Anne Borbey-Schwartz is a self-taught artist born in Elliot Lake, Ontario who is now residing in Amherst,
Nova Scotia. Her art is inspired the both the pure Northern Ontario beauty of her youth and the mesmerizing
East Coast landscapes. Trees and water are at the core of Anne’s art, and she never tires from painting
either. She calls them food for the soul.
Anne’s preferred medium is acrylic and her paintings, although unique, fall in the categories of neurographic
geometric abstracts and/or landscapes. Some people have compared Anne’s style to stained glass but there
is much more to the creative process than can be seen at first glance.
Anne calls her style of painting “meditation art” because it is produced from her subconscious and is meant
to speak to the viewer’s consciousness while, tricking, tickling, and confusing the eye. Sometimes, the
viewers will like what they see and sometimes they will struggle to focus.
If the true purpose of art is to elicit an emotional response, Anne hope’s that her pieces can do exactly that
for each viewer and with each painting.
John Warner is one of the three founder of the Amherst Artisan Gallery.
John offers an excellent presentation of seascapes, landscapes and maritime interest points. He especially appreciates the natural features of the Bay of Fundy, Northumberland Strait, the numerous untouched waterfalls and the maritime interest points of northeast North America. John compliments his photos with unique, informal frames.
I believe that if it were left to the artist to choose their own labels, most would choose none. Ben Shahn (1898-1969)
Though watercolour has been my preferred medium to work with lately, woodcarving has taken much of my time in recent years. To my surprise, it has helped me with my painting techniques, showing me how to add detail with simplicity and has challenged me in different ways. It’s more appealing then ever, especially with the uncertainty of how it will turn out. But regardless of the medium I choose to work in, it’s the hope of touching someone that sees it, that inspires me.
Ann Murphy is a self taught artist from Port Elgin NB. Ann started sketching horses as a child at home. Ann picked up her first paint brush in her early thirties as a tole painter and then extended her painting to acrylics on canvas board and then to canvas. Her passion is birds and wild life and pets along with scenery. She has enjoyed doing pencil crayons, watercolors and recently oil painting. She paints birds and other wildlife on wood also. Grammas Easel is her registered name for her artworks.
“Treen’s Treasures”
I decided in 2006, after I lost my mom, that I needed a new challenge, so I gave up quilting and toll painting and took up rug hooking. Well it was the best move I ever made. I just love making one of a kind rugs, wall hangings, pillows, purses, mug rugs etc. I design my own items and there are not two alike. This craft is so much fun and so relaxing. I am definitely planning to do this craft for many years to come.
If you are looking for something different for yourself or for a gift for someone, just give me a call. 902-667-3294
Rainer Wenzl is a multi-media artist/photographer whose work has been published in many international publications, exhibited in numerous galleries and one of the first to be part of the Lunaprise Moon Museum.
After a career as a visual arts/media arts educator in Toronto, ON, he now works full-time as an artist in Shediac, NB
Rainer uses a combination of contemporary techniques and traditional processes with watercolours and historical photographic techniques (specifically gum-bichromate photography).
He explores the timeless beauty of watercolour as a medium to depict people engaged in their daily work. Some of the paintings in his latest work are a unique fusion of traditional watercolours and cutting-edge augmented reality technology. By scanning the watercolour painting’s QR code with a mobile app or device, viewers are transported into an immersive digital realm as the painting comes to life. This dynamic interaction invites the audience to engage with the narratives he’s crafted on a deeper level.
Through his artwork, he hopes to provoke an appreciation for the everyday work that surrounds us and bridge the gap between art, technology, and human experience.
Susan Staresina is a full-time artist living in Sackville, NB, working primarily in acrylic on canvas. Known for her photo-realistic style of painting, Susan has done quite a few pet portraits for people with favourable reviews.
Susan has always been drawn to the innocence and beauty of song birds and other animals. Cats, birds, and tranquil gardens are a common theme in Susan’s work.
Susan attended University of Calgary as a Fine Arts major, with the intention of becoming an art teacher, but sadly did not finish and is therefore “mostly” self-taught. Upon relocating to Atlantic Canada, she found a kind of peace and tranquillity and closeness to nature that you just can’t find in the big cities. Susan found that the relaxed pace of life of a small town was very gratifying and should be celebrated in her art. This sense of peace is displayed in her paintings, whether it be a sea-side landscape or a view of animals in nature.
Ray Leger was born in Moncton, New Brunswick and has lived in Memramcook for the last twenty-five years. He began working with wood more than thirty years ago starting with some basic carving and simple furniture. What began as a hobby developed into a passion. Ray has spent many years honing his craft with his interests growing and changing over time. He has explored a wide range of creative expression and his portfolio boasts an impressive collection of furniture pieces, miniature dollhouses, rocking horses, carousel animals, decoys, unique characters, and so much more.
Throughout his career, Ray has received recognition from a number of sources. Several articles have been written in admiration of his work and he has received accolades from his peers, including renowned artists John Hooper and David Silverberg. He has been interviewed both locally and nationally, most notably with CBC Radio personality and revered author Peter Gzowski. Ray’s work has been exhibited in several galleries including the Capitol Theatre Art Gallery in Moncton.
Millie Warner (nee Pyke) was born and raised in Springhill, Nova scotia. After finishing her High School, Millie graduated from the Victoria General School of Nursing in Halifax, NS.
Married to John, her High School boyfriend, they lived in the Halifax area for most of their working careers. After Millie retired from her twenty-five years of nursing and caring for their two boys, she now had time to pursue a long time interest. Her mother-in-law, an accomplished seamstress/teacher, had peaked her interest in sewing. Millie has adopted 'craft sewing' and is now showing at various venues including the Amherst Artisan Gallery.
