Join us as we navigate the unknown and getting lost together!

Anyone who registered for any of our workshops over March Break can attest to how quickly life can change from day to day!  We really appreciate the support and understanding we received from Registrants (and Participants) of workshops we WERE able to host, and those that we had to postpone during these challenging times.

While some of the workshops were dependent on a "hands-on" approach, we're currently looking to expand the availability of others to an online format.  We were able to do this recently with Gordon MacDonald's "Glazing Demo and Talk" in which guests were invited to participate in an interactive live streaming of the event using the Zoom App. 

**If you weren't able to join us for this class but would have liked to, we are suggesting a "pay-what-you-can" $10 donation or more, and we can send the link directly to you, to watch the entire class at your leisure. Get in touch for details.**

Gordon MacDonald live streaming his Glazing Demo and Talk Online via Zoom to audiences across Canada!

We were amazed by how much we were able to do with some studio lighting and a cell phone!  An unexpected advantage to the online format was being able to share the workshop with guests as far away as Saskatoon and San Francisco!  

We're constantly adapting to ongoing changes in our daily lives, and while we navigate the "New Normal" we'll be developing more of these workshops and ideas in the near future!

Gordon MacDonald, Support Materials for Online Glazing Demo

What can I do to help?!?

Good Question! There are many ways for you to help our small business and others too, without costing you anything but some time. Here are some ideas below:

IS THE GALLERY OPEN? 

Yes--ish....For the time being, gallery visits will be limited to scheduled appointments (preferably) on Mondays and Wednesdays (10 am - 4 pm), and will mainly consist of pick ups and deliveries to individuals.  We will be relying heavily on our online presence, and the social media community.  DOOR STEP DELIVERIES IN HRM are free and contact-less.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.  Please LIKE and SHARE our posts with friends and family to get the word out there!  Comments welcome.  We love to hear from you!  

Explore our Blogger page: 

CHECK OUT THE NEW OFFERINGS on our blog including the Argyle Fine Art Society, where you can offer monthly payments of support and in exchange reap rewards. You can also purchase GIFT CARDS now online and even gift them to your friends and family virtually!  

And later on today we'll be adding ONLINE WORKSHOPS and an addition to our PANDEMIC POSTCARDS....to mention just a few updates. Our art inventory is not limited to what you see online.  We carry a selection of works by all of our gallery artists with lots of links from the home page!  Not sure what to look for? We're here to help!  

Every little bit helps!  We have lots to offer everyone; from cards to prints, to small jewelry items, all affordably priced and easy to ship, and soon we will be announcing some special EASTER ART ACTIVITY packages!

NEW! By artist Sharon Cave this is "Rhett", 12" x 16", Oil on Birch Panel

GET INVOLVED! MAKE SOME ART!

Sign up for one of our upcoming online workshops (TBD), participate in a call for submission, forward the info to someone else who might be interested! 

BUY ART - Affordable Original Works are always a good idea:

Check out our ongoing Pre-Shrunk Sale HERE, selected works, 4" x 5", originally priced at $175, now selling for $85. New works being added each day! Check back often and get in touch asap if you'd like to purchase! Buying Art online is easy, and more common than you may think.  Let us know if you have any questions- we are online via our social media channels and email throughout the day.

Paulette Melanson, Organic Mix, acrylic on board, 5" x 4", Now $85!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT DURING THIS CHALLENGING TIME! 

STAY SAFE AND STAY AT HOME! 

We'll bring the ART TO YOU!

Happy Monday!

As it's becoming more difficult to see real art in person, we thought it'd be nice to bring the gallery to you!  Here's a quick selection of available works for your viewing pleasure!  Purchase inquiries are certainly welcome, but please take a moment to sit back, relax, and enjoy the show...

NOTE: ALL WORKS ARE FOR SALE. WE OFFER INTEREST FREE EASY PAYMENT PLAN OPTIONS, AND CAN DELIVER TO YOUR DOORSTEP FOR FREE if in HRM! Otherwise, we can ship easily all over the world!

New from Gordon MacDonald, this piece was inspired by a trip to Saskatoon last fall...

 Gordon MacDonald, Saskatoon Airport, 7" x 9", oil on copper on board

So many different styles of art to choose from Embroidered Textile Work, to Abstract painting...

 (Left) Yoko White, Night Sky, 12", hand embroidered cotton on canvas,
(Right) Paulette Melanson, Hidden Gems, 24" x 36", acrylic on canvas

Complimentary colour schemes from different artists can work together in the same space, adding variety to an art collection...

