Talking to Artists

Synopsis : James talked about the importance of planning and long term planning in a business practice. He shared his inspiration behind his maps - an homage to the iconic Canadian landscape as well as the culture and people who make up this country. He shared the strategy behind creating hand embellished prints and the ability to make art more accessible to more people. We laughed as we talked ab...

Synopsis: Michael shared his fascinating journey from professional hockey player to artist...the challenge of leaving one love to pursue another and the loss of community. He talked about masculinity and about channeling this as a way to communicate feelings and emotions. He creates dynamic, bold and energetic paintings that capture these emotions perfectly. Artist Statement/About the Artist: Born...

Synopsis: Susanne talked about her recent move back to New Zealand and how it is a challenge getting started on your art practice after a big change and how important it is to find your local art community. She shared how she makes collagraph handprints and how she created an online course to share this unique form of printmaking to others. I am looking forward to seeing how her art changes with t...

Synopsis: Joanne shared tips for collectors and art lovers in this episode. She recommended taking your time and doing the research, including meeting the artist before buying what you love. She recommended exploring work by black and Indigenous artists and the trend towards calming art. She talked about the trend of corporations to sell vs buy art and the huge trend towards buying art online. Art...

Synopsis: Court talked about her art and how it helped her process the sudden death of her father. We talked about the importance of getting into the right head space to create. She also shared her thoughts about no short cuts....you have to put the hard work into social media and the business of art to be successful. We chatted about Art and Found Day (Mar 12) - its inspiration and impact. About...

Synopsis: Expat Denise talked about goodbyes and how important it is to surround yourself with art that captures those happy memories. We talked about times and places left behind and the challenges of moving to a new country; working to understand the cultural rules and language. We talked about using images that are not from your own culture and how this can be used to celebrate our connection t...

Synopsis: Richard talked about how his work is inspired by relationships - between each other and us and our surroundings. He talked about his transition from wood and clay to steel. We shared a love of mobiles and the tech challenges to make them work. We discussed the importance of having a business plan - understanding the operations of a business and the nurturing of collectors. About the Arti...

Synopsis: James shared his inspiration behind his kinetic, joyful Prayer Machines. He talked the role of God in his journey - moving from teacher to full-time artist. He shared a bit about his process and the role of storytelling in his work. . Artist Statement: “When you see these objects I’ve created, I hope you open your eyes wider, you compel your heart to listen more closely and you entice yo...

Synopsis: Ramona talked about how a Bic pen became her signature "tool". She talked about her interest in opposites - old/new, traditional/unconventional and past/present. Ramona shared her inspirations behind her "famous people" portraits....understanding their thoughts and beliefs before they were famous. We talked about hard lessons and how this can often lead to a breakthro...

Synopsis: Steve, a colour blind painter, shared his journey from first picking up a paintbrush during Covid to promoting and selling his art today. How his passion for military history informed his work and why he chose to combine these 2 interests. As a consultant, Steve shared his insights on the use of LinkedIn to promote his work. About the Artist: Steve began painting on July 1st, 2019 and ha...

Synopsis: Floyd shared how he arrived at metalwork as his paintbrush. He talked about his process and inspirations, specifically the aggressive nature of seeds. He chatted about the challenges of creating installations both in Canada and overseas in Vietnam and how proud he is that his work welcomes visitors to Canada at the US border. Stay tuned to see what he is planning next. Artist Statement:...

Synopsis:  We talked how Joan got inspired to start her own gallery; a gallery that focused on inclusion vs exclusion and strives to remove barriers to purchasing original fine art. She shared her incredible journey of doing international art fairs and online auctions to expose Canadian artist to a broader world. About the Gallery: Affordable original modern and contemporary art. Spence Galle...

Synopsis:   We talked about her scary experiences while pleinair painting and her love of unusual materials....snowballs settling on her watercolours to make interesting marks; she embraces play and unpredictability in her art. We shared a loved of vibrant colour and our Canadian influences of the Group of Seven. Hilary shared her recent initiative highlighting the issue of water conservation...

