What makes The ARTS Project unique in London?
Artists working in their own studios in a downtown, urban environment; influenced by the space around them and then creating works of art that reflect their experiences…
Studio 1A: Jane Kewin
Visual Artist, Studio 1A
Shortly after graduating from the University of Guelph with a degree in fine arts, she worked as a liturgical tapestry designer in Toronto. This experience gave her the confidence to compose large works of art. Jane now creates commissioned larger pieces, frequently 5 or 6 feet square.
Now showing regularly with two prominent Canadian galleries, Jane’s work can be seen in numerous private and corporate collections, here in Canada and around the world. Having created hundreds of paintings, Jane continues her prolific work from her home and her studio in The ARTS Project.
Studio 2A: David Lindsay
Visual Artist, Studio 2A
David has had studio space in our building for over 10 years. He is proud to work here at The ARTS Project.
David works in acrylics, watercolour and gouche. He is inspired by the trips he takes with his wife, author Ann McColl Lindsay.
For more info see David Lindsay’s webpage
Studio 2B: Valda-Christine Glennie
Valda-Christine Glennie was born in London, Ontario and spent her high school years in England at Roedean in Brighton, Sussex. After graduating with A-levels in the arts, she returned to Canada and earned her B.A. at the University of Western Ontario. Inspired to continue learning, Valda-Christine explored academic channels that allowed her to combine her artistic abilities with her interest in science.
She enrolled in Art As Applied to Medicine offered by University of Toronto, an intensive program which covered anatomy, embryology, physiology, neurology, ophthalmology and dental anatomy. Upon graduation with a B.Sc. A.A.M. Valda-Christine began freelancing in Toronto providing medical illustrations for educational, publishing and pharmaceutical markets. After a number of years working independently and with an interest in animation, she enrolled in Sheridan College’s Computer Animation program. After graduating from Sheridan, she worked as a computer animator in the US for Andover.net, Inc., engaged in the business of web publishing.
Valda-Christine now works from her Dundas Street studio, pursuing a life long interest in portrait painting, oil on canvas.
She is a member of CARFAC ONTARIO & the Portrait Society of Canada .
For more on Valda-Christine, visit her site: www.valdachristine.com
Studio 2C: Jim Telfer
Resident Artist, Studio 2C
After graduating with honors from Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology [1978-1982] with a 4 year program in Design Arts, Interior design, Commercial design, Fashion design and Industrial design [DEA] Jim started his own event planning company, Grafica.
Studio 2D: Brian Dirks
Resident Artist, Studio 2D
Brian lives and has practiced in London since 1987 when discovering the Thames River could be an amiable companion willing to resist and animate urban life. Things change.
As an disciplined painter Brian moves through various stages and materials developing a final approach. Such preparatory work exploits a dynamic -motives, mixes, patterns, layers- as rudimentary actions that point in a direction. Then he paints.
The outcome are fields upon which to ponder if not for the explicit imagery then the obvious artistic intention of playing on the surface of something far deeper.
Studio 2E: Rob Nelson
Resident Artist, Studio 2F
Saturday Night, The Look, Elm Street, Interview… these are just a few of the publication credits for the photographs of Rob Nelson. Living wherever the work takes him, Rob has spent time in New York, Montreal, Toronto, and everywhere in between in order to shoot notable faces such as Karen Kain, Prince Andrew, and musicians Basia Bulat and Olenka Krakus.
As a second generation photographer, Rob entered the darkroom at age eight and never looked back.
For more information on Rob, visit his site: robnelsonphotography.com
Studio 2F: Oswaldo DeLeon Kantule
Resident Artist, Studio 2F
Oswaldo DeLeon Kantule, also known as “Achu”, is a visual artist from the Kuna nation of Panama, who first began painting as a self-taught artist. He graduated with honours from the University of Panama with a degree in Fine Arts in 2001 after winning Panama’s National institute of Culture’s national painting competition in 1996, and has shown his work in more than 16 individual exhibitions in the Americas and Europe, in addition to many collective shows. In 2004 he was the recipient of the prestigious Research Grant from the Smithsonian Institute’s Museum of the American Indian.
He finds inspiration for his art in Kuna spirituality and cosmovision, using the ancestral symbols of his people, which are very much present in everyday Kuna life. Since myths, art, religion and ceremonies use symbolic and metaphorical language, they are often misunderstood by many people; however, this language, though it has existed for thousands of years, can help to explain the realities of today’s societies in which crises, intolerance, violence, racism and the destruction of the environment abound.
