Skilled realist Maureen Brown has been painting oils all of her life. Brown uses perspective to create an illusion of reality by setting the composition and lighting to make the most of her subjects. With more time to paint, Brown acknowledges that her work has advanced greatly by incessant study and practice. She regularly takes art courses and workshops, travels and visits a diverse range of art galleries. And it’s apparent that Brown loves to tour, as many of her works are genre art, representing scenes from everyday life, specifically from her recent holiday in the sunny South of France.
So it’s fitting that Brown’s exhibit is entitled “Trees and Travels.” Her paintings describe a moment drinking coffee in a square in Avignon0, walking among ancient Roman ruins or lunching under the magnolia trees.
As a West Coast local, her creative stimulation also comes from B.C. landscapes, inspired during walks such as a stroll around Thetis Lake in Victoria in the spring.
“I am mostly a realist artist. I try to convey the essence of my subject in a manner that is recognizable by others and shows my original inspiration… I am often inspired by the way light interacts with my surroundings, such as reflections on water,” says Brown, who recently won an award for one of her harbour paintings.
“I use photographs, sketches or plein air (in the open air) paintings as the base for the final painting. I find the process of mixing the colours exciting and enjoy seeing how the painting develops.”
Travelling and creativity are all in the family for Brown with her husband Peter, who is also an avid painter.
Contact her at: [email protected].
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In the cases, Shiel Mooney of “Knobby Knuckles,” presents “Colour and Weave,” a collection of hand-woven scarves, hats, pillows and shawls with the aim to “weave” the vibrant colours of summer into the darkness of the coming winter. Mooney admits that the abundance of nature’s colours in her garden have helped her relive memories of the confident use of colour that she has seen while travelling in Mexico, Guatemala and Nicaragua.
Weaving for nearly 40 years, Mooney uses a four-harness floor loom as her prime creative outlet, which she finds both exciting and meditative. She is a “practical” artisan, but creates for both form and function, with a focus on the tactile qualities of each piece such as visual playfulness, physical textures or unexpected combinations.
“We don’t need to blend in, and colour gives us an opportunity to show our individuality,” she says, admitting that preparing or “dressing” her loom is a slow and meticulous process.
But it is worth the work in the end to see her exhilarating creations of hand-woven fabric through her unique choice of colour, pattern, fibre and texture.
“Nature, functionality, history and the pleasure of preserving an ancient art form born of necessity offer an infinite supply of inspiration,” she says. “Over time and after learning many techniques, of course my work has evolved. Colour and functionality still rule. I have seen a full circle in society’s desire to encompass our natural roots.”
Mooney says she is looking forward to learning more advanced weaving techniques – experimenting with some not-so-functional, but beautiful to behold.
For more information on Shiel Mooney’s work, contact [email protected].
You can meet the artists at their reception at the Foyer Gallery on Saturday, Oct. 11 from 1 to 3 p.m.
