Wildlife Painting with Terry Isaac

Amazing results! Watch Terry Isaac teach hosts Doug Brown and Diana Stirling how to paint. 

The Paper Chronicles

We've been featured by The Paper Chronicles! Check out the article here. Written by Sarah Schwartz, the founding editor of Stationery Trends, an award-winning trade quarterly magazine devoted to all things paper. The Paper Chronicles is Sarah's side project and is a way for her to share her insights into the industry. Not to be missed by any stationery enthusiast.

Back by Popular Demand!

Carl Brenders

We are very excited to announce that our popular Window on Wildlife calendar is back by popular demand for 2015.  The wall calendar will feature extremely realistic images of wildlife depicted in their habitats created by famous naturalist and painter Carl Brenders, internationally acclaimed as one of the greatest Nature painters of all time.

Carl was born in 1937 near Antwerp where he still lives with his wife, Paula. He started drawing at a very early age and trained at the Fine Art Academy and later in Berchem and began his career as an illustrator of children’s books on natural history. For long revered and collected by admirers around the world, in September 2002 he was deservedly honoured by the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in Wisconsin, USA, as their Master Wildlife Artist, describing it as ‘the high point of my career’. He was also conferred the titles of Featured Artist and Guest Artist from the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition in Charleston, SC, the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson, WY and Bennington Center for the Arts, VT.  Carl Brenders’ paintings are present in prestigious permanent collections such as The Ford Collection in Dearborn, MI and those of the Woodson Art Museum and the National Museum of Wildlife Art.  In 1998 he was inducted into the U.S. Art Hall of Fame.  Outside the United States, his paintings received a lot of attention at major art auctions such as Christie’s, UK, Bonham’s in Singapore and Mondiale, LTD in Hong Kong.  The high point of Carl’s career was a retrospective exhibition of 30 of his works entitled “Artistry in Nature: The Wildlife Paintings of Carl Brenders” which opened in 1997 at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History before traveling to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Cleveland OH, the Bernheim Museum & Arboretum in Louisville, KY and the Norton Art  Gallery in Shreveport, LA.

2015 Window on Wildlife Wall Calendar

Carl’s process includes taking countless photos of the animal and its habitat, taking great care to document all of the elements that will set the stage for his subject such as the vegetation at a particular time of year, the light, the relief of the landscape, the shape and colour of the rocks. Only then will Carl let his imagination kick in by drawing a few sketches. His vision finally materializes in a detailed pencil drawing which he then projects to his illustration board making adjustments to his composition before applying colour. His paintings are typically created on illustration board and is executed in a mixed-media combination of watercolour and gouache.

On the left is a sneak peak of Carl's 2015 Wall Calendar, Window on Wildlife. Are you excited yet?

Perfect time to purge

Ottawa Citizen (a National Magazine Awards Winner) has published an article about Alice Hinther. Check it out right here!

Artist Spotlight: Mia Lane

Photo of Mia Lane

Animal imagery, especially dogs, comprise the majority of Mia Lane’s artwork. Some images are painted plein air, others are created in the studio from field sketches combined with photography and her imagination. Her artwork uses mediums from oils, acrylics, watercolours, etchings, mixed media and pen and ink. 

Mia was recently commissioned by the prestigious Kennel Club Art Gallery in London, UK to paint for an exhibit called ‘The Newfoundland: An Exhibition of Art and History Portraying this Noble, Loyal Breed’.

The exhibit runs until January 2014 and celebrates the well-loved Newfoundland dog.  The painting, shown here, is called “The Hikers” and was inspired by Mia’s trip to Newfoundland.  Amazed by the rocky, barren windswept coastlines, she understood their need for a rugged, dependable, bear-like dog such as the Newfoundland.  The image will appear in Mia’s 2015 Must Love Dogs calendar.

Image of "The Hikers"
16" x 20" acrylic on board

Mia presently lives in Prince Edward County, with her husband Robert, three dogs and two ferrets. Her home doubles as a painting studio and has a stunning view overlooking the peaceful waters of Fish Lake. During her spare time, Mia is an avid gardener.

