SUNDAY STUDIO DAYS: Briana Corr Scott

What a week! The Gallery Re-Opened to the public on Friday, after a long period under lockdown, and losing an entire season in between! The Summer months brings a welcomed new energy to both the City and the Arts Community. Our Sunday Studio Days series continues this week with a look at the creative workspace of Gallery Artist Briana Corr Scott.

Briana draws and paints still lives from observation. Her subjects are primarily objects from nature; flowers, bones and shells. Her painting style is quiet and meditative, she concentrates intently on each object and wraps it in glowing painted light...

Interior of Briana's Dartmouth studio.

"I do all of my work in this studio, but my process and inspiration starts outdoors, walking in nature, on the beach, or (long ago in pre-covid) travelling..."

A multi-disciplinary Artist, Briana is a published author, painter and illustrator...  

"I make a lot of different things in my studio so it changes all the time. Sometimes I paint, write, animate, illustrate. Sometimes I'm cutting, painting or on the computer..."

Exterior of Briana's Studio retreat, complete with garden pond!

"The (Studio) building at first was a garage and then my husband converted it to an office when he was starting his business. I took it over after he move his business to a bigger space. I think it is too nice of a space for a messy painter person like me, but I am very grateful for all the natural light and that there is enough room for my 3 kids to come in and out and hang out if they need. It makes working a lot more realistic, as I am their caregiver.."

Preliminary sketches for future projects...

"…I bring home my sketchbooks, journals and notes and make a pile. I work every single day so the pile gets big very quickly. I go through the pile every month or so, and ideas fall out of and merge from other things in the pile, and some type of final work begins."

Briana surrounds herself with objects that inspire her work...

"Whatever I don't use gets put into a second pile. If it doesn't survive the second pile it gets burned, and that is an important part of my process. I like to give myself the ability to destroy and start again. People tell me not to burn my work but I get as much out of destroying some of it as I do making it." - Briana Corr Scott

Studio interior with Briana's artwork on display. 

On Saturday, we celebrated the launch of Briana's new book; "The Book of Selkie" from Nimbus Publishing. The book is composed of short poems that explore the Selkie legend, and is beautifully illustrated with Briana's own original paintings.

The book sells for $24.95 and is now available for purchase (contact us for details)! 

As a special offer, for just $32, you can receive a signed copy of the book along with some special online extras including crafts, coloring, and printable activities. Briana even made two ZOOM backgrounds for you to use when chatting with friends online!

Briana posing in the Gallery with her new book; "The Book of Selkie"

Briana Corr Scott, "Peonie One", oil on board, 8" x 8"

To see more of Briana's work, follow the link to our flickr page HERE

For purchase inquiries, contact us at (902) 425-9456, or via email at gallery@argylefa.com

GALLERY RE-OPENING WEEKEND!

After a long and difficult period under Covid-19 Lockdown, we're excited to announce that we'll be RE-OPENING the Gallery to the public this coming FRIDAY, JUNE 26 at 11 am!  

We would also like to thank you all in advance for your patience and cooperation as we adjust to the new rules regarding Social Distancing. These practices will be more familiar to us now that businesses are opening up.

A hand sanitizing station has been set up at our entrance and will be required to be used by everyone when they enter and exit the gallery, and we will be limiting visitors to no more than five in the gallery at a time in 30 minute increments.We encourage anyone who would like to see an exhibition at a specific time to book an appointment. We will allow no outside food or drink to enter the space by our visitors. We would prefer it if you wore a mask when in our gallery but will not enforce it as long as proper social distancing rules are being followed. We do have masks available at the gallery for purchase and a few disposable  ones as well. Children must be accompanied by adults at all times.

Sharon Cave, "Fabian", oil on board, 8" x 8"

To jumpstart our summer season and to coincide with our grand Re-Opening, we're thrilled to bring you a new body of work from gallery artist Sharon Cave.  "Foxes and Bunnies and Hares, Oh My!" features 14 new paintings of your favorite furry animals!

Sharon will be in the gallery on Friday from Noon to 3pm, to greet and speak with visitors who want to see the show in person.  You can also view the exhibition online HERE

For those of you who can't make it to the gallery on Friday, we will be streaming a Live Event on Instagram at 3 pm (AST).  We'll be sharing a virtual gallery tour, as we talk to Sharon about her show, and her painting practice.

As part of our "Artists in Studio Getting Coffee" Series, post an image of your favorite mug on Instagram for your chance to win some treats from the gallery!

Our Re-Opening Party continues on Saturday, June 27 with this amazing book launch of Briana Corr Scott's "The Book of Selkie" from Nimbus Publishing.

