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excerpts from "The Art & Life of Dr. Frederick Banting - A Canadian Legend" written by Nancy Silcox
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The Art & Life of Dr. Frederick Banting - A Canadian Legend
Most of us recognize him as the famous inventor of insulin, but did you know Dr. Frederick Banting had an artistic side? And that he chummed around with members of the Group of Seven? In this ARABELLA feature, Nancy Silcox delves into the ‘alter ego’ of Fred Banting – landscape painter. Banting escaped the stresses of medicine, marital woes and fame by heading out on painting adventures with the likes of A. Y. Jackson, who described his endeavours as “showing a lot of promise.” Intriguing with more than a few surprises.
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excerpts from "Is There a Fairy in Your Garden?", written by Joanne Lovering
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Is There a Fairy in Your Garden?
Summer wouldn’t be complete without an enchanting fairytale and Joanne Lovering gives us a beauty. Just imagine magical beings flitting and flirting in your flower beds, bewitching the landscape and all who stroll nearby. Embellished with alluring paintings and pics, lively anecdotes and even tips on luring the winged sprites to your own garden, by the time you’re done reading the story, you’ll be a believer too!
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excerpts from "Therefore & Because: The Magic of Norman Laliberté", written by Debra Usher, photography by Steven Crainford
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Therefore & Because: The Magic of Norman Laliberté
Norman Laliberté is a man blessed with great talent, creativity and boundless energy. Artist, teacher, author, illustrator – his days are filled with the joy of the unexpected. From his 1980s boxed sculptures, to oil stick drawings on burlap, to over 500 unique art books (each created in a one day sitting) and countless paintings, his endearing offerings are praised for their vivid colours and delightful imagery. Life, through Norman Laliberté’s eyes is more than good, it’s mesmerizing.
*Norman Laliberté, Jubilation a Sixty Year Celebration at
www.harbourgallery.com
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"Living in Wine Country: Timeless Beauty in California" written by Debra Usher, Photography by Adrian Gregorutti
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Living in Wine Country: Timeless Beauty in California
In this episode of ‘travel by design’, we take you to the rolling hills of California wine country and a residence of elegant proportions. Featuring 8 fireplaces, soaring reclaimed beams, imported clay roof tiles, stacked stone walls and custom ‘everything’, this home was designed for family living on a grand scale. Nothing left to chance. The TV fits perfectly in the stone wall because the wall was actually built around it. There is even a special floor outlet for the Christmas tree! Pool, bocce court, vineyard – we raise a glass to this one. Cheers!
landrydesigngroup.com/
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excerpts from "An Innocent Abroad", written by Cynthia Reyes
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An Innocent Abroad
Cynthia Reyes tells it like it was, in her lighthearted memoir of life as a junior reporter with the CBC in early 1980s Vancouver. Her innocent adventures with hookers, hooch and the law make for a humorous and enlightening read. Kudos to Cynthia for toughing it out that long ago summer; going above and beyond in her drive to succeed as a naïve Jamaican-born woman in a white man’s broadcasting world. Cynthia has never looked back and continues to entertain with her impeccable writing.
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"Queen Anne Revival" writing and photography by Shannon Kyles
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Queen Anne Revival
Romance and frivolity are alive and well and perking up neighbourhoods near and far, in the guise of Queen Anne Revival charmers. Shannon Kyles, ARABELLA’s resident expert in all things architecture, shares her extensive knowledge of built heritage in this beautifully photographed story, written with flair and just a touch of sass. The style is a favourite among old house enthusiasts and indeed anyone with an eye for colour, form and whimsy. Definitely, fit for a Queen.
ontarioarchitecture.com
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ARTISTS TO COLLECT
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Rick Bond and Nancy Lucas
written by Debra Usher and Kylie Serebrin
It isn’t easy for two successful artists to also live together in a warm and loving relationship. Something that Rick Bond and Nancy Lucas openly admit. Every morning they start the day with a communal coffee break then head off to their separate studios to work in private. Both feeling the challenge of showing their work to the public, and rely on friends for support and encouragement. Where Rick’s style is passionate and aggressive and sweeps you into the landscape, Nancy’s is semi-abstract; her canvases brimming with vibrant flowers. Together they are a force of artistic nature.