Young foxes playing in Mia's garden

Colourful inspiration found in at the garden

For more information on Mia Lane please visit her newly launched website: www.pawsinart.com

Artist Spotlight: Peter Etril Snyder

“If you can see it, you can paint it,” says Pine Ridge Art’s newest artist Peter Etril Snyder.

 Anyone who follows his work realizes that he takes on many unusual commissions, his most extraordinary being the creation of a dinosaur (Parasaurolophus) painting for the Earth Sciences Museum at the University of Waterloo.

Commissioned Painting for Earth Sciences Museum

Peter’s paintings are influenced by his Waterloo childhood. Both of his grandfathers were Mennonite farmers and were regular vendors at the Waterloo market, which stood in the spot now occupied by the Waterloo Public Library. His small town and Mennonite background, riddled with practicality and rural interest, sparked the starting point for a singular career in painting and presenting his work to the public in his own gallery.

Peter and his wife have travelled to many parts of the world, including parts of Europe, North and South America, Africa, the South Pacific, New Zealand and even Iceland. His travels have brought him many new and interesting ideas.

“For me the act of painting is a pleasant puzzle. I relish the challenge of manipulating the visual information. My attempts are to create something that rings the artistic bell inside me. I remake or transform topics through my aesthetic insight.  Only after I have had my way with the elements of a painting, am I ready to offer it out to others.”

Pine Ridge Art
Vertical Calendar

For over forty years Peter has specialized in paintings of the more conservative Mennonite communities. His paintings of the horse-powered groups are by far the most interesting. They represent a historic view of what used to be in Ontario but still exists in this little piece of the Waterloo region.  It hasn’t been easy to make contact with many of the individuals in these conservative groups because of their wish to be left alone and their reluctance to be photographed. It has required a great deal of time to build even a small bridge of trust. Peter values the friendships that he has built up over the years with many of these folks.

Peter loves working with people who paint and encourages fans of his artwork to email him with questions or comments. He finds it very interesting to hear the many remarks about his work and how his paintings relate to each individual’s personal experiences. He is so adamant in helping that he serves as a mentor through “Painting Doctor.” He offers a free-email service to any painter who wishes help with their work. Peter has been providing this service since January 2010 and enjoys it very much.

For more information on Peter Etril Snyder please visit his website at www.snyder-gallery.com

Spring's Renewal

His paintings hang in many homes around the world. People who’ve met him are surprised at how humble and grounded he is. Perhaps this is because Mark Keathley is one of the brightest stars on the art world’s horizon. Everywhere he has gone, he has found great acceptance for his work.

When he was nineteen he attended a small one man show in his college art class and saw, for the first time, someone selling artwork. This was all it took for his renewed interest in painting. Mark was determined to learn more and painted for twelve to fourteen hours a day, six days a week! Within a year he found that many people were beginning to collect his work.

Clockwise from top left: Stoneware Mug, Slim Journal and Coasters

Pine Ridge Art features a variety of products with Mark’s “Spring’s Renewal” artwork. The second of the Seasons of Life series, this painting portrays that spring is a gentle reminder of the new life that comes after the cold and grey winter.

Click on the video below to hear what Mark has to say about this beautiful painting.

For more information on Mark’s work including Painting Workshops and Artwork demos, visit his website at www.markkeathley.com.

Laughing Out Loud!

Classy People™by Pine Ridge Art's clever greeting cards have struck a chord with customers and many local and national card and gift stores. Talented artist Alice Hinther has been featured in Ottawa at Home's Winter 2013 publication. Find out how it all started by clicking on the article below.

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Ottawa at Home
16 Feb 2013

A few words from our Forever Young artist Catherine Simpson:

Hello Folks,

Here is a list of the shows that we will be doing this year!

