Drawing & Painting

Chris Barling

Abstract Drawing & Painting

Born out of the vivid landscapes of imagination and emotion, Chris Barling is an abstract artist whose creations dance with the spirit of Jackson Pollock’s frenetic energy and Wassily Kandinsky’s harmonious compositions. With a brush dipped in spontaneity and a palette ignited by passion, Chris crafts visual symphonies that transcend the boundaries of traditional form.
Drawing inspiration from Pollock’s pioneering techniques of drip painting and Kandinsky’s exploration of synesthesia, Barling orchestrates a visual language that speaks directly to the soul. Each stroke is a revelation, each colour a melody, blending and weaving together in a vibrant tapestry of emotions.
In Barling’s works, chaos finds harmony, and randomness discovers intention. Through the interplay of line, shape, and colour, they invite viewers to journey beyond the confines of reality into realms where the subconscious reigns supreme.
As a disciple of Pollock and Kandinsky, Barling embraces the power of abstraction to evoke profound emotional responses and ignite the imagination. 
As a lightworker and empath, Chris also channels energy through meditation to create visuals based on tapping into different levels of consciousness. Currently, Chris is integrating his gifts in order to eventually provide clients personalized artwork.
His art is not merely seen but experienced—a reflection of the human spirit’s boundless capacity for expression and connection.

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Susan Fraser

Fine Drawing

Susan Fraser was born and educated in the United States. She has been a research assistant in microbiology labs, the manager of a private botanical garden, several garden centers and has had a keen interest in biology and art throughout her life.
She hitchhiked around Europe touring galleries, museums and churches. Her art career began while living in Germany. Later she immigrated to Canada and painted commission work based on the abundance of migratory waterfowl and resident owl populations on the Ontario Flyways. A year on Vancouver Island afforded opportunities to paint orcas and  to experience the rich art culture of the west coast.

Susan now resides in the Ottawa Valley, nestled between the Ottawa River and Algonquin Park where she is frequently visited by deer, owls, wolves, moose and black bear on her acreage.

Her artwork is a result of lifelong study nature and of photography which captures her subjects in their natural state. The most intimate poses are acquired without awareness of a human presence. Susan has an amazing touch for textures, catching the velvet of the deer’s antlers and the shine of the eye.

After years of oil and acrylic painting, Susan sharpened her drawing skills with four years of drawing in graphite and charcoal. She is now making a return to color with acrylic painting and pastel drawing/painting.Her award winning drawings and paintings are in private and corporate collections across Canada and internationally. Susan has been elected into the Society of Canadian Artists and granted Drawing Master status from the Drawing Society of Canada.

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Carol Grant

Abstract Painting

In addition to her work as a potter, Carol does abstract painting. 

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Robin Knox

Robin’s Nest Arts

Robin was born in Burlington, Ontario and growing up in a rural setting gave her an early appreciation for God’s creation and the beauty of the changing seasons.  Encouraged by her parents and art teachers to pursue drawing and painting in various mediums, she could always be found with a pencil and paper in hand.  Her love of watercolour began with an adult education class in wet on wet technique with Ontario artist Kai-Liis McInnis in the the early 1980’s.  A busy career as a lab technologist/Pastor’s wife and a young family to raise kept painting to a casual hobby for many years.

A move to Grande Cache, Alberta allowed her to join a local art club and to show and sell work regularly in their active group.  Painting weekly now she developed a definite style of loose, calligraphic, moody yet colourful landscapes.  A further move west brought her to the coast of BC and it’s varied landscapes and moods.  At the encouragement of fellow artist Peach Myers,  a small guild of amateur painters calling themselves the Easel Weasels formed.  Meeting for semi-annual workshops with various artists has given added depth and versatility to Robin’s paintings and subject material.  She loves to paint outdoors as well as from her own photo materials.  Robin now works in various mixed media and has done portraits and wildlife as well as abstract.  Her works have won several art competitions held locally and received Honorable mention in the Regional Juried Show in Kitimat. Published and awarded Honourable Mention in the National magazine The Mennonite Herald She Joined the Federation of Canadian Artists in 2018 and achieved Active Status in 2019. In 2020 she received the first ever “Outstanding Artist of the Year Award”  from The Prince Rupert Community Arts Council. With the support of local businesses Cow Bay Café, Cowpaccinos, McLean and Rudderham, Highliner Inn, Performing Arts Centre , Terrace Art gallery, the Ice House Gallery and now the Valley Artisans Gallery in Deep River.  She  has sold her works to places from west Virginia, Mexico City  to Hong Kong.

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Boni Patterson

Watercolour Painting

Boni was born & raised in Hamilton Ontario, trained as a Registered Nurse in Guelph and then moved to Deep River, Ontario, on the shores of the majestic Ottawa River. She was instantly captivated by the pristine beauty and serenity of the Ottawa Valley and made it her home for the past 45 years.   

 Boni was employed at Atomic Energy of Canada for 30 years and retired 2 years ago to pursue her love of painting and other more personal ventures. She has always felt creative callings in many media but discovered her passion for watercolour about 20 years ago. 

Boni has studied with Warren Thurston, Jack Reid, Pauol Thrane, and Art Cunanhan. She then had the good fortune to meet and work with renown Zoltan Szabo who was to become her dear friend, teacher & mentor for 15 years. He taught her to see the beauty in all that surrounds us. He taught her to see shapes and wonderful colours, to paint with her heart, and to honor nature always.

She finds solace and fulfillment in this magical elusive media, which continues to excite & mystify her with its wonderful happy “accidents”. She says “I feel I am always just on the edge of control. The paint has a mind of it’s own and usually leads me to discover new directions. I look forward to unexpected lessons when I take risks. I love the romance of the landscapes with soft lost edges but contemporary abstracts with sweeping lines & magnificent colours also appeal to my senses.”

She has exhibited in various cafes & tearooms and is a member of the very successful, From The Valley Artisan’s Co-op in Deep River. She has been a part of several Studio Tours, and Art exhibits in Peterborough area and the Ottawa Valley and has had a solo exhibit supported by the Ontario Arts Council. Her paintings, cards and jewelry  are found in private collections across Canada, United States, Europe , South America and Asia.

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Rose Stewart

Drawing & Painting

Rose Stewart is a Mishkeegogamang First Nation band member from North Western Ontario who moved to the Ottawa Valley with her parents in 2017.

Rose is a young self taught artist with a unique flair for art.

 

 

 

Sharon Waller

Northern Landscapes

I’m a local Artist, living in Deep River, Ontario. My inspiration is the beauty of our Northern Landscape, plein air painting in Algonquin Park, Canoe Lake, Barron Canyon. Deep River has so many beautiful Lakes and Trails! I enjoy photographing all the beauty in nature.

My medium is acrylic and oil. l have dabbled in watercolor and love pastels. I have been painting, for 4 years. My inspiration is the mysterious Tom Thomson. l have such great admiration for our Group of Seven, which was
formed after Tom Thomson’s untimely death.

Sharon joined the Valley Artisans’ Coop in 2022

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