Andrea Bird – encaustic artist

Andrea Bird, AOCAD/OSA, is one of the artists whose work is part of the gallery’s Ontario Society of Artists Summer Exhibition 2009. Bird is an encaustic artist living in North Wellington County. Her work is inspired by the rural landscape.  She has exhibited her work and taught encaustic and collage for over 20 years.

This award-winning artist says:

“My chosen medium is encaustic.  This is the mixing of beeswax, oil paint and damar resin.  It is an ancient method of painting that is now enjoying great popularity.   My work tells a story, one that is different each time, but common threads runs through them all: the beauty of nature and the emotional response to life’s experiences.  When we allow ourselves to explore the depths of our creativity, there is a richly textured world that awaits us.”

“The layering of collage (often natural elements), beeswax and colour plays an important role in her work – with some layers being partially or completely obscured, adding depth, texture and interest to the surface of my paintings.”

The above photo is Bird’s painting “Blackout” which is on display at the Gallery as part of the Ontario Society of Artists Summer Exhibition 2009.

Ontario Society of Artists Summer Exhibition 2009

In the spring of this year I was privileged to be a member of a juried art show put on by the Ontario Society of Artists. For 137 years this organization of professional artists has fostered and promoted outstanding Ontario artists.

The OSA has played a key role in the establishment of some of Ontario’s most important cultural institutions: The Art Gallery of Ontario, The Ontario College of Art and Design and the National Gallery of Canada to name a few. Many members of the OSA are also key members of the prestigious Arts & Letters Club of Toronto.

Honoured to be a jury member for this important event I looked forward to see what the artists had to offer. To put it bluntly, I was blown away by the quality of the work submitted. These are truly some of the best professional artists currently working in Ontario.

I was so impressed with these artists that I submitted a request to have Gallery de Boer – Fine Art & Jazz be one of the ten galleries to participate in the Ontario Society of Artists Summer Exhibitions 2009. I was thrilled to be accepted as a partner in this important series of exhibitions.

I hand picked 14 of the artists and a total of 151 pieces for our stage of the Ontario Society of Artists Summer Exhibitions 2009. These artists cover a wide range of styles, media and subject matter. Regardless of your taste, I think you’ll agree that each of the works displayed in our main gallery is of spectacular quality.

This exhibition is currently installed and will remain until October 9th. We will be hosting a Reception on Friday September 11^th from 7:00 – 10:00 pm, when you will have an opportunity to meet all of the participating artists.

However, please don’t wait until September 11^th. I know you’ll want to hurry in to view this important and impressive exhibit and sale.

Ron de Boer