Thursday, July 27, 2017

HIGH NOON TIME AGAIN! Beginning with Gordon MacDonald

Just in the nick of time, we're going through our inventory of amazing works of art that are still looking for equally amazing homes and offering them up for our mid-summer HIGH NOON event. We've found a few treasures that we'd like to share with you daily, from today until August 8th. 

What is HIGH NOON? HIGH NOON is a time sensitive "sale" on  selected works that the gallery. We'd like to introduce you to these works and hope that some of them find a home with you. This year we are featuring  works each day at  HIGH NOON that will be priced at a special price but for just 24 hours! 

Today's HIGH NOON feature is an older work by Gordon MacDonald, who currently has his latest works on display at the gallery and online HERE

This work is called "Eastern Shore Beach", 8" x 10", oil on linen mounted on cradleboard (ready for hanging) and was painted 2013.  The colours are soft and dreamy, and he has really captured a moment along the shoreline, like only Gordon can.


SOLD  Until tomorrow at HIGH NOON, this work sells for $385 and it's regular price is $600


Thursday, June 30, 2016


Paint with all the colours of the wind...

Oh gosh, Nova Scotia is just bursting with talent. Today we have the pleasure of introducing you to another new (to us) artist, Danny Abriel. Some of you may remember his paintings from this year's Pre-Shrunk show. Some of you may not because they all sold out.

Danny was born in Halifax and grew up in the Musquodoboit Valley. He atteneded NSCAD University and NSCC where he studied photography.

Artist Danny Abriel with his paintings in the gallery.
Three Mile Lake Lucent, 24"x36", Acrylic on Canvas
Danny's paintings are informed by the native scenery he was raised in - reflective waters, wind-swept trees, contoured landscapes and seasonal colour. 
Light and Limb, 16"x20", Acrylic on Canvas

He is inspired by the connection of the gentle beauty and drama of trees and their surroundings.

Tree at Dusk, 24"x36", Acrylic on Canvas
Here are a few words from the artist himself on his painting "Miller Lake State of Mind":
"I love wind-swept trees. For me, they are a metaphor - an illustration, of ourselves. The tree sprouts. The seed informs how it will grow. Then outside forces act upon it. It is buffeted by the wind and elements. They conspire, in a way, to thwart the tree. Yet, it adapts - it bends, it pushes, it twists and refuses to relent."
Three Mile Lake State of Mind, 18"x36", Acrylic on Canvas
"The tree is strengthened by the struggle and forms something quite dignified and beautiful. Several trees may grow together in similar conditions and locale to mature entirely unique to one another. It's about character. I resonate with that. I feel connected to it. I look at a beautifully twisted tree in all it's individual shape and colour with a sense of appreciation. I celebrate it's story. I'm happy it's made it this far..."
Peggy's Light, 15"x30", Acrylic on Canvas
Come in to see these colourful paintings in person to really feel the spirit of the Canadian coastline.

Our Canada Day Weekend Hours are: 

Friday, July 1st - 10am-2pm

Saturday, July 2nd - 10am-5:3pm

Sunday, July 3rd - Closed

Saturday, June 25, 2016


The Facet-nating World of Julian Covey Ceramics


Today we'd like to introduce you to ceramic artist Julian Covey. Born in Sydney, Nova Scotia, and having grown up in Montreal, Julian returned to the East Coast to study at NSCAD University, where he fell in love with clay. His ceramic vessels encompass both traditional and contemporary elements of functional pottery.


You may remember Julian's work from when we had Miyako Ballesteros from the Ikebana Shop create her floral displays using his vessels.

Ceramics by Julian Covey, Wallpaper by Briana Corr-Scott, Ikebana by Miyako Ballesteros
 

Currently we have a range of Julian's faceted porcelain functional wear including mugs and crystalline canisters with lids.


His colours are spectacular, the view from above one of his crystalline canisters shows off Julian's care and consideration when glazing the facets of his work. For Julian the process of making the works is intuitive, and he uses "the creative process as a tool to delve into the subconscious. Ideas around perception and balance drive the artworks, as does the materiality of the clay itself."


They also pair very nicely with the paintings by Katharine Burns and Gordon MacDonald we currently have on display.


We would have liked to introduce you to Julian's works sooner, but the last time he made a delivery the works left the gallery almost as soon as they arrived!


Pop in soon to enjoy them in person! Cheers from the gallery!

Saturday, June 18, 2016


Welcome our NEW STAFF!

We have some NEW STAFF members here at Argyle Fine Art, and they won't mind us saying, they're a bunch of real wild animals! We'd like to introduce you to some of them...


