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May/Jun 2010

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Still Life/Floral Competition Winner

COPPER, BRASS AND TOMATO Bruce Geldart

ARE SARSONS PASTELS PAINTINGS OR DRAWINGS?

MICHELANGELO ART TO STAY IN CALGARY

Kristine Sue Sarsons

Publishers Corner
PUBLISHED BY JENSU DESIGN PUBLISHER: Susan Blackman Over the next few months, Ill be in places just about as different from each other as they could get. In May, Ill be at the Mayan Riviera in Mexico, in June Ill be in the Canadian Rockies in the Lake OHara/Moraine Lake area and in July, Ill be in northern Newfoundland. In Mexico, Ill be in the popular resort area, where beaches, food, and beverages are in great abundance. Off the resort, theres so much to experience in the way of Mexican culture. In the Rockies, the crystal clear, ice-cold teal water with its backdrop of spectacular peaks and valleys holds endless appeal to artists who work in any medium, and has captured the hearts of artists for generations. In remote, northern Newfoundland, the people and the charming oldtime shing village scenes have become among my favorite of anywhere in the world. I realize every second on every trip that I am blessed to be able to experience these incredible places rsthand, but I have also come to learn that if I never went beyond 10 or 20 miles of my home, Id still never run out of interesting places to see and go to create art. Its important to remember to try to look at our surroundings in a new way. So often we are so familiar with our everyday surroundings that we dont really see them. My goal this year is to truly experience my own neighborhood as much as possible and try to present it in a meaningful way through my art. I hope that you have an opportunity to do that also. This months competition is Still Life/Floral, and we congratulate our winner Bruce Geldart for his oil painting Copper, Brass and Tomato. We also congratulate our other nalists: Doug Swinton, Fred Cameron, Jean Miller Harding, Poppy Balser, Patsy Mackinnon, Eleanor Joy McDonald, Karen Richardson and Anita McComas. FEATURED ARTISTS THIS ISSUE: Kristine Sue Sarsons Bruce Geldart Doug Swinton Fred Cameron Jean Miller Harding Poppy Balser Patsy Mackinnon Eleanor Joy Mcdonald Karen Richardson Anita McComas All material printed in this magazine, written or depicted, is protected by copyright of this magazine and/or the artist, and cannot be reproduced in any form without express written permission from the publisher. All views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of Canadian Brushstroke Magazine. Brushstroke makes no recommendations as to the purchase or sale of any product or service. All letters or contributions to Canadian Brushstroke Magazine are subject to editing with no limits or liability.

JENSU DESIGN Box 5483, Leduc, Alberta Canada T9E 6L7 Phone: 780-986-0789 Fax: 780-986-8393 E-mail: info@jensu.ca

deltaart@telusplanet.net
www.deltaart.ca

CANADIAN BRUSHSTROKE MAGAZINE Box 3449, Leduc, Alberta Canada T9E 6M2 Phone: 780-986-0789 Fax: 780-986-8393 E-mail: info@brushstrokemagazine.com www.brushstrokemagazine.com

2 Canadian Brushstroke Magazine May/June 2010

TM

By Susan Abma

www.projectheroes.ca FOLLOW OUR BLOG AT: www.projectheroestm.blogspot.com

PROJECT HEROES will see every fallen Canadian soldier from the Afghanistan war commemorated in a 14 x 18 framed work of ne art, with the intent to exhibit the paintings in every province in Canada, along with other commemorative paintings, military paraphernalia, personal items from the soldiers, including written material such as letters they wrote home, and video clips, etc. Artists Susan Abma, Shairl Honey, and Cindy Revell have been touched by the bravery of the soldiers who died serving our country in Afghanistan. As painters, they will have the extraordinary honour of recording history and preserving the memory of these exceptional men and women.

WEBSITE:

By Cindy Revell

With your help, they will be creating a massive, historic, military oil portrait collection. The fallen soldiers from Afghanistan could possibly live in their paintings for many hundreds of years. For more information on this project, go to:

www.projectheroes.ca

ATTENTION GALLERIES:
**Venues in major Canadian centres that are equipped for and large enough to host this exhibition in 2011/2012 are invited to contact Project Heroes at 780-986-0789 or email info@projectheroes.ca . All venues will be considered, but the venues chosen will be those best suited to the project.

