pagepath=About_Us/
Gallery_of_Club_Presidents&id=13692 . I recommend that
readers take the time to view these portraits to see how
differently the presidents were portrayed over the club’s
102-year history.
As I toured through the building and enjoyed its atmosphere and the hustle and bustle as club members visited
together, ate the wonderful lunch by the club’s excellent
chef, and viewed the works on display, I found myself wishing that every artist in every small community across the
country had access to something like this.
I believe that the joined forces of the many disciplines
allowed this club to grow and flourish even during difficult
wartimes. The club is a model that perhaps should be
looked at in other large cities in Canada.
I suggest that any artists visiting Toronto call the club in
Toronto and arrange to visit while you are there.
For more information on the Arts & Letters Club of Toronto, go to: www.artsandlettersclub.ca . •
Canadian Brushstroke Magazine • March/April 2010 • 15
classifieds
ARTIST PROJECTS
FALLEN HEROES
Sign up for the Project Heroes™ newsletter and get
regular updates on the progress of the upcoming
exhibition of the portraits of fallen Canadian soldiers.
(See ad on Page 3). To sign up, email your name and
info, including email address, to info@projectheroes.
ca. Website: www.projectheroes.ca .
CALL FOR ENTRIES
JURIED SHOW
Call for Entries: 4th Annual ‘Arts Without Borders’
juried show June 10 - 13th. Deadline: April 15, 2010.
www.artswithoutborders.ca . Contact: Cindy SorleyKeichinger at goldfarm@telusplanet.net or 780-8472294.
GALLERY SHOWS
GALLERY 78
Gallery 78 presents:
Measha; A Personal Symphony
Paintings in oil and mixed media: transparent watercolour, acrylic archival varnish by Ann Balch
May 14th to June 6th, 2010
Balch’s paintings and techniques were featured in
Brushstroke’s Nov/Dec 2009 issue: www.brushstrokemagazine.com/issues/2009/hires/2009_11_hr.pdf .
WISDOM OF THE AGES
Prairie Art Gallery presents:
Janet Enfield: April 2 - May 17.
This portrait exhibition captures the spirit and unique
perspective of Peace Country elders who the artist has
interviewed, painted, and photographed. Each painting reveals a senior’s favorite color, animal, vegetable, and inspirational quote, as well as how many
children he or she has. prairiegallery.com/exhibitioncategory/janet-enfield-wisdom-of-the-ages/
16 • Canadian Brushstroke Magazine • March/April 2010
MARKETING/PROMOTION SERVICES
ARTIST WEBSITES
Artist Websites from $399
Not sure how to set up your own website but want
to promote your work online? We can set one up for
you. Visit www.artmarketingbusiness.com or call
1-877-311-2787 for more information.
WORKSHOPS/RETREATS
ARTIST GETAWAY
Diamond Willow Artisan Retreat is a get-away
destination just 1 hour south of Calgary in Alberta’s
lovely foothills. We welcome individuals or groups
of up to 12 people. We supply wholesome meals,
flexible studio space and wonderfully comfortable
accommodations surrounded by 11 acres of nature.
Serenity, seclusion and solitude. Pat Lothrop (403)
933-5755 • www.diamondwillowartisanretreat.com .
PLEIN AIR WORKSHOP
Plein Air Painting Workshop in the Rocky
Mountains with Jerry Markham
July 16-19, 2010
Paint at Bow Lake, Lake O’Hara and Moraine Lake
www.jerrymarkham.com for details.
TO BOOK YOUR CLASSIFIED IN
CANADIAN BRUSHSTROKE...
To book your classified ad, send your ad information
to: sales@brushstrokemagazine.com . Categories can
include but are not limited to: Artist Projects, Artist
Studios, Art Supplies, Call for Entries, Gallery Listing,
Gallery Shows, Marketing/Promotion Services, Workshops/Retreats, For Sale, Wanted, etc.
Classifieds are $25 for 25 words and .50 for each
additional word. To include an image will be $25
extra. You will be contacted to confirm the ad and to
arrange payment.
Johnson
Gallery
Tracey Mardon
7711 - 85 St., Edmonton, AB
• 780-465-6171
• www.johnsongallery.ca
Susan Abma
Johnson
Gallery
Cindy Revell
7711 - 85 St., Edmonton, AB
• 780-465-6171
• www.johnsongallery.ca
Susan Abma
Canadian Brushstroke Magazine • March/April 2010 • 17
ABOVE: YETVART (ED) YAGHDJIAN HOSTS A SESSION ‘ANATOMY OF A PAINTING FROM CONCEPT TO COMPLETION.’
BELOW: AN INDUSTRY SUPPLIER SHARES INFORMATION ABOUT HIS PRODUCTS.
Toronto Conference features...
Art for All Canada
T
he Art for All Conference
in Toronto March 6-7 was
an opportunity for Canadian artists to gather for two days
of presentations by artists and
industry suppliers.
