Artist Spotlight at Tay Gallery Kanata: Ayfer Gursoz

This summer we have a small selection of exquisite impressionist paintings by Quebec artist, Ayfer Gursoz on exhibit at Tay Gallery in Kanata. Her works are dreamy and nostalgic and yet hold poignancy and immediacy at the same time. Her use of colour and brushwork is masterful. Experience her captivating work by visiting our gallery at 471 Hazeldean Rd. in Kanata (Ottawa) or view the paintings on our website at www.taygallerykanata.com.

A native of Istanbul, born (1935) of a Ukranian father and an Austrian mother, Ayfer Gursoz arrived in Montreal in 1982. She fell in love with Quebec and remained, settling in old Montreal where she began painting and teaching. In 1995 she moved to the Eastern Townships where she lived until her death in 2008. A graduate of Ecole des beaux-arts de Paris, Ayfer taught in several well known art schools in England before coming to Canada. She is recognized the work over for her quality paintings which are held in numerous private collections.Yves Langlois ,winner of Quebec best Documentary film award in 2008, also filmed a docu- portrait of Ayfer Gursoz.

The paintings on exhibit at Tay Gallery Kanata this month span approximately a 15 year period and include floral still life, and figures (children and women) which were popular subject matter for Ayfer. She was also a prolific painter of landscapes.

A review of her work by art critic and journalist for Vie des Art, Andre Seleanu can be viewed on her artist page on our website or her personal website. In the article, Seleanu commented:
"The desire to understand the Other exudes from every one of her paintings, while such otherness embraces both the social realm and natural phenomena."

Below is a photo of the artist's studio generously provided by her daughter, Irem Bekter, which provides a glimpse of the prolific impressionist works Ayfer created with her most intriguing colour palette.


Following are photos of a few of the paintings by Ayfer Gursoz featured in the summer show :Flower Arranging, Nudes in Blue (Turkish Bath), and Children Exploring.

Artist Spotlight : Paintings by Maureen Sheridan

We are pleased to welcome Maureen Sheridan to Tay River Gallery this month. Maureen Sheridan is a Kingston area artist who paints in a realistic style conveying subjective impressions of a particular, usually very ordinary event or moment in time that has personal meaning for the artist, yet resonates with the viewer. The colour palette in these paintings is sometimes subdued, the handling of light adept, subject matter and composition are arresting and memorable. The paintings are created on large sized canvases that easily envelop the viewer with their intrigue and quiet presence.

Sheridan graduated from Queen's University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and has been exhibiting in solo and group exhibitions since 1989. Her work has won various awards, including a "Best Painting in Show" award at Toronto's Outdoor Art Exhibition. Her works can be found in private and corporate collections in Canada, the U.S.A. and Europe. See the artist page for Maureen on our website for images of her work and biography.
Visit the gallery this month to see recent paintings by Maureen Sheridan, our featured artist in May at Tay River Gallery in Perth. Tay River Gallery is open Friday 12 - 5 and Saturday 12 - 5 p.m during major road construction on Wilson St.