By Shairl Honey

The paintings shown above are - Top: Cpl. David Braun, Centre: Cpl Cole Bartsch, Bottom: Cpl. Andrew Eykelenboom. The fallen soldiers portraits will be revealed on a rotating basis. The entire collection will not be displayed together until after the rst exhibition in 2011/2012.
Canadian Brushstroke Magazine May/June 2010 3

COMPETITION: STILL LIFE/FLORAL

Grand Prize Winner

of $1000 CDN and award certicate:
Bruce Geldart, Oakville, ON
Copper, Brass and Tomato, Oil, 11 x 14

ruce Geldart is inspired by the magic that occurs when applying brush to canvas to produce light and shadow. Copper, Brass and Tomato was created on Ampersand Gessobord museum series panel. The still life set up is from Geldarts personal collection of antique vessels. After a series of thumb nail sketches to establish value and composition, he transferred the nal drawing to the panel in grid style. His technique begins with laying in a Grisaille monotone, working from dark to light using quite thin washes of a single pigment of Burnt Umber to build shape and form. From this point color was laid in layer upon layer of transparent glazes to create transparent depth of color. Geldart says he used Cadmium red mixes for the vine ripened tomatoes for the bold natural color of the skin. With each consecutive layer, he continued to add additional color and detail, paying careful attention to edges hard and soft. The mix for the brass was particularly challenging using Cad yellow light and Burnt Umber. The copper is a combination of Burnt Sienna, White, Cadmium Red light, and for the shadow areas, a touch of Phthalo Blue was added to neutralize the hue. Pigments are Gamblin artists oil colors, and the painting was nished with a coat of Gamvar varnish. Painting, says Geldart, is a lot of hard work and massive amounts of concentration. For every 30 seconds of brush4 Canadian Brushstroke Magazine May/June 2010

work, there are 90 seconds of stepping back to analyze the next passages. Its all worth the effort when the light values are placed over the darks and the canvas instantly takes on a three deimensional effect. This is truly one of the exciting events for the artist. To capture a superb-quality result is the ultimate journey. Geldart typically paints in a realist style, creating diverse subject matter with landscapes, still life, marine-scapes, orals and commissioned work. See more of Geldarts work at www.imagesneart.ca

e are very pleased to present to you the Grand Prize winner of $1000 and an award certicate, as well as eight nalists who will receive nalist certicates for their portfolios. Every issue we have increasing numbers of entrants and it makes the decision tougher. This month, as usual, there were several other paintings that were really close to being in the nalist category, so we encourage artists to keep trying. Perhaps next time your painting will be featured.

Finalist
Receives award certicate:
DOUG SWINTON, Calgary, AB
Rain Day, Oil, 8 x 8

nd they say it never rains in Southern California, says Doug Swinton. Recently I was invited to paint in Cost Mesa with some friends. The rst days were cool and windy, the next two it rained. We found ourselves indoors painting owers. This was my favorite - a luscious porcelain jug of bright, fresh sunowers. It was a oong way to y to paint owers, but when its this good, Id go anywhere to paint. Swinton says he never planned on making art a career, it just keeps happening. A big part of me never left kindergarten. I still live for the Hey Mom, look what I made! I think that exhibiting in galleries is just a bit of an extension of that. Swinton gets bored easily and will it from subject to subject. As J.R. Tolkien said, Not all that wander are lost. No matter what the subject, its always the same - the most amount of information with the least amount of brushstrokes.

Swinton is an art instructor and owns Swintons Art Supply and Instruction in Calgary. More of his work can be viewed at www.dougswinton.com.

Registration with Access Copyright is free. Reproduction of your content shouldnt be.
Everyday across the country individuals in schools, businesses and government copy images from books, magazines, newspapers and journals to obtain the valuable content they need to get their jobs done. However, are you the owners of that content being compensated? Visual Artists who have registered with Access Copyright can be sure that they will be paid when their works are copied under one of our licenses.

Jack Butler, Canadian Artist Self Portrait

Access Copyright provides users with access to valuable content, while passing the royalties on to visual artists like you.

Register online at accesscopyright.ca or email us at affiliates@accesscopyright.ca to find out more. Register by May 31, 2010 to recieve the 2010 Payback.

Canadian Brushstroke Magazine May/June 2010 5 Canadian Brushstroke Magazine May/June 2010 5

Finalist
Receives award certicate:
FRED CAMERON, Whonnock, BC
Freshly Cut, Oil, 24 x 30
red Cameron says his greatest inuence and inspiration has come from William Reese, an internationally known painter and sculptor from the United States, with whom he has studied. He also considers himself fortunate to have studied with other elite artists including Ned Jacob of Maine and Russian artist Ovanes Berberian. Camerons subjects are vastly varied - from mountains to gardens, still life to nudes and wildlife. Early in his career he was greatly inuenced

by many of the old and modern day impressionists. In recent years he has become an avid follower of American impressionists. Cameron is an accomplished oil painter, and also works with

pastel. As a sculptor, he has created several limited edition bronzes. See www.artnet.com/artist/425609536/ fred-cameron.html and www.westwindartgallery.ca/artists/cameron/index.html.

