life with more cowbell

It was a lovely evening to be at an art opening last night, out of the rain and inside the warm, intimate exhibit space at the Fran Hill Gallery for the opening of Inez/Recent Paintings.

I’d had a sneak peek of the exhibit when I dropped by the gallery to pick up my Blair Sharpe painting a couple of weeks ago – and also met Inez – and I was struck by the vibrant colours, the contrasts of light and dark, and the strong strokes in these beautiful renderings. Inez’s canvasses celebrate the awesome power of nature, as well as its beauty, and with almost whimsical touches – details like the red canoe in “Mazinaw Rock,” dwarfed by the enormous rock face behind it. There are also canvases featuring Fraser Lake – and each has a different mood. Lighter colours – pink and orange – in some, while primaries and darker blues and purples dominate in others.

When I returned to the gallery last night for the official opening, there were lots of folks present – friends, fellow artists and folks from the neighbourhood – also friends of Fran and the gallery – a great, diverse group of people coming out to support the artist and admire her work. The gallery itself has a cozy, intimate feel where strangers make each other feel welcome – this is thanks to the gallery’s convivial owner/host Fran Hill, who is always happy to meet new people, introduce you around and make sure you have a beverage. And the fancy sandwiches served at the opening last night were made by the artist, with the help of some friends. While I was there, Fran introduced me to artists Alex Cameron, who has a show on at the Moore, and Brian Saby, one of the other artists she represents at the gallery.

Another great night of art and friendly folks supporting the artist at the Fran Hill Gallery.

The Inez/Recent paintings exhibit is on until November 4. For more info, visit the Fran Hill Gallery website: http://www.franhill.ca/

And check out these websites for the locations that inspired Inez’s exhibit:

Bon Echo Provincial Park: http://www.ontarioparks.com/english/bone.html

Fraser Lake, Ontario: http://www.bancroftontario.com/index.cfm?vNavID=5&vSubNavID=84&vSub2NavID=43

For more info on Alex Cameron’s current exhibit – A Decade in Review – at the Moore Gallery (on until Oct 27), please visit: http://www.mooregallery.com/MOORE_GALLERY/main_gallery.html

For Brian Saby’s work, check his page on the Fran Hill Gallery site: http://www.franhill.ca/?page_id=37