10 July, 2021
NIAGARA’S PLEIN AIR ARTISTS
Plain Air Artists Week #2
More than ever, we believe that creativity will be our beacon towards better tomorrows.
13th Street Winery celebrates our need to tap into our creative energies. For the next two weeks (weather permitting), Niagara’s Plein Air artists will continue to grace the grounds of 13th Street Winery with their easels and their talent. Explore and learn more about some of Niagara’s local artists as you enjoy a glass of wine and wander around 13th Street Winery’s sculpture garden.
ARTISTS
SANDY ST LAURENT
Working primarily in acrylic, Sandy especially enjoys painting “en plein air” where she is inspired to capture the beauty of the Niagara Region in her landscapes. Still life and portraiture are also favored subjects. Whether working outside or in the studio, Sandy strives to convey to the viewer the joy she derives from every subject or scene she chooses to paint.
Upon her retirement, and acting on a life long interest in art, Sandy focused her time and attention to painting. She had the good fortune of connecting with a number of talented and supportive instructors and local artists through membership with the Niagara Pumphouse, the Parkway Artists Guild and the Niagara Plein Air Artists. Sandy attributes much of her on-going growth as an artist to these connections. Email: sandyann.stlaurent@gmail.com
JOSEPHINE ROVARI
Comfortable in a variety of creative endeavors from writing to performance, Josephine found her voice in the intuitive nature of therapeutic art before taking up watercolour. At the inception of the Niagara Plein Air Artists group in 2018, this self-taught artist has benefitted from the groups knowledge and experience. They inspired the confidence needed to pull through the ugly stage of this tricky medium. Weather permitting; and sometimes not, they meet weekly, taking advantage of all the beauty in Niagara. Beyond working from a photograph, outdoor painters like Josephine have a wide view of everything around them they’ll take in the sounds, smells, and feel of a place, the heart gets involved.
https://www.facebook.com/niagararoundabouts
ALEXANDRA SHERIDAN
Alexandra (Cindy) Sheridan is an emerging artist focused on Realism in both Oil and Acrylic painting. A passion for art, a constant thread throughout her life has blossomed since retiring from a successful business career. Having travelled extensively, a “sense of place” and a reverence for nature beckons discovery of one’s own self. Another reoccurring theme, the exploration of internal conflict had won her two Juried Art Shows in 2003, 2004. Largely self taught and Influenced by the works of Georgia O’Keefe, Canadian artist Alex Coville, and Visual Arts at Brock U., she continues to study with both local and Hawaiian artists where she resides in the winter.
Painting “En Plein Air”, one of the most challenging art venues is also a pathway for honing artistic skills. As Founder of Niagara Plein Air Artists in 2018, she was instrumental in co-ordinating the Niagara Plein Air Artists Art Show in 2019 in Niagara-on-the-lake. She is also a member of the Parkway Artist’s Guild, Plein Air Artists in both Maui and the Big Island, and has been a past member of many regional art associations. She currently resides in Niagara Falls and paints prolifically “in situ” throughout Niagara. Her works are in private collections in the U.S., Germany and Canada. All Plein Air proceeds for works done on site have been donated to the patron’s designated charity. Contact cindy@realtyniagara.ca
Carol Anne works with acrylic paints, which she thoroughly enjoys after having worked with oils over the years. She has enjoyed opportunities to study with skilled instructors at the Ottawa School of Art and with community artists to help expand her understanding and practice of painting, sketching, portraiture and various art techniques. She has painted throughout her career, while working in Montreal, Ottawa, and presently in St-Catharines/Niagara where she is now retired. Carol Anne enjoys plein-air painting and is an active member of the Niagara Plein-Air Artists Group, Parkway Artists Guild and Niagara Pumphouse Arts Centre, and Steering Committee member with the Queen Street Artists Guild (Niagara Falls). She continues to participate in workshops and is grateful for all opportunities.
Carol Anne continues to learn from and work alongside with fellow painters and artists in the picturesque region of Niagara. As an outdoor enthusiast, she much enjoys painting and sketching landscapes, water, flora, fauna and a plethora of sights here and on travel in Canada, U.S., and abroad; along with joyful walks and hikes and outdoor pleasures. She is inspired each and every day, and finds painting with others and on her own to be invigorating and meditative as she practices her craft. Visit queenstreetartists.ca
MARGARET LOUKO
After having retired from teaching high school sciences, Margaret left the prairies surrounding Saskatoon to return to Northern Ontario Boreal Forest, and then later into the Carolina area of Niagara. Margaret has travelled extensively throughout North America, Europe and the Caribbean. Her strongest desirable ties are with the French Impressions of Monet, the Canadian artistry of the Group of Seven and the Italian light of Tuscany. Her Finnish Family heritage has influenced her artistic lean towards the simplicity of Nordic designs and the outdoors. Having discovered her love of art through watercolour and acrylics, Margaret is self taught and appreciates the support of the mentoring of Bronwen Quick and the King’s Art Centre in North Bay and recently the instructional classes by Julia Ponesse and others, sponsored by the NOTL Pumphouse. Contact watermarksml@gmail.com
VALERIE HUIBERS
Valerie has been painting and studying art for many years. As a child of 10 years old she knew that is she wanted to be “an artist”. Valerie developed her own style taking lessons from many talented art teachers. She started in oils then progressed to acrylic, which is her main medium. She loves the versatility of acrylics, how you can manipulate them into a thick paste or thin them to watercolours and how it moves around your canvas. She also studied watercolors, pastels coloured pencils charcoal and palette knife techniques.