Synopsis: Kate speaks with Joanne Poluch of Remarque Art Consulting. Joanne shared many valuable tips to help artists succeed in their art practice. She works to help them find their voice and to suppress their inner critic. Her artist mentoring program supports the growth of their work as well as their business. About Remarque: All artists want their work to be appreciated and valued. They want t...

Kate Taylor interviewed Cat Tesla about her transition from being a full time faculty member focusing on genetics to becoming a full-time artist. Cat was generous with her tips and insights of what is needed to make a successful transition. Kate also asked Cat about her collaboration with artist Lisa Ridgers during the pandemic , @lisaridgers_artist. She asked Cat about the entire process, challen...

Synopsis:  We talked about how her location as she moved homes around the world had an influence on her art. How travel enriches the soul and inspires different colour palettes. Chatted about her love of unusual materials including painting on feathers and using cellulose to sculpt.   About the Artist: Where wildlife art meets west coast lifestyle.  Karin prefers to work with unusua...

Synopsis: We talked about dogs, the ever-changing inspiration of nature and gardens and how that is reflected in our art. Claire shared her wonderful journey partnering with Anthopologie and creating her own Signature Collection of women's apparel through Wearables. She is a strong advocate for artists finding a way to create revenue from their art beyond art sales in a way that is authentic and t...

Synopsis: We talked about the long history of Gwartzman's and how they moved from the drapery to art supply business. Jackie shared how they have pivoted by doing virtual meetings with artists and their weekly Instagram lived demos. Stay tuned to see what new and exciting products they are introducing over the next few months!   About: In the 1960’s Spadina and College was the place for artis...

Synopsis: Hannan gave us a quick tour of her studio and sand blasting equipment as she shared her unique carving process to making her delicate (but apparently not really fragile) sculptures. She shared her love of music and involvement in three music projects that have kept her busy and creatively energized during Covid. And, of course, we bonded over mica!! About the Artist: Hannan Fayad is a gl...

Synopsis: We talked about how Marianne transitioned from architecture to fine art. She shared her struggles in being a "good enough" girl and started painting her life-sized women as a celebration of womanhood. We talked about showing internationally, running an art business and her goal of having an immersive large-scale showing of her women. Artist Statement/About the Artist: Marianne Enhörning...

Synopsis: We talked about Olga's journey from Toronto to Japan to the UK and the different art scenes. She shared her commission process and how, becoming a full-time artist during Covid, has forced her to embrace selling online. She shared her tips for doing one line figure drawings and the benefits of keeping a sketchbook. About the Artist: I am an Artist and Art Educator from Toronto, Ontario.&...

Synopsis: We talked about how she got started on her art journey...from scientist to abstract artist. We shared thoughts about the importance of community in getting started - building and growing your network as you find your tribe! Karen talked about how she works in multiple collections and how to move collectors from 1 series to another. About the Artist: In addition to being a member of the p...

Synopsis: We talked about Litsa's business running 2 galleries, Blink Art Resource, her book and running Art Comes Alive gala. We chatted about the importance for artists to think about their business and how to work with galleries. Litsa shared her thought of the newest design trends and colors. About: Litsa Spanos is the President of ADC Art Design Consultants, Inc., a multimillion dollar and na...

Synopsis: We had a lively discussion about how Covid has disrupted the art business - how do galleries and artists partner and communicate expectations when artists are now more visible and accessible to collectors. Marion shared her experiences as a gallery owner and how transparency was critical with artists and collectors. She talked about her brand and how she manages 3 different art businesse...

Synopsis: We talked about Julie's journey to find her unique voice in art and how, for a while, the public embraced her work before she did. She shared the importance and influence of her faith in creating and in giving back. She shared the beginning and subsequent success of her company Levelling Up (or LU) - delivering mentoring to emerging and aspiring artist who are ready to take the next step...