In Depth with The Evergreen Artists

We had the opportunity to chat with the nine artists featured in the Evergreen Exhibition this fall! They opened up to us and allowed us to understand their artistic process and what inspired them to paint. Keep reading to learn more about these amazing artists and gain insights into what drives them to keep creating.

The Evergreen artists at Opening Reception!

Ewa Stryjnik

Ewa Stryjnik is a familiar face here at Twist Gallery, Evergreen is the third exhibition she has participated in. Many of Ewa’s paintings are influenced by the vast and uninhabited regions of Northern Canada. Ewa feels it is a privilege to live in one of the most beautiful countries of the world where one can still experience the pristine, natural territories. With her landscape paintings, Ewa invites the viewer to walk through the lands she’s visited and experience the topography; the natural and physical features of the area, as well as, the moods of the weather. 

Labrador 3 (Battle Harbour) | 54" x 48" | $3500 | by Ewa Stryjnik

Over the years, Ewa has adapted her creative practice. For years, she loved to apply multiple layers on the canvas. Allowing for the colours and shapes to peak through, in order to create the complexity of the surface. Lately, she simplifies the layers, opening up bigger fields to bring calmness and clarity to her paintings. Ewa’s paintings project happy and positive energy, which she achieves with bright, saturated colours. 

Theo McLaren

Theo McLaren has been drawing and painting for over 40 years. Recently, Theo has adopted monoprinting; she enjoys this technique because it is a more spontaneous and intuitive method of mark-making. 

Her favourite piece from the Evergreen is “River Flow.” It is a piece inspired by watching the tide in New Brunswick. She was fascinated by the patterns the water was leaving behind in the sand. 

River Flow | 20" x 14" | $400 | by Theo McLaren

Theo’s current artwork is about a memory of a place, traveling through the Canadian landscape. When you are alone in the forest or in the vast hills you think about where you have been or where you are going next. Or sometimes you pass by without really looking - but that image stays in your mind and resurfaces later.

Monique Parlevliet

Monique Parlevliet started working primarily with oil paint in 2021, after painting with acrylic for years prior. She finds the motivation to create in the hopes that those around her will enjoy it. When she finishes a painting, Monique always makes sure to share it with her family because she knows it will put a smile on their faces. 

When creating, Monique tries to not spend a load of time on one painting. It is easy for her to get caught up in “small details”, which you can tell from her beautifully detailed work. She likes to keep her paintings on the impressionist side, which she can easily end up overthinking and overworking if she spends too long on it. 

Beaver Valley | 16"x 20" | $1100 | by Monique Parlevliet

Monique finds inspiration from seemingly plain but scenic views of trails, fields and lakes in places she travels to. Growing up in a small farm town, she is influenced by her love of fields, which is something that some people might see every day but never fully appreciate. Monique used to think that landscapes had to be beautiful and one of a kind to be worth painting, like giant mountains or a crystal clear lake. She has since come to appreciate the beauty in more common scenes

Nerso

For Nerso, Evergreen is his first group exhibit and that makes it very dear to his heart. It is a new experience, meeting other artists, and gaining new perspectives. Overall,  Nerso is very excited to take part in the exhibit. 

As an introvert, Nerso is accustomed to painting in the nook of his basement. He still manages to create even when natural lighting is scarce. Out of Nerso’s whole Evergreen collection “Pink Parasol '' is his favourite painting. 

The Pink Parasol | 24" x 24" | $1100 | by Nerso

 Family is very important to him. The branches symbolize the protecting arms of a family and the pink parasol itself represents the bonds within a family, characterized by deep affection, respect, loyalty, and unconditional love. What viewers can take away from his art is a state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled.

Michael Brennan 

Michael Brennan’s motivation to paint fulfills the need to practice creativity and freedom. After years of making art for other people commercially, it feels good to have the freedom to make his own choices and make something for himself. Michael is endlessly experimenting with materials, paints, brushes, and surfaces. Constantly trying out new things or painting at new locations to keep him stimulated every day. As an artist, Michael finds he is learning something new about art, so he can't get enough.

Sunrise Sunflower Farm | 18" x 24" | $900 | by Michael Brennan

The hardest part of creating a painting for Micheal is making it look fresh and spontaneous. He finds it easier to get the look he’s after when working from life, but there are times it just doesn't work out and it is better to just start over instead of reworking. That is one of the reasons why he enjoys painting with oil. He can wipe and start over. 

For Evergreen, Michael shares his space in the gallery with his aunt Maria Grazia. They come from a creative family, so he finds it nice to have a collaboration where they can showcase work together. We couldn’t agree more!

