Hand drier in the washroom thanks to generous donation

Our main studio washroom now has a hand-drier.

A few months ago, an anonymous donation was made to VAB, specifically for adding a drier to the washroom.

Our greatest thanks to this generous donor.

Teen class at capacity; capped for 2012

As of today, the teen youth class is at full capacity; we've capped the class.

For those wanting arts education for a teen, there is a Thursday evening open studio session, 7 to 9 pm. It's pay-as-you-go, drop-ins, for $7 a session.

Youth Achievement Awards judged last night

The Youth Achievement Awards were judged last night, at the Visual Arts Brampton studio. This year, seventeen of the group's students submitted portfolios, containing 12 screen assignments, 12 home assignments, and additional works.

Awards will be handed out December 17, at an award ceremony, for entrants and their guests only. The final classes for all students are December 3 and 10.

Portfolio workshop for high school regional arts programs

Designed for grade 8 students applying to the Regional Arts Program at Mayfield or Cawthra Park Secondary School, at Visual Arts Brampton studio this autumn.

Instructor Annelisa Fischer will help young artists while they create works for their portfolio, select which works to include, and prepare you for the audition process. The workshop will include drawing, painting, drawing a self portrait, and drawing a still life.

Classes run for eleven Thursdays, October 27 to January 19th, from 7 to 9 pm. (Particular Thursdays are skipped around Christmas and New Year's.) The fee is $110, payable at the first class.

Classes will be held at the Visual Arts Brampton Creative Studios, 1 Bartley Bull Parkway, Suite 10, at Steeles Avenue and Main Street South. Interested students must reserve a spot in advance, by calling 905-453-9142.

Tuesday painting workshop with Mary Noble return, October 4

Mary Noble's Tuesday painting workshops are returning on October 4, running for eight weeks until November 22. Classes run from 9:30 am to half-past noon. Fees are $20 a day, a total of $160 for eight weeks.

To meet with the demands of students from previous sessions with Mary, asking for acrylic painting sessions, various lessons will be structured for either acrylic or watercolour.

To sign up for sessions, contact the studio by at least September 20 by calling 905-453-9142, visualartsbrampton@gmail.com, or at the studio during studio hours.

Portrait sessions return September 7

Artwork by Mary Noble, for our floral art show.

Last Wednesday, the portrait sessions stopped for their summer break. The session will return on Wednesday, September 7, 2011.

New artists are always welcome to the sessions; see the Visual Arts Brampton website for more details.

No Monday open studio at VAB, as per Victoria Day

Tomorrow is Victoria Day, and the Visual Arts Brampton Creative Studios are closed for the holiday.

Painting open studio evenings move to Thursdays

Effective this week, our evening painting open studio is moving to Thursdays, 7 to 9 pm. This drop-in sessionis open to creative people of all skill levels, and 16 or older.

It's just $5 a night for non-members, $3 a night for VAB members, pay-as-you-go.

Painting open studios will be held in the drawing and painting studio at Visual Arts Brampton, simultaneous to the general open studio. Visual Arts Brampton Creative Studios are located at 1 Bartley Bull Parkway, Suite 10, at the corner of Highway 10/Hurontario and Steeles Avenue, in the Bartley Square Mall. Details on our location are available online.

For more information, contact visualartsbrampton@gmail.com or 905-453-9142.

VAB Annual General Meeting: Monday

Monday, April 11, 2011 is the Visual Arts Brampton Annual General Meeting, starting at 7 pm. The meeting will be held in the Visual Arts Brampton Creative Art Studios, at 1 Bartley Bull Parkway, Suite 10, Brampton.

The meeting will have the treasurer's report, a year in review, and the election of our board for the coming year.

Proxies are available at the studio, for those unavailable to vote.

VAB at Shoppers World for 25th event, April 20, 21, 23

For one week, Visual Arts Brampton will be taking many of its weekly sessions from its studio across the road to Staples Court in Shoppers World. The events celebrate Visual Arts Brampton's 25th anniversary.

Wednesday, April 20
Visual Arts Brampton's portrait group will be drawing and painting from a costumed model, from 10 am to 2 pm. Come view the creative process, which happens most weeks at the VAB Creative Studio.