 (Top Left) Catherine Bagnell Styles, Peggy C, 11" x 14", acrylic on canvas board
(Top Right) Miyoshi Kondo, Flight, 10" x 10", gouache on paper

(Bottom) Danny Abriel, Holland Cove Emergence, 18" x 36", acrylic on canvas

Contrasting styles and subject matter, can be united by a single theme...

 (Left) James Axon, Guardian of the Gate, 7.5" x 9.5", colored pencil, graphite on paper
(Right) Amy Ordoveza, Swallows in Flight, 8" x 8", oil on board

Consider building a collection with different media, drawings on paper can be just as dramatic and substantial as a painted canvas...

  

 (Left) Echo Nara, Hurricane, 9.5" x 7.5", conte on paper

(Right) Mark Brennan, Snowshoe View, Near Fundy National Park, 11" x 14",
 acrylic on canvas

Art is meant to be enjoyed, it can evoke memories of happier times...buying art should be fun and it can reduce stress in your life...especially now when you need it most!

 (Top) Isobel Hamilton, Voyage, 9" x 36", acrylic on board

(Bottom) RJ Marchand, Wet Behind The Ears, 24" x 36", acrylic on canvas

Never underestimate the value of discarded everyday objects.  To an artist, they serve as the raw material for great works of art!...  

(Left) Kevin MacLean, HMCS Petute, 6" x 14" x 1.75", assembled found objects

(Right) Kim Danio, Singer Sewing Machine, 10" x 14" x 5"
re-purposed shoe, mixed media

Kim Danio, Anne Of Green Gables, repurposed hand bag, mixed media, 11" x 10" x 5"

Jan Davison, Argyle Fine Art, 4" x 5", acrylic on board

HOPE TO  VIRTUALLY SEE YOU SOON!!!

NEW Pandemic Postcards...Collect and Share Them All!

Do you enjoy writing, and looking for a fun project to keep you busy?  

Why not spread some love this pandemic season with this NEW postcard series from Argyle Fine Art!?!

We'll be releasing a new design every week for you to collect and share with Friends and Family both near and far away!  We may have to physically distance ourselves, but we can still stay social!

Besides, Who doesn't like receiving something fun in the mail?  

To purchase, simply direct message (Facebook or Instagram), or email us (gallery@argylefa.com) to place your order!

We can easily send postcards in the mail, or deliver to doorsteps in HRM...gallery pick up is possible (Mondays and Wednesdays...but best to call in advance to make sure! (902) 425-9456)

This week's featurette is this amazing  "Casey and Finnegan" postcard by artist Anna Whalen.  5" x 5" they sell for $3 (each)...while supplies last! 

Another fun way to stay active is to create an account with a postcard delivery site like Postcrossing.com, where you can send and receive postcards from people like you, from around the world! 

Encourage recipients to post/share pictures of postcards they receive in the mail!

It's more important now than ever to stay connected!

We'll get by with a little help from our Friends....

Hi everyone! How are you doing? It's not easy for a lot of us right now. My moods range from extreme lows to extreme highs throughout the day. "It's probably like the various stages of grief", I thought, and then I came across this article and I was like, YES!  THAT! That's what's happening.....so thank goodness there's art in my life and yours too!Although art is also a source of stress for me personally, as I wonder whether my little gallery can weather this massive storm, I carry on as best I can.

I wash my hands. I keep my distance. I reach out to others. I go to work two days a week to just get out of the house and my head. The rest of the time I'm inside trying to keep busy and keep working with lots of boozy coffee breaks. I'm doing the best that I can.

It's times like these that I am thankful for the community that we have all built upon, especially the art and culture sector. As we all know, we will all take some hard hits. But we're going to be ok...we've been training for this! Working in the arts isn't easy any of the time. Thanks to all the artists, friends ( our customers because you ARE our friends) that have reached out and helped when they can either with sharing on social media, making art, purchasing items online like our NEW electronic GIFT CARDS which you can gift...THANK YOU! Every little bit of support helps.

ANYWAY....ramble ramble....(get a journal already, right?!  :-), we have come up with some ideas to help us all get through this. Rest assured, some of these will work, some of them won't  and that's ok. We'll just come up with more!

In addition to more online shows, sales, workshops and interactive events (working on those now) we are pleased to present you with a few things you can participate in RIGHT NOW- we are ALL artists, afterall!

#ARTSMILEHFX

An idea that came via artist Anna Whalen, is the art smile project where we encourage you and anyone you know that is keen and making art, to use the theme of art that can bring a smile to someone as a prompt when creating from time to time.

Then share these images on all of your social media platforms, tag the gallery (@argylefineart *twitter, @argyle_fine_art * Instagram, @argylefineart FAN PAGE on *Facebook)  so we can see what you're making and re-share too! USE hashtags:  #artsmilehfx,  #argylefineart , #supportlocalart . 

