VAB's 25th continues at Rose Theatre, March to June

Currently on display at the Art Gallery at the Rose Theatre are Visual Arts Brampton artists Debra Ali, William Band, Keith Moreau, Ryan Christopher Thompson, and Jacqueline Veltri. The show features five works of each of the five artists, in celebration of the group's 25th anniversary. The show wraps March 3.

Visual Arts Brampton has been invited back for a continuation. Along with works by the five artists listed above, various other members are participating in this second showing. They are Cindy Langdon, Luis Barrios, Paul Highgate, Peter Emslie, Merlene Boyce, Yulia Duchenko, Betty Jean Evans, and Stephanie Czolij.

This second show will premiere to visitors that night, viewing shows Aion Clarke and Kellylee Evans, and  ALTdot Comedy Lounge on Location, and continue on until early June 2011.

Laughlines cartoon and comic show pre-announcement

Just a heads-up for cartoon fans: Visual Arts Brampton is expanding Laughlines to two spaces this year. The 2011 show will run on the normal schedule at Artway Gallery, from 26 March to 29 April 2011, it will also run at Artway Invitational Gallery from mid-April to mid-May. Read between the lines, if you will, with regards to the later timing.

Featured on display will be Steve Nease, whose political cartoons and Pud comic strip appear across Ontario, and caricatures by Peter Emslie, a Sheridan College character design-prof with roots at Disney. Local illustrator Ryan C. Thompson will also display his humourous art.

Who are the other exhibitors? One very interesting reboot is confirmed, and we're trying to finalize an illustrator and graphic novelist. Details to be released in the next few weeks, as things are confirmed.

vablearn: Constructing a cartoon character, with Peter Emslie

Peter Emslie's next two-part episode is up; demonstrates how to create characters with constructed form, building up gradually from basic shapes to the details.

Part 1 | Part 2

vablearn: Pete Emslie caricatures a teenage girl

Above is the test show for vablearn, Visual Arts Brampton's free instructional video project. Thanks to a 2008 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, VAB has purchased a digital video camera and is paying select artists to teach video workshops.

This test episode features Pete Emslie drawing a caricature of Emily Kowalik, co-instructor of VAB's 6-to-8-year-old youth classes. Outlining the steps he takes to draw a caricature, the image unfolds in this roughly 11 minute clip. Future episodes will be released in HD, with better sound; this first episode was an equipment test.

View the episodes as they're posted at visualartsbrampton.blip.tv, or subscribe for free, via iTunes.

Life Brand Bear ends his run as mascot for Shoppers Drug Mart

We just noticed this last week: the Life Brand Bear is no more.

Why is it relevant to VAB that the Shoppers Drug Mart corporate mascot is gone? The essentially nameless character was designed by member Peter Emslie, way back when.

For the last few years, the Life Brand Bear only appeared as the tablets in the Life Brand Chewable Multivitamins, and on the same product's box. At his height, he was even a helium inflated parade balloon who appeared locally at the Brampton Santa Claus Parade (until they went for their night-time format) and even a time or two in the Calgary Stampede Parade.

When informed of its demise, Peter told us last night that he designed the character when a staff member at Disney's art department. He still illustrates children's picture books for the company. (Elmer the Safety Elephant was created by an animator working for Disney in 1930s, however it wasn't created through Disney itself.)

The new bear on some baby and child targeted Life Brand products is to the right, Peter's is on the left. Peter's survived a few decades, which is longer than many advertising characters.

Also related to Peter, you can now watch videos of him drawing a character, online.

Peter Emslie launches blog

VAB member Peter Emslie has launched a blog recently. Called The Cartoon Cave, the site features Peter's art, experiences, and opinions on various topics. Pictured below is Peter with Sarah Connell and Michael Therriault, two cast members of Toronto's production of The Producers, receiving caricatures Peter did from TV footage of them. Both, incidentally, are Sheridan grads; Peter teaches for Sheridan's animation program.

Peter also recently posted his caricature of Ed and David Mirvish, in remembrance of Honest Ed, who passed this week.
While we're on the topic of cartoonists with blogs, check out the Toon Club, a site where various young illustrators (added by invitation-only) are challenged to come up with a cartoon based on the week's topic or theme. For starters, check out the Tortoise and the Hare, or Santa Claus.