Rebecca Balaz is a bellydance instructor, and a member of the Down Hips Dance Troupe. She sells hand-dyed silk veils through her Blond Heretic website, and also does custom dye orders.
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.
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.
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.
Artist Bio: Mary Lou Sittler
This is an updated bio for Mary Lou.
Mary Lou Sittler has been working with Stained Glass for many years from her home studio as well as from the Dundee Pottery & Stained Glass studio. She has created several one-of-a-kind pieces for personal and corporate clients.
She enjoys the challenge of coming up with new and unique projects.
If you’re interested in buying or commissioning a stained glass piece, come visit her at the Central Art Walk, or email her at mtutton@rogers.com.
Her website is at: http://www.dundeepottery.ca/
Artist Bio: D. H. McKee
This is an updated bio for D. H. McKee.
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.
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.
You can see his Website/blog at http://www.zuckerloft.com.
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.
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.
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/
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.
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.
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.
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.
“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.”
Artist Bio: Maya Polywjanyj
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’.”
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.
“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.”
Artist Bio: Erin Moffat
This is an updated bio for Erin Moffat’s Colour and Light.
Colour and Light features unique, abstract stained glass art by Erin Moffat. A former research chemist, Erin enjoys the fusion of science and art. She draws inspiration from nature for much of her work, and also likes to geek out a bit with her fun caffeine-themed pieces. Erin’s fascination with Celtic imagery also shines through in the beauty of her knotwork in glass.
Artist Bio: Lauren Judge
This is an updated bio for Lauren Judge.
Lauren Judge was born and raised in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario. She has explored various art forms throughout her life under the influences and support of an artistic family, and has more actively participated in the arts community since 2007. Lauren’s painting style draws on the spirit of abstract expressionism, using a poured technique with fluid acrylics. Lauren’s paintings on canvas show an abstracted interpretation of nature. A hand knitter for over 20 years, Lauren has experimented with many different kinds of fibres and designs. In 2007, she started her own business creating and knitting original designs for accessories and garments made exclusively from natural fibres.
Visit her Website at http://www.laurenjudge.com/.
Visit the Button Factory at http://www.buttonfactory.org/.