Brandy Gale

In her twenties, Gale pursued a body of work as a Performance Artist as Brandy Stephen. She executed her body-art oriented pieces in Canada, the US and in Europe in solo and group exhibitions, as well as with Antler River People, a Performance Art troupe of which she was a founding member.

Following completion of an HBA degree in Art Theory & Criticism at the University of Western Ontario, she started a business doing artwork for the corporate client. Eventually she streamlined the business to focus solely on original artwork and photography for themusic industry, and has since worked with successful acts in different countries, from a wide range of music genres.

Gale presently devotes her full focus to painting year round from life, on location, in the spirit of those Canadians who painted from the landscape before her. Donning snowshoes to paint mountainscapes at 7000 feet at Lake Louise, Alberta is an annual journey. The Caribbean, California, Prince Edward County, Monhegan Island, Maine and Niagara Falls are other favourite painting locations. She currently resides in Prince Edward County, Canada.

Jay Hodgins

The Artist...

Jay Hodgins attended the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design and has a BA in Interior Design from Ryerson University.

With a talent for solving complex spatial and visual challenges, his progressive career path led to Canada’s most prestigious residential design firm, where he directed a roster of award-winning international projects. Integrating encaustics, acrylics, Resins, oils, photography, collage and drawing, Jay’s work reflects an aesthetic that is both bold and complex. His art has been featured in national shelter magazines and on HGTV.

Layering personal perspective with the moody stimulation of nature in a complex textured environment, the resulting work encompasses dark transition, organic transformation and a breadth of nature’s historical symbolism and Jay’s fresh visual interpretation.

“When you look at Jay’s paintings, you are immediately drawn in. There is an emphasis on spontaneity and great emotional intensity. Yet the paintings are very carefully planned…. They emote a deep talent and artistic confidence.” - Beverly Blicker, Denison Gallery

...and his work...

Title: Rakur #6, 2010

Acrylic and Resin on panel, 24" x 24"

Value: $900.00 (framed)

The natural hot springs in Iceland bring energizing water to the surface where Icelander gathers to bathe, socialize and relax. The spring water is never still and the temperature varies constantly. In RAKUR #6, the resin washes dynamically over the painted surface, creating the sensation that we too are immersed in ancient waters released from the earth’s ancient and mysterious core.

Neil Young

Mixed media artist Neil Young was born in Ottawa and now resides in Toronto. He holds a degree in Architecture from the University of Toronto, and practiced for over 10 years before returning to his childhood passion of creating visual art.

Graphic compositions, vibrant colors and subtle textures are combined to create abstracted forms resembling urban landscapes, nature, and elements of the machine. Relying on intuition rather than reference images, each painting is the result of layers upon layers of quick gestures. Adding, deleting, and leaving traces of layers past, Neil’s “palimpsest” approach to painting encourages the exploration of new spaces, and of self. Most importantly, the overall impression he wants to leave with the viewer is one of hopefulness and joy.

“Though I work with as much intention as I can, my unconscious is the undisputed dominator, and the result is a layered dialogue of lessons learnt, accidents and desires freed.”

“With every piece decisions are made intuitively. Not every decision is right, so then begins the layering process of patching, repairing, and re-exposing, until it has been wrestled tired and has found resolution. It is only now that I feel fulfilled and the work is complete.”

Steven Draper

The Artist...

Check back later for further information about Steven.

...and his work...

On the evening of September 3rd 2010 a fierce storm with heavy rain, angry forks of lightning and instantaneous house shaking thunder, battered our lonesome hilltop home on Bethel Road, Prince Edward County. With rain and rumbles still filling the air, rays of setting sunlight burst into the sky transforming the darkest, ugliest and most frightening of skies into an experience of natural beauty beyond anything I could ever imagine.

As I composed the image in the viewfinder, watching the sunlight and shadows literally dance around the sky, I felt as if this magical moment was being given to me so I could create a special image for this event; an image that reminds us all that within the darkest of moments, a ray of light can change everything.

This image is created using archival pigment inks on Ilford Galerie Gold Fibre silk photographic paper, professionally framed using archival materials. This image also benefits from using the very highest quality TrueVue Museum glass, providing the maximum UV protection possible to protect the print and virtually illuminating all reflections without the usual drawbacks of regular reflective control glass.

The title resulted from a request to my facebook network for ideas. Beyond seemed so right, then I noticed its origin - Darrin Bast, Founder and event Chair of Heart and Music - everything has a reason.

Title: 'Beyond', Academy Edition 2/5

Photographic Image, 22" x 41"

"a ray of light"

Value (framed): $1,750

Vanessa Pandos

Check back later for further information about Vanessa.