... ART IN THE PARK
Willistead Park - Windsor, Ontario
June 2 & 3
Booth 167 AB

KEMPENFEST - Barrie, Ontario
Centennial Park on Lakeshore
August 4, 5, 6
Location 1 & 1A

BALL'S FALLS THANKSGIVING FESTIVAL
Vineland, Ontario
October 5, 6, 7, 8
In the BIG TENTS

Best wishes! Looking forward to seeing you!

Catherine and Don
Visit catherinesimpson.com to see some of our work before the shows!

PINE RIDGE ART WELCOMES PATRICIA BOURQUE!

We are thrilled to announce that artist Patricia Bourque is joining the Pine Ridge Art team.    Patricia’s artwork will soon be available in a brand new 2013 Calendar featuring beautiful scenes of children at play. 

 Take a look at the sneak peek below and you’ll see why we’re so excited for the release of this gorgeous calendar.

Earlier this year, Patricia was gracious enough to host us at her summer home in Vermont (she spends the rest of the year at her home in Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Quebec), and it was great to chat in person.

Patricia (left) with our Art Director Linda

A completely self-taught artist, Patricia has made painting a full time pursuit since her first sold out exhibition in 1981.Since then she’s picked up awards from prestigious competitions, helped raise money for various charities, and even makes time to teach art classes.While in Vermont she surrounds herself with her two loves – dogs and horses. The animals make great company, and even greater inspiration for art



Patricia and her husband Abe now run their own business, Turtle Hill Productions (so called because their summer home in Vermont is on a wildlife sanctuary and the month of June brings a flood of turtles up the hill to lay eggs on their lawn).  The company publishes and sells a line of Patricia’s greeting cards, posters, limited edition reproductions and of course, original art work.

We’re so excited to have Patricia on board and are looking forward to a wonderful partnership and a beautiful calendar!

For more information about Patricia Bourque and her work visit www.patriciabourque.com

Trevor Tennant and the Buckhorn Art Festival

One of the most exciting parts of our job here at Pine Ridge Art is our constant search for new artists.  Finding a new artist for one of our calendars is a long journey and often takes us in many different directions.  One of the most enjoyable ways that we look for new artists, however, is getting out into the real world and visiting art shows. 

Deer statue in Buckhorn, ON

While travelling for work is always tough, it’s a little less painful when your business takes you to a picturesque town in a charming country setting, surrounded by natural beauty... namely Buckhorn Ontario. 

Our walk to the festival

Buckhorn is a cultural oasis nestled in the Kawartha Lakes region. The town is home to many art galleries, antique stores and flea markets; and plays host to hundreds of cultural events and attractions throughout the year. This artistic community is site of the annual Buckhorn Fine Art Festival, recognized as one of Canada’s premiere Art Festivals, and happily a great place to look for new calendar artwork!   The festival also features an art competition, youth art display as well as live music and great food. 

Musicians set-up in an outdoor pavillion

One of our main reasons for this trip was a visit with wildlife artist Trevor Tennant, who makes his home in the nearby Town of Bobcaygeon.

Trevor poses for a picture near the Buckhorn Fine Art Festival

For anyone familiar with Trevor’s artwork, his love of the outdoors is obvious.  It was impossible not to share his sentiments while immersed in the natural beauty near his home.  The area offers lakes and waterways, hiking trails, and an abundance of birds and wildlife, and it was easy to see where Trevor gets his inspiration. It was great to catch up with our “Window on Wildlife” artist, and during our visit Trevor was kind enough to give us a preview of one of his newest works.

For more information about Trevor and his work visit www.trevortennant.com, and you can purchase Trevor’s calendar at www.pineridgeart.com.

One last note on the town of Buckhorn before we wrap up.  If you're ever in need of accomodations in the area, the charming Claire de Lune Bed and Breakfast makes a great choice (www.clairedelune.ca).  The owners Claire and Rod were great hosts and the food was wonderful!!!

Claire and Rod at the Bed and Breakfast

So all in all, Buckhorn was a great trip.  Our job keeps us pretty busy, but in case you haven’t got the message....we’re not really complaining.

Catherine Simpson - Get Well Soon!

