Arbour Gallery exhibition proposal
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Seven artists with diverse techniques are the 7 Works Collective. Our work is organic in nature, in that each project starts with a single artist’s vision of a subject. As the project progresses, through discussion of process and interpretation, we find incentive to dig deep and push ourselves as makers. We endeavour to expand the boundaries of our art and create unique works by combining our distinct techniques in cohesive and unusual ways. We create individual variations on a theme as well as collaborative art. Current events and issues often influence our inspirations.
Our Background Story: The Challenge
In 2018, two artists were accepted to the Gibraltar Point Artscape Artist Residency program. Both artists were so inspired by the experience of immersing themselves in their art practices for a concentrated time, they applied again in 2019. Both artists were again accepted and traveled to Toronto Island in May along with three other artists from various art disciplines.
Then along came 2020 with great plans to add two additional artists to the group and again spend an awesome week on Toronto Island. BUT... the world changed in 2020 and these artists had to postpone their artist residency until 2021.
Even though the best laid plans were upended the group committed themselves to creative activities during that week in May and furthered their hunt for inspiration by meeting on Zoom to see each other and talk about what we had done that week. It was during one of these meetings the plan was hatched to challenge each other to biweekly art prompts. Each artist would show a work of art in their medium and the remaining 6 artists would respond in their own voice with a piece in their own medium based on the visual prompt. Soon we began calling our group the 7 Works Collective.
Part of the excitement of this project during the pandemic lock down was to listen to each artist describe their process of thinking and creating their work of art from the challenge piece, including showing the preliminary sketches or experiments. You may have noticed that we each work in a different medium or style so learning about each others methods has also been an interesting feature of our Zoom discussions.
Arbour Gallery group exhibition proposal
The 7 Works Collective will exhibit our first 7 challenges which will include the visual prompt piece along with each artists’ inspired work based on the prompt. Any already sold works will appear in the exhibition as a photograph in order to complete the display.
The final piece in the exhibition will be our first collaborative piece based on an assigned quadrant from our photographer’s original photo.
Our Background Story: The Challenge
In 2018, two artists were accepted to the Gibraltar Point Artscape Artist Residency program. Both artists were so inspired by the experience of immersing themselves in their art practices for a concentrated time, they applied again in 2019. Both artists were again accepted and traveled to Toronto Island in May along with three other artists from various art disciplines.
Then along came 2020 with great plans to add two additional artists to the group and again spend an awesome week on Toronto Island. BUT... the world changed in 2020 and these artists had to postpone their artist residency until 2021.
Even though the best laid plans were upended the group committed themselves to creative activities during that week in May and furthered their hunt for inspiration by meeting on Zoom to see each other and talk about what we had done that week. It was during one of these meetings the plan was hatched to challenge each other to biweekly art prompts. Each artist would show a work of art in their medium and the remaining 6 artists would respond in their own voice with a piece in their own medium based on the visual prompt. Soon we began calling our group the 7 Works Collective.
Part of the excitement of this project during the pandemic lock down was to listen to each artist describe their process of thinking and creating their work of art from the challenge piece, including showing the preliminary sketches or experiments. You may have noticed that we each work in a different medium or style so learning about each others methods has also been an interesting feature of our Zoom discussions.
Arbour Gallery group exhibition proposal
The 7 Works Collective will exhibit our first 7 challenges which will include the visual prompt piece along with each artists’ inspired work based on the prompt. Any already sold works will appear in the exhibition as a photograph in order to complete the display.
The final piece in the exhibition will be our first collaborative piece based on an assigned quadrant from our photographer’s original photo.
Kathryn Bossy
Influenced by our natural surroundings, my mosaic work focuses on movement and simple beauty: the whimsy of the wind blowing laundry on the line or the changing colours of each season.
Having worked and lived in Canada, England, Singapore and Australia I have been struck by the differences in light and colour. This has been reflected in my work since I began using glass over 25 years ago.
These days I spend hours exploring and treasure hunting on our property and along the Ottawa River and now defunct railway, taking photos and gathering pieces to use – the mystery of these finds become part of every mosaic story.