Finalist

Receives award certicate: JEAN MILLER HARDING

Richmond Hill, ON
Le Bonheur, Oil, 18 x 18
ach season brings with it a variety of new owers from my garden to put to canvas. But with the rst snowfall, I head to the ower shops to choose my props, says Jean Miller Harding. Because owers are so transitory, its a challenge to capture their freshness in only a few precious days. Painting owers is a balancing act between instilling them with life, light, beauty, and technique, color, composition all that intrigues and excites my creative sensibility. Miller Harding has studios in Canada and France, and is represented in several galleries in Canada and the US, as well as being represented in France by Yves Mico. You can read more about Miller Harding, and view her work at www.millerharding.com.

6 Canadian Brushstroke Magazine May/June 2010

 Finalist
Receives award certicate:
POPPY BALSER, DIGBY, NS
Iris Pair, watercolor, 20 x 29
hen these white irises open, it looks like a cloud of white butteries has landed in my garden, says Poppy Balser. They are impressive large blooms, but eeting, as each one only lasts a few short days. It is a glorious time when they bloom, and that glory is what drives me to paint. My hope is that some of what I feel looking at my subject matter is communicated to the viewer. Balser lives in a bay in Digby, NS and she nds the surrounding vistas translate well into watercolor paintings. I nd watercolor the perfect medium for capturing the atmosphere and light of my local environment. I tend to focus on scenes of nature, be it our ever-changing coastline or owers that I have grown in my garden. Balsers work has won several awards and is found in four Nova Scotia galleries. She is a member of Visual Arts Nova Scotia, the Annapolis Regional Arts Concil, and the Plein Air Painters of the Bay of Fundy. To visit Balsers website, go to www.poppybalser.com.

Finalist
Receives award certicate:
PATSY MACKINNON, New Waterford, NS
Pussy Willow Pink, Watercolor, 14 x 10

oured watercolor is the technique used in creating the background for the pussy willows, says MacKinnon. With Maskoid protecting some of the stalks, I poured the paint onto wet paper and let it combine in beautiful gradations of color. the pussy willows were then painted with combinations of the background colors. The artist is an elected member of he Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour, and the Canadian Society of Authors, Illustrators and Performers. She has been nominated at the local level for her work as an illustrator of childrens books, and received provincial and national awards for one of her mural designs. Since 2002, she has been included in the Canadian Whos Who, published by the University of Toronto. For more information about the artist, visit her website at www.patsymackinnon.com.
Canadian Brushstroke Magazine May/June 2010 7

Finalist Receives award certicate:

ELEANOR JOY MCDONALD, Kitchener, ON
Woodland Wildowers, Oil, 20 x 16

he Jack-In-The-Pulpit blooms April through June in damp woods from Canada to Florida. Like the ornate wall pulpits in some European churches of yesteryear, says Eleanor McDonald, the little preacher of the woodland has a roof over his pulpit, too. By late summer his roof has vanished and he will become a poker of glossy, Christmas-red berries. She says one will experience time-stopping joy as you pause at the base of an old beechnut tree to take in the loveliness of woodland wildowers growing there. More of McDonalds work can be seen on her website at www.mcdonaldart.com .

Finalist
Receives award certicate:
KAREN RICHARDSON, Port Perry, ON
Simply Amaizing, Watercolor, 21 x 14
ne Thanksgiving weekend, I took some great photographs of displays of fresh produce at a roadside farm market, says Karen Richardson. This inspired a series of paintings that examine how light and shadow reveal form and texture in a variety of treasures from the vegetable patch. This watercolor of Indian corn took about four months to complete. Each kernel has a highlight, a shadowed side and reected light within the shadow. Richardsons work is displayed in private and corporate collections in 19 countries. Her favorite subjects include dramatic scenery and close-up details of he natural world, and she specializes in custom portraits of vintage architecture. She teaches watercolor classes and her website has educational features as well. More of her work can be viewed at www.karenrichardson.ca.
8 Canadian Brushstroke Magazine May/June 2010

Finalist
Receives award certicate:
ANITA MCCOMAS, Kelowna, BC
Color Riot, Acrylic, 36 x 30
his piece was a painting that I was inspired to paint after we had a series of dull, sunless days in Kelowna, says Anita McComas. I just wanted a riot of color, and for me that meant red! I wanted a very strong piece but wanted to keep it warm, not angry, so I hit the red drape with lots of yellows and oranges. It is one of those pieces that was painted from the imagination, and the main focus for me was to paint the colors without concern for anything other than what I was feeling. McComas earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va. She is a member of the Federation of Canadian Artists Central Okanagan Chapter, Society of Canadian Artists, and the Arts Council of the Central Okanagan. Her website address is www.anitamccomas.com.

Maryannes Eden
THE ART AND GARDEN GALLERY

Are you reading THIS?

Or THAT?

