Beach Guild of Fine Art Member Biographies

Heather Armstrong

Heather has a great love of art and design. She has exposed herself to an array of different art forms. Born, and still living in the Toronto Beach area, her art often focuses on and around water. Heather was educated at Ryerson in Interior Design & O.C.A. in nude and still life drawings.  She's also taken exhibit and display courses and various night school courses including water colour, stain glass, and pottery. In recent years Heather discovered a love for oil painting and can`t seem to get enough of it.  Heather’s various work experience in window display, set design, videography, decorating, pho-finishing, and her love to travel, definately comes through in her colourful pieces.  To see more of Heathers' Collection please visit: www.studio823.com/heather.htm, or you can contact her personally by e-mail at heather_armstrong05@yahoo.ca

Carole Baldwin

Carole specializes in oil paintings of buildings, landscape, and people.  She is also a  member of Cedar Ridge Creative Centre, and has exhibited her art work at various venues.  Carole can be contacted at : baldwincarolemax@gmail.com

Joanne Braganza

Joanne was born and educated in Ireland.  She continued independent studies in London, including additional courses in drawing and painting, specializing in portraits in oil.  Joanne immigrated to Canada in 1975 and lived in Montreal for 10 years, taking many art courses in different mediums including a three year art course at the Gerry Van Dykhoff school of art in the West Island and at John Abbot College with John Walsh.  In recent years Joanne spends most of her time painting Irish scenes and portaits in oil.  Joannes has participated in many exhibits and many of her commissioned paintings hang in private collections.

Barbara Brown

Barbara specializes in botanical and floral watercolours. She started painting by studying with local artists working at first on still life and landscapes. After she took several classes in botanical illustration, she realized she wanted to focus on painting flowers and plants, detailing them in some ways like an illustrator, but also adding imaginative aspects. As a result of this approach her paintings are bold in color and shape and often full of movement. Recently, she has been experimenting with black gouache backgrounds. For several years, she taught art in a secondary school. She has shown her work in local galleries, and shows.  

Janice Canniff

Janice has been interested in watercolour painting since she was a teen.  Retirement provided her with the time to pursue this hobby.  A variety of art classes have enhanced her skills and given her the opportunity to form new friendships.  She loves to capture the beauty of nature in her work and particularly enjoys painting florals.  Recently she has been experimenting with botanical art.  Watercolour has given Janice a new passion and she hopes you enjoy seeing her paintings as much as she enjoyed creating them.

Asoke Chakravarty

Asoke is a poet, painter, writer, musician and a humanist. He received his fine arts training from European and Canadian painters. He's had 17 solo and numerous group exhibitions. His paintings include Canadian native themes and also very abstract forms and shapes. His paintings adorn many homes in Denmark, Switzerland, Seattle, Toronto, Montreal, Hamilton, Mumbai and Kolkata.  Asoke can be contacted at: asokechakra@hotmail.com or www.asokecreations.blogspot.com

Shelley Cinnamon (President)

Shelley has been a professional artist since her mid-twenties. Her work has included that of a graphic designer, illustrator and art director. She graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. Painting has always been her first love. Light and colour are the two predominant elements that she brings to her paintings. Her work has ranged from portraiture and figurative through charcoal and pencil rendering. Although having a tendency towards realism her love of impressionism has a bold impact on her artistic style. Shelley hopes never to be coralled into just one look or technique. You can see more of Shelly's paintings on her website: shelleycinnamon.com.

Anna Clarey

Anna specializes in large urban and rural landscapes as well as floral studies. Originally a watercolour artist, Anna switched to mainly using acrylics a few years ago and has not looked back.  “Acrylics allow for an uninhibited, bold use of colour and more freedom of expression”.  Anna finds lots of inspiration for her paintings from her home city of Toronto, her travels and her neighbour’s gardens. Since she works from photographs, you will often find her “on the hunt” with her digital camera on hand. Anna sells  her work in local shows, the Beach Studio Tour, Antony's Gallery in Whitby or through commissions.   More of Anna's paintings can be seen on her website: www.annaclarey.com and she can  be contacted via email:  anna@annaclarey.com.  You can also follow Anna on facebook: http://facebook.com/AnnaClareyFineArtist

Jennifer Cline

 