Link to CV.
Having worked and lived in Canada, England, Singapore and Australia I have been struck by the differences in light and colour. This has been reflected in my work since I began using glass over 25 years ago.
These days I spend hours exploring and treasure hunting on our property and along the Ottawa River and now defunct railway, taking photos and gathering pieces to use – the mystery of these finds become part of every mosaic story.
Link to CV.
Mario Cerroni
Mario Cerroni is an Ottawa based photographer/artist. Since retiring from the classroom in 2007 he has delved further into photography and is constantly exploring to find a voice in the various photographic traditions that are available.
This includes digital work, film and darkroom work, and some alternative modes of printing (cyanotype).
Over the last 10 years, his work has been displayed in various shows and sales, including a number of solo shows. Some of his work is held in both private and corporate collections.
Link to CV.
This includes digital work, film and darkroom work, and some alternative modes of printing (cyanotype).
Over the last 10 years, his work has been displayed in various shows and sales, including a number of solo shows. Some of his work is held in both private and corporate collections.
Link to CV.
Lynn Dubinsky
Lynn was born and grew up in Northern Ireland. As a young woman she traveled extensively in Europe and beyond, arriving in Canada where she settled in Ottawa and continues to live there with her family.
Lynn works with acrylic, and also enjoys making sculptures with wood and found objects. She draws inspiration from her life of travel, transferring her memories into colour and form. Her art has been shown in a number of Ottawa galleries and Lynn has participated in juried shows which have won her awards.
Link to CV.
Lynn works with acrylic, and also enjoys making sculptures with wood and found objects. She draws inspiration from her life of travel, transferring her memories into colour and form. Her art has been shown in a number of Ottawa galleries and Lynn has participated in juried shows which have won her awards.
Link to CV.
Catherine Gutsche
Through bold marks and a feel for colour working in layers, Ottawa artist Catherine Gutsche uses a process driven method to capture her joy for the unpredictability of her practice. She creates intricate non-representational compositions, often alluding to forms in nature but highly abstracted, driven by a need to “engage my mind”.
The 7 Works Collective challenges have stretched my usual approach into new areas, experimenting with new techniques, new materials and altered styles. Who knows what will come out of these exercises in the future. "Play" makes artists grow.
Link to CV.
The 7 Works Collective challenges have stretched my usual approach into new areas, experimenting with new techniques, new materials and altered styles. Who knows what will come out of these exercises in the future. "Play" makes artists grow.
Link to CV.
Karen Wynne Mackay
Karen Wynne Mackay’s art is abstract, gestural, intuitive and is usually referred to as contemporary. Her greatest inspiration is found in nature: - shapes, lines, colours and movement. Other important inspirations and muses are: jazz, blues, folk and rock music, novels, poetry, short stories, movies, hiking, kayaking and swimming.
Karen’s art this year has been based largely and influenced by the change in the world - covid has brought out such a variety of feelings and experiences. Proving once again that as in all changes there is good and bad as well as so much to learn.
Karen’s art has a story for you to discover.
Link to CV.
Karen’s art this year has been based largely and influenced by the change in the world - covid has brought out such a variety of feelings and experiences. Proving once again that as in all changes there is good and bad as well as so much to learn.
Karen’s art has a story for you to discover.
Link to CV.
Judi Miller
The textile work of Judi Miller is influenced by the detailed natural elements of landscapes. The shape, form and movement of the continually changing landscape provides inspiration. Working from photographs to start the creative process, with threads to provide colour, texture and pattern on a fabric base. Free motion machine embroidery is her primary tool. The choice of artist’s tool is secondary to striving to evoke a feeling of memory or place.
Link to CV.
Link to CV.
Jo-ann Zorzi
Jo-Ann is an artist who uses silk fibers to draw. She starts with a wisp of an idea and lets the colours and textures tease out an image. She loves the quirky and the unexpected. Jo-Ann has hung her work in group and solo exhibits in Canada and the U.S. She also creates 3 dimensional vessels and wearable art from woolen fibers.
Link to CV.
Link to CV.
