Heart of the Artisans, 8x10 Oil on Canvas by Christy Michalak, 2018
3rd Place Winner
"City Spaces and Cultural Places" Juried Show
Beaux-Arts Brampton
August 2018
Artist’s Statement: Heart of the Artisans
This little painting was created en plein air (meaning, outdoors on location) in Cedarvale Park, Georgetown. The subject is Credit Valley Artisans’ “Cottage”, a clubhouse for potters, weavers, spinners, and painters, that has been a hub of Halton Hills’ cultural activity for more than 50 years. The yellow sign out front points visitors to the latest in local creativity as well as artistic workshops, craft sales, and camaraderie!
Plein air painting, too, has a long history in this region thanks to the formation of the Group of 7 (Canada’s most famous plein air painters) in 1920. The techniques made famous by the Group were handed down through 2 generations of Ontario artists, and taught to me by George Perdue (a Glen Williams artist and widely loved teacher who passed away in 2014). You can visit “the Cottage” these days to learn those very same techniques, and to build on a truly proud artistic heritage.
Christy
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