Maria Grazia 

For Maria Grazia, painting is equivalent to a type of meditation. Her focal point is what inspires and moves her the most in life and that’s why most of her subjects include the natural world, whether it's the sky, water, trees, or flowers. 

Maria has learned over the years that ALL paintings go through an “ugly” or not-so-desirable stage. Back when she was first learning to paint she threw away a lot of paper and painted over a lot of canvases because she would not like something she painted and just give up. Now Maria knows that it's only a natural part of the process and if she keeps at it, the piece transforms right in front of her eyes. 

Quiet Is The Night | 11” x 14” | $240 | by Maria Grazia

The paintings Maria features in Evergreen specifically highlight the sky. Maria loves the sky and that’s why she paints it. She lives on the 20th floor of a condo and it faces the West, so almost every night of the week she is treated to a beautiful light show of various stunning colours during sunset. Nature is a master artist and it inspires her!

Janet Horne Cozens

Janet Horne Cozens is drawn to painting Canadian landscapes because they were part of her childhood, growing up in Northern Ontario. Even after decades of living in Southern Ontario, she still feels that sense of "home" when traveling north and experiencing the rocks, the trees, the water, and the skies of that area. 

Painting landscapes is a very personal expression of Janet’s life journey. Janet sees herself as an ambassador of the Northern Experience, not only the physical world but also of the culture and spirituality that exists in Northern Ontario. It's hard for her to explain in words but there is a different feeling that you experience when you are outdoors there - a sense of awe at the natural world, a connection to the land that is fostered by the natives, a sense of vastness and separation from others, and a serenity that one cannot find in the hustle and bustle of the big city or urban sprawl. She tries to convey those impressions and experiences to the viewer in my work. 

Reflections (BLACK RIVER) | 30" x 40" | $2000 | by Janet Horne Cozens

Janet’s style of painting is influenced by Canadian artist, Tom Thomas. When Janet studied at Ontario College of Art (now OCAD), she used to spend hours pouring over his small plywood oil sketches that were kept in drawers in the gallery, taking in each brush stroke. Janet’s favourite work of his is Morning, now in the Tom Thomson Gallery in Owen Sound, because of the colours that he uses in it: purples and pinks and mauves. 

Janet loves indigenous art of all styles because at first glance it seems so simple, but as you look at it you become aware of the artist's personality, culture, and personal experiences coming through in the art. 

Heather Munsie

Throughout Heather Munsie’s artistic career, she’s had lots of support and inspiration. Heather and her husband travel to find references for her paintings and her husband’s enthusiasm and support keep her going. 

When she first started painting, living in Calgary, Heather had a mentor who pushed her to deeply analyze a scene and gave her the confidence to pursue painting as a career. Heather is inspired by master painters and her current favorite is William Blaire Bruce (b. 1859) from Hamilton, Ontario. 

Rapids Amphitheater | 22”x 30” | $1000 | by Heather Munsie

Prior to being a painter, Heather was a geologist. Both geology and painting involves looking at the bigger picture and working down to the details. Heather has an appreciation for the complexity of how the terrain was formed and strives to paint accurately to best depict the geology of the landscape. 

When she’s outdoors it’s easy to feel the energy of the scene because it engages all senses. “The trick is to hold onto the energy of the location and bring that into the studio.” Heather will ask herself these questions; “How do I make this scene feel stormy? How do I make this ice feel glassy? What texture is needed to make the water feel frothy?” By paying attention to how something feels, she can vary the texture of the paint and brush strokes to best suit the scene. 

As an artist Heather wants viewers to notice the little things – the glowing ochre tinge on a tree or the vibrant rust color of water when the light hits it. There’s so much variety outdoors and she strives to bring those details onto the canvas so that the viewer can experience what caught her attention.

Danilo Ursini

Danilo Ursini’s inspiration is dictated to represent the intersection of an imaginary line between reality and fantasy. For Danilo painting represents a way of learning himself, representing a subject, with the background with the lights (strengths) and shadows (defects). Danilo likes painting without judgment, he tries to be as objective as possible, like a photo, which stops in a special instant. 

His painting style is inspired by his love of the Group of Seven. Many of his paintings feature trees, they represent an extraordinary being that moves in time and space, like following and changing every season, every year. Danilo’s painting Fall n3 was inspired by reality. It was autumn, Sunday afternoon, and he was sitting on the coast of Lake Algonquin Provincial Park.

FALL n 3 | 15” x 60” | $1250 | by Danilo Ursini

Closing Thoughts…

Each individual artist represents the meaning of Evergreen with their own unique style and creative process behind their paintings. Taking inspiration from the natural world, their artwork is a great reminder of the brilliant landscape across Canada. 

