During six days, participants will receive hands-on instruction using a variety of fascinating tools and materials. The workshop starts with making simple but beautiful pamphlet structures, leading up to the binding of two hardcover books. Making your own journals, sketchbooks or printed books is such a rewarding skill! Offered through Canadian Bookbinders and Book Artists Guild (CBBAG), this workshop is the first of their core-curriculum and leads to many other courses. Tim is a knowledgeble and encouraging teacher. When: NEW DATES: Monday-Tuesdays: April 29-30, plus May 6-7 and May 13-14. Where: The Colour Jar, 120 Garafraxa St N, Durham Ontario. Time: 9am to 4pm daily. Cost: $485 plus $50 materials fee; includes 1-yr membership in CBBAG. To register please email: cbbag.swochapter@gmail.com. Questions: call 519-369-1283 or email: info@thecolourjar.ca.
My piece “Five Hindrances Dissolving” appears in the current “Euphoria” juried exhibit at Durham Art Gallery, on display until April 13, 2024. It was awarded Best 3D Artwork!
My idea to paint on reclaimed shipping pallets carries on naturally from an initiative to use the wood for frames. I love the look and feel of these often mangled and worn constructions, coming to me having traversed thousands of kilometres; in short, they have a history.
I had the idea for this piece about a year ago, but the half-finished artwork sat undisturbed during the busy December season. When I heard about the juried show “Euphoria”, I wanted to apply, and this was the little nudge I needed.
But first there were the holidays, with family visiting, and doing annual store inventory. And the promise of a bit of time carved out in January was why I planned to go away on a Vipassana* meditation retreat both this year and last.
So my application to the show was made with the fixative still drying.
The work is done with pastel on wood, with parts of it carved like a woodblock used for printing. The different slats show portions of images, some connected, some disjointed, with the aim of recalling the way our minds serve up a jumble of memories and desires. The “five hindrances” refers to a subject the Buddha talked about: the things that keep us from working (meditating) and walking on the Noble Path, symbolized by the hands in repose.
My thanks go out to the jury for their work in sifting through mountains of applications from far and wide; the show is truly amazing. Congratulations to gallery director Jennifer Norman for mounting a challenging but exciting collection of artwork, in a freshly-painted space.
*Vipassana meditation is an ancient method of training the mind in concentration and awareness, with the aim of calming and purifying the mind. The courses are taught free-of-charge at centres around the world (the closest centre is outside of Alliston, Ontario). I attended my first course about 20 years ago, and have developed a daily practice which helps me in many ways to stay more balanced and content. This year I was serving (volunteering) in the kitchen. While we prepared meals and washed dishes, we also had plenty of time for meditation with the 100-or-so other students. I highly recommend taking the 10-day course!
I remember opening my first set of portable watercolours; I was 16 years old. My parents had realized that my love of art wasn’t going away, and they bought me a really expensive set. Growing up in rural Manitoba, they must have driven the hour-and-a-half to Winnipeg to buy it. All that year, I experimented […]
My hands are still shivering from the strike of the hammer on the pry bar. I’ve been taking apart wooden skids to use as material for making frames. It’s hard, good wood; but it’s difficult to take apart. The purpose behind this experiment is to see if I can decrease my reliance on purchased frame […]
It’s ironic to say “new” when it’s really OLD. Old as the hills, actually. Pigments made from rocks. Nothing is more basic than natural earth! We’re taking a new approach to supplying art materials this year, moving towards long-term integrity. We hope you will join us on the journey! Our first step is to offer […]
If you need some inspiration, Unison Colour (pastels) is offering a free live pastel demo online for beginners Wednesday Jan 12 at 2pm EDT. To register, go to https://www.unisoncolour.com/free-beginners-live-demo-with-sue-kerrigan-harris/ Also, the Art Gallery of Ontario has a large selection of videos with art talks and activities to inspire some aesthetic thoughts: ago.ca You’ll find it […]
In order to curb any tendency to watch too much tv, I don’t subscribe to a paid streaming service. But I do watch shows from our public broadcaster, CBC, and recently discovered two shows of interest to artists: Landscape Artist of the Year Canada, and Maudie. The first one, Landscape Artist, is a multi-episode show […]
It’s been a busy summer with all our fabulous customers coming back! So we are going to take a short break, visiting our daughter: we’ll be closed Friday and Saturday, September 3 and 4. (This also means there will be no Art on first Friday this month! Second Saturday is still on the 11th.) Be […]
Hi art-friends! As part of Stage 2 re-opening, we are now able to welcome up to 7 customers at a time, so come on over to see what has been happening since the shutdown. New supplies have continued to arrive, from specialty rulers to main-stay paints. Highlights include Unison pastel sets and easels, colouring books […]
Durham is saying goodbye to a great artist and teacher, Rhonda Abrams, who is moving away. She taught dozens of students in Durham for the last thirteen-or-so years, first at The Colour Jar, and then in her own space, Durham Art School. In her approach to teaching, Rhonda was rare. She wouldn’t do her students’ […]