There were presentations
for acrylic, oil and watercolor
painters, as well as encaustic,
oil paint using cold wax, pastel, painting and drawing with
Japanese paper, drawing cartoons, and a crystalline and
brayer paper demonstration.
Marketing, art history, art education, speaking about your art,
obtaining grants, and creative thinking were
on the educational agenda.
Several industry suppliers demonstrated
and educated the audience about their
18 • Canadian Brushstroke Magazine • March/April 2010
products.
The event attracted 110 artists
from Canada. This is the first
year the conference was opened
up to all of Canada, having been
more of a local event in previous
years.
Along with the conference,
there was a showing of the participants’ art in the Metro Hall in
Toronto. The art show was held
from March 6 - 13th.
More information about the sessions is available on the conference website: www.artforallcanada.org . •
Johnson
Gallery
Tracey Mardon
7711 - 85 St., Edmonton, AB
• 780-465-6171
• www.johnsongallery.ca
Tracey Mardon
Johnson Gallery
7711 - 85 St., Edmonton, AB • 780-465-6171
• www.johnsongallery.ca
Cindy Revell
Susan Abma
Canadian Brushstroke Magazine • March/April 2010 • 19
LAND ON THE MOUNTAIN AND FLOOD • Oil, 36 x 48”
Technical knowledge began with
crayon on the wall
Doug Purdon, from Toronto,
ON, had an early start in the
art world, creating his works
with crayon on his mother’s
walls. His technical
knowledge has increased
dramatically and he shares
that knowledge through
teaching and through his
published book.
A
t about two or three years old my mother gave me some crayons. She
told me to draw the pictures on the wall (wallpaper). So that’s what I did. I
drew on the wall,” Doug Purdon says, laughing.
After that he realized that he wasn’t supposed to do that. He focused instead
on more traditional surfaces for his art education. “I wasn’t well as a child. I was
by myself a lot, so I learned to draw.”
When he was older, he took a business course and became a manager at
Gray Coach, which at the time was an inter-city bus company based in Toronto,
Ontario. He stayed there for 30 years.
During that time he completed his fine arts degree at Ontario College of Art. It
took him ten years to complete the degree while working full-time. He dreamed
of the day he would retire from Gray Coach to paint full-time.
20 • Canadian Brushstroke Magazine • March/April 2010
BREAKING WAVE — BRETON PT. • Oil, 30 x 48”
He retired in 1962 at age 49, on a Friday. He immediately
left for New Hampshire for two weeks.
“I left a business man and came back an artist,” he says.
In 1992, he began doing product demonstrations for
Winsor & Newton products, which he still does today. He’s
part of their Artist Outreach Program. “It’s not really a sales
program,” he says. “It’s how the products should be used.”
Through his involvement with the company, he has learned
a great deal about art products and art conservation.
“One of the things that made a difference in my work is my
connection with Winsor & Newton. It is almost like a postgraduate education as far as art materials are concerned.
In 1998, the veteran artist published ‘Color Secrets for
Glowing Oil Paintings’ through North Light Books which
gives techniques for creating better oil paintings.
Purdon works from his home studio. “I can work as soon
as I get up and can work at night when I have to.” He has
off-site storage for his paintings, but says most of his paintings nowadays have a place to go :as soon as they come
off my easel.”
When he paints in oils, he always paints on canvas,
choosing linen for larger works and cotton canvas for
smaller works. “I don’t like a slick surface. I like resistance
(a rougher surface).”
He uses very little medium when painting in oils, but
says he does use a small amount of Liquin or mineral
spirits. His paint brand of choice is no surprise — Winsor
& Newton — although he says he also uses a couple of
Old Holland colors.
He preps his canvas with acrylic gel medium and two
coats of acrylic primer. He paints with bristle brushes,
starting with size 12 or 14, and uses sables for blending.
Canadian Brushstroke Magazine • March/April 2010 • 21
ABOVE: MORNING DEPARTURE • Oil, 12 x 16”
Depending on the complexity of the
drawing he may do a block-in or a
detailed under drawing. He says his
studio painting is done “in a traditional method, from dark to light and
large to small.” This usually involves
an initial block-in with the refining
coming afterward.
He often glazes his paintings using
Liquin, which he says really speeds
up the oil painting process.
“After six months I use a varnish —
Soluvar (Liquitex).”
He likes to paint his plein air paintings 9 x 12” or 12 x 16”. His studio
paintings range from that size up
to 36 x 48”. The largest painting he
ever completed was 12’ x 5’ and
it hangs at the Sears building in
Guelph, ON.
BELOW: BEAUTY OF THE MORNING • Oil, 12 x 24”
“I paint standard sizes so that I can flip
frames,” he says, explaining that if his galleries want a different frame, he can use
the frame again on a different painting.
