Gallery Artist News

Winter Tamaracks, 2009 by John Alexander Day, SCA,OSA

West Coast Afternoon, 2009 by John Alexander Day,SCA,OSA

Kudos to two talented gallery artists who have been recently elected by jury to the prestigious Ontario Society of Artists and the Society of Canadian Artists. As an elected member of the organization, the artist can use the SCA or OSA designation after their name and participate in group exhibitions with other members of the art society.

John Alexander Day was recently elected to the Ontario Society of Artists (OSA). John Alexander Day is also an elected member of the Society of Canadian Artists since 2005.
Founded in 1872, the Ontario Society of Artists is Canada's oldest continuously operating art society. This is a professional association with a mandate to foster and promote the visual arts through exhibitions, publications and arts advocacy.

Landscape Painting by Deborah Czernecky, SCA

Deborah Czernecky was recently elected to the Society of Canadian Artists (SCA).The Society of Canadian Artists (SCA) is a national, non-profit artists’ organization dedicated to promoting the visibility and stature of the visual arts. Originally a regional organization formed in Ontario in 1957, SCA broadened its vision from local to national in 1972.

Grand Arbutus Tree, 2009 by Deborah Czernecky, SCA

Winter Painting: Deborah Czernecky comments

AH … Our great Canadian Winters! Something that we love to hate at various stages of the season. Since moving to Victoria, BC - a part of Canada this is truly "GREEN" year round (okay, the weather Gods out here were a little confused this season, but we're back to normal temperature from +6 to +11c). I must admit I do miss the white stuff for plein air painting. However, if I'm that desperate for a taste of white cold, I glance across the water to the east and admire the snow capped mountains or I drive 45 minutes up island to touch it!

From the art side of the equation, I find wintertime a chance to let me complete my half-finished paintings that have been hanging around the studio collecting dust for the past six months. But ... if the sun is shining and beckoning me to come out and paint, off I go. After painting a decade in the Ottawa Valley, Winter Plein Air painting on the West Coast is different and challenging in it's own unique way. The biggest challenge, is the "WIND"! I'm now very educated in the four types of winds out here from gales to hurricanes, plus their speed values (the weather channel is very educational with this information)!
Not only has my easel been air borne but I've almost join it on several occasions! Another uniqueness in painting out here, is the "GRAY BLANKET" that moves in at the end of November and stays till the beginning of January. One definitely learns how to paint gray values, warm to cold, out here. After awhile this type of painting for me becomes dreary and boring even though other painters are ecstatic over this. In closing I must admit I'm looking forward to the Spring painting trip I'll be participating in the Laurentians this April. Let it Snow!

Deborah Czernecky
January 2009

New Works in progress.










Deborah Czernecky is a plein air landscape painter living in Victoria BC. The diverse scenery she encounters in her travels is interpreted with her characteristic bright,vibrant colour and attention to structural forms, landscape formations and patterns. Czernecky's delightful portrayals of the Canadian landscape have made her a favourite with art buyers in the National Capital Region.

WEST TO EAST with a Paint Brush!

September 2008 was a wonderful, unique month for two Canadian Plein Air painting buddies. They managed to paint in both BC & Quebec during September.
In mid September, John Alexander Day (Ottawa based artist) joined BC artist Deborah Czernecky for a week in the Victoria area. It was a great week of painting on location for them!
Deborah recounts highlights of the trips in her usual entertaining manner:
Even the weather co-operated fully - the gloomy, gray blanket delayed its usual fall arrival!

In typical BC style, many wildlife sightings occurred including seals within 12 inches, Bald Eagles circling above, whale bones on the beach, painting (very observantly) under the flight path of Canadian Geese and White Swans, to mention just a few. Did you know that Canadian Geese poop 3 lbs of stuff daily? Under a different type of flight path, the duo were treated to a show by the Snow Birds Aerobatics Squadron while painting at Fisherman's wharf in the Inner Harbour.







It wasn't all fun and games! After hiking with painting gear through the Rain Forest for what seemed like eternity (to some) to find that unique, isolated West Coast Beach scene we were surprised to discover a road nearby, that would have made the 30 minute hike (according to
John's watch) a five minute drive. As one says, you're not a true islander until you drive the Pat Bay highway with the 450 cars that just got off the Super Ferry - all "rushing" to the same place. John was having a good painting day until then! However, all was well in the end, as he painted the setting sun over Esquimalt Lagoon later that evening.

At the end of Sept, both artists joined the Les Ensemble plein air painting group for five days of painting the Fall Colours in the Eastern Townships in Quebec. Deborah met up with John in Ottawa. With John's unique navigational skills, they sailed through Montreal (cell phone
capital of Canada, every car must come with a cell phone) and found Sutton in record time. Upon arrival, they found the Fall Colours at their peak and truly amazing. It was wonderful gathering every day with the other artists in the dining room. Morning coffees were barely drunk
before the maps were out and artists were charting their locations for the day and sharing information. Between the rolling hills looking into Vermont, the Sugar Shacks hidden behind the trees, morning fog and seeking permission to paint on various parcel of land it was another
successful painting trip. On the way back to Ottawa, it was great having John's IPhone, so Tim Hortons was never out of range!
Wrapping it up here .... "that's quite the backyard we have here in Canada!" pipes Deborah.
Deborah Czernecky and John Alexander Day are represented by Tay River Gallery, fine art gallery in Perth Ontario. View works on the website at www.tayrivergallery.com