Sherway Gardens' Gallery in the Garden: Window Shopping March 26, 2012

Taking its title from one of the works by Margaret O’Flanagan Byerley, Sherway Gardens’ (Hwy 427 & the QEW) current Gallery in the Garden exhibit entitled Window Shopping is expressive in colour, imagery and brushwork. All of the paintings by June Hoffland, Sharon Jorgens, Jean Mull, Margaret O'Flanagan Byerley, Sandra Ramsden, Donna Saull, Mara Schiavetto, Catherine Shane, Patricia Lund Steel and Elizabeth Strathdee push at the boundaries of definition and cross genres and styles. The exhibit is on display until Saturday, April 28 in the corridor at door 3. For more information call 416-621-1070 or visit www.sherwaygardens.ca.

The works of Mississauga’s June Hoffland look at the world with new eyes, each piece expresses this new vision. The process of creating this vision is one of continuous learning, and of growing in appreciation of everything surrounding us. In her two abstractions inspired by photos of an ancient observatory, June uses a limited palette and structural patterning for her subject matter.

Toronto artist Sharon Jorgens captures the human pulse and sensuality of nature in each work of art. Her interpretations in acrylic range from the complexity of life size realism to the simplicity of colour and form.

Jean Mull currently lives in King City and paints to temporarily escape the everyday cares and enter a magic domain where she uses her brush to abstract the true emotions from the realistic world.

Mississauga’s Margaret O’Flanagan Byerley began her artistic life as a watercolourist. When she was introduced to acrylics, she felt like a child who is given keys to the candy store and wants to try everything, hence her work with figurative art, abstracts, collage, semi-abstracts and whatever else she feels like.

Before Toronto’s Sandra Ramsden started painting, she had an intense love of fabrics and collected fabrics from many countries in the world. She has always wanted to incorporate fabrics into her painting but it was only this year that she worked with the challenge. Her first fabric is denim, with which we all can identify.

Oakville’s Donna Suall never would have thought that when she planted an orange begonia, she would be able to watch it grow, photograph it, draw it and then paint it. In all ways it is with her forever. She loves vivid colours and often turns to nature for inspiration.

Oakville artist Mara Schiavetto’s current series of abstracted florals results from a spontaneous burst of energy that needed to be expressed brightly, directly and without hesitation. The vivid colours, textures and vigorous mark-making are in contrast to her previous series of non objective abstractions.

Oakville’s Catherine Shane left the corporate world in 2009 and began to pursue her artistic passion, embarking on her “Make Your Walls Laugh” series of imaginative, whimsical and abstract acrylic paintings, consisting of vibrant palettes and occasional humour in paintings that often tell a story.

After receiving 'The Paper Garden', a book about an 18th century woman who created paper collages of flora from her friends' gardens, as a gift, Toronto’s Patricia Lund Steel was inspired to look at the world of flowers in a different way. The frosted series captures the essence of her flower drawings and hints at the flowers' endurance even as they age. This is an insight she hopes to take into her own aging process.

Toronto artist Elizabeth Anne Strathdee has been influenced by the spontaneity seen in the work of young children. She has a love of patterns in nature and its changing moods. For Elizabeth, painting is an adventure much like riding must be on a magic carpet…the destination is unknown and is always a challenging surprise.

Official Website: http://www.sherwaygardens.ca