For his watercolor paintings Purdon
22 • Canadian Brushstroke Magazine • March/April 2010
uses Winsor & Newton paint and
300 lb cold press or rough Winsor &
Newton, Waterford or Fabriano paper,
and for acrylic painting he usually uses
acid free illustration board.
The bulk of his paintings, however, are done
in oils.
The artist teaches acrylic and oil painting at
Loyalist College in Belleville, ON in the summer.
In the fall, winter and spring he teaches art history and painting techniques of the Masters at
the University of Toronto School of Continuing
Studies. He is currently preparing a course on
art forgeries, scams and thefts.
One of his favorite places to paint is Mull,
Scotland, where the artist tries to go every two
years or so. “It’s an amazing place to paint.”
When Purdon looks back over his career, he
says, “at the beginning I wish I’d known more
about how to deal with galleries. A gallery is a
business. I think that’s something that a lot of
artists forget. Your work has got to fit in. You
have to do your homework. Learn to focus on
doing a consistent body of work.” •
ABOVE: MARIE — TARPON
SPRINGS • Oil, 12 x 16”
BELOW: DAY’S DONE —
TOBERMORY • Oil, 16 x 20”
RIGHT: ALLEGANY RIVER, NY
• Oil, 12 x 16”
DOUGLAS PURDON exhibits his work in galleries in Canada, the US and the UK and his
paintings are in many private and corporate collections, including The Toronto Public Library,
The City of Toronto, The Arts and Letters Club
of Toronto, Sears Canada, and The Mystic
Seaport Museum, Mystic CT. He is represented
by Studio 737, Tweed, Ontario; Arnold Fine Art,
Newport RI; and the Gallery at Mystic Seaport,
Mystic CT.
Canadian Brushstroke Magazine • March/April 2010 • 23
Johnson
Gallery
Tracey Mardon
7711 - 85 St., Edmonton, AB
• 780-465-6171
• www.johnsongallery.ca
Anne McCormick
Johnson Gallery
7711 - 85 St., Edmonton, AB
• 780-465-6171
• www.johnsongallery.ca
Cindy Revell
Susan Abma
24 • Canadian Brushstroke Magazine • March/April 2010
BMO donates
painting to WAG
B
MO Financial Group donated a painting by acclaimed Manitoba artist Wanda Koop to the Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG) in March. In addition,
BMO made a $25,000 donation to Art City, a non-profit
community art centre, founded by Koop, that provides
an opportunity for inner-city youth in Winnipeg’s West
Broadway neighborhood to work with contemporary
visual artists.
The untitled painting, from. Koop’s series “Hybrid Human,” will be on display as part of a large scale survey
exhibition entitled “Wanda Koop: On the edge of experience,” and will be mounted at the Winnipeg Art Gallery
this fall and later at the National Gallery of Canada in
Ottawa.
Now approaching its centenary in 2012, the Winnipeg
Art Gallery has developed from a small civic gallery to
Canada’s sixth largest gallery
By developing and maintaining Manitoba’s visual arts
heritage, it ensures the preservation of this legacy for
future generations. The WAG is also at the forefront
in promoting Manitoba artists nationwide and abroad.
Today the WAG has almost 24,000 works of art ranging
from 15th-century European paintings to 21st century
American multi-media art, and represents artists from
countries and cultures around the globe. Internet: www.
wag.ca •
Canadian Brushstroke Magazine
benefits the Canadian Art Industry
nationwide by providing:
• 6 Annual issues. The magazine’s PDF format offers
readers a traditional-style magazine format online, resulting in readership cover-to-cover, difficult to achieve in
a usual website format.
the last word...
You may have noticed that we moved the
classifieds to a more central location (Page
16).
We would like to have more events, more
gallery listings, more artist workshops, etc.
in the magazine.
We are hoping that a more central location
will help grow the classified section, which
we feel will be an important service to our
readers.
Classifieds are $25 for 25 words, and .50
for each additional word, and including a
photo is $25 additional.
This is a very reasonable price to reach
more than 12,000 readers in Canada. An
added bonus is our 2400+ international
readers.
If you would like any information about our
classifieds, or would like to send in your
classified advertisement, contact sales@
brushstrokemagazine.com . No ad will run
without confirmation. You will be contacted
to confirm the ad and to arrange payment.
• Each issue features at least one artist from each of the
four regions: West, Central, East and Maritimes.
• Reduced advertising overhead by lowering our magazine production costs.
• Increased Green Environmental image through reduced paper and ink consumption.
• Increased youth market penetration through hi-tech
communications.
• Tracked readership, because we require subscription
information.
• Free delivery directly to the readers’ personal emails,
rather than by newsstands.
• Free subscriptions to more than 14,000 subscribers
(many forward it to their own mailing list resulting in
increased readership.)
• Editorial news tidbits, information on shows, competitions, events, classifieds and more.
sales@brushstrokemagazine.com • Phone 780-986-0789
Canadian Brushstroke Magazine • March/April 2010 • 25