For those of you familiar with the work of Catherine Simpson it’s not hard to see her appreciation for the lighter side of life.  Catherine has been producing her “Forever Young” series of paintings for over 20 years.  Her work explores the special memories of childhood and it’s hard not to feel cheered up after looking at one of her paintings.    Unfortunately a recent injury has put Catherine on a forced hiatus and left her feeling a little less than cheery.

Catherine has had a little accident that’s landed her with a severely broken foot and she will be laid up for several months.  She’s not allowed to put any weight on the foot and has even had to set-up a hospital bed on the main floor of her house to avoid coming up and down the stairs. 

Bed rest isn’t compatible with very many activities, and unfortunately for us, painting is off limits for now.  Thankfully Catherine had already completed eight paintings for her 2013 calendar (one example above), so there’s no need for her fans to go without.     

If you’re a fan of Catherine’s and would like to help cheer her up, send your well wishes to bariburnu@pineridgeart.com and we’ll make sure she gets your message.  We’ll keep you posted as to Catherine’s condition on our facebook page so be sure you “like” us at www.facebook.com/pineridgeartinc today. 

If you'd like to purchase Catherine's 2012 Calendar it's available now at www.pineridgeart.com

Catherine’s been cheering us up for years with her work, so we figured the least we can do is return the favour!

For more information on Catherine’s work visit www.catherinesimpson.com

Artist Spotlight: Danny O'Driscoll

The spring is almost here, and for us at Pine Ridge Art it’s not only the melting snow and sunny afternoons that makes it great. The end of the winter months means it’s time for us to re-group and start thinking about planning for next year’s new product introductions. In other words, it’s time for us to get creative!



photo : http://www.charlestoncvb.com/

One of the ways that we get the ball rolling is by sending our art director out into the field to catch up with our fantastic artists and see what they’ve got in store for the coming year.

This year we decided to check out the 2011 Southeastern Wildlife Exposition in historic Charleston, SC. The show, which just celebrated its 29th year, is the largest wildlife art event in the United States. With tons of fantastic wildlife and nature artwork on display, it’s a great place to get inspired (check it out at http://www.sewe.com/).

While visiting the show, we were lucky enough to catch up with “Feathered Friends” artist Danny O'Driscoll who’s been an annual participant in the show since 1984.

Danny show's us his artwork at the Southeastern Wildlife Expo

It was great to chat face to face, and share ideas about the coming 2013 calendar season. It was especially nice to get a sneak peek at some of the great new work he had on display.  I love the seagull, entitled "Footprints".

Three of Danny's new acrylics: "Footprints", "Robins and Dogwood", and "Buddy"

Painting professionally for about 38 years, Danny actually began his art career in zoological illustration and graphic art.  Working for the Riverbanks Zoo in South Carolina, and the Houston Zoo in Texas gave him the strong background and passion for creating accurate and anatomically correct subjects that makes his artwork so realistic. While Danny enjoys painting a large variety of wildlife, he is most famous for his vivid portrayal of birds including hawks, ducks, songbirds, and eagles.

Here's a sneak peek at Danny's 2012 Vertical Calendar

You might think that 38 years as a professional artist is a long time, but Danny’s love of art actually started a lot earlier – he’s actually been painting since he was ten. I’m pretty sure that I was still making “abstract” finger paintings, and play dough  "sculptures" as a ten year old, so I find these pretty impressive.

Danny's artwork at 10 years old

These days Danny enjoys spending time with his very artistic family. His wife, Mundina is an artist in her own right, and his daughter Colleen is a photographer. Apparently talent runs in the family!

Danny's artwork at 10 years old

For more information about Danny O’Driscoll and his work visit http://www.dannyodriscoll.com/. You can also purchase Pine Ridge Art products featuring Danny’s work at www.pineridgeart.com







Must Love Cats! Catman Drew Strouble on Animal Planet

 

Pine Ridge Art’s “Purrfect Days” Calendar artist Drew Strouble is soon to make an appearance on Animal Planet! The new Animal Planet show entitled “Must Love Cats” “is a celebration of fascinating felines and the fascinating people who love them.” The show is hosted by musician John Fulton, a man on a mission to prove that America is filled with cat lovers, and is in fact a “Cat-nation”.