First, our super lax security Ward the Wolf and Ferdinand the Fox will greet you at the door.


Next up you'll meet Neville the Owl, he may appear to be grumpy but really he enjoys greeting everyone and ensuring they sign the guestbook on the way out!


As you know we shuffle around the work in the gallery on a weekly basis. Thanks to Samuel the Lemur and Chubby the Chipmunk we have two sets of extra hands (extra paws?) to assist us with hanging work! Both of these little fellas are great climbers and did a wonderful job hanging this painting by artist Gordon MacDonald!


We also have a new addition to the customer service team, with Priscilla the Skunk answering the phones! They don't get any friendlier than Priscilla, who would be happy to assist you with all of your art inquiries!


We've got Florence the Cow managing our books, you couldn't ask for a better accountant than ol' Flo. Just don't interrupt her in the middle of doing "paperwork"...


And thank heavens for Karl the Kiwi! We're both terrible with plants so he's been giving us a hand ensuring they not only stay alive but thrive in the gallery!


Ekaterina the Cat says she's keeping an eye on the delicate ceramics in the window, but we all know she's really just lounging in the sun. Can't say we blame her, come afternoon the sunshine in the window is divine. Especially if you're prone to sleeping eighteen hours a day.


And we are so grateful to our new packing and shipping team - William the Donkey, Mac the Musox, Gary the Gnu and Ben the Brown Bear. We send work out across the country and beyond every week so the more hands on deck the better!


We hope you've enjoyed getting to know our new staff members! Pop in to say "hi" to them and the rest of the amazing felted animals by artist Dorothyanne Brown! Each has so much personality you won't be able to resist them!

Happy weekend!

Saturday, June 11, 2016


Let's Hear It For the DADS!!


Father's Day is about a week away - June 19th for those of you who might need a little reminder - so it's time to celebrate Dad! If you haven't had a chance to pick something up for Dad yet, don't panic, we have you covered!
Let's get started with a few cards from our Father's Day selection...
Allison Taylor
The Regional Assembly of Text
Jodie Hansen
 
Laura Roy
Once you've picked out the perfect card we'd be happy to help you pick out a gift! 
For your techy Dad, maybe a money clip made out of old watch gears?

Money Clip by Elle Paisley Designs
Or for the fancy Father in your life, how about a set of Lego cufflinks?
Or how about a BRAND NEW BOAT? Whoa whoa who, you might be saying, a new boat might be a bit extravagant... How about a new boat made from a SHOE? That's right, a shoe! 
Shoe Boat by Kim Danio
Or maybe a kayak or canoe is more Dad's speed?
Shoe Kayaks, Canoe and Car by Kim Danio
Or maybe Dad's more of a land lover - how about as some bikes so he and mom can go on some off-road adventures?
Shoe Car and Bikes by Kim Danio

No matter what you route you decide to take we hope everyone has a great weekend and Happy (almost) Father's Day to all your Dad's out there!

Thursday, June 9, 2016


Sea Level: New Works by Katharine Burns

We'd love to invite you to tomorrow night's opening of SEA LEVEL - Friday June 10th, 7-9PM - a show of new works by artist Katharine Burns that explore and celebrate what it means to live by the ocean. Born in Halifax, Katharine studied at NSCAD University, graduating in 2009 with her BFA.

The subject of Katherine's work has varied but she has a style that is distinctly her own. Inspired by her surroundings she approaches her work in a painterly, yet sophisticated manner. Her work can be found in various private collections across Canada.

 

Katharine talks about her work in her own words:
Having lived in Nova Scotia most of my life, the ocean has always been a source of inspiration and is deeply personal to me. In creating these works I intend to not simply capture an image with paint; rather, through colour, texture and composition to communicate a sense of a moment in time, an experience, a memory. I have not painted an object in a landscape; instead, I seek to create a sense of space in a landscape by playing with the almost spiritual relationship between sea and sky, to calm those powerful natural forces into a feeling.

Katharine truly captures the ebb and flow of the sea.  SEA LEVEL evokes those powerful feelings of being by the ocean that you can appreciate whether you're a local, or just visiting Nova Scotia and our coastlines.

 
The show is hung and ready for you to feast your eyes upon it! We look forward to seeing you tomorrow evening to celebrate Katharine and her beautiful work! Here are a couple of sneak peaks to tide you over until then...

Glisten, 18"x23.5", Oil on Canvas

Ridges, 16"x16", Oil on Board


Friday, June 3, 2016


Crustacean Invasion

The crustaceans are coming! The crustaceans are coming! 