MARYANNE JESPERSEN/ARTIST Fine Art, impressionist style, bold color

Spring 2010 Art Show and Sale of New Works

MAY 29 10AM 5 PM RECEPTION MAY 30 11AM- 5 PM
109 Center Ave. East Black Diamond AB. T0L 0H0 403-933-5524 www.maryanneseden.com maryanneseden@persona.ca

Our ads get read!

sales@brushstrokemagazine.com Phone 780-986-0789
Canadian Brushstroke Magazine May/June 2010 9

CALL CALL FOR FOR ENTRIES ENTRIES

All About Light

Competition No. Subject

We want to show off Canadas artists, and our competitions help us do that! Be sure to enter your artwork in our competitions not only do you have a chance to

10
All About Light - Artists
favorite subjects showing the results of light (or lack of it

WIN $1000 CDN

plus an award certicate, but we also get a chance to see your work and we just may feature YOU in an upcoming issue of Canadian Brushstroke Magazine.

Medium

Two dimensional drawing or painting medium $15 each

(You can enter as many works as you would like)

Entry Fee Entry Deadline

Aug 30/2010

*Winners and nalists will be featured in the Sept/Oct 2010 issue of Canadian Brushstroke Magazine

RULES - HOW TO ENTER

DIGITAL FILES ONLY Enter with high res digital le only on CD only. Do not send digital images via email to our ofces - they will be automatically disqualied. You must print off the entry form on next page, complete it, and send it along with your CD and method of payment. If you have more entries than the space allotted, please print another form and ll it out completely. All CDs must be labeled with the artists name, the number of entries on the CD, each of their titles and this issues Competition Number. All les on the CD must be labeled as follows: lastname/rstname/Entry No. Example: John Smiths Entry No. 2 would be labeled smithjohn2. ELIGIBILITY This competition is open to any artist with residency in Canada. All work must be original, not copied from any other artists work, photographers work or published work of any kind, and must have been completed in the last two years. The work can not have won previous awards or any distinction of any kind. No works created under supervision are eligible. We reserve the right to refuse any entry, or ask for source material at our discretion.

10 Canadian Brushstroke Magazine May/June 2010

RULES - HOW TO ENTER (contd)

ENTRY FEE/DEADLINE The DEADLINE for Canadian Brushstroke Magazine to RECEIVE entries is Aug 30. You cannot courier material to our box number, so be sure to send it in plenty of time (Address is on submission form below). The fee per entry is $15 CDN, which can be paid by VISA, cheque or money order. The fee MUST be included with the CD and entry form submission. The entry fee is not refundable. COMPETITION JUDGES The competition entries will be chosen by Canadian Brushstroke Magazine, and/or qualied judges of our choosing. PERMISSION TO PUBLISH Signing and submission of the entry form, digital les and payment will constitute permission for Canadian Brushstroke Magazine to publish your artwork(s), your name and information in our magazine, which is released on the internet, and copies archived on our website on the internet for as long as the publisher wishes to keep the archived editions on the site. Submission of the entry also constitutes the entrants acceptance of all competition rules. The winner and nalists will be notied by e-mail, and their work will be published in the specied edition of the magazine. The judges decisions are nal. Grand Prize winners may not enter the competition for a full two years after winning. Finalists may re-enter. Canadian Brushstroke Magazine does not accept any liability for color variations that may occur as a result of different computer screens. The artists will be properly credited.

Entry 1

Entry 2
Title: Title:

Entry 3

E N T R Y F O R M

Title:

Medium:

Medium:

Medium:

Size: (HXW)

Size: (HXW)

Size: (HXW)

I enclose my cheque or money order for the total fee of $15 Canadian PER ENTRY OR, please charge the total sum to my VISA: _____________________________________ EXPIRY DATE:_______________________Signature________________________________

*Please BE SURE to include a paragraph about yourself and another about each painting for us to use in the event we publish your painting(s).
I solemnly declare that all the works listed on this entry form are my own original artworks and I own the copyright to the work and to all source material used in creating this artwork. I understand the entry, including the form and CD, will not be returned, and I understand the entry fee is nonrefundable. I have thoroughly read and agree to all competition rules, and I understand I am granting the rights to publish my name, the artworks listed and information in an upcoming issue of Canadian Brushstroke Magazine and that the issue will be archived for an undetermined amount of time on Canadian Brushstroke Magazines website: www.brushstrokemagazine.com. **If you wish to receive conrmation that we have received your entry, enclose a self-addressed STAMPED postcard.

Name (PRINT CLEARLY)

Phone Number (include area code)

Street Address

Email

City/Province

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SIGNATURE

Please mail this form and the properly labeled CD (see Rules - How to Enter) with properly labeled les to: Canadian Brushstroke Magazine, Box 3449, Leduc, AB, T9E 6M2
Canadian Brushstroke Magazine May/June 2010 11

classieds
ARTIST PROJECTS WORKSHOPS/RETREATS

FALLEN HEROES

Sign up for the Project Heroes newsletter and get regular updates on the progress of the upcoming exhibition of the portraits of fallen Canadian soldiers. (See ad on Page 3). To sign up, email your name and info, including email address, to info@projectheroes. ca. Website: www.projectheroes.ca .