gainsboroughgalleries.com
assiniboia.com
rickbondart.com
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Paul Brunelle
written by Ron Garant
A true ‘hands-on’ artist, Paul Brunelle combines his love of nature and art to create breathtaking sculptures of birds in clay. These life-sized creations are so realistic, you want to reach out and touch – just to be sure. Also a gifted painter, Brunelle works en plein air as often as possible, observing the birds in their natural habitat. His mantra is simple yet profound: “For me, art is all about learning. There is no end and hopefully you leave a trail of something beautiful added to the world.” That he has certainly done.
paulbrunelle.com
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David Langevin
Written by Debra Usher
Trees, trees and more trees. An arboreal feast for the eyes, that’s what artist David Langevin is known and loved for. His iconic ‘tree portraits’ have won him a loyal following that continues to grow. From his early painting days in Montreal, he heard the call ‘Go West young man’, and did just that. He packed up and moved to B.C., where the mountains and coniferous trees captured his heart and paintbrush. Today he says, “it’s easy to love your job when you are doing what you’re best suited to do.”
davidlangevin.com
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William Lazos
written by Kylie Serebrin
A master of Photo-Realism, William Lazos not only paints unique and personal subjects but does so in a distinctive way. Of particular note, his mural-sized figural paintings, an uncommon practice in Canada. Using a transparency of a photograph, and a combo of airbrush and paint brush, the illusions he creates are breathtaking. Nostalgia is another specialty – vintage toys, comic books, penny candy – childhood fondly revisited. Lazos’s work is a revealing record of his life to which viewers can’t help but connect. Intimacy on so many levels. www.williamlazos.com
williamlazos.com
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Barry McCarthy
written by Debra Usher
“Artists cannot stay in their backyards to discover the world. They might as well be fashioned with blinders!” Thus sayeth Barry McCarthy. This prolific painter and philosopher learned that message from personal experience as a landscape artist. He is fascinated with hidden stories and clandestine enigmas and aims to reveal these types of mysticisms in his work. Portrait or seascape, McCarthy digs to unveil the subject’s mystery – the deeper truth – that gives his paintings purpose. “This,” he insists, “is being an artist.”
lochgallery.com
mccarthyart.ca
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Peter McConville
Written by Debra Usher
“A celebration of life” – that is how Winnipeg artist Peter McConville describes his paintings. After a personal struggle with cancer and the tragic loss of his daughter, Peter found himself drawn to creating realistic landscapes with “a spirit that you only get when you turn your back on the city.” Places that haven’t changed for hundreds of years. His complex over-under style of painting layered with a series of dots, is at once complex and emotional. Once you’ve seen them, you’ll keep coming back for more.
mayberryfineart.com
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DESTINATIONS TO VISIT
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GALLERY TO VISIT:
Roberts Gallery
written by Kylie Serebrin
Roberts Gallery on Yonge St. in Toronto has served art lovers with pride for 170 years and shows no signs of aging. Owners, Paul and Charlene Wildridge, invite one and all to celebrate this milestone at a series of upcoming events. In June, the Annual Sketches Exhibition showcases works by historical Canadian artists including Clarence Gagnon and the Group of Seven. Solo exhibitions kick off in the fall with Joseph Peller’s depictions of city life, from intimate café scenes to larger-than-life paintings of New York jazz club performers. Plan your visit soon.