Loafer Lobsters by Kim Danio
Actually they're already here...

Lobster Loafers by Kim Danio

We've been over taken by artist Kim Danio's amazing reclaimed shoe crustaceans. Danio is such a clever and considered artist, there isn't anything she can't create out of a previously loved shoe, but these loafer lobsters truly are something else!

Loafer Lobsters by Kim Danio

Lobsters aren't getting all the crustacean love today though, these two adorable hermit crabs have also scuttled into the gallery.

Reclaimed Shoe Hermit Crabs by Kim Danio

These guys are so cute they definitely need some names. Any suggestions?

Reclaimed Shoe Hermit Crabs by Kim Danio

Lastly we can't forget about our most invasive crustacean pal of all, the green crab! While he may not be native to Nova Scotia, he's really enjoying the Maritimes. So much so that in addition to Danio's reclaimed shoe crab, artist Angela Doak has created prints and even an orginial miniature green crab collage.

Reclaimed Shoe Green Crab by Kim Danio, with framed original collage and crab print by Angela Doak


Green Crab Original Collage, Angela Doak Paper, 4"x5"

Thanks for stopping by, softshell and hardshell pals alike!

Friday, May 27, 2016


Kitty Camping with Michelle St Onge

It may be apparent to some that we at the gallery are fans of our feline friends. It turns out many of our artists are as well, including Michelle St Onge. You probably know Michelle from her awesome graphic prints of Halifax scenes or colourful animals, but with this project she took a little more of a 3D approach... We'll let her tell you about it in her own words:

"Cat obsessed… check
Textile designer… check
Handy with tools… check
Bored on a Friday night… check
I recently got back from a trip to Paris and while visiting my incredibly chic friend Alexia I spotted a cool tent from The Conran Shop for her three year old in her living room. Her son loved spending time in it. Hiding out or chilling’ out."

"Fast forward to a cold night back in Halifax. I had about three meters of my new Cat Eyes print on crisp white cotton sitting on my work table doing nothing. And I realized I knew someone else that loved hiding out and chilling’ out; my cat Birdie."
Birdie St Onge
"Birdie is definitely ‘a caver’ meaning she likes to be under things and in small spaces. With nothing better to do I drew up a pattern for a tiny tent, cut, sewed, ironed, sawed, drilled and sanded. And voila! The Cat tent. You can keep it indoors for a place for your cat to chill or send it outside in the summer to give your cat a place to escape the sun on your patio or lawn."
Birdie St Onge

Kim Danio's reclaimed shoe kitties are also really loving their "glamping" adventure in the gallery.

Kim Danio Reclaimed Shoe Kitties & Michelle St Onge Cat Tent
Pop in today to see more cat related works by Michelle, like these GLOW-IN-THE-DARK Geo kitties...
Michelle St Onge, Geo Cat Birdie, 8"x10", Glow-in-the-Dark Screenprint

Michelle St Onge, Geo Cat Fleux, 8"x10", Glow-in-the-Dark Screenprint
...and more from our other feline loving artists! Happy Friday!





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Friday, July 21, 2017

All the Colours: Gordon MacDonald Show, Pride Celebration and a Trash Can Bouquet!

We're getting very excited about what an amazing weekend this is shaping up to be! For starters, we are showcasing the latest works by artist Gordon MacDonald, opening tonight, 7pm-9pm. All are welcomed to attend this evening and there's no need to dress up fancy! Just come as you are and bring a friend. The art is just stunning and no words can sum it up, except maybe WOW.  We'll also have special treats provided by TART AND SOUL (a new wonderful bakery and cafe that just opened on Coburg Road) and we do have air conditioning, so you can beat the heat while here too.


You can see the entire show by Gordon MacDonald now over HERE. 

As many of you know, Halifax is also excited to be celebrating PRIDE HALIFAX this week, with the big kick off being the parade tomorrow, Saturday, July 22nd afternoon. Our gallery is the perfect viewing location, by the way! 

Gord is also very excited about the weekend. Here's his recent  Facebook posting: 

I hope people feel welcome to attend the opening tonight or the show over the next week or two.
Prime Minister Trudeau will be walking by the gallery on Saturday along with the Pride Parade. LGBTQ men and women have supported Argyle Fine Art over the years and I wonder if I would have made a living without their support. This should be a fun weekend for everyone. Thank you!
Btw: Portuguese custards at the opening!!!!

Tomorrow at the Parade, we'll be playing QUEEN inside to compliment our window display, featuring the great Freddie Mercury! We'll even have mustaches here for you all to wear so please make sure to drop by and have your picture taken.We're having way too much fun!



