Last month on Feb. 25th I was lucky enough to be asked to participate in this year’s Canvas Conversations with ‘The Art Room‘ @ The New Dawn Centre For Social Innovation. It was a night to remember! So well received with everyone that attended, bid, painted and encouraged by the Emcee Wendy Bergfeldt, Auctioneer Larry MacLean and musicians Janet Bickerton, Ralph Dilton and of course all the artists!
The Canvas Conversations 2016 was in Support of Transition House Foundation and The Art Room. Anyone that knows me knows that I’ve been a volunteer for The Transition House Foundation for many years and the last two years I have occupied the seat of President. Really I’m honoured to be with such great women who are on the board. That’s how I came to be included in this years event along with so many other Great Capers who contribute to our community in so many ways. The proceeds raised from Canvas Conversations went in part to the Transition House here in Cape Breton. Last year it was Access 808 for at-risk youth. The whole idea behind Canvas Conversations is to take time to consider the need for timely support of women and children exposed to domestic violence and ‘Start a conversation’….
Here’s a few of the fabulous ladies on the Transition House Foundation board. They’re drive, enthusiasm and general go getter attitude is what makes them so fab!! Left to right 🙂 Stacy Mcfadgen, Norma Jean MacPhee, Stephanie MacDougall and Danielle Patterson. Great job ladies!!!
Now you can’t just show up to a evening of painting without a little bit of practise. Thank goodness for the practise session. The night of you only have 30 mins to complete your masterpiece so it’s a good idea if you have a plan of what your going to be painting, ahead of time. I’m not really a painter, except for maybe walls and furniture ;-). My Dad was a wicked painter when I was a kid and still does a little painting now but not to the extent or the detail that he did in his early days. That being said I suppose I have a little bit of his artistic DNA in my blood. When I showed up for the practise session at THE ART ROOM John Gainer the organizer of the event gave us some much needed pointers and tips with colour and technique ….
Before I showed up to the practise session I explored some drawings of Mandala Art. I thought maybe that might be a great route to go with something that’s more abstract and also kinda easy to put my own spin on it. Like I said you only had 30 mins to paint something so I didn’t want anything to complicated. Here’s a couple of pictures I drew inspiration from. I just liked the flow of these two drawings. Now mind you my painting doesn’t look anything like this but it’s the feeling and movement in the pictures that both these drawings have that inspired me 🙂
Here’s a look at my sample canvas. I was quite happy with the way it turned out and my nerves were a little less on edge knowing I now had a plan for the night. Here’s my finished practise piece …. Once the final paintings are finished all the practise pieces are recycled so as the bidders truly have a ‘One of a Kind’ piece.
Then I realized I hadn’t signed it; no room at the bottom of the canvas so I turned it upside down and put my initials at the bottom.
Something about being in the ART ROOM was so relaxing. Maybe because you can’t really think about anything except what is right in front of you and the canvas. Either way I found the whole practise thing alot of fun. Let’s show you how the night progressed with a few of my favourite pictures. Before the painting got underway all the tables and easel’s were getting prepped and ready for paint.
Robyn Cathcart with Anne Latour from THE ART ROOM …This photo needs a caption … xo
Past Transition House Foundation Board member for 16 years the wonderful and talented Kerry Lynk.. wait till you see her after painting, just beautiful. Kerry is also the GNO Co-MC again for this years 15th Annual “Girls Night Out” on April 2nd, 2016. Here with her canvas ….. getting all set to start 🙂
Wendy Bergfeidt from CBC radio Mainstreet Cape Breton who did an amazing job of emceeing for the evening!
Helen Morrison who is the Executive director of Transition House pictured here with her finished painting. Paint what you know and this lady loves elephants & knows a lot about them so it’s no surprise that she painted these two very endearing elephants!
(EASEL SPONSORED BY DR. ANDREW LYNK)
Paint table ‘After ‘ … loving the colours; it looks a little like controlled mayhem lol
At the end my husband Todd came up with the name for my painting and I think it fits perfectly. My finished painting called ‘Unity’ …. which is what the whole evening felt like. Our Cape Breton community working together for a good cause 🙂
(EASEL SPONSORED BY 3R DESIGN STUDIO)
Here’s Kerry Lynk’s finished painting. There is so much detail in this. Amazing what she did in 1/2 hour. What is interesting with Kerry’s artwork is that you could frame this piece either horizontally or vertically. Mother & children, the two go hand in hand, just beautiful!
(EASEL SPONSORED BY VIEWPOINT REALTY)
Bette MacDonald with her finished masterpiece. Now it’s funny when I saw Bette at the ‘crash course’ for this event she let on that she wasn’t much of a painter but her finished painting tells us otherwise. What a great job! A women of many talents. Bette is also our MC again this year for ‘Girls Night Out’ which will be a crowd pleaser for sure!!
(EASEL SPONSORED BY MACDONALD LAW)
Larry MacLean who was the evenings Auctioneer has really got a gift when it comes to this sort of thing. Gift of gab and getting people to bid is no small feat but Larry seems to do it effortlessly. The painting in the back is by “The Sole man himself” Bruce Meloney. Loving the red shoe!
Robyn Cathcart and his finished masterpiece ” Looking Back ” … Turned out amazing Robyn!
(EASEL SPONSORED BY MR. FI’S FRAMING)
Mike Targett looking up and Bruce Meloney in front of his ‘Red Shoe’
(EASEL SPONSORED BY FINISHING TOUCH DECORATING AND MR. PAINT)
Here we have the talented artist Karie Liao who painted this hamburger feast … Quote from Karie Liao herself “Coooooome on down to CBU Art Gallery and get yourself a non-fat zero-calories tasty Karie Burger!!! Limited time offer, every purchase comes with free admission to the gallery.”
(EASEL SPONSORED BY CASINO NOVA SCOTIA )
Bruce Hubley here with his finished masterpiece. Well done Bruce!
(EASEL SPONSORED BY NSCC)
This masterpiece had quite the bidding war between John Gainer and Andrew Lynk at the auction; but in the end it was Andrew Lynk standing here with Rod; who is now the proud owner of this Rod Bird “original” ! From far away when the painting was on the stage being auctioned off you couldn’t really see all the detail. It is only when you get up close that you can see the details, appreciate the feeling and sentiment that this painting brings out with the young child embracing her beloved puppy. Well done Rod!
(EASEL SPONSORED BY REID PHYSIOTHERAPY)
Kudos to the rest of the Artist (sorry not all photographed) and Sponsors of this years Canvas Conversations 2016!
♥
The colours, the work and indeed the imagination that went into this cake is just so lovely, thank you Gerri-Lynn Wallace for sharing your talents.
” THE WORLD IS BUT A CANVAS TO THE IMAGINATION. ~ HENRY DAVID THOREAU
All in all a wonderful fundraiser for Transition House Foundation and THE ART ROOM!
A magical night with such generous contributions from all the people who bought the paintings!! Be sure to check out THE ART ROOM’s formal cheque presentation at this Year’s 15th Annual ‘Girls Night Out’ roaring 20’s theme at …
Membertou Trade and Convention centre <——Tickets available here
#communityevents #fundraisers
‘You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have. ~ Maya Angelou
Thanks for reading!