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.

The Art Guild of Scarborough

   I truly needed something to awaken the hibernating artist in me. It has been too long. The unfinished watercolour Horned Owl that I started back in 1987 is still the same as it was when the last stroke of my brush touched it.

     Yes, 27 years of procrastination! And what better place to find inspiration than at the Art Guild of Scarborough Spring Art Show and Sale? 

  Joy MacFadyen greets visitors at the  Art Guild of Scarborough
 2014  Spring Art  Show and Sale.

   

Volunteer and AGS member, Erin Eggleton

   
    Everything about the show was precisely as I hoped for. Thanks to Edie Bergl who I met at Rick's framing shop the week before. If not for the invitation she handed me, I would have easily missed the great opportunity to meet the talented artists whose creativity infused me with desire to reconnect with my long lost love for painting. Just by listening to them talk got me all motivated. These gifted people have given me the jolt I needed to stimulate my nerves and pick up my idle paint brushes.

      Oil painters, Yushing He and Ouyang Ling, the husband and wife team at the show may never know how much I enjoyed their infectious smiles as they answered my queries. Their enthusiasm surely made me think why I drifted away from painting. Is it because of photography? 
    Perhaps the ease of producing a desired image at the speed of a camera shutter has spoiled me after all these years. The magic of digital photography instantly manipulating lights and colours are great artistic expressions, but no modern technology can ever compare to a hand-painted masterpiece. I am confident that my two heroes Michelangelo and Norman Rockwell would agree.

Carol Robitaille holds one of her paintings on exhibit.

  

    Carole Robitaille's creative hand is a good example. She was one of the super talented artists whose amazing work caught my eye. Her framed oil pastel “Dance in Motion” was quite engaging. The way she applied the lines, made the dancing figures come to life. I could almost hear the music!

Jolanta Omari stands between her two originals.

  
    Jolanta Omari was equally impressive. This amazing 72-year old artist started painting only four years ago, but her interesting style is so catchy and undeniably pleasing. Her original marker rendition of the vibrant “Colourful Crowd” did not escape my attention. And neither did it surprise me that it won the Lila Patton award. It sure deserved the recognition.

Usha proudly stands next to her impressive two-piece
    48in x 60in  acrylic painting of Secret Cove, Lake Tahoe.

        The Art Guild of Scarborough president, Garry Herridge

         next to his beautiful watercolour painting.

   It was a delight meeting these creative people standing next to their masterpieces. One of them was Garry Herridge, the current president of The Art Guild of Scarborough. He led me to his beautiful framed watercolour paintings and even gave me the honour to photograph him.

Well known portrait artist and AGS long member, Joy MacFadyen

    Moving on, in the maze of paintings from one to the next, I met a seasoned artist in the person of Joy MacFadyen who is also a long time member of The Art Guild of Scarborough for forty two years. When she agreed to pose in front of my camera, I couldn't believe that I was shooting the portrait of a well-known portrait artist whose remarkable achievements included eighteen paintings for the Lipton Soup Family Pride many years ago.

Art lovers from all walks of life and of all ages came to see the exhibits.

  There was a great variation of themes and techniques at the AGS Art Show. The good turn out on its first day proved the old saying that there is always an eye for every painting, no matter in what medium and what style it is presented. True to this belief, a loyal supporter of AGS Art Show in the last ten years spoke freely about his feelings toward a painting of Hal Bilz that he purchased at the show. He openly expressed his fondness of the artist, “Hal’s paintings of outdoors and nature connect to me emotionally. I just love his work. This is my fifth of Hal Bilz’s paintings.”  Unsolicited comment such as this outweighs any tag price placed by an artist on his/her work. 

                There is always an eye for every painting

                 no matter what style  and medium it is presented.

  
   There is no question, I learned so much at the AGS Spring Art Show. The artists and their heart-felt creations fired me up and re-ignited my passion to paint. The show also reminded me of the long forgotten joy of sharing the beauty of one’s art. My art is not complete until unbound of chains that are holding it back. It needs to be seen by the eye that deserves to see it.

                                HEAD and TAIL

                      The Art of Procrastination

   
   Before leaving the show, I made a resolution to continue where I left off. To keep that compulsion burning, I thought I should join the Art Guild of Scarborough. And so, I signed up. There is a waiting period, but that’s okay. It's not a problem. I can wait. I waited 27 years to get back to my long delayed watercolour painting. Another year or so won’t make much of a difference now. 

  In the meantime, I will work on my unfinished piece of art and frame it with a fitting inscription . . . 

   The Art of Procrastination!

Travel Photography



 

   The Alitalia aircraft sits on the tarmac of Milan Airport, patiently waiting
    for the passengers heading to Israel.
    

   Since the beginning of time, mankind has roamed and explored this planet. We are constantly intrigued by what is out there. And to satisfy our curious nature, we continually embark on journeys to places we haven’t seen before.

   

   We all love to see the world, but what good are our visits to foreign lands without the story-telling photographs that can be highly stimulating and educational. There is no doubt, travel is almost pointless without the camera that preserves great memories of the places we visit. And with the advent of digital photography, internet and computers have perpetuated the quick global-sharing of photos. Through on-line photo albums, e-mails, and smart phones, sending photos has gotten shockingly easy. Yes, it has become incredibly convenient. Nearly anyone is capable of taking pictures with idiot-proof digital cameras that are available today. And yet, there are still many travelers who miss the creative picture in sharing the excitement of their journey.