We'll also be selling tickets in support of the AIDS COALITION OF NOVA SCOTIA. Tickets are just $2 each or 3 for $5. You'll have the chance to WIN this basket of MAC Cosmetics, valued at $500 while supporting a worthy cause!


 And finally, if you are an early bird on Sunday morning, you'll see us working with the Ikebana Shop to take a regular garbage can and transform it into a beautiful bouquet of flowers, which will stay intact for one entire week. The garbage can near our gallery, to be specific!  Here is Miyako Ballesteros planning out her living floral sculpture. We can't wait to show you the final product next week..stay tuned!




Friday, July 14, 2017

The Art Next Door: Andy MacDonald and Jennifer Harrison

We were delighted to get a phone call from our lovely friends over at "The Old Apothecary"  this week. They asked us if we'd like to hang some art in their amazingly colourful couched seating space.The two artists we decided to showcase first were Jennifer Harrison and Andy MacDonald. 


Have you been yet? If you haven't, you simply must grab a coffee or tea and a delicious pastry. Enjoy it all while enjoying the art now hung with care. We just took over a few pieces thus far, but hope to bring over soon and switch out the art on a regular basis. 


YAY for awesome neighbours and YAY for art! 
Make sure to support your local businesses and visit us soon!

Thursday, July 13, 2017

A Guiding Light

Nova Scotia is well known for it's lighthouses, and considering there are over 150 (whoa!) in the province, it makes sense. While we haven't forgotten...

Postcard by Jodie Hansen

And that...

Postcard by Jodie Hansen

And obviously that...

Postcard by Jodie Hansen

...it is still reasonable to say that lighthouses remain a huge part of our cultural heritage in this province, and because of that they can serve as inspiration for artists working in a variety of mediums. Artist Michelle St Onge recently brought in this lovely Peggy's Cove inspired lighthouse during a storm.

Michelle St Onge, Lighthouse, 6"x6", Watercolour on Board

Artist Kim Danio, the master of re-purposing footwear, created this George's Island lighthouse out of a boot!

Kim Danio, Lighthouse, Reclaimed Boot

Damien Webb, miniature superstar, also was inspired by our lighthouses in his work. Here are two of his lighthouse pieces in Mason jars, one of which is only accessible by helicopter!

Damien Webb, Rocky Landing, Miniature in a Mason Jar
Damien Webb, The Lonely Point Lighthouse, Miniature in a Mason Jar

Artist David P Stephens takes a fun and more folk-y approach to lighthouses and maritime culture in this great piece, I Love Fish!

David P Stephens, I Love Fish!, 8"x10", Acrylic on Board

So yes, Nova Scotia is more than just lighthouses (and lobsters, and boats...) - but we're pretty lucky to have so many wonderful cultural icons around the province. On your roadtrip around Nova Scotia this summer don't forget to make a pit-stop at the gallery to see our lighthouses! Cheers!

Thursday, July 6, 2017

Making things Beautiful: Rainworks & Barrington Street Bouquet bring Art to the Streets of Halifax

Throughout the year, the Downtown Halifax Business Commission accepts grant applications from local businesses proposing ideas on how to beautify the downtown. Argyle Fine Art was fortunate enough to have two of our creative ideas accepted, which was just the best news ever ! We are really excited to bring art to the streets once again this year, with a bigger and better version of our successful  RAINWORKS project of late last summer as well as a new project we're calling Barrington Street Bouquet! This year we're calling our Rainworks project "SAY Something!" and this brilliant branding has been created by Nick Brunt which you'll also see around town in conjunction with the installations!
 Last year, artist Nick Brunt was also our featured artist who created a series of stencils based on his own brand of inspirational typography and quotes. He installed all the Rainworks around town and it was amazing! This year, Nick is sharing what he has learned and teaching 5 more artists how to effectively work with the rainworks medium and help him take over the city, with a minimum of 10 new Rainworks for all of us to enjoy when it rains.

Participating artists are still being confirmed but we're excited to be hosting a workshop this Tuesday, July 11th, 6pm-8:30pm which is free for anyone to attend that may be interested in learning more about this project ; especially other downtown businesses that may want a Rainworks installation near their business. We hope to install all the Rainworks creations by the end of July, weather permitting and we'll be talking all about it via social media.

Below is a quick video that sums up how our Rainworks project came to be and shows a bit of the process and final result, which was filmed by the amazing Dave Culligan as part of his 365 day long Love Letter to Nova Scotia:  



Actually, we also want to just take a moment here and congratulate Nick Brunt on his rad cover he created for The Coast this week. YAY!


