Artists' Biographies

Artist statement Jo-Anne Gillis As a potter, with many years of experience, creating hand built vessels and sculptural forms, my work is a reflection of my connection to the natural beauty and permanence of clay. My creative process involves the manipulation of hand thrown textured slabs of clay to construct the form. My focus is on the texture and surface patterns that enhance the form, or as in the example of the breast-plates, to describe a life’s journey. It has been said that clay has a language of its own, or that it speaks for itself. For me, the pottery...

Penelope: No formal art training except childhood memories of encouragement from her English grandfather who loved to paint in watercolours. Teenage years spent in boarding school where airmail letters were filled with descriptive pencil sketches. An avid world traveler from the age of 16, Penelope entered the Travel Industry after graduation. This opened the door to a less time consuming field of interest :photography: which continues to be a big part of her life. In 2018 head trauma caused loss of fine motor skills and short term memory. With unconditional support and encouragement from her sisterhood, Penelope gradually started her...

Jair Garay is a professional Latin artist painter and musician from El Salvador, he has been involved in the London music and art scene for many years. His paintings have been sold in galleries in London and Orillia, and internationally by commission. Jair is experienced in multiple media, from pencil sketches to acrylics in the styles of abstract, realism, and impressionism. Jair’s passion for drawing began at an early age. Inspired by his father’s artwork, painting became an early obsession, followed closely by his love of music. Throughout his life, that passion has not wavered, and creation – whether music,...

Author, speaker, philanthropist, and shutterbug. Inspiration is everywhere. Sarah tells stories through words and photos. She has been keeping a journal for as long as she can remember. When she travels, one of her favourite pastimes is to observe life around her and to reflect, while writing in her journal, or capturing precious moments of life through the camera lens. Sarah has published two books; Life Reboot and Guided by Love. Using education to empower people is one of her passions. She launched the Helping Hands for India charity in 2009, providing education to 300 children in northern India. After...

Patti lives to make art and now that she is fully retired she is devoted to spending time in her studio creating and exploring with her various mediums. Her love of “all things art” is strongly based on her upbringing, which was surrounded in both domestic crafts and the traditional arts. She works to portray her innate thoughts regarding her philosophical, spiritual or worldly expressions, her love of nature...and at other times, just for the pure joy of creating. Patti's education in the Arts has accumulated over a 40+ year time frame. Although considered self taught, she has attended a...