robertsgallery.net
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STORE TO VISIT:
HillTop Interiors
written by Kylie Serebrin
Nestled in the glorious Muskoka Lakes district, HillTop Interiors are renowned for making fantasies of cottage living come true. A dozen years ago, Lena and Randy Patten transformed the century-old building into an oasis of warmth and serenity with an intimate cottage atmosphere. Now HillTop is a mecca for shoppers wanting smart, distinctive décor in traditional ‘Olde Muskoka Style.’ 8,000 sq ft of browsing pleasure in a cozy setting that makes you feel right at home. Drop by and stay awhile! www.hilltopinteriors.com
hilltopinteriors.com
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PLACE TO VISIT
The Buckhorn Fine Art Festival
Written by Michael Dumas
A jewel in the heart of the Kawarthas! Recognized as a premiere Canadian art event, the Buckhorn Fine Art Festival promotes North American artists with thousands of choices of fine art in a vibrant array of style, medium and message. This 35th anniversary year features a special commemorative exhibit of 35 original works from Festival alumni.
Interact with the artists, visit award-winning exhibits from the Art Competition and applaud young artists in the Youth Art displays. Amazing art, presentations and demonstrations, live music and great food: all in a beautiful country setting. A real summer treat. August 17 – 19
buckhornfineart.com
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AND MORE....
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Gardening and the Golden Years
written by James Godbold
Everyone ages, but that doesn’t mean giving up the joys of the garden. Au contraire. The therapeutic and health benefits of gardening are well known and with the right kind of planning today you can create the perfect outdoor setting for tomorrow’s retirement. Incorporating raised beds, pots for herbs and veggies, hanging flower baskets on a pulley system, new ergonomic tools – great ideas that afford easy maintenance and result in a beautiful landscape that pleases all the senses. Life is good.
hillndalelandscaping.com
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Departures
Rita Letendre
written by Christopher George
Following in the brushstrokes of noted Automatiste members Borduas and Jean-Paul Riopelle, Rita Letendre abandoned her traditional painting style in the 1950s, to explore the “new visual vocabularies” of abstract art. Christopher George discusses her iconic piece ‘Le Cirque’ and the amazing work this formidable woman-in-a-man’s genre was creating. One extraordinary painting, one outstanding artist, one enlightening read. Opinions welcome.
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Eat, Drink & Be Merry
Witten by Donald Ziraldo
Wine connoisseur Donald Ziraldo grew up in an Italian family on a Niagara farm, embracing the European tradition where the dinner table was covered with fresh fruits, vegetables and wine. Today we see a renaissance in that type of dining. Niagara Chef Claudio Mollica says, “The best ‘drive-thru’ you can go to is a fresh fruit and vegetable stand in rural Canada. We have so many great growers in this country … they appreciate the support and your body will appreciate the natural wholesomeness." And check out the newest culinary sensation – flour made from grape pomace!
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The Early Furniture of French Canada
contributed by the ROM
The ROM holds the most significant collection of early French-Canadian furniture outside of Quebec. We are pleased to share images of these historical pieces, reproduced from the book Rococo to Rustique: Early French-Canadian Furniture in the Royal Ontario Museum by Donald Blake Webster. The work covers 200 years of these early furniture styles, illustrated in part through watercolours from the Museum’s collection of Canadian heritage art.
rom.on.ca
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Spring Auction Highlights
written by Rob Cowley & Lydia Abbott
Another reason to embrace the season, the May 25th Joyner spring sale delivers the goods. On the block: William Kurelek’s “St. Benedict’s Farm, Combermere”; a stunning 1920s bronze by Marc-Aurele De Foy Suzor-Cote; several impassioned pieces by Greg Curnoe; ‘Forest Interior’ a powerful Arthur Lismer take on B.C.; Krieghoff; Carmichael and many more notable artworks from Canada’s most celebrated historical and post-war artists. Mark your calendar.
joyner.waddingtons.ca
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Fashionality
contributed by McMichael Canadian Art
May 5 to Sept 3, the McMichael Canadian Art Collection unites fashion and contemporary art in an outstanding exhibition of ‘Fashionality!’ Using the idiom of dress as a starting point, the show explores the use of apparel in works by 23 contemporary Canadian artists. Four galleries and a world of expressionism – artists speaking the common language of dress to define just what Canadian fashionality might be. A must see.
mcmichael.com
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