Ok....you still with us? We still have to tell  you about the Barrington Street Bouquet!  We got this idea from an article we read about an artist who brought beauty to trash cans around his city. You can read the article HERE  We were so inspired by this idea that we approached the Ikebana Shop to see if they would help us bring this concept to life in one of our trash cans located on Barrington Street. We're excited to say that Miyako Ballesteros agreed to take on this daunting task to beautify the city -one trash can at a time. The street bouquet will bring an unexpected beauty to the city and transform the ordinary to extraordinary! This "living sculpture" will be in place for one week beginning on July 23rd!


An example of one of the designs by Lewis Miller in New York that inspired our project her



Friday, June 30, 2017

A Trip Down Wisteria Lane with Yoko White

If you've been in the gallery you're likely familiar with artist Yoko White's extraordinary needlework. A master of colour and French knots, her works are skillful and whimsical, with a side of Yoko's fantastic sense of humour. (Here's a little background on French Knots for those of you who aren't quite sure what it is.)
 
Yoko White, Wisteria Tree Tunnel, 9.5"x14", French Knots Hand Emroidery

Yoko grew up in Tokyo, Japan and moved to Canada to complete her education when she was 20 years old. She's always had a love for needlework, saying, "Since I was a little girl I made clothes for my doll, or made crafts for my families and friends. I really take my time when doing crafts to make sure the work comes out exactly as I imagined it and I am sure you will see this in all my work!"

Wisteria Tree Tunnel detail.

Yoko has generously shared her process with us on her most recent piece, Wisteria Tree Tunnel, and we are excited to share it with you!
 
Wisteria Tree Tunnel sketch layout.
"I started this piece in January. I wanted to make art that makes people say WOW! I think I was getting sick of cold winter weather ( I still love Canadian winter) and I thought making beautiful place / gardens can help me feel more like Spring."
Wisteria Tree Tunnel in process.
"I felt like I was there while I was making this, each French knot was my happy time, and I really hope people can see how I felt, and this art will help people to feel warmer all season."

Wisteria Tree Tunnel in process.

"The location of this tunnel is called Kawachi Fuji Garden in Japan. "
Wisteria Tree Tunnel in process.
Thank you Yoko for giving us a sneak peak at behind the scenes of your work! See more pieces by Yoko in the gallery or online here.

Tuesday, June 27, 2017

ART by LAND and SEA: Workshop with Caitlin McGuire

If you haven't heard about our ART ON THE GO! Workshops, here's a little reminder that they are amazing!  There are still two to come and there is still space in both so register today. All the information on how the workshops run is HERE AT THIS LINK

The next one coming up is on Saturday, July 15th. It's being taught by our very own Caitlin McGuire whom many of you have met working at the gallery. Caitlin is a teacher when she's not working here or painting. Below is a photo of the latest LARGE painting of the Halifax Central Library still in the works. Caitlin loves colour and teaching colour theory. It all comes down to colour and shapes, which is what she's going to help you see as you take the ferry across the sea  and walk along the majestic Dartmouth waterfront.

 

Caitlin has years of experience leading classes and workshops. You don't need any previous art background to join in these workshops either- the main objective is to have fun and to get people open to the idea of starting to create. You also get to take the kit and supplies home,which you can continue to use after the workshop is over, to keep the art making going all year long. You'll be doing some sketching and painting with acrylics.



To recap: All supplies and teaching included in the price of just $50. Cigar boxes filled with the supplies have been provided by Sieverts  Limited and some supplies by DeSerres.  Oh, that price includes the FERRY ticket to and from Halifax as well! Meet at the gallery between 12:45-1pm. We'll be leaving the gallery for the ferry terminal at 1pm. Workshop runs until 3:30pm and at 4pm you all can take the ferry back to Halifax or stay on the "darkside". :-)  If it rains, the workshop will still go on- don't let a bit of water scare you.


AHOY!  Jump aboard for ART TO GO! Give us a call to book your spot! Bring a friend!
 
Artist Self Portrait

Friday, June 23, 2017

TONIGHT! Opening for Melissa Townsend & Abigail Lower

Greetings everyone! We've been pretty silent here on the blog, as we have been busy prepping for the shows that are finally opening tonight for Melissa Townsend and Abigail Lower! Make sure to drop by soon to see the shows together or join us for the opening reception tonight, June 23rd 7pm-9pm.

You can also see BOTH shows online from our 
NOW SHOWING link on this very blogsite!  Works are selling fast!

Happy Friday everyone, and congratulations to Melissa and Abigail on another wonderful grouping of works. Wow. You are making a lot of people so very happy with your art.