ARTIST GETAWAY Plein Air with Maryanne Jespersen: Come

enjoy a glass of wine while watching this award winning artist bring life to the canvas during the Friday Painting Demo in the studio at Diamond Willow Artisan Retreat. Then on Saturday enjoy a full day of Maryannes pleinair instruction. Suitable for beginners/intermediate, learn Maryannes distinctive style in oils on our 11 acres. Comfortable accommodations, wholesome meals & 24 hour studio available. Download description: http://diamondwillowartisanretreat.com/pleinair.pdf . Call (403) 933-5755 to book.

CALL FOR ENTRIES

JURIED EXHIBITION

Call for Entry: The Federation of Canadian Artists presents the 8th Annual Paiting on the Edge Open International Juried Exhibition. $8000 in prizes. Deadline: June 4. For prospectus visit www.artists.ca GALLERY SHOWS

PLEIN AIR WORKSHOP

Plein Air Painting at Lake OHara, Bow Lake and Moraine Lake with Jerry Markham, July 16-19, 2010. Follow in the footsteps of the masters by painting some of the most beautiful locations in the Canadian Rockies. Visit www.jerrymarkham.com or call 1-877-311-2787 for details.

GALLERY 78

Gallery 78 presents: Measha; A Personal Symphony Paintings in oil and mixed media: transparent watercolour, acrylic archival varnish by Ann Balch May 14th to June 6th, 2010 Balchs paintings and techniques were featured in Brushstrokes Nov/Dec 2009 issue: www.brushstrokemagazine.com/issues/2009/hires/2009_11_hr.pdf . MARKETING/PROMOTION

BEGINNER WORKSHOPS
Workshops with Valerie Kent: Acrylic landscape for beginners, June 5/6, Wellington Artist Gallery. Explorations of Painting Media and Equipment, July 5-9. Collage and Texture with mixed media July 10, Haliburton School of the Arts. Mixed Media Collage Painting, Aug. 23 -27, Southampton Art School. Details: www.valeriekent.com, artistvalerie@yahoo.com, 905-508-5531

TO BOOK YOUR CLASSIFIED...

To book your classied ad, send your ad information to: sales@brushstrokemagazine.com . Categories can include but are not limited to: Artist Projects, Artist Studios, Art Supplies, Call for Entries, Gallery Listing, Gallery Shows, Marketing/Promotion Services, Workshops/Retreats, For Sale, Wanted, etc. Classieds are $25 for 25 words and .50 for each additional word. To include an image will be $25 extra. You will be contacted to conrm the ad and to arrange payment.

ARTIST WEBSITES

Artist Websites from $399 Not sure how to set up your own website but want to promote your work online? We can set one up for you. Visit www.artmarketingbusiness.com or call 1-877311-2787 for more information.

12 Canadian Brushstroke Magazine May/June 2010

THIS MURAL OF MICHELANGELO ARTWORK WAS CLASSIFIED AS A SIGN BY THE CITY OF CALGARY AND, BECAUSE IT WAS COVERING TOO MUCH WINDOW SURFACE, THE STORE OWNER WAS ORDERED TO REMOVE IT. See original story on Page 14 at www.brushstrokemagazine.com/issues/2009/hires/2009_09_ hr.pdf.

CALGARY ART STORE OWNER WINS

bylaw battle
AND CAN KEEP CONTROVERSIAL SIGN

ollowing an almost two-year battle, Swintons Art Supplies has nally been permission from the City of Calgary Bylaw department to keep its $10,000 window art mural. After paying over $1400 in application fees and applying three times to the City, Swintons was granted a relaxation by the development appeal board, and the mural can remain. Store owner Doug Swinton had worked with a company that does professional mounting and eventually came up with the images (above) that completely cover his windows and doors, although you can clearly see outside from inside the building during the day. Its a mural, a work of art. Its real classical, non-offensive, suits the building - suits the area, Swinton said in an interview last year.

But the City of Calgary had classied it as a sign and insisted that no more than 30 percent of the windows could be covered. Swinton argues that many companies cover their windows completely with seasonal scenes or sale specials. After paying $1400 in application fees, and spending countless hours working on the dilemma, Swintons Art Supplies was granted the relaxation last month. We are relieved that common sense prevailed and the city relaxed its position, says Swinton. We are also extremely grateful for all the community support, business support and most of all the media support in the quest to personalize or beautify the City of Calgary; this is the greatest city in the world.
Canadian Brushstroke Magazine May/June 2010 13

Johnson Gallery Tracey Mardon 7711 - 85 St., Edmonton, AB 780-465-6171 www.johnsongallery.ca

Susan Abma

Johnson Gallery

Cindy Revell

7711 - 85 St., Edmonton, AB 780-465-6171 www.johnsongallery.ca

Susan Abma
14 Canadian Brushstroke Magazine May/June 2010

WEST (Yukon, Alberta, B.C.)

