The Long Version
I live in Bradford, Ontario with my husband and our little dog, Feebe. I paint with acrylics and watercolours and enjoy using a limited palette. Watercolour wax batik continues to intrigue me. It seems to work with my creative style of making a solid plan and then veering away from it:) I also write, mostly poetry, and my perfect artist day is when one of my paintings inspires me to write.The titles in the Gallery indicate painting / poem combinations.
I have enjoyed various in person and online art workshops and courses. Other personal art history includes having several paintings accepted into a juried show and I have exhibited paintings and poems in a York Region Writers event. In 2014, 20 fairy paintings and 37 wee fairy doors became a "Fairy Happenings" exhibit in the BWG Public Library. This event started off with me making and painting 52 small wooden doors. One early November morning, I sneaked them onto local merchants' front door steps, park benches, plus neighbours' and friends' doorsteps. Of the 52 fairy doors, 37 finders followed the directions and their doors spent a month with other fairy items in the Library display case. I still receive photos and hear news about some doors. This past summer, almost 10 years after this "Fairy Happenings", I found out from the creator of what is likely the most exciting backyard fairy garden around, that the receipt of one of my fairy doors was her inspiration. Wow.
Starting in 2009, I exhibited my work in the BWG Studio Art Tours. With the help of teachers in the local elementary schools, we gathered many donated student paintings which were then exhibited and auctioned off during the Tours. Proceeds went to local charities.
September 2021 saw eleven of us in the BWG Passion Made Artisan Show - a virtual event. In a most fabulous, local outdoor setting, our final BWG Studio Art Tour was professionally videoed and posted on YouTube. Thanks to the supporters of this endeavour. See the virtual tour at bwgpassionmadeartisan.ca
At the time, six of us were 'meeting' to paint online; and when the weather co-operated, we eventually met outdoors. Setting up for the virtual display, while still respecting social distancing, made for a lot of creative plans and antics. Such antics just might have been why a glorious and resilient piece of someone's art ended up floating in a wee pond:) It survived to be in the video.
My painting aim is to plan with a freedom that leaves space for happy painting accidents. Sometimes I half hide fairies in paintings but I love when one paints itself in. My 'Fairy Roots' painting has several such fairies that I did not place there.
I am grateful to be travelling this part of my art journey as an 'Art by Silver Brushes' member. We have just finished setting up a display that will hang from September 3rd to September 27th in Aurora's Skylight Gallery.
Corrine Donnelly September 2024
email corrines@hotmail.ca