Millie's sewing qualities have not only been recognize by her many clients but also by her fellow crafts' people and craft stores. She has adopted a passion for local tartans and the products she can created from them. Millie has a number of craft product lines including : shoulder & hand bags, aprons, placemats, cup cozies, bun liners, mittens, oven mitts, pot holders, tea cozies and many more. This list continues to grow, never know what's next ???
Millie and her husband (John) have returned home to Cumberland County to truly appreciate the rural beauty and people of "home".
Art has been a passion of mine since my early years in school. Af ew years ago I decided to try my hand at painting. At that time I watched several TV programs which demonstrated the how-to technique.
Since then I have developed my own style and now enjoy painting in both oils and acrylics, as well as, a bit of water colours.
My paintings have been donated to various community projects to raise funds. They have also made wonderful wedding and birthday gifts for a chosen few and are very much appreciated by them.
The completion of each piece brings great joy knowing I can move onto the next adventure in painting. What shall I paint??
I have always admired great photography, and working for years at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. gave me lots of subjects to practice with as a teenager, but the cost of film photography and the time constraints of raising and homeschooling our two children kept me from doing very much. Now I live on a hobby farm in Sackville, New Brunswick with my singer-songwriter husband R.A. Lautenschlager, daughter and son (the sheep owners), and assorted "critters", both in and outside the house. I try to take a camera with me whenever I can, and enjoy seeing the world through a lens, learning more about the craft as I go.
Growing up in the country, Arlene’s love for art began at a young age, sketching scenes and admiring the beauty of landscapes. Her love for animals, especially birds, is her inspiration as she captures their beauty with precise strokes on canvas. Many of her ideas come from watching wildlife in her area, and with the aid of a camera she usually finds her next subject. Although the majority of Arlene’s work is wildlife, she also paints landscapes and seascapes.
Arlene is a self-taught artist and experiments with new techniques and subjects. With her family grown, Arlene is now able to devote an immense amount of energy to her work, perfecting her techniques, exhibiting in galleries and art shows, and showing her collections in her home gallery. Arlene hosts showing and art classes each year and is a founding collaborator of Parrsboro Creative.
I have been a part-time studio potter since 2010, making functional pots and occasionally whimsical art pieces.
Working with clay brings me back to the best moments of childhood, where I could play in the mud and not worry about life. Now I do that with clay, and end up with the bonus of functional pieces of art.
Nature is very relaxing for me, so I like to reflect that in my pottery. I use leaves and bark from trees to create textures and shapes in my finished pieces.
I also like to hand-paint different pictures on my mugs. The process allows me to marry my love of painting with my love of pottery.
Linda Clark is a self-taught artist living in Springhill, Nova Scotia. Her paintings normally use soft colours and reflect her love of nature.
Her artwork focuses primarily on birds, flowers and landscape scenes of the various parts of Nova Scotia.
Drop in and see what she’s been working on lately.
Peggy Holmes is a local artist from Amherst and a firm believer in life-long learning. She has been drawing all her life, but never considered doing art until taking early retirement.
She joined the Tantramar Seniors' College in 2014, taking beginner courses in drawing and watercolour from artist and teacher, Shirley Hallee. Since then, she has tried oil painting with artist Arlene Collins, and is currently a student with artist and teacher, Faye Webb Pike. Acrylic is her favourite medium, and realism, her favourite painting style.
Peggy lives in Amherst with her husband, Ian, who incidentally makes many of her picture frames.
Gordon creates wonderful intricate designs using a wood inlay technique called intarsia.
Intarsia uses varied shapes, sizes, and species of wood fitted together to create a mosaic-like picture with an illusion of depth. Intarsia is created through the selection of different types of wood, using their grain pattern and colouring to create variations in the pattern.
ILicense Plate art, decor items, cheesecake mixes.
Marilyn has been creative all her life. She has worked with quilting and toll painting in the past, but has switched to rug hooking since 2006, and she’s so glad she did.
She enjoys making one of a kind rugs, wall hangings, pillows, purses, mug rugs etc. She designs her own items and there are not two alike. This craft is so much fun and so relaxing. She is definitely planning to do this craft for many years to come.
Chicken Scratch from the Soul. Canadian motivational and published author. Cards in memoriam, invitations, custom sizing & mattes.
Rodney makes a wonderful variety of things out of wood. From colourful lawn flowers representing your favourite team, to whimsical bird feeders. There is always something unique in Rodney’s area of the gallery.
Art has been a passion of Peggy’s since her early years in school. She has been painting for quite a few years now and has developed her own style. Peggy enjoys painting in both oils and acrylics, as well as a bit of watercolour.
Peggy’s paintings have been donated to various community projects to raise funds. They have also made wonderful wedding and birthday gifts for a chosen few and are very much appreciated by them.
The completion of each piece brings her great joy knowing that she can move onto the next adventure in painting.
Woodcarving and pyrography have been hobbies of Laura’s for the last 25 years, she was mentored by carvers of all disciplines at the Niagara Woodcarvers Association.
Laura self-published a book called "Woodsy Notions" about her history with the club, with stories about the carvings created during that period.
Now relocated to Nova Scotia. Laura displays her work at the "Amherst Artisan Gallery", and continues to network with her Ontario Woodcarving friends to promote the joy fellowship of woodcarving across Canada.
Sarah makes lovely handcrafted dish scrubbers, pin cushions, gift ware made from wine corks, all natural homemade hand scrubs and baskets.
