Artist Bio: Jennifer Janik

Jennifer Janik is an abstract oil painter who is new to this year’s art walk. Be sure to come out Saturday to get a good look at some of her recent works.

For me, the passion to paint and play with bright primary colours comes from deep within my solar plexus and bubbles out into vague visual impressions. As I push the brush around the canvas, the outside worldly distractions fade and all I feel is the movement of the lines. There is a point where there is not choice but to paint. The colours tend to come from the energy of the subject or idea that I’m focused on. Often the image captures a moment in time with all the emotion and feeling contained within it.
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I love painting with oils because of the vibrancy of the colour and the smooth flow of the brush across the canvas. They give me the freedom that I need to be spontaneous in capturing the fleeting wisps of an elusive impression that I’m trying to pin down on the canvas. The best paintings have all come from a glimpse of an abstract image that flutters through my mind leaving me with only the gesture of the line behind the idea. The colours and movement of the brush strokes all come from the meditative space of chopping wood and carrying water, detaching from the judgement of the image and not really looking at the whole until it is done. I have no choice but to trust the subconscious to lead the brush to where it needs to be.
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Life’s path has lead me through a career in technology that pushed painting to the back of the closet in favour of “earning a living”. While I have done many creative technology projects, colour was still missing from the formula. Originally, I had a goal of a career in digital art, but it is only now that the technology and tools have matured to the point where art has significant commercial value in a world hungry for content. My newest goal is to raise the profile and value of the unique creative skills of artists while merging the two aspects of my persona into one consistent path. The story continues with Mad Hatter Technology where Marketing Meets Technology and we push the limits of creative communications.
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Jennifer Janik
www.JenniferJanik.com

Sheila Diemert’s “Seasons of Life”

Sheila Diemert’s work can be seen in a new show, opening next week at Edissi Gallery:
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You’re invited to “Seasons of Life”–an exhibition of my artwork at Edissi Gallery, 907 Frederick St., Kitchener, ON (519-745-1281).
The show runs from November 10 to December 24, 2010 during gallery hours. There’s an opening reception on Wednesday, November 10 from 7-9 pm.

Artist Bio: Jason Fallaise

Hi my name is Jason Fallaise, I am a high school teacher with the Waterloo Region District School Board. I obtained a degree in Fine Arts from the University of Guelph in 1985. I create paintings in watercolour and acrylic. I enjoy working with the qualities each medium provides. My paintings have been purchased in major fundraising events such as Swing in the Park for ROOF, the Grand River Hospital Silent Auction and the Brain Injury Society Art Auction. I live in Waterloo and can be reached by email jfallaise@rogers.com or by phone 519-888-7838.

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Artist Statement
The subject matter for my work falls into three categories street scenes, abstracts and landscapes.
The subject matter for my street scenes are obtained locally and from my travels abroad. Creating works in watercolour is a real joy for me. Working quickly and spontaneously is an approach that is suited for my personality. I like to apply colour quickly to allow the picture to have a natural and spontaneous feel. I choose architecture because I like the visual elements it provides. Line is used to enhance textural possibilities by defining shapes, forms and colours. I like the compositional structure that line, shape and colour can provide.
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The abstracts that I create represent my reaction to the urban environment. Drawing is an essential part of my artistic process. These paintings are generated in my sketchbook where I like to express, explore and formalize visual ideas. In these abstracts I want to express the energy and structure of large urban environments.
My approach to landscape painting is through direct observation with the subject matter. I like to paint on site either with watercolours or acrylics. Sometimes I will complete a small sketch on site and then work up a larger version in my studio. Light and colour is the most important consideration when I am landscape painting.

