ART BATTLE

    In the late morning of August 27, 2016, a battle erupted. No opposing armies and no shots were fired, yet the battle was real in a true battleground . . . on the grounds of Harrison Properties.

   Armed with paintbrushes and a palette of paints, nine talented artists stood by their easels; all set and ready to unleash a barrage of colours on nine glistening white canvases. They were the nine contenders in the first round of the Art Battle hosted by Scarborough Arts.
 
    The Art Battle was fired up by nine art lovers who were invited to pre-paint the empty canvases with any patterns and lines they could think of in five minutes. Then, the contending artists were challenged to transform what appeared before them into a work of art within twenty minutes! Needless to say, the open air at the park was filled with pressure and tensed anticipation.
 
    As the contenders battled it out, every minute ticked like a time bomb. Every brush stroke, every drop of paint, was a race against the clock. Like a trained soldier focused on a mission, the nine art-combatants remained calm and undeterred.
   
    When the time was up and the brushes were down, only two remained standing. All eyes were now focused on the two young finalists, Frances Potts and Camila Wong. These equally good artists were poised for a duel.

The Final Duel begins.

  As they faced the delighted crowd, it was obvious that these two contenders had different styles. Frances was fashionable in her apron-topped red dress and black sunhat while Camila preferred the more casual black pants and T-shirt. Although from the outside, they displayed distinctive contrast, surprisingly they were alike in choosing what to paint on the final piece. Unknown to each other, they both illustrated a human face. Was it a coincidence? Or was it a case of “Great Minds Think Alike”?

   

      Camila Wong adds finishing touches to her final piece.                        Frances Pots applies more colours on her painting.                                                                                       

 
    Both art renditions were impressive. The winning piece could go either way. But only the artist who captured the discriminating eye of the judges and the majority of spectators votes, would be declared the winner.

The winning masterpiece and the smiling champion.

   In the midst of thundering applause, Frances Potts stood victorious. It was her moment. She had won the Art Battle. Frances also earned residency with Scarborough Arts which included free exhibition space, a bursary for development, and access to Scarborough Arts facilities and mentorship. Most of all, Frances won a spot in the next Art Battle Canada Regional Championship.
   
    At the end of the day, when the battle had subsided, there was no bloodshed; just a few drops of acrylic paints on the ground where the easels once stood. The collective display of art pieces from the contest could easily form a mosaic of what Scarborough Arts stands for: “Bringing art to the community and community to the art.”



   
    If all battles waged in our hostile world were fought with brushes and paints in the name of harmony, there will be no hatred and vengeance; only lasting peace among nations.

Who is Sarah Sheard?

Write On! instructor, Sarah Sheard

   It was the first day of Write On! I could not afford to miss it. Meeting a seasoned novelist doesn't happen everyday. I was looking forward to get inspired by Sarah Sheard. Her writing credentials just blew me away.

  Three days earlier, I asked myself, "Who is Sarah Sheard?"

  Thanks to Google, it provided me all the answers to my query. Now, I know why she got chosen to be the Write On! creative writing instructor.

  Sarah Sheard is a psychotherapist and the author of four published books: Almost Japanese (1985) The Swing Era (1993) The Hypnotist (1999) and Krank: Love in the New Dark Times (2012)

    

    Sarah also comes from a well-known family. She is the sister of pop singer Mia Sheard and pianist John Sheard, and the great-great-granddaughter of Joseph Sheard, a former mayor of Toronto.

   Oh, did I forget to mention that she loves horses? Yes she does. There is no denying. The video she posted on Vimeo shows the other exciting side of this amazing writer.

   In the morning of the first session, I told my daughter I could only babysit the three grandchildren until noon. The creative writing workshop hosted by Bendale Library, was scheduled to start at 1:30 pm. So, at around 12:30 in the afternoon, I was already driving along McCowan Road on my way to join the group.

   I had never been to Bendale Library before. I was a little lost when I entered the building, but the voices coming from the basement pointed me to the plight of stairs leading down to the library’s meeting room where the preparation for the first day was in progress.

    As I peeked through the glass door, there she was, in denim jacket and jeans.With her sporty look, she could easily be mistaken as a model for Levi Strauss rather than a writer. The matching cowgirl belt suited her too. In fact, she looked so good in the outfit, she reminded me of the legendary Calamity Jane of the Old West. If Scarborough Arts decided to produce a movie about the famous lady gun-slinger, Sarah Sheard could easily play the part. She has the right poise and charisma that Wild Bill Hicock would have easily approved.

The youthful side of Sarah Sheard

   In the last nine weeks, every Thursday in the echoic Bendale meeting room, Sarah met with us for a two-hour session of creative writing - fiction and memoirs. She was witty, patient and accommodating. Sarah made us feel at ease, and  her presence outweighed  the poor acoustics of the room.

  I personally enjoyed her brilliant  video presentations. I found them to be thought-provoking. And with her cool animated style of teaching, she made the art of writing – so much fun and painless.

   I don't know about the other seniors, but throughout the writing exercises, I put myself in the shoes of a different senior -- a senior kindergarten, hungry to learn new things. I allowed the motherly soft spoken words of Sarah to bring out the budding writer in me. I absorbed every bit of her positive energy.

   Last Thursday was our final day. In the span of two months, I must say, it was a great experience knowing Sarah. Likewise, it was fun listening to my fellow seniors’ stories. Some tickled my funny bones, and some  touched my inner soul.

   Now, I look forward to see my two pieces in the soon-to-be published Reflections Anthology. It is such an honour to be a part of this creative group of seniors who share my passion in writing.

   Surely, I will be missing the Thursday afternoons at Bendale Library. But it also comforting to know that next year, on Valentine’s day, all these fond memories will be re-lived once more. A reminder from me to my dear self will be coming by mail, via Sarah Sheard. (a.k.a. the modern day Calamity Jane.)