Jennifer Cline has worked for years as a graphic artist and returned to her first love watercolours, 13 years ago. She studied with Chinkok Tan at the Ontario College of Art and Design and is self-taught since then, expanding her technique and style.  She has painted extensively in The Beach area, Ward’s Island and Cabbagetown. She has also traveled to Greece, England, Colombia and the South of France always painting on-site. Her paintings have culminated in nine successful shows at The Beacher Café.  More of Jennifer's paintings can be seen on her website: www.jennifercline.com

Babs Collier

Joan Creelman

Liz Creswick

Born in Toronto Elizabeth worked in the prepress industry for many years.  She studied at the Ontario College of Art & Design, graduating in 2000 in Illustration & Design.  Painting now in oils, she has developed her own style of painting, influenced and inspired by James Morrice, David Milne and Tiepolo.
Her paintings can be seen at Arts on Queen (Tor.), Spectrum Gallery (Tor.), Ganaraska Arts, (Port Hope). and include streetscapes and farm subjects.  More of Elizabeth's paintings can be seen on her website: lizcreswick.com

Katherine Crichton

Katherine Crichton is a fine artist, who works mainly in watercolour and acrylics. She has studied at the Toronto College of Art, King’s College England, Haliburton School of Art and has taken numerous workshops and courses from a variety of teachers. She has exhibited with the Scarborough Art Guild, the Toronto Watercolour Society, the Toronto City Hall show, and with the Beach Studio Tour. Katherine’s work has gone to Australia, Canada, England, France and the USA. At all times she strives for interesting and unique paintings.

Mary Cserepy

Mary graduated from the Ontario College of Art and Design.  She enjoyed a career in book design and illustration and eventually became an art director for children's books.  The later part of her career included freelancing, a move to fine art and part time teaching.  Mary describes her work in this way: "I identify strongly with the Impressionist movement and their concept of realism as a response to the real world.  They painted directly from nature and no theme was considered insignificant.  My work is a direct response to the subject in both painting and design.  I am motivated by new challenges and difficult tasks and have done landscapes and figures in oil, acrylic, pastels and pen and ink.  I have found portraits in watercolour particularly challenging.

Trish Cummings

 

Trish is a self taught artist who loves colour.  Her works are happy, colourful portrayals of birds, sheep, architecture, city life and landscapes.  She works in a variety of styles in acrylic, watercolour, mixed media and collage.  Trish has participated in classes and workshops at the Toronto School of Art, OCAD, Open Studio, Creativity Art Retreat, Studio Six and Haliburton School of the Arts.  She has exhibited in group shows at Cabbagetown Arts and Crafts Festival, The Here and Now Gallery, Nielson Park, North York Civic Centre, The Lions Club, St. Barnabas, The John B. Aird Gallery, Sunnybrook Hospital, Toronto City Hall, The Gardener's Cottage and AWOL Gallery.  Trish has had several solo shows at the Peartree Restaurant, Yorkville Gallery, The Skylight Gallery and neighborhood coffee shops.  Her works are in collections across Canada, the United States, the U.K., France, Cuba and Australia.

Maggie Dean

Rosemarie Dickob

Born in Germany, Rosemarie immigrated to Canada in 1965, falling in love with the freedom and beauty of her adopted homeland.  The responsibility of having a family put art on hold for many years until she became too ill in 1997 to work and during that time art became a refuge and new beginning.  The illness finally gave her the time to begin studying art seriously.  She has taken many workshops and art lessons in oil, acrylic and watercolour.  Today she is an active member in several art associations including: The Scarborough Arts Council, Willowdale Group of Artists and the Toronto Watercolour Scoiety.  She has participated in many juried shows and exhibitions.  Today her work is in private collections in Canada, the US and Germany.  You can see more of Rosemarie's work on her website: www.rosemariedickob.com

Brenda Dow

Brenda is largely self-taught but has taken lessons from local artists Marjorie Hodgson and the late Nancy Wright, to whom she owes immense gratitude.  To their influence must be added the many tips and guidance offered over the years by fellow members of this guild.  Her favourite media are watercolour and oil.  Subject matter ranges from sea, lake and stream scenes, children, nature and landscapes. 

