Art By The Falls Returns August 25 and 26

Now in it’s third season, Art By The Falls returns to Gypsy Creek near Markdale on Saturday, August 25 and Sunday, August 26, from 12-5pm each day. This fine art show and sale takes place in a stunning natural setting. A short hike atop a wooded limestone cliff leads to two cottage galleries situated next to a beautiful series of waterfalls and rapids.

The show will feature guest artists Mary Tripp MacCarl and Rachel Green, as well as resident artists Anna Green and Ken Dunn. Mary, who describes her work as “art honouring nature” is no stranger to Grey County residents. Her Tree Spirits and Tree Sprites are one of a kind, hand-built, fired clay sculptures that are stained to blend in with the bark of a tree. They are designed to hang outside on a tree, fence, wall or inside as a decorative reminder of the importance of trees in our lives.

There are several versions of Tree Spirits, each is unique with its own personality. All are engraved with the words: “the spirit of the tree speaks … silent words of wisdom from generations past to those who will remain”. The Tree Sprites are a younger version of the Tree Spirits and carry the words “the future of the forest lies in the strength of the young tree”.

Painter Anna Green's style continues to evolve. Over the past year she has increasingly left watercolour behind to create gorgeous and whimsical acrylic paintings featuring faeries, fish, sheep, and other creatures, exotic and otherwise. Paintings from her two most recent series, “Spring Run-Off” and “A Touch of Whimsy” will be on exhibition, as well as some of her ever popular roosters. Anna is also in demand as a portrait artist, and would be happy to accept commissions.

Ken Dunn has also continued to develop his unique style of painting, characterized by abstract composition in both acrylic and oil. An emerging Ontario artist, his work is being increasingly exhibited and collected both here at home and abroad. For this show, Ken will be exhibiting some paintings from a series in progress entitled “Natural Tendencies”. The goal of this series is to uncover and explore the nature of the creative impulse. Each painting represents an independent effort at documenting the experience of the artist as those creative forces and motivations most deeply felt are accessed.

Rachel Green's work, which was introduced at our last show, will also return. Rachel is an artist who definitely “paints from the heart”. Her unaffected and lively acrylic paintings are filled with emotion. Her work is also currently being exhibited at the EQ Gallery in Burlington.

Please join us for this celebration of art and nature, when we present four exciting artists in their element. Gypsy Creek Gallery is located at 494457 Traverston Road, RR #1, Markdale. From either Hwy 6 or 10, take Grey Rd. 12 (the Markdale Road) 9km and follow the signs. Due to the rugged terrain and waterfalls, it is recommended that small children be carefully supervised. No pets please. Telephone 519-986-1366.

LIVING IN HARMONY

We are back in Nosara for the month of July. Anna is completing her 200 hour Yoga Alliance Teacher Training at the Nosara Yoga Institute with Don and Amba Stapleton. She plans to put her training to good use, and offer yoga classes this fall at Gypsy Creek.

Both Anna and Ken are also working on new paintings for both Galeria Nativa, here in Nosara, as well as a Montezuma-area show in Cabuya in December.

We are staying at The Harmony Hotel, which in our opinion, is one of the finest hotels around. We have so many good things to say about Harmony, it’s impossible to list them all here. However, some aspects which truly stand out include the policy and practice of environmental and social responsibility, the incredible staff, the delicious organic food, and the Healing Center of Radiant Awakening, which offers both Yoga and Massage.

Harmony's Tiendita (“Little Store”) is one of the most amazing stores we have seen. In a village where it is hard to find anything but the basic necessities, it offers a wide array of items linked together by the themes of environmental and social responsibility. The selection of books is first rate, as are the organic personal care items. It even has art supplies! La Tiendita is the brain-child of Miami resident, Lee Bailey, who has also been very helpful in special ordering our art supplies over the past two years. Thank you, Lee!