We would like to thank all of these fantastic artists for their dedication to creating beautiful and meaningful art. Of which, our Evergreen exhibition would not have come to life in the way it has. We hope that Evergreen motivates you to explore the Canadian outdoors and to embrace and preserve the beauty of nature for future generations to come. 

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June ‘Surfacing’ Group Exhibit with PROJECT ART TORONTO

This June, Twist Gallery is excited to partner with PROJECT ART TORONTO to showcase the ‘Surfacing’ Group Exhibit. ‘Surfacing’ will showcase art from 21 studio artists, created during the two years of Covid-19. ‘Surfacing’ is about strength, hard work and supportive camaraderie. The exhibit will run from June 2nd- 25th, 2022. ‘Surfacing’ will be having an Opening Reception at Twist Gallery on June 2nd, at 6pm- 9pm. Meet the artists and supporters of PROJECT ART TORONTO and Twist Gallery. The Opening Reception and exhibit are both free to attend. 

Ewa Stryjnik is PROJECT ART TORONTO’s director since the studio opened in May 2010. PROJECT ART TORONTO is an art studio that offers classes, workshops and studio spaces for artists to work on their own. “The studio is alive 24/7. PROJECT ART is an unfolding art pursuit,” Ewa says.

Photo by PROJECT ART TORONTO.

We had a conversation with Ewa and she shared a little more about PROJECT ART TORONTO and what ‘Surfacing’ means to her.

Twist Gallery: Why was PROJECT ART TORONTO started?

Ewa: For about 10 years, I was an art instructor at the Art Gallery of Ontario School of Art. 

In 2010, AGO School of Art received funding to renovate the school and all instructors, including myself, were laid off. My students encouraged me to find a new space where they could continue painting. In May 2010, PROJECT ART TORONTO was born.

Twist Gallery: Can you explain what PROJECT ART TORONTO is?

Ewa: PROJECT ART TORONTO is an art studio where students and artists can develop their paintings independently with guidance and suggestions from instructor Ewa Stryjnik. For years we offered structured classes but since most of the artists continued attending classes, it naturally evolved into an Open Studio practice where artists can experiment with different techniques and develop their own styles. There are scheduled Open Studio classes as well as the option to rent a studio space on a daily, weekly or on monthly basis. 

PROJECT ART TORONTO occasionally invites artist instructors to teach workshops. Instructors can rent our studio by the hour to teach workshops and/or classes. It’s a great way to share our space and for students to learn new perspectives and approaches. Our studio welcomes students and artists of all ages and we greatly value the camaraderie and support of our studio artists.

Twist Gallery: What does art mean to you as the director of PROJECT ART TORONTO?

Ewa: My biggest passion is to discover and point out the natural, creative talent in every person. Everyone is unique and should be proud of their own style and ideas. Secondly, I like to motivate all my artists to work hard and have a disciplined routine to master their technique and style. As I often say: “Passion to start, work to achieve.”

Photo by PROJECT ART TORONTO.

Twist Gallery: What does Project Art mean to you as the director?

Ewa: It means an Artist Studio! I’m happy that we have the space where we can paint, gather, chat, have classes, workshops and studio spaces for artists to work on their own. The studio is alive 24/7. Project art is an unfolding art pursuit. Also, I’m very grateful for all the friendships that developed throughout the years. In a way, our studio is our life and time capsule. A safe place where we can escape to and find a supportive camaraderie. 

Twist Gallery: When did the artists paint the ‘Surfacing’ exhibit artwork?

Ewa: Most of the paintings were created during the Covid times. The lockdowns allowed the artists to paint more. Our group encouraged each other to create, explore and grow.

Photo by PROJECT ART TORONTO.

Twist Gallery: Can you explain how the ‘Surfacing’ artwork represents irrepressible creativity, undeterred spirit and a commonality of strength?

Ewa: During the uncertain times of Covid, we pulled ourselves together. In our commonality of strength, we focused on painting and improving our techniques. Painting became a positive outlet, a haven from the anxieties of the outside world. We realized that the beauty of art is very much needed these days. I hope that the paintings in our group exhibition ‘Surfacing,’ will showcase and celebrate that beauty and positivity of life and humanity. 

Twist Gallery: How do you feel about Twist Gallery partnering with PROJECT ART TORONTO?

Ewa: It’s so great that venues like Twist Gallery exist. It is a beautiful, very cool gallery-event space that is large enough to host our group exhibition. We’re very grateful that Twist Gallery rents their space to the local artists allowing us to share our art with a new audience. I hope that our paintings will brighten up many lives and that we’ll be able to exhibit at Twist Gallery in the future. It is a pleasure to work with Twist Gallery art director Nadia Kakridonis and her team.