Thursday, April 21
Open studio sessions come to Staples Court, from 10 am to 2 pm, and from 7 to 9 pm, where artists will be creating floral art for their second annual travelling show. Come meet the artists, and learn about how you can participate at the weekly painting drop-in times.

Saturday, April 23
VAB's weekly Open Studio Saturdays are expanded for the Shoppers World visit, from their usual 3 to 5 pm slot to 9:30 am to 5:30 pm.

While at Shoppers World Brampton, see Visual Arts Brampton's monthly, in two corners of the shopping centre. Laughlines, an exhibition of cartoon artwork, is featured in both Artway Invitational Gallery (mall entrance near Zellers) and Artway Gallery (mall entrance between Winners and Bluenotes). Across from Artway Gallery, see a continuously changing selection of works at the Silver Clips Artworks Gallery.

Visual Arts Brampton is the longest serving community visual art group, serving adults and youth of all levels, from Brampton and surrounding areas. Visit visualartsbrampton.com for more details.

Despite the snow, no cancellations at VAB Studio, Saturday

Yes, all five kids classes are on today at the Visual Arts Brampton creative studio, as its the first week of classes in the new year.

Class times are the following:
6 to 8 years old, 9:30 to 11:00 am
6 to 8 years old, 11:30 to 1:00 pm
9 to 12 years old, 9:30 to 11:30 am
12 to 18 years old, 1:00 to 3:00 pm
9 to 12 years old, 3:15 to 5:15 pm

Additionally, we expect (but have not confirmed) that Jacqueline Veltri's painting open studio is a go.

Workshop: Painting from Photographs, with Debra Ali

Painting from Photographs in acrylic or water-based oils
5 Sundays, from May 30 to June 27, 1:00 to 3:30 pm
$50 for VAB members, $65 for non-members
At the Visual Arts Brampton Creative Studios, 1 Bartley Bull Parkway, Suite 10, at the corner of Highway 10/Hurontario and Steeles Avenue

Do you have a favourite photograph that you’d like to paint?

This workshop is designed for anyone wishing to explore their individual sense of expression. You will learn basic image cropping, composition, drawing, perspective, colour mixing and how to work with acrylics and water based oils if needed.

Visual Arts Brampton Creative Studios are a relaxed studio environment, and Debra welcomes students of all levels to come and create.

Debra Ali is an artist and graphic designer, who has studied Fine Arts at Sheridan College. A member of Visual Arts Brampton since 2005, she won the People's Choice Award at the 2006 Art Gallery of Peel Juried Art Show.

Three more William Band watercolour workshops this year

With his current workshop ending in a few weeks, William Band has announced three upcoming watercolour workshops, in June, from September through November, and in November. Each will be held on Tuesday mornings from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm, at the Visual Arts Brampton Studio, at Highway 10/Hurontario and Steeles Avenue. [Location on Google Maps]

The classes are a friendly, welcoming community of learners, and has returned thanks to popular demand many times over the past year. Artists of any level are encouraged to join these classes, which explore various areas of the medium, primarily with still life and landscapes.

Band will be teaching the following dates:

• 4 week class, June 1, 6, 15, and 22,
• 8 week class, September 14, 21, 28, October 5, 12, 19, 26, and November 2
• 4 week class, November 9, 16, 23, 30.

Band has studied with respected Canadian artists including Alan Collier, Bill Stidworthy, and Franklin Arbuckle. After a successful career in commercial art, he returned to his first love, painting. William's art is based on his travels, from canoeing through northern Ontario lakes, to painting in Scotland.

Besides Visual Arts Brampton, William's workshop schedule includes stops across Ontario, as well as multiple times in Plain Field, Illinois.

Contact us to sign up for William's Drawing and Watercolour workshop.

William Band's work is currently on display at Artway Invitational Gallery, at Shoppers World Brampton, across the street from the studio. Artway Invitational is in the mall entrance near Zellers and Fabricland, on the southeast corner of the mall. [Location on Google Maps]

Two articles in recent Guardian

In case you missed the two articles about Visual Arts Brampton in last week's Brampton Guardian, both are available online.

First is an interview with Ryan Thompson, relating to his comic Villains of Mercy, on display at Artway's annual Laughlines exhibit. Also included in the show are works by Steve Nease, Peter Emslie, Rob Penman, and Debra Ali.

