she paints; she is a painter

In the beginning of this process, I was nervous about putting words to my images, after all I’m a visual person, not a verbal one. Yet, after the first post, I’m feeling what a liberating experience is this blogging thing! It’s rather like going to a psychotherapist: you keep talking and talking while no one interrupts you and your listener is at least seemingly attentive and interested.  (That’s you, the reader …  if you were not somewhat interested, you’d be gone by now!) This post will go backwards and retrace some of the steps that got me to this point. On to the main subject: Gallery 888.

After a dreary and oppressive winter in Toronto, my husband and I, purely by chance, happened to  stop one sunny Sunday in the spring of 2001 at the Joy Bistro for lunch. We hadn’t read any restaurant reviews nor had we heard any restaurant “buzz” about it. We had been just driving along Queen Street East looking for a new place to eat, when we saw what seemed like an interesting option. And, intrepid people that we are, we walked into what would become one of our favorite  spots. The customers were almost as quirky as the energetic wait staff, the interior was filled with original art and the breakfast food was surprisingly fresh and well prepared; but, the best part was the fantastic coffee. (I think this was before the Starbuck’s invasion of Toronto.)

As we were leaving the restaurant, I noticed a sandwich board advertising an art gallery a few doors away and proceeded to urge my husband to have a look with me.  The first impression was of the most beautiful wrought iron grille-work, in very organic leaf and tree forms, which  guarded all the glass surfaces. (click on picture to enlarge) Steps from the sidewalk, the open door and gentle music led us into the bright room. All the paintings had been carefully hung with generous negative space around them, one of my personal preferences. Several small groups of people were chatting  in normal voices giving the space a lively feel, unlike some galleries where there is a bored, snotty “galerina” not only ignoring you but casting disapproving glances your way. The atmosphere here was perfect! There was a small pristine kitchen leading to an outdoor space called “the Grotto”, which in turn led to a back gallery referred to as  “the  Coach House”.  After taking all this in,  I remember saying to my husband, “If I ever have an art show, I’d like it to be here!”.

Below is a most charming interpretation of the relationship of Gallery 888 and the Joy Bistro done by an amateur artist who has totally captured the essence of the best parts of both. ( The artist is unknown by me. I am presently negotiating with the owner of the painting to acquire a larger image of the original piece.)

Meantime, back at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) I had been taking watercolor classes with Barry Coombs since 1998 (There will be more about Barry). In those classes are many beginners and also many talented artists. There is a subtle watching of “who is doing what”. That means you sort of keep your eye on someone’s technique that you could learn from, and you also simply gravitate to like-minded people whose work you admire and whose opinions are honest and relatively without ego.

I think it was the winter or spring of 2001 when the atmosphere of the class changed dramatically. In came this beautiful smile that belonged to a striking woman who could not be ignored. If there are positive auras, she had one! Always on the glamorous side, she wore red nail polish, the most unusual jewelry and grand coats from Santa Fe. Usually, I would not be drawn to a person like her; but she was the flame and all of us, the moths! Does this sound excessive? Well, I’m not even doing her justice. The real killer here is that she is a really, really, really nice person. No cynicism, no mean-spirit and no negative energy.  And, this could go on and on … I’m coming to a major point here. This lovely woman invited essentially everyone in the class, including the teacher (not Barry Coombs, this time) to spend a week- end at her log cabin in Algonquin Provincial Park. Luckily for me and uncharacteristically, I and two others from the class, chose to go, not really knowing anyone very well. Since then my life has been enriched significantly. This is where I met Liz Russ, the owner and creative spirit behind Gallery 888, and they both become part of my life!