You may think "how can this possibly help right now", or " I can't be creative right now, I'm too stressed", but we believe it can help others and your mental health too! Try it! It doesn't have to be every day- just when you make something that you think can help others be happier. You'll make someone's day and maybe your own in the process.

This can literally but whatever you think will make others smile or you love. THE IDEA BEHIND THIS IS TO FLOOD OUR SOCIAL MEDIA with more positive images and messages right now. If you are not on social media, but still want to participate, simple email us your images and we'll put them on our social media channels. 

Here's an example...by Kerry Hodgson....there will be more "new" commandments coming soon to tickle your funny bone!

  
ARTMAIL FOR SHUT-INSThis is a snail mail project organized by Argyle Fine Art, where we are inviting artists to do doodles or sketches on paper that can fit inside a regular business sized envelope or envelope you would get a birthday card in (5" x 7") . They can be various mediums as well, as long as we can fit in an envelope and not too heavy. Keep it simple! 

We will  pay you $10 from each art mail we send out of yours. This will also act as an ongoing ONLINE show, since everytime we receive one from you it will be uploaded online and ready to be selected and sent out. Customers will pay $20 plus postage, and can either choose from the selection we have received or choose the option SURPRISE ME! So grab your paper and pens, paint etc...and get arting! THIS PROJECT IS STARTING NOW AND ONGOING UNTIL mid-May...

Send your works to us via snail mail  to 6302 Young Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3L 1Z8, or drop in the mailbox on the porch of this address. INCLUDE YOUR NAME, RETURN ADDRESS AND EMAIL ADDRESS, as well as any info about the works you'd like (medium, inspiration etc) If you can email us (gallery@argylefa.com ) when you have sent art. Please send images of what you sent to us, that would be super helpful -and allow us to share with people asap as well as keep a look out for them in the postbox.

Here's ONE example on it's way to us already from artist Deb Bromley!

 

New Works by Gordon MacDonald and Online Workshop!

In an effort to keep you up to date with all things gallery related, we're thrilled to bring you 3 new paintings by artist Gordon Macdonald.  

Inspired by his trip to Saskatchewan last Fall, we have 2 pieces that feature the city of Saskatoon;  

 Gordon MacDonald, Saskatoon From The Air, oil on canvas, 24" x 36"

"Saskatoon From The Air" explores the great expanse of the Saskatchewan Landscape, as seen from an aircraft window.  The horizon line divides the upper third of the canvas with cooler blues, while the warmer hues of the rich agricultural farmland recedes into the background, blending land and sky into infinity.  

Gordon MacDonald, Saskatoon Airport, oil on copper on board, 7" x 9" 

Gordon's "Saskatoon Airport" painting transforms a typical mundane commute into a captivating visual experience.  The approaching foreground buildings are quickly overshadowed by massive cloud formations from above.  Blue skies capture the light of the sun, and illuminate the landscape.  Street lamps are lit up along the way suggesting an early morning flight or one at twilight.

Gordon MacDonald, Antigonish, oil on canvas, 36" x 40"

And for something a little closer to home...Gordon's "Antigonish" painting, depicts a rural farm house from a field.  The white facade of the building draws in the viewers gaze, and once settled, we begin to experience the scale of the surrounding landscape.  As in the previous works we see the cooler darker tones of the earth contrasted against a warm bright sky.   

Gordon MacDonald, Antigonish (Detail)

We understand that seeing the works in person is a challenge these days, so we hope you can enjoy the online version.  The paintings are currently available for purchase, and shipping and home deliveries continue to be an option.  Should you have any questions about these or other works by Gordon MacDonald, please feel free to reach out to us...we'd love to hear from you!

REMINDER!!!

   

We've decided to offer Gordon's Glazing Demo & Artist Talk ONLINE!  We are still asking people to register for the workshop to participate.  We'll be using a remote conference service app called Zoom to bring the Workshop directly to your home!

For more information about the app, follow the link to their website HERE

For additional information about the Workshop (Or the Zoom App), please contact the gallery for details. (902) 425-9456, or via email at gallery@argylefa.com

SIT! STAY! DOGS TAKE OVER THE GALLERY!

Tonight's the night that the INSTAFAMOUS DOGS OF HALIFAX visit the gallery! Pop on down to meet them between 6:30-8:30pm tonight and of course, make sure to check out the dog inspired art too!

Here's a photo contributed by Clover's Dog Mom of Hunter Doodle and Clover!  Awwww

So many great works to explore and great news- the show is up until March 21st. You can see the entire show online HERE NOW too!  Get in touch about purchasing the works- they are pawsitively wonderful, if we do say ourselves.

Art by RJ Marchand

Art by Anna Whalen