Included on the same page was a mention of additional open studio time at Visual Arts Brampton, taught by OCAD-trained artist and VAB member Jacqueline Veltri.

Annual General Meeting, April 19 at 7:30 pm

Visual Arts Brampton's Annual General Meeting will be held the evening of Monday, April 19, 2010. All current members are welcome to vote in person, or fill out a proxy. Proxies are available at the studio. As always, the AGM will feature a report of the year's past happenings, scheduled future events, and budget.

The Board of Directors is established during the meeting. Positions are open on the VAB board, and any member is welcome to seek election; you may nominate yourself the night of, but we'd prefer to be informed in advance, via an other board member. Most members serve with formal position titles, and the board meets roughly 8 times annually.

Hope to see you there!

Painting Open Studio: new times, two options

Visual Arts Brampton member and artist Jacqueline Veltri's Painting Open Studio timeslot is moving and expanding.

Jacqueline's new session times are Thursdays from 10 am to 2 pm (starting April 8), and Saturdays from 3 to 5 pm (starting April 10). Jacqueline is available to offer help and encouragement as you work in acrylic, water-based oil paints, and/or watercolours. A graduate of the Ontario College of Art, she has years of creative experience.

Sessions are $3 for members, $5 for non-members, and free for Crea8tif level members. Times are drop-in, so students don't have to commit to every week, and can stay for a while or the entire session length.

The studio will still be open Thursday evenings, with Keith Moreau at the helm; artists may use any medium in this time.

Pastel portraiture workshop with Glenn Bernabe, April 11 and 18

Pastel portraiture workshop with Glenn Bernabe PAC, AOCAD Two Sundays, April 11 and 18 10 am to 5 pm, with an hour for lunch $110 for Visual Arts Brampton members $125 for non-members

“Portraiture is a way of recording people. Their personality, character, status, the place and time they lived, the environment in which they live or simply showing beauty.” Designed for those with minimal drawing skills, this portraiture course focuses on applying measuring methods, proportion, and alignment when depicting the human face and figure. Using pencil, charcoal and pastel, students will work from a live, clothed model, capturing the face in simplified terms through basic structural studies of the face and skull as well as understanding the body and its form. Tuiton includes both instruction fees and the model's fee. Class size will be 6 to 12 students. Workshop to be held at the Visual Arts Brampton Creative Studios, 1 Bartley Bull Parkway, Suite 10, at the corner of Highway 10 and Steeles Avenue in Brampton. To register, contact Visual Arts Brampton at: 905-453-9142, or visualartsbrampton@gmail.com

Züm züm

Multiple adult and youth members of Visual Arts Brampton use public transit to get to the studio. They'll no doubt be as thrilled as we are that two Züm roots will run past both the studio and Artway.

What's Züm? Pronounced "zoom", it's upcoming Brampton's commuter bus rapid transit service. With more frequent buses (every 7-10 minutes during peak hours, and 15 minutes off-peak), the expansion of the existing Brampton Transit system makes limited stops, meaning quicker overall travel times.

In September 2010, a route on Queen Street will run between downtown Brampton to York University. More exciting to us are the 2011 and 2012 additions, on Main Street and Steeles Avenue, respectively. Both the VAB studio and Shoppers World (home to Artway and Fridge Front) are at Main and Steeles.

VAB has always prided itself on its transit-friendly location. Near to the Shoppers World transit terminal, there's easy access to a large number of routes on Brampton Transit, Mississauga Transit, and GO Transit. One recent addition to our open studio regulars come by transit from Oakville, riding Mississauga's Hurontario route from the south to the no4rth termini.

Google Street View

View Larger Map

Hey look everybody, it's Visual Arts Brampton Creative Art Studios, as photographed by Google Street View's car, which drived all over the GTA to take pictures.

We don't get much more visible from Bartley Bull, either. How about Google Parking Lot View next?

Creating dog pictures today, at studio

Today at the VAB studio, the kids have been focused on creating drawings of dogs. The purpose? They're creating works for display for display at new business Happy Dogs Canine Centre. The vast majority of Saturday youth students have chosen to participate in this exhibit, plus many Thursday evening participants, and at least one adult member.

Happy Dogs will be at 2578 Bovaird Dr W, which is between Mississauga Road and Winston Churchill Boulevard, en route to Norval.