Photo by PROJECT ART TORONTO.

The 21 featuring ‘Surfacing’ artists are: Peggy Bell, Zora Bily, Maureen Bradshaw, Jeff Briggs, Geoffrey Cheung, Donna Chudnow, Marlene Etherington, Vian Ewart, Liz Haney, Andrea Higgins, Lisa Litowitz, Katharine Lochnan, Larissa Mattwich, Diana Menzies, Wendy Robertson, Janna Robins-Walters, Lisa Rose, Javier Silva, Linda Snowden, Ewa Stryjnik, and Selina Waxman. 

We are so excited to be partnering with PROJECT ART TORONTO for the ‘Surfacing’ group exhibit. ‘Surfacing’ is about 21 studio artist’s passion and hard work. Even in difficult times, the artists encouraged each other to create, explore and grow. Experience ‘Surfacing’ in person, opening June 2nd- 25th, 2022 at Twist Gallery. Don’t miss your chance to meet the artists, attend the Opening Reception June 2nd, at 6pm- 9pm. Twist Gallery is open Tuesday- Friday, 11am- 6pm, and Saturdays 11am- 4pm.

Wendy Teasdale's Intuitive Style

Wendy Teasdale is a participant in the Kaleidoscope exhibit. Her paintings are intricate and eye-catching, we love her work. We asked her a couple of questions about her style and processes which you can read below!

Do you have a favourite medium? What materials and tools do you use the most and why?

I love working in acrylic inks and high flow acrylics for the background of my paintings. I enjoy the blending process and layering of colours using solid, translucent and metallic. My favourite archival ink pens are micron black and uni-ball signo white.

Do you have a process/method when painting?

My painting process is very much an intuitive one. I usually start with a colour in mind and the next one almost chooses itself! I find painting and drawing to be meditative, it’s really my therapy. I have very much relied on my art during these pandemic months for a little escape. Being creative everyday helps to stay sane!

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Thank you Wendy for exhibiting you beautiful works at Twist Gallery!

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A brief history of abstract expressionism

Before we dive into the history of abstract expressionism, we must examine the foundation that was placed before it in originating abstract art. Abstract art has its origins in the 19th century and can be described as “art that is not a representation of something from the visible world.” The shift from art being imitation to an expression of the imagination began to take place slightly before WWI with artists like Robert Delaunay, Wassily Kandinsky, Kazimir Malevich, and Vladimir Tatlin starting to create art with no recognizable objects. Between WWI and WWII, abstract art had seen very little growth due to totalitarian politics along with a resurgence in realism and surrealism. It was the chaos caused by WW2 that helped birth the movement known as abstract expressionism.

“9” by Toronto artist Daniel Mercier featured in Twist Gallery’s “Abstracting the Extract” January/February 2020 Exhibit

During the late 1930s, as WW2 was impending, many European artists that practiced surrealism had migrated to the United States. During this time, the surrealists’ drive to create art that examined an undermining reality-based human consciousness, in addition to the anxiety and trauma experienced through the world wars, had caused artists to value art as an expression of the self and chaos within the subconscious. After the war, when the United States found itself in a time of economic despair and cultural identity crisis, abstract expressionism became America’s first real contribution to the international modern art world and lead to the eventual dominance that came along with it.  

Three Approaches to Abstract Expressionism

Action Painting

Action painting is characterized by random, loose, rapid and sometimes forceful handling of paint by brushstroke or techniques partially controlled by chance such as dripping or spilling paint onto the canvas. This style was most commonly used by painters Jackson Pollock, Franz Kline, and Willem de Cooning.

Abstract Impressionism

Abstract impressionism is seen as a middle ground between imitation and expressionism. This style can be described as more structured than action art but still very abstract in terms of shapes and techniques used. This style was popularized by artists Philip Guston, Helen Frankenthaler, Robert Motherwell, and Adolph Gottlieb.

“Sunlight” by Toronto artist Anna Medvedeva featured in Twist Gallery’s “Abstracting the Extract” January/February 2020 Exhibit

Colour-field Technique/Meditation

 The final approach to abstract expressionism doesn’t really have a name, but for the purpose of calling it something, we will refer to it as the “colour-field technique”. This approach describes an artist that uses large fields of colour and specific abstract images to invoke a meditative experience in the viewer. Barnett Newman, Ad Reinhart and especially Mark Rothko specialized in this approach to abstract expressionism.