MORNING ENUMERATIONS Pastel, 13 x 17

painting? or drawing?
Sundre, Alberta artists pastel works have the effect of a painting and she laughingly says its because shes a wannabe oil painter.

s it a painting or a drawing? One could ask that question of the pastel work of Sundre, AB artist Kristine Sue Sarsons. She frames them to feel like paintings and says they have more of a painting effect. I think Im a wannabe oil painter, she laughs.

No matter what you call them, her works are becoming increasingly popular, and have a distinct style all her own. Sarsons was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and raised in Houston, TX. For many years she worked as a graphic designer, with one of her jobs being in her parents print shop.
Canadian Brushstroke Magazine May/June 2010 15

ABOVE: LANGUID Pastel, 16 x 20 BELOW: ANNA BELLE Pastel, 10 x 8

Although she was formally educated in art, she didnt pursue ne arts until her son was in kindergarten, about 15 years ago. At that time, she attended Klondike Days in Edmonton, AB. I saw Steve Riddell doing pencil portraits. It was just something that I really wanted to do. He really inspired me. He was offering classes and Sarsons spent a week in his class. After that week, she set up a table in a friends framing store in West Edmonton Mall and started doing commissioned portraits. She wasnt being courageous, she says. When you like what your doing, it doesnt seem hard. And I had diverse training and a really solid value background. I never really lost that. Compared to her current style, Sarsons says her pencil portraits were very tightly detailed and took a lot of time to complete. My style has changed - dramatically. I dont really use pencil anymore. If Im working black and white, I go for charcoal instead. That suits her looser and more direct style perfectly.
16 Canadian Brushstroke Magazine May/June 2010

MORNING REMUNERATIONS Pastel,

ABOVE: LILAC Pastel, 18 x 24 BELOW: THE REHEARSAL Pastel, 16 x 20

Sarsons credits much of her change in style to a Calgary art instructor - Doug Swinton. He took me from being all over the map and provided me with read this, study this... She says he got her to focus more on what she was good at, and to loosen up and be more expressive. Other artists who have inspired her include Richard Schmidt, who is phenomenal, Carolyn Anderson, whose portraits are expressive, very free, and Richard McKinley for his knowledge and freeness of giving that knowledge. The artist works mainly in soft pastels, using a variety of brands. She works at an easel and has a drafting table covered with my trays of colors.
Canadian Brushstroke Magazine May/June 2010 17

I do love my pastels for their versatility and immediacy. I also think that they are an under-used medium. Although she works on other papers, Sarsons usually prefers a heavy Winsor & Newton watercolor. I go from hot to cold, and smooth to rough, depending on what Im after. Most of her work is done from photographs which she says she takes with her very large telephoto lens, or from live models. She rarely sprays her nished works. My favorite way to frame them is under glass thats directly on the pastel and I use a liner outside. It has more of the effect of a painting. She also often frames with a mat and spacer. Sarsons likes to start her pastels with an underdrawing in harder pastel and then use the soft pastels. I work really quickly now and not in a lot of layers. I like to work more direct. A recent trip to Vancouver stirred up emotions and inspired her. For a future project she would like to do a series on street people, likely in the Calgary area. Id like to somehow be able to raise money to benet them. Using her work to help benet worthy causes is nothing new to Sarsons. When Hurricane Katrina devastated the southeastern US, she painted a special painting featuring a boys face, a Mardi Gras mask, and other signicant images. A friend of her donated the frame and the work was auctioned off and the proceeds sent to the Red Cross for their efforts there.

ABOVE: RESILIENCE Charcoal, 14 x 10 LEFT: MOMENTS Charcoal, 9 x 12

18 Canadian Brushstroke Magazine May/June 2010

MELON Charcoal, 12 x 12

Although Sarsons is an accomplished artist and has had her work published in a North Light Book, Strokes of Genius II, she says, Im not where I want to be yet with my work. Im always learning. Her goals are always changing. I think the goal for me before was to replicate what I saw reproduce the details. That was the skill for me. I think now that I am becoming more expressive. Im not just trying to duplicate. I want to have something to say.

