Introducing... Jara!

Jara Niekraszewicz is another new artist on our Tour. Showing her work with her mother Valerie Ashton their studio location is number 8.   

Using paint and dyes on silk scarves, Jara likes to experiment with different techniques, creating works of art that are both beautiful and functional. Jara began dying silk scarves several years ago switched to jewellery then back to silk just recently.

Introducing... Opal!

We are pleased to introduce another new member of the Stouffville Studio Tour..... Opal Dunbar-Adams. 

Opal says:

I get great inspiration from our beautiful Canadian landscape., especially Northern Ontario and Quebec. The awe and grandeur is hard to miss, but sometimes capturing it on canvas can be eluding. 

'Campfires' is my new series of work that I hope brings to mind the never ending nights that we spent in the great outdoors. More to come!

Opal is Studio number 12 on this years Tour. To see more of her work please go to www.opaldunbaradams.com

Sandra Cole Burke

Sandra Cole Burke shares her print making process with us... 

Sandra says:
Last summer I worked on my “forest lair “series which I completed in my back yard.

The tree, over one hundred years old, was from Geneva Park near Orillia. It had fallen in a storm. The people who were removing it from where it had fallen kindly cut off two pieces  (called tree cookies) with a chainsaw. One of these trees cookies  is what I used as my woodblock to create my “forest lair” series.

The first three photos are of the woodblock and the tools I used to carve it.

The next three photos are of the prints hanging to dry with two colours on the rice paper.

  

Photo number 7 shows the rice paper ready for me to add the third colour.

 

The next three photos are of

• preparing the ink,
• adding the extender ( making it more transparent) and the retarder ( preventing it from drying too fast),
• and the roller after I have inked up the woodblock.

Photo 11 is getting ready to print the reddish colour onto the rice paper...

Photo 12 is peeling off the paper. 

Photo 13 is of the lino bird printed on the “forest lair”.

  

The last two photos are of the “forest lair” series.

One of the “forest lair” series original woodblocks is on exhibition from July 4- September 28 2012 with the  Stouffville Studio Tour Artists  Show in the foyer of the Municipal offices in Stouffville.

Sandra is studio number 11 on the tour this year.

Thanks Sandra!

Introducing... Siek!

We are pleased to introduce a new member to our tour Siek Wassenaar

At an early age Siek became interested in woodworking and he used to take night school courses in Scarborough and Stouffville. The wood shop at Stouffville had a lathe and Siek asked the instructor to show him how to use it. His first attempt was a flying success. Sometime later he saw a turning demonstration at the Unionville Festival. The turner told him about a wood turning club- WGO- and invited him to check it out. He joined the club and whatever skills he has he learned from its members. After retiring from teaching chemistry at a community college he spent more time at the lathe.

He uses all native hardwoods and looks for pieces that stand out because of nice grain patterns, spalting or some miss formation caused by stress. He likes to make bowls, platters, lidded boxes, hollow forms such as vases. He makes urns for both animal and human remains. Pepper mills, salt shakers and pens are other popular items. Most items are treated with a clear finish but sometimes articles are coloured before a finish is put on them.

Siek's location is number 6 in our 2012 brochure

...at the Municipal Office

This is how we look at the Municipal Offices:

 

Stop by and see this preview of the Tour!