Briana and Woozles Bookstore will at the gallery from 2pm-4pm.  Pick up your copy, and see some original paintings from the book on display along with other recent works by Briana. The book sells for $24.95 and we are taking pre-orders now! 

But wait, there's more!

As a special pre-order incentive (and part of Halifax's Re-Open City initiative), for just $32 receive a signed copy of the book along with some special online extras including crafts, colouring, and printable activities. Have your very own selkie party anytime! Share your experience with friends young and old alike. Briana even made two ZOOM backgrounds for you to use when chatting with friends online! 

Host your own Selkie Party!

We'd like to thank everyone for their continued support throughout the lockdown, and look forward to seeing you all again soon!  

New Gallery Hours:
Wednesday- Saturday 11am-5:30pm 
Closed Sunday-Tuesday (or by Appointment)

Got a question? We have answers! Contact us at (902) 425-9456 or via email at gallery@argylefa.com.

SUNDAY STUDIO DAYS: Andrea Crouse

Welcome Back!  Hope everyone had a great week.  As part of our Sunday Studio Days Series, we're thrilled to introduce you to the work and creative space of local Artist Andrea Crouse!

Andrea is a paper collage artist who uses recycled print material to create her artwork. Inspired by the colourful houses in her neighbourhood, many of her pieces are of homes seen throughout the North End of Halifax and typical of many Maritime communities.

Andrea in her Halifax Studio...

Andrea has transformed her den into an art-making space. Complete with great lighting, the den provides enough space to keep materials out and ready-for-work. When the mood strikes, she’ll move her desk to a bright corner of her home to take advantage of natural lighting.

Studio interior, all set up and ready to create!

Lots of natural light creates a calm and welcoming workspace...

Tools of the trade.  Recycled magazines are used to create much of Andrea's work.

“Finding inspiration in the everyday, my subjects are homes that catch my eye on my daily walks. Once I have a photo that I think will translate nicely into a collage, I get started with a quick sketch of the major shapes and perspective lines that I can use to guide my creation.

Then, when I am satisfied that I’ve captured the image, location of windows and doors or any greenery, I get started with colour-finding...

Beginning a new work always starts with a sketch...

...I find a comfortable place to sit and start sifting through magazines for colours and textures I think will work nicely.  Once I’ve found my palette, I lay out all the pieces of paper on my desk and group by colour.

I typically start with the main colour of the houses and then build in windows and doors.  I find it interesting to study how light and shadows come into play and try to include as much of that detail as possible...

Finding order in chaos...the creative process at work! 

...There is a real meditative quality in the paper cutting process and something I include in my daily life in addition to practicing yoga and more traditional forms of meditation.  I find my breathing slows down, my heart-rate slows down (despite the amount of coffee consumed) and I am able to sustain an altered state of calmness for quite long periods of time.

During this pandemic, I have found my creative time even more necessary. With daily life in an altered state and so much uncertainty, art time kept me grounded, calm and focused.

Everything in its' right place...a recent work in progress.

I tend to work on smaller size wood panels. I have done a few larger pieces such as 12”x6” and 24”x12” and hope to explore this more in the future.  Working on small panels, means cutting very tiny strips of paper by hand.

I use small craft scissors to cut all pieces and apply with the tip of a pencil or tweezers when cuts are really really small.  An exacto knife comes in handy too. I use glue appropriate for paper to apply paper to wood panels and finish things off with UV protective varnish.

"Claddagh"

My pieces take a considerable amount of time to create, given the nature of the work, and can be 1-2 months, depending on the size. 

I hope that as these pieces find their new homes, the peaceful and meditative nature of the process comes through and the recipient feels happy and relaxed looking at them.

These past few months I have been working on what I am calling ‘heart projects’….projects for close friends and family who have asked for collages that I previously wasn’t able to find time for. Real or perceived, time is something I always feel is on short supply.  

"Hatchling's Hope"

I completed a piece for my partner of a cottage we enjoy together, a collage of my friend’s new home, and a waterfront scene from a friend’s hometown in Ireland. I am currently working on a piece for my father on the farm where he grew up on the South Shore of Nova Scotia. 

While these pieces won’t necessarily show up at the gallery, it’s fun to share them here to show how I’ve been focusing my time and energy during the pandemic.  I’m taking the opportunity to reflect on the importance of friends and loved ones as we’ve been separated during the creation of these pieces and this has been a nice way to spend the extra time found.

"Clendenan"

I look forward to continuing to document my community in paper collage and to experiment with new techniques and larger pieces.  I have been having so much fun getting to know this welcoming community found at Argyle Fine Art through shows and social media and am pleased to be connecting with so many new people through the process.

