Interview #13
Only 3 days to the Studio tour!
Q1.Why did you choose to become an artist? Did someone influence you?
A1. Being a painter just fell into place. My brother, my aunt and grandfather all painted. My school teachers encouraged me. In high school I won a contest and did the titles for a school board film and I had a wonderful art teacher.
Q2. What does being and artist mean to you?
A2.It gives me a great deal of pleasure and satisfaction to create a painting. It’s very relaxing.
Continue reading Studio Tour: Robert Sondergaard
Interview #12
Only 4 days to the Studio tour!
Q1 Why did you choose to become an artist? Did someone influence you?
A1. As a youngster I spent many hours sketching with my sisters. In later years I trained in the floral industry and found my artistic designs very rewarding. After retiring I was encouraged by my three artist sisters (www.familyfour.com) to venture into the world of art.
Q2.What does being an artist mean to you?
A2.Being an artist means creating a painting from “Seeing” the world around us with all its beauty, looking for the light reflections and shadows. It brings me joy when my paintings give pleasure to others.
Continue reading Studio Tour: Shirley Lowes
Interview #11
Only 5 days to the studio tour!
Q1Why did you choose to become an artist? Did someone influence you?
A1.My fascination with drawing and painting began before I can remember. Enjoying drawing is earliest memory. All through my school years, being an artist seemed to be what I was noted for. So I’ve never actually had to make any sort of conscious choice to be an artist.
I can’t single any person out as a main influence, but I’ve been lucky to have received lots of encouragement from many sources all along the way.
Q2. If you could use your art to express something socially important to you, what would you do?
A2. I’m certainly not out to change the world or tackle important social issues of the day. I do, however, feel a very strong connection and dedication to this province that I was born in and that I have never seen reason to move away from. I would hope in some small way my work celebrates our natural environment and it’s worthiness of protecting.
Continue reading Studio Tour: James Koll
Interview #10
Only 6 days to the Studio tour!
Q1. Why did you choose to become an artist? Did someone influence you?
A1.I have always had the creative urge. I love life. Life is art. I love art.
Q2.What does being and artist mean to you?
A2.Expression of my being.
Q3. What are your artistic influences?
A3. Impressionists.
Q4. Do you remember your first drawing/painting?
A4. Yes, Mostly family drawings. I was interested in the people around me.
Continue reading Studio Tour: Judith Copland
Interview #9
Only 6 days to the Studio tour
Q1.Why did you choose to become an artist? Did someone influence you?
A1. I became an artist in high school in Coquitlam, BC , mostly painting in oils,,, then I discovered watercolors,, and still use them today. My father also was a painter and both of us always critiqued each others work,, he he he,, ! He also exhibited his oils,, I guess it’s in the gene pool for me to paint.
Q2. What are your artistic influences?
A2. I like painting from my own photos, that I take out in nature, walks etc… that way I know I have been there, I seen it and can relate to what I experienced and viewed.
Continue reading Studio Tour: Wendy Schmidt
On Sept. 12th & 13th, why not treat yourself to a mini cultural ‘staycation’! Celebrate the Visual Arts right here in Burnaby by going on a self-guided exploration of local artist’s studios. This year’s expanded tour features 20 individuals and 2 group exhibits. Visitors are welcome to come and see artists working in their own environments from 11am to 5pm daily, and since this free event is self-guided, people can spend as much time at each location as they wish. Come and discover what our local artists have been producing, to ask questions in a more personal and artistic setting.
To kick off the tour, the Burnaby Arts Council is pleased to provide a “Preview Reception” on at the Deer Lake Gallery, Friday September 11th from 1-4pm. “This year the tour is bigger than ever” says Bill Thomson, a director on the Burnaby Arts Council’s board. “The studio tour’s preview reception will give the community an opportunity to see what the tour will offer and even select the studios they will want to visit first.”
Furthermore, this year the Burnaby Arts Council is hosting interviews about each artist on our Blog. “Each week, starting September 1st, the Arts Council will post two interviews per day counting down to the opening of the Studio tour on September 12th”, explained Sophie St-Pierre, interviewer and participating artist. “We are hoping that these interviews will bring the community event closer to their artists”.
Brochures with a list of participating artists, their addresses and short statement as well as a master map showing each studio are available at the Burnaby Art Council, in the community centres, library, and malls. You can download a PDF copy of the Studio Tour 2009 Brochure here.
Contact:
Sara Baker,
Arts Services Coordinator
INTERVIEW 8
Q1Why did you choose to become an artist? Did someone influence you?
A1.I have always looked at everything around me with and eye to express what I see and how I can make my work a more beautiful place.
Q2What does being and artist mean to you?
A2. It is an exposure of my soul…most importantly to me as I learn about myself with each work.
Q3What are your artistic influences?
A3. I love exploring my inner landscape in intuitive work and my work as a garden designer helps be to appreciate and express the “outer” landscape.
Continue reading Studio Tour - Birgit Coath