Gerda Eckert

 Patti Farrell

Patti retired from IBM in 2003 and set out to look into some spots to spend the long cold Canadian Winters. San Miguel de Allende in Mexico seemed like a likely spot, so Patti booked 6 weeks there to study Spanish and Silversmithing at the Instituto Allende. A lady at her hotel asked if she wanted to join a watercolour class and since Patti had never drawn or painted, she was hesitant, but decided to try a lesson just to pass the time. To her amazement, with the help of a gifted artist and teacher, Donna Jonas, Patti learned to draw and paint that first year. That experience has sent her on a learning journey of travelling and painting and taking as many workshops from as many painters as possible.
Patti has studied at workshops in Canada, the US and France, with many wonderful watercolour artists like Margaret Roseman, David MacEown, Ken Hosmer, Jennifer Cline, Jeanne Carbonetti, Laurie Humble, Linda Kemp, Joan Skura and a host of others. She picked up something from every artist and studied with and during the last year she has begun to “find her own voice” or style and would call herself an Impressionist Colourist.
Patti has exhibited in 2008 and 2009 with the Beach Guild of Fine Artists and the Bayview Watercolour Society.

Gillian Fishman

 Gillian was born in Falkirk, Scotland. From early childhood She has always had a keen interest in drawing, painting, and music. Her family moved to Canada in 1954 and settled in Toronto, where she continued to pursue her passion for art.  Her professional career began in Orillia in 1970. As a member of the Orillia Artist's Society she painted with Marta Brestovancsky, Paul Myslin and Arthur Schilling. They opened a successful gallery in Toronto. Though largely self-taught, she studied extensively in drawing and painting and attended classes with many well-known Canadian artists.  Living in Calgary in 1980, she began to paint in watercolour. She held workshops and taught drawing and watercolour classes. Her art was commissioned and sold at the Masters' Gallery in Calgary.  Returning to Ontario in 1993 Gillian purchased a studio in the "Beach" where she paints full time. Her art celebrates many Beach locales in the form of paintings, prints, and note cards.  More of Gillian's paintings can be seen on her website: www.gillianstudio.com and she can be reached via email at: gillianstudio@hotmail.com

Lynda Freeman

Winona Gallop (Honerary Member)

 Don George

Don works in a variety of mediums, though his preference is for oils.  His inspiration comes from nature: the beach, with it's ever changing weather and the seasonal variety in the landscape, and also his studio in the country near Mono Cliffs Park.  Don's work is represented in many private collections in Canada, England, Wales, Ireland, Belgium and the West Indies.  He recently won the Peoples Choice Award in the exhibition: Dissapearing Landscapes, in Alton, Ontario, for his painting "Redwing Blackbirds in Wetlands".

Donna Goodwin

Donna Gordon

Donna Gordon graduated the O.C.A. fine art course and had a career as an illustrator and designer for 25 years.  Starting with pen & ink her media of choice became watercolour applied with an airbrush.  Sailing for almost twenty years resulted in a natural interest in marine art and many commissions of boat portraits.  Inspired by light and colour that occur in abstract and unexpected ways, her subjects are often realistic with an abstract bent.  Contrasting the hard edge effect of the airbrush, water colour, mixed media and oil paint are a new focus and allow for a more spontaneous and fun approach to her art.  Donna can be contacted at donnagordon@live.ca

Karen Leslie Hall

 

Since she first took up painting about 12 years ago, most of Karen Leslie Hall's work has been still life in dry pastel, but she also enjoys painting with watercolours and acrylics and has explored portraiture, landscape, and abstraction.  Karen likes to emphasize strong light and colour. She sometimes takes a quirky point of view, zooming in on her subject to find an interesting composition that suggests the bigger picture – or a narrative or character – without actually showing it.  Karen recently became a signature member of the Pastel Artists of Canada.

Janice Hardacre

Ron Harris

Ron moved to Toronto from the Region of Waterloo in 2005. Retirement provided him with the opportunity to pursue watercolour as a hobby. An earlier career in teaching Geography and travelling reinforced his love of the Canadian landscape. The inspiration for his paintings comes from the beauty of the Haliburton Highlands where he worked for three summers and returns to each year and from the rural scenes of Southwestern Ontario close to his homes in Kitchener-Waterloo.  He has taken many courses with well known Canadian artists who have helped him develop his own style which can be described as impressionistic realism.  Ron’s work can be found in the private collections of homes in Canada, USA and England.

Mary Hodder

Olga Urbansky Holtam

Patricia Hymas

Pat delights in working with watercolour and acrylics.  It is a constant pleasure for her to mix, blend and harmonize colours.  Looking at paintings, talking about paintings and particularly creating paintings are great experiences for Pat.  She has lived in the Beach for 46 years and her favorite subjects are those right on her own doorstep.   "The ravine, the lake and my own garden are the best stimuli one could wish for."  Pat has participated in many shows and exhibitions and those have added to her growth and understanding of the demands of the media she has chosen.