   

   Travel Photography is another form of show-and-tell. Call it the narrative of your trip; a photojournalism if you will. Travel Photography informs, it excites and it engages the person viewing the photographs. In simple words, it brings the thrill of travel to our families and friends who were not with us during the tour.

    

   But how do you make the images from your camera into an art of story-telling visual presentation? Surprisingly easy! Aside from your camera, all you need is a little planning with a bit of imagination. You don’t have to be a professional photographer or a globetrotting tourist sporting a sophisticated camera. Whether you are showcasing a foreign country or just a neighbouring village from your locality, the concept is the same. You are creating a photo journal!  Shoot as many frames as you can, but at the end of the trip, there must be more photos of the place than your happy face. You may have some awesome poses in front of the Eiffel Tower but your friends already know your good looks. They can picture you with their eyes closed. Don’t bore them; give them more of what they expect to see - photos of your travel!

   Below are some pointers that can be helpful in improving your Travel Photography. 

1. CREATE THE MOOD: Use ambient light in shooting candid and your surroundings. They are great in capturing the moment. Feel it and frame it. Don't restrict your shots to eye-level perspective. Shoot some ground and overhead angles. Try to use foreground. Show the weather too. A sunny day and blue skies are great, but don’t get discouraged by the rain or cloudy skies. A gloomy day can also evoke emotion.

2. UNDERSTAND THE PLACE: Know where you are; know the identity and uniqueness of the city or the locality. Make sure you have the right shots that set the place apart. You may start with street names, public signs, architecture and landmarks, licence plates, local currency and products and so on. 

3. STAY WITH THE FLOW: Don’t forget, you are a creating a photo essay. Shoot anything that you feel is relevant to your story. If there is a flight delay, don't fret. Instead, be creative and have fun with it. Your travel photography must have a lead photo and an ending shot to wrap it up.

4. SOUND: Most digital cameras now come with built-in audio/video capability. Use that feature to record sounds that you can use as background to your slide show. Perhaps, you may want to shoot  video of a sidewalk vendor or a street busker saying a greeting in his/her language. That would be super awesome if you add that to your shots.

5. IMAGINE: Visualize the viewers of your Travel Photography. How would they react to your shots? Do you have enough interesting photos? Enough variety? What about some photos with textures, suitable as background for that collage you wanted to make? Make sure you have all the right answers before heading back home.

   So there you have it. You now have the formula to shoot a better travel photography. Enjoy your next trip wherever it may be and also let your friends enjoy your shots. Have a great holiday!

Here are some shots from my visit to Israel in 2005.

               The road signs  in the photo speak volumes. It tells a story
               and it connects to the viewer.Shot through the window of our
               tour bus during a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

        Ambient light, shadows and contrast certainly play a major role
        in creating the mood in a photograph.  Seen here is the collective
        silhouette of my fellow pilgrims during a brief meeting with our tour
        guide. Shot at the courtyard of  The Church of The Holy Sepulchre
        in Jerusalem

   A ruined temple in Capernaum shows its biblical age. This is also the site
   where Jesus preached the Good News.   

         These two Jewish schoolboys make it obvious that the
          photograph was shot in Israel.

  It is always interesting to see foreign licence plates. Here is one from Israel.

    This is Lake Tiberias, better known as The Sea of Galilee where Jesus 
     calmed the violent storm.

Behind The Camera

 Mark Yan behind the camera.

Heroes come in many forms. They are forged into meaningful shapes under the heat of discipline and the power of wisdom. Their great achievements inspire us and their faces remind us of who they are. Without the photographers who captured them in frames, the children of today would have been denied of the opportunity to see the portraits of their heroes.

Like many other talented photographers at Lifetouch School Photography, Mark Yan travels across the city

Weddings

   Of all the festivities known to man, it is indisputable that weddings are the most celebrated occasions in the universe, and embraced by people from all walks of life regardless of cultures, race, religions and beliefs.

   In a diverse society such as Toronto, weddings come in many forms and colours. To anybody who is photographically-inclined and is genuinely interested in learning about other cultures, shooting weddings could prove to be a rewarding experience.

My Dear Toronto

    It was in the last snowy days of winter in 1975, the CN Tower was still under construction, nearing its completion when I arrived in Toronto. I was young, fully unaware that in the next few weeks, another chapter would unfold in the history of the city that I had chosen to be my new home.

Camera That Fits Like A Glove

It is compact and light, smart and powerful, versatile and friendly. It is the SX10-IS, the right camera given at the right time to the right photographer.

Mastering Landscape Photography

  When nature’s breath-taking landscape captivates us, our eyes could not get enough of it. The grandeur finds its niche in our brain and it triggers our imagination to re-live the magnificent view over and over again.

Natural Looking Portraits

   Unlike other subjects in photography, the human face can convey emotions. Its varying expressions communicate to the photographer. And with its soul-penetrating eyes, it is capable of creating mood that can be strongly engaging and yet unpredictable. A passive look can turn into a smile. And in a heartbeat, the same smile can transform into mixed feelings of confusion, making portraiture more interesting and also more challenging feat in the art of photography.