Valerie was an Interior Decorator for 30 years. Her love of colour and design lead her into a creative career which filled her creative need while making a living. Valerie belongs to Parkway Artist Guild in Niagara Falls in the beautiful Botanical gardens. Valerie exhibits her paintings in the shows that PAG has each year. She sells her work through Niagara Parks shops, Butterfly conservatory, Niagara Glen, Floral Showhouse, Laura secord and McFarland House.Valerie belongs to a en plein aire group and they meet in various places in the Niagara area. Valerie also has paintings at the TAG Art Gallery in St Catharines.
Valerie was born in Hamilton Ontario and now live in Niagara Falls Valerie’s love of nature shows in her beautiful paintings of surrounding Niagara area and Algonquin Park.
SONJA SINDELAR
Sonja is a self-taught artist with a graduate degree in Laboratory Science. After retiring she settled in Niagara Falls, as it gives her the opportunity to follow her passion for painting.
She likes to experiment with new techniques, always developing her artwork. Sonja works in a variety of medium, including watercolour, acrylics, oils and inks. Her motto is “ Art nourishes me, it is good for my soul “ Along with a group of “Plain air “ painters, she explores and captures the beautiful Niagara Peninsula in her art .
A self-guided artist, Bob paints in a representational style and has been painting or involved with art related activities since his teen years.
Bob enjoys painting in oils on locations in various parts of rural Ontario, in the Maritimes and other places outside of Canada. Larger paintings are created in his home studio working from the ‘Plein Air’ studies and reference materials gathered on his travels.
Landscapes, seascapes, faces and figures are his favourite subjects and he spends his time experimenting and studying the craft of painting fine art to reach an ever elusive goal.
Bob is a member of The Ontario Society of Artists, Elected 1981, and the Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour, Elected 1997.
www.robertamirault.com amiraultstudio@aol.com 289.820.8723
Originally from Great Britain Win moved to Oakville with her family in 1969. In 1994 Win moved to California and opened a prestigious gallery in Laguna Beach, having a strong appreciation of landscape and impressionist painting. In California she studied with – Ken Auster, John Cosby, John Budicin, Roger Armstrong, Kevin Macpherson, and Tim Clark.
On returning from California back to Canada she opened a gallery in Oakville, and since retiring from that has been teaching at the Pumphouse in Niagara on the Lake.
Upon a visit to England she had the good fortune of meeting Master Watercolourist John Yardley, whose work would deeply influence her ability to capture light and the moment.
She has also studied with many of the Canadian Society of watercolour Artists. Recently also with Mike Svob, Dennis Perrin and Jed Dorsey.
She is an elected member of The Society of Canadian Artists. Visit whenstock.fineartstudioonline.com
KATHRINE WILSON
Kathrine Wilson has devoted much of her career to technology innovation. Naturally curious, she has always been fascinated by the intersection of science and art and this eventually led her to the complex medium of transparent watercolours as a creative outlet.
Kathrine’s subjects reflect her love for nature and she will often retreat from her home studio in favour of a beautiful outside setting. Her tools of the trade typically include a glass of Niagara wine, her easel, an assortment of Hake brushes and quality paint and paper which she uses to explore colours, patterns and tones to build out vast seascapes and landscapes.
Kathrine brings happiness to her work and believes that original art should be much more commonplace and accessible. She finds herself inspired by fellow artists on a daily basis. Her personal goal is to meet and collaborate with as many creative people as she is fortunate to get the chance to, as she continues to grow and deliver as an artist.
To view available paintings or to book her for an onsite event, you can contact her on Instagram @aquakawi or email kathrine.wilson@gmail.com
Lynne Gaetz works with oils, acrylics, and mixed media. In addition to her landscapes and abstracts, she has a large body of surreal figurative work depicting people with antlers and tall hats. A former college teacher and textbook author, Lynne has studied art at universities in Alberta and Quebec. Her extensive travels to places such as Mexico, India, and Morocco have influenced her colour palette.
Lynne has received awards from juried shows and her work is owned by private collectors in Alberta, Quebec, and Ontario. This year, several of her figurative pieces will be exhibited in LIFT “Face Value” presented by the Robert Langen Art Gallery at Sir Wilfred Laurier University. You can view her art on Instagram @lgaetz.art or on her website lgaetz.com.
JANICE LOW
Janice’s interest in nature and landscape, rural and urban, fuels her artistic endeavours producing vibrant paintings and unique photography earning Best of Show, First Prize and Honourable Mention awards. Commissions have included landscapes, homes, farms and cottage properties.
Janice was juried into the 2018 City of Niagara Falls “PlayPlayPlayNF” piano design initiative and her painting “She Waits” tied for First Place in the City of Niagara Falls 2017 Art Show. In 2020 she was selected for the sixth consecutive year to lead a Culture Days art event for the City of St Catharines and honoured to be chosen for the last five years to provide artwork for the Dundas Valley School of Art fundraising events. She also participates in many local exhibitions throughout the year.
Janice is a Niagara region artist and memberships include; Niagara Falls Art Gallery Board Member, Parkway Artists Guild, Niagara Poets and Painters, Niagara Plein Air Artists, St. Catharines Art Association, Niagara Nature Club, Castellani Art Museum, NY and the Niagara Pumphouse Arts Centre, NOTL
This event is brought to you by Expression Project, supporting local Ontario Artists
