Collecting Art

When I was in my young twenties I made a conscious decision to collect original artwork. It had to be art that, a) I liked, and b) I could afford. Over the years this is what I've accumulated.

The above Laurentian scene is a watercolour by Graham Norwell who came to Canada from Scotland. It was given to me by my Dad a few years ago. I think it was one of the first original paintings Dad ever bought and had hung on my parents' walls for many years. I'm happy to have it now.

Jacques Shrygens, a Belgian artist who moved to Canada, painted this and the two following watercolours of cities in which I'd lived by the time I bought them. Montreal, above, is where these were exhibited, at Place Bonaventure in 1969. I remember buying these three on time. It took me three months to pay for them. Framed, they cost $65 apiece! After paying for framing and commission to the gallery I wonder what M. Shrygens was left with?

...Quebec City

...and Toronto.

"The Nude and the Waitress"
This acrylic painting by Canadian artist David Armstrong was purchased by my husband, George, at the same exhibition as the previous watercolours. I hadn't met George at the time but when I did and saw that painting...well, let's just say I'm glad I now have both.

Leslie Coppold, who died in 2007, was a well known Montreal artist who gave classes to our art association in Hudson. He was a very patient man with a great sense of perspective and colour. I learned a lot from him. You can't see it without a magnifying glass but there is a pickup truck in the distance with his wife's name written on the back.

Tim Elliott is an artist who lives in Hudson. When I lived there too I asked him one day if I could visit his studio and watch him work. He agreed and this is the result. I bought it on the spot.

"Rainbow Man" is an acrylic painting by Susan Jephcott, a symbolist artist who lives in Vankleek Hill and whose works are widely collected around the world. Try googling her.

My talented sister, Lynne, does amazing portraits as well as being an accredited actor. Here's a pencil drawing she did of my son Jon, at age 16, the same year he created the following works.

Jon made this print and the next two watercolours while he was at art school.

He's a master of watercolour wash and detail...

...I've always loved these balloons he painted.

My younger son, Andrew, considers himself to be more of a fisherman than an artist but I consider this fish print he created from an actual catch to be highly worthy.

Last summer I spent a few days in Ottawa at a girlfriend reunion. Bar, Suzanne and I had been schoolmates eons ago and finally had the opportunity to get together for a great catch-up session. This collage by Suzanne Hill is called "Secrets" and hangs on my wall as a special memento of that occasion, (much wine and talking). Suzanne is a well established artist in New Brunswick whose unique work can be seen if you google her name. It's worth a look!

My friend and fellow blogger, Ronna, paints freehand upbeat images on ceramics. She does custom orders as well as her own designs like these olives...and...

... dragonflies and ladybugs.

Another friend, Diane Buckett, made this glass hanging. I bought it from her just before we left Vancouver Island. A whimsical souvenir.

"He Promised Her the Moon"

This collage by my friend Barb Glen caught my eye at a local art show last weekend so it's my most recent acquisition. The strip of birch bark along the bottom has a special meaning to Barb.

I often hear people at exhibitions say they don't have any more wall space. It's just a cop-out. If you really like something you can always make room for it.