 The 'Must Love Cats' television episode 'Southeast' features Drew Strouble and showcases his art collection - the largest body of original watercolors in history by a single artist of the domestic pet cat. Drew also gives show host John Fulton a cat watercolor painting lesson.

Videographer Brandon Adamek shoots CatmanDrew with his muse Lola the Singapura in Drew's studio. Photo by Ann MacMullan.

Look for Drew and his fabulous feline artwork featured  on"Must Love Cats!"(Southeast) which will air March 19, 2011 from 8-9pm EST. Schedule may change, so make sure you your check your local listings.

For more information about the show please visit Animal Planet's website
http://animal.discovery.com/tv/must-love-cats/

You can also get more information on Drew’s website

http://www.catmandrew.com/mulocaanplpr.html

Artist Spotlight: John Harrington

The busy work of assembling art for the 2012 line of Pine Ridge calendars is, believe it or not, already well underway. The great thing about this time of year is that it gives us an excuse to catch up with all of our PRA artists, and even to sneak a peek at some work in progress.
We recently got a chance to visit with John Harrington, the artist behind our very popular “Northern Getaway” calendar (and, as we found out, arctic explorer!)

John has been painting for more than forty years. He takes his inspiration from nature, creating calming tranquil images. We love this image of John’s - the steam coming off of the lake and the reflections of the evergreen trees in the water instantly stir up memories of early mornings at the cottage.

While John professes “Nature is the artist. I try to duplicate it for others to enjoy,” he’s not content with only painting images of his surroundings; he’s got to dig right in! We caught up with John and his wife Fran just in time to get a tour of their “Mississauga In Bloom” winning garden! The contest picks the top handful of gardens in the City of Mississauga based on visual appeal, design, and originality. Fran was quite modest about their win, but I still think I see a glimmer of pride behind those eyes.

John & Fran in front of their prize winning garden

John’s love of nature doesn’t stop with the garden. He has travelled extensively including South East Asia and Europe as well as The United States and every province in Canada. He’s even made ten trips to the Canadian arctic, and these were no pleasure trips; they were government supported expeditions. John led teams in search of artifacts and remains from British explorer Sir John Franklin’s ill fated expedition in 1845. John has helped gather and bury the remains of 14 of Franklin's men, and his teams have made some amazing discoveries including 3 Franklin lifeboats, several encampments and countless artifacts.

John writing in his diary during one of his Arctic expeditions

On a lighter note, John’s most recent travel is to some place a lot warmer! He and his wife Fran have just left for five weeks of backpacking around Greece! Fran and John will carry all of the trip’s supplies in their backpacks, and this isn’t a one time event. The pair venture out on at least one long trip a year and Fran manages to live out of that small backpack for the entire trip! What a woman!

If you’re interested in learning more about John and his adventures visit http://www.johnharringtonart.com/. His Pine Ridge Art 2011 Calendar is now available for purchase online HERE. 


John's original paintings can be found at:


River Coyote Gallery
53 Lakeshore Road East
Port Credit
(905) 278-3337
OR
The Upstairs Gallery at the Harrop
345 Steeles Ave. East
Milton
(905) 878-8161

Artist Spotlight: Bradley Jackson

View from Cascade Falls, Mt. Ascutney

Nestled in south-central Vermont, the beautiful Town of Weathersfield is a great place to visit. Located in Windsor County, the town is made up of several small villages and hamlets. The picturesque landscape is punctuated by the Conneticut River on the east, and the beautiful Mount Ascutney to the north. Known for its stunning views and abundant wildlife, the landscape is truly inspiring, and during our recent trip to Vermont, we were lucky enough to get a chance to drop by.

Of course it wasn’t just the scenery that brought us to Weathersfield. The town is also home to one of the most popular wildlife artists in the United States, our own Bradley Jackson. The 2011 Pine Ridge Art “Wings of Nature” calendar marks the 5th year that Brad has been working with us, and work on the 2012 calendar is now under way.

