Espanola resident Penny Bois says it is an honour and a privilege to have been chosen as one of two distinguished artists for the La Cloche 43rd Art Show. She is also happy to get back to showing her artwork in person as she doesn’t think virtual art shows well. Bois is a member of the Manitoulin Art Club and the Sudbury Art Club.
The La Cloche Art Show is a juried exhibition and sale, with prizes awarded in a number of categories for those artists exhibiting their artistic creations. The categories are: acrylic, coloured pencil and drawing, mixed media, oil, pastel, photography, sculpture and watercolour. It takes place from July 2 to 9 between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. at the Whitefish Falls Community Centre and is free to the public.
Due to COVID-19 this very popular annual event has not been able to take place for the last two summers. The last time the art show was held in 2019 there were 100 artists registered for the event, coming from all across Canada and even internationally. This year the turnout for both artists and art aficionados are expected to be high.
Bois said she was surprised to have been chosen as a distinguished artists as she has only been focusing on developing her talents over the last six years. She started drawing when she was 12 years old and still has some of the sketches she created when she was 16, but then she put it aside.
“By the time I was 19 I didn’t do any more painting.”
She says she looks back at the old drawings and regrets not continuing.
Life took her in a different direction. Bois laid her pencils and brushes down to begin a career as a cardiac intensive care nurse. It was at least 33 years before her creative urges were once again ignited and now, she is exploring, at her own pace, a new artistic career.
She works in six mediums: charcoal, pastel, oil, graphite, acrylic, and ball point pen. Just recently she discovered gelly roll pens, which come in many different colours and thicknesses. While she has been told it is better to stick with one or two mediums Bois says, “I like to explore many avenues of creativity so I’m not limiting myself to one medium.”
Her main interest is portraits. She recalls doing a sketch of her family which she was quite proud of only to be told by her eldest daughter, “Whose family is this?” Her husband, children and grandchildren are part of the artwork adorning the walls of her spacious studio.
She has also focused on a lot of commissioned pieces over the last two years and started tutorial art classes in the last year. She prefers to facetime one-on-one with her students which she says range from 14 to people in their 80’s. Since she has health issues she prefers to limit the number of people coming into her studio. She doesn’t charge for her tutorials, since she says as a budding artist she had help from some amazing people and it is her way of passing it on.
Bois has a Facebook page called P. Bois studio, which includes little two-minute lessons in artistic techniques along with the various materials she uses in creating different drawings and paintings. There are a number of things she has learned from trial and error that she passes along.
Two of the key techniques she mentions are layering and knowing the limitations of the various mediums she is using. She says it is impossible to erase ball point pen.
“Once you commit gelly roll pen to paper you are done.”
Also, with white ballpoint pen on black paper a fixative is not needed. For other mediums such as charcoal and graphite a fixative must be sprayed on between layers to be able to continue. The fixative dries within 15 minutes. In creating one of her pieces she says she uses a minimum of seven to eight layers and sometimes as many as 10. The properties of the different grades of paper used also comes into how the finished piece will present itself.
Some of her favourite corrective tools are white and black mono erasers and a simple make-up brush or Q-tip. For those people who dabble with acrylics, and are slow painters, she recommends an acrylic retardant to keep it from drying too fast. “I’ve learned to pace myself.”
Her tutorials mention as well the types of paints she uses and how she mixes them to get a particular shade.
As part of being the distinguished artist Bois will be conducting a tutorial during the art show as well as donating one of her charcoal sketches for the raffle. The painting to be raffled, called ‘Emotion’, is an 18″ x 17″ white and black charcoal on a double matted wood frame with an anti-glare glass front. It’s valued at $350. She plans on bringing a minimum of 10 to 12 of her creations to exhibit at the show. They will also be available for purchase.
After the La Cloche Art Show the exhibition that Bois will be a part of is the Manitoulin Art Tour, from July 15 to 17. There will be 40 locations all across Manitoulin Island for people to meet the artists and view their creations. Her spot for the three days will be in the basement of the Anchor Inn.
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Ukrainian sells art in Essex while stuck in a warzone BBC.com
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The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House has reopened its doors to the public after a fire swept through the historic building in central London. While the gallery has resumed operations, the rest of the iconic site remains closed “until further notice.”
On Saturday, approximately 125 firefighters were called to the scene to battle the blaze, which sent smoke billowing across the city. Fortunately, the fire occurred in a part of the building not housing valuable artworks, and no injuries were reported. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire.
Despite the disruption, art lovers queued outside the gallery before it reopened at 10:00 BST on Sunday. One visitor expressed his relief, saying, “I was sad to see the fire, but I’m relieved the art is safe.”
The Clark family, visiting London from Washington state, USA, had a unique perspective on the incident. While sightseeing on the London Eye, they watched as firefighters tackled the flames. Paul Clark, accompanied by his wife Jiorgia and their four children, shared their concern for the safety of the artwork inside Somerset House. “It was sad to see,” Mr. Clark told the BBC. As a fan of Vincent Van Gogh, he was particularly relieved to learn that the painter’s famous Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear had not been affected by the fire.
The fire broke out around midday on Saturday in the west wing of Somerset House, a section of the building primarily used for offices and storage. Jonathan Reekie, director of Somerset House Trust, assured the public that “no valuable artefacts or artworks” were located in that part of the building. By Sunday, fire engines were still stationed outside as investigations into the fire’s origin continued.
Located on the Strand in central London, Somerset House is a prominent arts venue with a rich history dating back to the Georgian era. Built on the site of a former Tudor palace, the complex is known for its iconic courtyard and is home to the Courtauld Gallery. The gallery houses a prestigious collection from the Samuel Courtauld Trust, showcasing masterpieces from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. Among the notable works are pieces by impressionist legends such as Edouard Manet, Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne, and Vincent Van Gogh.
Somerset House regularly hosts cultural exhibitions and public events, including its popular winter ice skating sessions in the courtyard. However, for now, the venue remains partially closed as authorities ensure the safety of the site following the fire.
Art lovers and the Somerset House community can take solace in knowing that the invaluable collection remains unharmed, and the Courtauld Gallery continues to welcome visitors, offering a reprieve amid the disruption.
Sudbury’s annual art and music festival is marking a significant milestone this year, celebrating its long-standing impact on the local cultural scene. The festival, which has grown from a small community event to a major celebration of creativity, brings together artists, musicians, and visitors from across the region for a weekend of vibrant performances and exhibitions.
The event features a diverse range of activities, from live music performances to art installations, workshops, and interactive exhibits that highlight both emerging and established talent. This year’s milestone celebration will also honor the festival’s history by showcasing some of the artists and performers who have contributed to its success over the years.
Organizers are excited to see how the festival has evolved, becoming a cornerstone of Sudbury’s cultural landscape. “This festival is a celebration of creativity, community, and the incredible talent we have here in Sudbury,” said one of the event’s coordinators. “It’s amazing to see how it has grown and the impact it continues to have on the arts community.”
With this year’s milestone celebration, the festival promises to be bigger and better than ever, with a full lineup of exciting events, workshops, and performances that will inspire and engage attendees of all ages.
The festival’s milestone is not just a reflection of its past success but a celebration of the continued vibrancy of Sudbury’s arts scene.
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