Kristine Sue Sarsons studied commercial art at the Art Institute of Houston. Although Alberta is now her home she says she still feels her roots rmly planted among the pines and pecan trees of her
formative years. Visit her website at www.kristinesarsons.com.
Canadian Brushstroke Magazine May/June 2010 19

Johnson Gallery Tracey Mardon 7711 - 85 St., Edmonton, AB 780-465-6171 www.johnsongallery.ca

Tracey Mardon

Johnson Gallery
7711 - 85 St., Edmonton, AB 780-465-6171 www.johnsongallery.ca

Cindy Revell
20 Canadian Brushstroke Magazine May/June 2010

Susan Abma

MARKHAM ON MARKETING

To Blog or Not To Blog

blog (short for weblog) is a personal online journal that is frequently updated and intended for general public consumption. Basically, its sharing with the public what you have been working on, how you feel about it and anything else you would like to share. If you have heard that you should be blogging but arent sure why or if you should, here are the positives and negatives to blogging as an artist, and you can decide what is best for you. BENEFITS OF BLOGGING: Blogging creates a personal connection with people who are interested in your work. They learn more about who you are and your creative process. This could potentially create more sales as people enjoy having a personal connection with you and understanding the creative process behind your work. It gives you favor in search engines because it creates a lot of additional words that search engines can pick up on. It can help you become more open about speaking about yourself and your art, and it can be a record of your career for yourself and others to look back on. DOWNSIDE OF BLOGGING: The biggest downfall is that it can take a lot of time. To be effective, you should be posting to a blog a minimum of once a week. Depending on how much time you spend on your blog, it can take away from valuable studio time. Sometimes an artists process is personal and shouldnt be shared until you are happy with the work. What you post should represent your best work and not necessarily everything you do.

Classical Soprano Measha Brueggergosman is subject of Moncton artists solo exhibition

he Ann Balch solo show of paintings of Canadian classical soprano Measha Brueggergosman opens this month at Gallery 78 in Fredericton, NB. The Moncton, NB artists work was covered in the Nov/Dec issue of Canadian Brushstroke Magazine. Oe of the Measha series is on Page 11 of that issue: http://www.brushstrokemagazine.com/issues/2009/ hires/2009_11_hr.pdf. Its a rst for Canadas classical soprano Measha Brueggergosman the rst painting exhibition where I serve as the subject, she says. Balch approached her almost three years ago, and was granted unprecedented access, private and public, in many different venues over that period of time. The result is a solo show, Measha; A Private Symphony. which opens May 14 and continues until June 6. Neither of us realized at rst that it would take so many sittings, Balch says. I spent hours with her, sitting in on rehearsals and performances, and then Id go back home and paint, and Id meet with her months later in a different context to look at some different aspect. Brueggergosmans willingness to offer so much of her time increased after the celebrity sat for her portrait on Bravo TVs Star Portraits (see past episodes at www.starportraits.ca). After she did the show, Balch says, she told me shed gained a whole new realization of what an intimate act it is to paint someone and to be painted, and so she offered me more of a glimpse into her private life. Brueggergosman has chosen one of the paintings for her collection. She speaks of Balchs work as gorgeous work - it is truly gorgeous, and not because of the subject. Anns a gifted artist, and its been my pleasure to sit for her. For more information, go to www.gallery78.com.
Canadian Brushstroke Magazine May/June 2010 21

Some people are all about utilizing blogs, Twitter, and Facebook. There are many successful artists who dont utilize those tools. If you have the time to use them, they provide an additional marketing component, over and above maintaining a website and email newsletter. You are the best judge of how much time you have and where your time is best spent. If you nd it difcult to set aside enough studio time you may decide your priorities are to spend your time in the studio and to keep your website up to date.

Leah Markham provides marketing and business services for artists. Visit her website at www.artmarketingbusiness.com.

letters...
Buyers should get tax credit on sale of original Canadian art
Dear Editor, Graeme Smith's article made some interesting suggestions in the Nov/Dec 2008 CDN Brushstroke Magazine, Page 4 (http://www.brushstrokemagazine.com/issues/2008/ hires/2008_11_hr.pdf). If followed up on, his ideas are capable of being transformed into a series of art-oriented initiatives with an enduring nancial upside. The core idea is to offer tax incentives to customers buying original Canadian artwork. But not just for a rst sale but for any sale that ts the criteria. Possibly there would need to be a cut off since established high income artists don't need the incentive. To make it work here, one of the parameters to make a tax incentive viable politically would have to be that the art in question has to be not just Canadian but recognizably and veriably representative of Canadian scenery, wildlife, people, ideology or events. This can't work if the subject matter is something other than a 100 percent patriotic effort. house for stolen art objects. 3. If such a registry was created in the past, it would quickly be inundated with paper documents. With the internet, the paper and thus a staggering amount of space is largely unnecessary.

Most professional artists in Canada operate below the poverty line. Such a situation speaks to the neglect the visual arts are subjected to despite the fact that most people do enjoy good art.