We caught up with Brad at his home/studio where we had the pleasure of seeing him work, and even got a sneak peek at some of the art that will be featured in the 2012 calendar.

Known for his realistic approach, and soft shimmering backgrounds, Brad begins by laying his background colours with a watered down acrylic and airbrush. By using full strength acrylic paint he creates a sharp detailed subject. Through this technique, Brad achieves a result that many compare to the realism of a photograph – but that’s not his primary intention. Brad explains-

Brad works on a red-winged blackbird piece for the calendar in his home studio

“I have tried to transcend the materials used and the surface worked on to create as much depth and space relationship as possible. If it looks like a photograph, so be it.” 

The painting on the board (above) is a red-winged blackbird piece for the 2012 Pine Ridge Art calendar. The completed image is nothing short of breathtaking, and Brad has been generous enough to let us give you a sneak peek.

The realism and beauty in these paintings stem from the artist’s deep affection and love of nature and wildlife. He takes his inspiration directly from the plentiful nature surrounding him. Birds drawn to his backyard bird feeder serve as reference for his detailed paintings. Here he photographs a pair of grosbeaks.

Brad photographs a pair of grosbeaks at his bird feeder

Brad’s work will be exhibited in several upcoming shows. See the show schedule below, or visit www.bradleyjackson.com for more details.

August 28, 2010

45th WCSH 6 Art Festival

Monument Square, Downtown

Portland, ME

September 19, 2010

Bel Air Festival of the Arts

Shamrock Park behind Town Hall

Bel Air, MD

September 24, 25 & 26, 2010

Mountain Heritage Arts & Craft Festival

Sam Michaels Park near Harpers Ferry

Charles Town, WV

October 9, 10 & 11, 2010

Scituate Art Festival

North Scituate, RI

October 16 & 17, 2010

Hollis Fine Art Festival

Nichols Field, Depot Road

Hollis, NH

 

Artist Spotlight: Ed Roche

(Newfoundland photos in this post by Linda Goodrow)

The province of Newfoundland is Canada's easternmost province, located on the Atlantic coast. The most easternly point of North America can be found here and as a result, it was the first place discovered in North America by Norse Viking explorers.

The Strait of Belle Isle separates the province into two geographical divisions, Labrador and island of Newfoundland. This culture-rich area has its own dialects of English, French and Irish languages as well as Innu-aimun and Inuktitut, which are both aboriginal.

For many centuries, Newfoundland has been a haven for the fisheries industry. As a result, colourful homes dot the coast of the province making this a vibrant place brimming with inspiration for artists and tourists alike.

  










We recently traveled to Newfoundland to visit with well-loved artist Ed Roche, who paints the (appropriately titled) Newfoundland calendar for Pine Ridge Art along with contributing his beautiful pieces to a variety of our giftware and stationery.  We must say we were overwhelmed with this stunning area, and couldn't recommend traveling there enough.

(Artist Ed Roche pictured in an Art and Framing shop in front a variety of his framed pieces)  

Ed Roche has been painting stunning portraits of island life for 25 years. Born and raised in a small coastal town a half hour outside of the capital St. John's, Ed grew up surrounded by wilderness and rugged views of cliffs and waterfront vistas. 

Ed studied at Memorial University in St. John's and after a time working in education, Ed began to paint, inspired by his travels around the province to see the various landscapes and communities. He first painted in watercolour and produced studies of found objects, the coastlines and his family's home. Soon Ed began working on developing a signature style and experimenting in various mediums, and eventually settled into the vibrant palette possible using acrylic paint.

The artist describes his painting philosophy:

"You start with a blank canvas. And when you finish painting, the goal is to be left with an image you can walk into…you have to be able to recreate the energy of a community. And without that heart and soul, well, it's just another painting." 

Ed Roche is currently busy in his studio creating 12 brand new images for his upcoming calendar. We always look forward to seeing his work. Ed's 2011 Newfoundland calendar will be available for purchase on our website July 1st, 2010.