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Artist Bio: D. H. McKee

This is an updated bio for D. H. McKee.
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D. H. McKee (Dave to his friends) works with painting, mixed media, digital photography, and illustration. He works with various media, unable to focus on any one thing. Most recently, he’s started ARC welding rebar sculptures.
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His education and experience (sitting in front of a TV for most of his childhood) has helped him integrate film and video aesthetics into his artwork: Through his works, he deconstructs the images in film, television, pop-culture, as well as from nature. Video stylistic themes work their way into his paintings, and one can discern letter-boxing, test patterns, scrambled pay-television signals and bright colours. Even in his photographic works, there is always something a little off–colours are a over-saturated, or washed out; lines are harshly defined, or barely discernible. Quaint scenery and poignant landscapes become subtly ominous.
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You can see his Website/blog at http://www.zuckerloft.com.
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Artist Bio: Soheila Esfahani

Soheila K. Esfahani grew up in Tehran, Iran, and moved to Canada in 1992. She received her BA in Fine Arts from the University of Waterloo and her Master of Fine Arts degree form the University of Western Ontario. She was a semi-finalist for the 2004 New Canadian Painting Competition through RBC Investments and the Canadian Art Foundation. Esfahani’s work is represented in public and private collections including the Canada Council’s Art Bank. She works from her studio at Kitchener’s artist-run center, Globe Studios.
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Esfahani’s art practice incorporates traditional Persian script within a modern composition. While the essence of calligraphy predominates and reveals an eastern origin in her work, forms, lines, and texture attest to a western abstract influence. In her work, the mystical concepts of transformation, spirituality, and alchemy manifest through the meaning of poems by Persian poet, Rumi.
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As a culturally diverse artist living in Canada, her recent art practice navigates the terrains of cultural translation and explores the processes involved in cultural transfer and transformation. Her installations focus on translation in its etymological meaning as the process of ‘carrying across’ or ‘bringing across’ and Homi Bhabha’s notion of the Third Space as a site for cultural translation.
http://www.soheila.ca/
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Artist Bio: Jennifer Gough

Jennifer Gough has been working as a self taught, visual artist in the Kitchener-Waterloo area for the past four years. Jennifer is most commonly known for her abstract contemporary, and mixed media paintings.
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The unique nature of her work has sparked much interest and attention and her individual style of creating can not easily be condensed into any one category.
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Modern abstracts drenched in color, combined with her use of clean lines and shapes lend themselves to a feeling of big city loft living. Structured, detailed pieces with a definite bold connection to retro print add & comic book genres inspire a playful, punchy attitude with a hint of the provocative. Layered, mixed media pieces give depth and texture to an otherwise flat canvas and add intrigue and interest for conceptual analysis.
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As with many artists, Jennifer’s inspiration comes from many different places. The obvious conventional sources such as color, shapes, texture and contrast all play a huge part, but the root of her inspiration comes from life itself. Human nature, emotion, life experience and freedom of expression. The objective of her work is to bring the viewer into the piece. To inspire a connection and allow each one to find something of themselves in the piece.
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“In my opinion, art is a very personal experience. To be viewed from ones own perspective. Not necessarily to be understood, but instead to be felt, and inspire a reaction in the viewer. It’s a love affair.”

http://www.mindseyestudioart.com
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Artist Bio: Maya Polywjanyj

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Maya is a Psychological Associate who has used the healing power of art therapy with hundreds of clients. She has recently opened a private practice in Kitchener May 2010.

“I have always been drawn to the power of color and form. My subject matter is diverse, as though I get pulled to do a piece. There is something quite liberating about non verbal modes of communication, it is a language that reaches into many realms of knowing. Much of my work involves themes around healing, self discovery and growth.
“Over the years my approach to art has moved more fully into emotional and intuitive expression in contrast to a more technical approach. In this vein, I have been experimenting with creating pieces that exude essence. My work has often been described as ‘moving’ and ‘beautiful’.”

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Artist Bio: Kelly Green

Kelly Green is a bas relief sculptor who specializes in three dimensional wood projects. Anyone familiar with the Park and Victoria intersection has probably seen the signs for his studio at 100 Park St.
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“Though I bill myself as a Celtic Artist, it is only a starting point in showing how all human kind is interconnected to the cosmic energy of the universe both physically and spiritually. My art is about healing our tiny inconsequential human differences and celebrating our common humanity.”
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