Robbie Innes

Dianne Jackson

Dianne Jackson fell in love with watercolour over 35 years ago when she first saw the paintings of Canadian artist Marjory Piggott. Upon learning the artist had studied Sumie – the art of Japanese brush painting Diane embarked on a three year course at the Japanese Cultural Centre. She submitted her test piece to Japan and was awarded the coveted seal.   Diane used the lyrical brush strokes in her painting resulting in serene landscapes and captivating florals. Her first solo show in 1980 was all but a sell-out. By then she and husband Andy Donato, also a fine artist, had started to travel resulting in further successful shows.   Along the way Diane became more interested in painting in acrylics.   More recently she has stretched her horizons to include experimental work using fabric, threads, gold leaf, textured papers, Spanish moss and other found objects to include bold abstract work.  Dianne is also a member of the Scarborough Art Guild. She has studied with fine artists such as Brian Ateyo, Pat Fairhead, Chin Kok Tan, Nikata Marner, Barbara Nechis, Marjory Soroka and Glen Urquahart.

Yvonne Jamieson

Yvonne’s style of oil painting demonstrates a strong colour sense and confidence. Her landscapes captivate the play of light, shadow and texture, powerful images of sunlight peeking through wooded areas of Muskoka. Many of her winter scenes reflect the solitude and peaceful mood of the boardwalk in the Beach. Yvonne’s fruit series demand viewer’s attention by her use of strong colour and bold backgrounds and exaggerated size.  Yvonne's work has been sold privately and she has participated in solo and group exhibitions in Toronto.  Yvonne can be contacted at:
nyjamie@rogers.com

Grethe Jensen

Grethe’s work includes portraiture, figurative, non-objective, and occasionally urban or other scenery. Her work is abstracted, rich in colour, and approached in the spirit of exploration and experimentation, often moody. She strives to create not an exactness of the person or subject, but to draw attention to its inner power and mystery. Abstract, yet real, often larger than life. Her mission is to leave something to the viewers’ imagination.  To see more of Grethe's work you can visit her website at: grethejensen.com/   You can also contact her via email at: grethe.je@gmail.com

Elizabeth Johnston

Shirley Jones (Founding Member)

Shirley is, for the most part, a self taught painter, spending more and more time on her art over the past 15 years.  She is a founding member of the Beach Guild of Fine Art, a member of the Scarborough Arts Council, the Cedar Ridge Creative Centre Members Gallery and the Masterpiece Gallery Cooperative until its closure.  "My paintings express my personal sense of life.   People, animals, places and moments in time that seem special to me in some way inspire my oils, watercolours, ink sketches and acrylics." 

 

Donene Lashbrook

For over 40 years, Donene has documented her extensive travels and everyday life through photography.  Many of the photographs compelled her to say "one day I'll paint this".  After years running a Toronto advertising agency and graphic design studio, a career change has feed up time to explore and develop her artistic talents.  Now she delights in using her photography as inspiration for her watercolour paintings.

Rosemary Leckie

 

Rosemary first began painting through The Toronto Japanese Cultural Centre, and still loves the spontaneity she learned through Sumi-e.  Watercolour is her favorite medium for its light and life and surprises. She was on the founding executive of The Toronto Watercolor Society as the newsletter editor.  Rosemary also trys to reflect the rhythms of life in her poetry.  She recently returned to Toronto after living in Vancouver for 20 years.  Rosemary can be contacted at  rleckie@mac.com
 

Joanna Legge

 

Joanna is self taught and, without outside influences, has developed a new style all her own, with no degrees or formal training.  Her new work began in 2003 and appeared to her in her dreams.  The Theme, Technique and even the Title was like a movie on a canvas.  For the 10 years previous, her work was detailed, familiar and traditional.  Now Joanna's art has become intuitive interpretations of nature based abstracts:  swirling masses of water, spewing hot flames, luminous stars, planets and galaxies and approaching storms.  Still in the experimental stage, Joanna loves working with different paints, papers, texture-making devices and brushes.  She is truly pleased with the results and hopes you are too. 