A registry would represent a historical record by artist and in such a way, our artists could be known and researched by scholars in the future. Its a way of providing context for Canadian Culture.
Another aspect of the process to help the program work long term would be the creation of an art registry where paintings qualifying for the tax credit could be numerically identied and matched against a photo of the art. The art itself would be numbered. This would take place before the art was sold. Initially, this would seem like an invasive procedure but the trouble taken to register the art would have several benets: 1. Numeric registration assists in the evaluation and actual value of identiable precious work. The antique car hobby runs on numbers and the worth of collectible autos is in the documentation. 2. Registries can be used in many different ways. Identifying art and value without a registry is much harder than otherwise. Canada has a global reputation as a clearing
22 Canadian Brushstroke Magazine May/June 2010

4. A registry would represent a historical record by artist and in such a way, our artists could be known and researched by scholars in the future. It's a way of providing context for Canadian Culture. The entire intent will be to create a need by ascribing worth to Canadian original art while having the art educate as well as entertain the public. We don't want Canadian tax dollars to be spent developing art where the subject matter is of some other part of the world or subjects that are not focussed on the Canadian experience. This approach would narrow the number of artists competing for the tax break as it would shut out production work meant to be duplicated. Right now this is just a concept but I do have experience helping governments to change legislation. This is a feelgood, win/win/win situation in many ways. To move forward, it will take participation and input from other artists right across the country to show there is a need and support for this sort of approach. A subsequent article in the May/June 2009 issue, Page 15 (http://www.brushstrokemagazine.com/issues/2009/ hires/2009_05_hr.pdf) put together by York University's Michael Maranda showed clearly how nancially destitute the Canadian art scene is for visual artists. It is one of the few nancial enterprises where the professional is traditionally reduced to less than beggar status yet still has to subsidize the sale of his or her artworks. Most professional artists in Canada operate below the poverty line. Such a situation speaks to the neglect the visual arts are subjected to despite the fact that most people do enjoy good art. Continued on next page...

the last word... letters contd...

Tax credit on sale of original art
Its a unique situation where the some of the most talented people in the country are trapped by their talent and often lack of opportunity to a life of penury through the inability to tap into the means to create awareness and appreciation in a population that can be considered artistically uneducated. How does a destitute artist single-handedly re-educate an insensitive public to what should become part of our valued Canadian heritage? Canadians have been conditioned to think of artists as fringe players in the economic scene. But how fringe can we really be if art is one of the last manufacturing processes left in this country? At some point, the general population has to understand that an investment in Canadian art is an investment in Canada as a whole. It can only help us all each time a Canadian artist sells an original Canadian work of art. From a government standpoint, artists who are successful and earning incomes above the poverty line are paying income tax. That tax would more than make up for the loss of the sales taxes. By converting artists with little or no income into artists who make a respectable income, everyone wins. Let's get some dialogue going on this and see if we can't help the government help us to help them help get Canada growing again at the grass roots level. John Newell, Pickering, Ontario

Last issue you may have noticed that we moved the classieds to a more central location (this issue: Page 12). We would like to have more events, more gallery listings, more artist workshops, etc. in the magazine. We are hoping that a more central location will help grow the classied section, which we feel will be an important service to our readers. Classieds are $25 for 25 words, and .50 for each additional word, and including a photo is $25 additional. This is a very reasonable price to reach more than 12,000 readers in Canada. An added bonus is our 2400+ international readers. If you would like any information about our classieds, or would like to send in your classied advertisement, contact sales@ brushstrokemagazine.com . No ad will run without conrmation. You will be contacted to conrm the ad and to arrange payment.

Canadian Brushstroke Magazine benets the Canadian Art Industry nationwide by providing:
6 Annual issues. The magazines PDF format offers readers a traditional-style magazine format online, resulting in readership cover-to-cover, difcult to achieve in a usual website format. Tracked readership, because we require subscription information. Free subscriptions to more than 14,000 subscribers (many forward it to their own mailing list resulting in increased readership.)

Each issue features at least one artist from each of the four regions: West, Central, East and Maritimes. Reduced advertising overhead by lowering our magazine production costs. Increased Green Environmental image through reduced paper and ink consumption. Increased youth market penetration through hi-tech communications. Free delivery directly to the readers personal emails, rather than by newsstands. Editorial news tidbits, information on shows, competitions, events, classieds and more.

sales@brushstrokemagazine.com Phone 780-986-0789

Canadian Brushstroke Magazine May/June 2010 23

Johnson Gallery Tracey Mardon 7711 - 85 St., Edmonton, AB 780-465-6171 www.johnsongallery.ca

Anne McCormick

Johnson Gallery
7711 - 85 St., Edmonton, AB 780-465-6171 www.johnsongallery.ca
Cindy Revell

Susan Abma
24 Canadian Brushstroke Magazine May/June 2010