Take care and stay safe everyone.  Thanks for reading." - Andrea Crouse

SUNDAY STUDIO DAYS: Kim Danio

Welcome once again to our Sunday Studio Days Series. We hope everyone's had a great week!  For those of you who follow the Gallery, you will no doubt be familiar with the work of Artist Kim Danio.

Kim's pieces are all made from second-hand footwear and other recycled materials. She draws inspiration from everyday objects, animals, people, and surroundings; her interests and memories are reflected in the work she creates...

Before and After...Kim Danio "Kitchenmaid Mixer", made from re-purposed shoes and recycled materials.

Let's take a moment now to explore the creative space of this wonderful and talented Artist;

Inside the Artists' studio...with an inspirational quote from Pablo Picasso!

"In the run of any day I spend hours in my studio. Not just to work. My studio serves as home to my pet dwarf rabbit, a place to read, hang with my dogs, journal, watch Netflix, to enjoy my many collections, dollhouses and treasures. I find peace, and comfort in my space. And usually I find it is a great place of inspiration and productivity."

Kim carefully organizes her artist materials for easy access...

"...That is until the corona virus struck... In fairness I had begun a period of reflection about my work. I began to have a doubt about my medium and themes. Sometimes I like to take time in between highly productive intense periods of my art creation to let new ideas wash over me..."

Kim's Studio is surrounded by art.  A creative space designed to motivate and inspire!

"...I often find those times of quiet and reflection very rejuvenating and I can see the impact it has on my practice and next body of work. Sometimes the act of not creating gives new life to works I hadn’t ever considered. It gives me a chance to take my work in a new direction. But during this virus lockdown I seemed to have walked away from my studio and my daily shoe and purse art practice..."

Just your typical day at the office...

 "...I began focusing on all the rooms, drawers, closets and cupboards that felt disorganized and chaotic. I replaced my feeling of lack of control about the virus and Nova Scotia tragedies with something I could control – tidying up. I felt drained of creative inspiration so I instead focused my energy on completing tasks."

Kim's studio-mate "Honey Lemon" providing support and encouragement.

"While it is sad in some ways it has been good for me as well. Given we all have had to spend so much time in our homes mine now feels calming. I used my creativity to decorate places in my home. I also spent time learning to paint with oil paint. My creativity came through even when I wasn't encouraging it."

Kim Danio, "Anne of Green Gables", re-purposed handbag, mixed media, 11" x 10" x 5" 

"Now with the warm days upon us and some lessening of virus restrictions I hope I can find my way back in to the studio. I am excited to see where this all takes me!!" - KIM DANIO

Kim Danio, Jim Henson and Opera, mixed media, approx. 9" x 5" x 2"

To see more of Kim Danio's amazing work, follow the link to our FLICKR page HERE

Featured artworks are available for purchase, for inquiries contact the gallery at
(902) 425-9456 or via email at gallery@argylefa.com

SUNDAY STUDIO DAYS: Catherine Bagnell Styles

Welcome once again to our Sunday Studio Days Series!  With local businesses opening up this week, the Gallery is also preparing itself to resume operations, by ensuring the necessary precautions are in place to help serve you best.  Exact details and dates to be announced soon, so stay tuned! 

This week we'll be exploring the Studio of Gallery Artist Catherine Bagnell Styles. 

  

NEW! Catherine Bagnell Styles, "Clement's Field", oil on board, 12" x 12"

Catherine is an artist who loves colour, texture, character and light in places, people and paintings. Her paintings are usually colourful and optimistic. Landscapes, Streetscapes and the occasional still life are often the subject matter of choice.

A work in progress, the extention of Catherine's Studio under construction...

"I have a beautiful studio on the water. It has electricity but isn’t insulated and so, can’t really be heated. It is however 100% charming..."

What a view! Lots of natural light for painting, and the ocean for inspiration...

"...In the winter, I have to move everything that can’t freeze - paint, finishes etc. up to the house and find space to paint for the winter (ie fitting stuff into spare bedroom)."

The show must go on...The interior of Catherine's temporary home studio. 

"Last year, Dorian did some damage to the studio and we needed to do some repairs. We had our version of the ‘big lift’ and we moved ‘her’ back a bit. We also reinforced with concrete and...the big news...began planning to add a piece on that would be insulated so I could paint here year-round. The new piece will also give me room to paint larger pieces." 

Interior view of Catherine's Studio

"This weekend, we moved everything from the house back into the studio. The new room is sooooooo close. By next weekend, I should be able to ‘get to it’." - Catherine Bagnell Styles

Catherine Bagnell Styles, "Farmhouse", 12" x 12", acrylic on board

To see more more Catherine's work, follow the link to our FLICKR page HERE

Featured artworks are available for purchase.  For details, contact the gallery;
(902) 425-9456 or via email at gallery@argylefa.com