Thong Ling

Thong was born and grew up in Sarawak, Malaysia.  He learned to paint with watercolour when he was very small.  Throughout his school years two art teachers were his motivation and mentors.  That motivation grew into a lifelong passion for watercolour.  In 1979 Thong immigrated to Canada to futher his studies at York University.  Since then Canada's seasonal colour changes, rolling hills, countless lakes and great wilderness convinced him to stay for good.  Thong has had many of his graphics and artworks published.  He has also participated in several exhibits and shows.

Marina Loan

Marina was born in Calcutta India and educated in Loreto House Convent, where she was encouraged to draw and paint in watercolour.  Since coming to Canada, Marina has further developed her interest in art, and has studied under Marjorie Hodgson O.S.A.  In addition to painting watercolours, Marina also paints on fabrics and sews.

Eileen Lucas

Janet Lummiss

 

Heather MacFarlane

 

 Heather has loved nature from an early age. In her travels at home and abroad she explores nature’s vibrant colours, wildness, and many moods and reflects them back into her art. Both painting and photography are constant in her life and evolve as she does.Heather has exhibited and sold her paintings in various venues. She has been both Vice- President, Treasurer, and Membership Coordinator for the Beach Guild of Fine Art.

Joan McDonald

Pat Morrow

Joyce Nelson

Joyce Nelson turned to visual arts in her mid fifties, after a lengthy career as a professional writer.  She graduated from the Adult Art Program at Central Tech in 2002 and has taken courses at Toronto School of Art and the Haliburton School of the Arts.  Nelson's work has been shown in two solo studio shows and in many group shows.  She became a member of the Beach Guild of Fine Arts in November, 2007.   She can also be contacted via email at: nelsonbeach9@yahoo.ca.

Pam Reeves

 

For Pam it's all about great shapes and paintings  that evoke some emotional response. She loves to work semi-abstract in a "loose,somewhat messy, unfinished manner" and dislikes overworked art. She prefers creams, whites, taupes, greys and muted tones. Hamilton born with her home and studio in The Beach, she has been drawing and painting since childhood.  She works mostly in acrylic and pen and ink.

Jenny Reid

 

Jenny was born in Surrey, England, and has drawn and painted all her life. She took courses in England, and in South Africa, then, after immigrating to Canada, she studied watercolour at Central Tech. She continues to study with leading Canadian and US artists, and takes regular painting trips around Canada, and overseas . She finds watercolour an exciting and versatile medium, and delights in its eccentricities, but also enjoys working in acrylics, oils and encaustic. Jenny is an award-winning artist, whose work hangs in collections around the world. She is a founding and signature member of the Toronto Watercolour Society, and Past-President of the Don Valley Art Club. Her adult watercolour classes are enthusiastically received. Samples of her work can be seen at http://www.jennyreidfineartist.com/

Linda Roy

Linda was born in Kapuskasing, Ontario and grew up in a small northern community called Smooth Rock Falls.  She now lives in Toronto with her husband, son and schnauzer named Ollie.  She has worked as an animator, illustrator, college and university instructor and primary teacher during different stages of her career.  At the moment she is painting in oils as well as pen and ink.  She does commissions and displays her work in galleries, shops, coffee houses and art shows.  You can see more of Linda's art on her website: www.LindaRoyArt.com and she can be contacted via email: Linda@LindaRoyArt.com or studioart@lindaroy.net.

Tom Rudman

Jagdish Ram Sharma

Barbara Simpson

Barbara enjoys painting a variety of things -whatever stirs her interest at any given time.  She has been painting for about twenty years now and there is never a dull moment!  Barbara highly recommends taking up painting to anyone, as it has opened her eyes to the beauty of her surroundings.  She works mainly in acrylic and watercolours and has taken many classes at Cedar Ridge and other workshops.  Barbara has been a member of the Beach Guild of Fine Art since its inception. 

Jennifer Smithwell

 

Jennifer has taken joy in drawing and painting all her life. Her work is primarily in acrylics but sometimes watercolor or oils. Recently her subjects have largely been pleine aire impressionist landscapes. The focus of her work is on mood, composition and light. She also does portraits. She was admitted directly to second year of Ontario College of Art and Design and has studied through courses there and Toronto School of Art, Halliburton School of Art, Avenue Road School of Art and through many other opportunities. Jennifer participates in many juried shows and has won over 20 juried awards. More of Jennifer's paintings can be found on her website:http://smithwell.ca or she can be contacted via email:jennifer@smithwell.ca

 Linda Snowden

Steven Tapajna