Oswaldo’s paintings often depict animals or beings that are representative of spirits, both good and malevolent spirits often try to steal someone away, while the good spirits usually try to protect them. In many cases these representations should not be interpreted literally but rather may indicate things such as alienation, a loss of identity, acculturation, or intolerance. He believes that art is universal, providing a language for people from different realities to communicate with each other.
For more information on Achu, visit his site: www.deleonkantule.net
Studio 2G: Rob Cousins
Resident Artist, Studio 2G
Rob has been exploring various mediums as an artist since he was a young child, painting under the wings of veteran artist mentors since he was in elementary school. His creativity in high school took a turn into film production, special effects, engineering, software and robotic engineering. He later attended LSSU in Michigan for Computer Science, and still works in the computer industry as a graphic designer and technical lead for a local marketing company.
The intention of his artwork is to explore emotion and the mind, to stir feelings and memories within the viewer. His passion for learning and experimentation allows him to find new ways to express himself, making his work very diverse and transient.
His current endeavors have been in fashion photography, scenic painting and prop making for local theatre, drawing in pastel and pencil, realism, surrealism and abstract oil painting. His next art exhibition is scheduled for Jan 30th, 2012 at The ARTS Project, where he will retell one of the oldest stories of the creation of the Universe in a series of abstract paintings in oil.
Studio 3A: Peter Kryshtalovich
Resident Artist, Studio 3A
The earliest visual influences on the artist’s work were l’Art Brut, l’Art Informel and Matter paintings, as well as certain aspects of North American Abstract Expressionism – most particularly as reflected in Cy Twombly’s works. Additionally, his visual art has been informed by extensive studies in 20th Century music. The compositions of Anton Webern, Edgard Varese, Milton Babbitt and Denis Smalley remain seminal artistic influences. Peter is a specialist in audio synthesis and signal processing, and considers painting and sound design as facets of a single artistic vision.
In addition to his artistic activities, he is one of three Executive Directors at the Ontario Institute of Audio Recording Technology, where he lectures in sound design, audio synthesis and the artistic application of digital technology for both sound and image. He has used Photoshop as a paint program since 1994, creating over 800 digital paintings by applying signal processing techniques for imagery in a manner very similar to their application for sound. According to the artist, each of his works represents some aspect of temporal perception, or the sensing of temporal perception. The works are “remembered forms” drawn from his imagination.
His art is in private collections throughout North America and Europe.
Studio 3B: Donna Andreychuk
Donna Andreychuk is a self-taught artist who was born in Arthur, Ontario in 1959. She is married and has three grown children and lives in Delaware, Ontario. In January 2011, Donna became a Resident Artist on the third floor of The ARTS Project. Donna has always had a passion for, and an interest in art, and in 1999 she began painting full time. Donna’s work and her process of painting remind people of the love and beauty of all things natural. Her award winning art has been in many exhibitions and juried shows, and is part of private and corporate collections. Her work can be found in several Canadian Galleries.
For more on Donna, visit her site: www.donnaandreychuk.com
Studio 3C: Katherine Walmsley
Resident Artist, Studio 3C
Using hand dyed wool, cut into strips and pulled through a linen backing with a wood handled brass hook, I paint pictures in wool.
I am a rug hooker. I love the look and feel of the wool, the weight of the hook in my hand and the hypnotic rhythm and sound or “thrum” of the hooking motion.
Although I have a background in Fine Arts with formal training in classical drawing and painting and have worked in these disciplines for years, I have found in rug hooking a mode of expression I truly love.
I was first introduced to rug hooking in 1998 and have been focusing my efforts on creating works in wool ever since.
Rug hooking is a time-honoured craft practiced by women for generations. It has its roots in Atlantic Canada, where long winter months allowed women the freedom to indulge in some artistic pursuits. They created wonderfully bright rugs with whatever cast off fabrics they had saved throughout the year. These mats warmed chilly floors and brought much-needed colour to often drab interiors.
Today rug hooking is an internationally recognized fibre art. It has certainly come along way from its humble beginnings.
For me, rug hooking brings with it a sense of comfort and well-being – like spending time with an old friend. Mat making suits me well.
