Manitou Gallery
Welcome.
Come in and have a look around and enjoy the music from "Somewhere in
Time"
Manitou
Cottage
Manitou Studio and Gallery is within in our
year round cottage on the west shore of Lake Manitou, on Manitoulin Island, at
the top of Lake Huron, in Ontario, Canada. Lake Manitou is the largest
freshwater lake, on an island, in a freshwater lake, in the world. Did you know
that?
Please wander through my pages to view my
art and catch up on what's new since the last time you visited. Be sure to drop
by again, as I will be adding new pieces from time to time.
2002/3 Watercolour Paintings...
About me....
My
name is Moira Elsley, and I am an artist with membership in the Manitoulin Fine
Arts Association and the Elliott Lake Arts Club. My favourite medium is watercolours,
portraits in particular. . In addition to portraits, you will also find
landscapes, waterscapes, animals, floral and still life in my Gallery. I
undertake commissions from approved photographs and would be pleased to hear
from you through my Guestbook regarding a commission. I also produce prints and
cards, which are available for sale.
"Somewhere in Time" is my favourite movie, thus the reason that I chose Paganini's Theme by Rachmaninoff as the background music for my Gallery. I hope you find this enjoyable as you wander through and that you like the paintings too.
" Amber and Cooper "
Our friends Linda and Reg Roy commissioned
this painting, which was a Christmas gift a while ago for Reg’s daughter, Tracy
and son-in-law, Darrin. Amber and Cooper are their German Shorthairs and
beauties they are, too.
" Ducks in a Row "
Quite a few years ago, I returned to Scotland
with my father and visited Loch Lomand. We were walking by the lake and these
ducks were following us, looking for food no doubt. They struck me as so
comical that I took their picture. Some years later, my granddaughter, Rachel,
wished me to look in the album for some pictures to share and I saw the photo
with different eyes. My daughter-in-law, Anne, had told me our dear son, Michael
had his 'ducks in a row'. He left us
in 1994 and is dearly missed. This painting, now in the collection of our
friends, Ralph and Beverly Edwards, is very special to me and a print hangs in
our Manitou cottage.
The next two paintings were mounted earlier than 2002/3,
however, they are two of my favourites so will remain for a while.
I found my photograph of one of our grandsons,
Connor, a while ago and just needed to paint it. So, here he is...
' Sleepy Head '
" Loons on Lake Manitou "
Collection of Ralph and Beverly Edwards.
'
Sunset on Big Lake, Manitoulin Island '
Collection of Dave Reeve
While driving to town early one November morning, this scene at Big Lake, Manitoulin Island, called out to me and I had to stop the car to take a photograph. Much of the scene has my interpretation of colour and the loons had already left for the south for winter. Michael Wilcox's wonderful colours and colour system and Daniel Smith's autumn and quinacridone watercolours were my choices here, and good ones, wouldn't you agree?
The original is no longer available, but prints and cards may still be ordered. If you are interested, you may reach me through my Guest Book or email to mani2studio@amtelecom.net.
” Street Person "
Watercolour
I read an article on the homeless, and felt compelled
to do this piece. Prior to retirement, my work had occasionally brought me into
contact with street folk. The greater percentage of this piece is of a
gentleman from a Southern Ontario city. He was often seen at the soup kitchen,
located about three blocks from where I worked for a couple of years and who
was also highlighted in a newspaper article. His nose belongs to a gentleman
from Petrolia, now deceased.
I gave this gentleman a blue hat and blue
eyes because it gives such wonderful contrast to the darker values. Jurors for
the Northern Ontario Artists' Association chose 'Street Person' for the Art
Tour that traveled to various galleries throughout Northern Ontario during
1999/2000. He is now hanging in our cottage Gallery and available, framed
measuring 17 1/4 " X 20 1/4 ".
This piece is a portrait of Blaine
Williamson, of the Up Top Sports Shop in Williamson's Store in Mindemoya,
Manitoulin. ' Blaine ' now hangs in his home. If you go to Williamson's, a
great store, say hi to Blaine and his brother, Barry. Their Mother, Doris,
passed some months ago and will be greatly missed by everyone on The
Manitoulin.
I'll leave him here for a little
while longer.
This is our tow-headed grandson, Connor, with
his cousin, Jordy, looking for 'neat stuff' on the lake at the cottage. He was
at another Grandma's cottage, but I took a bit of liberty, as artists are wont
to do.
The painting is called "Do you see what I see?" and hangs
in Connor's home.
"Do you see what I see?"
This, my first painting, was tried in a Joe
Fettingis workshop and I was hopeless. I purchased the photo from Joe and then
used it to paint at home, without any external pressure. This piece is called, 'Old Man with Spectacles'. Check
for Joe's workshops through my links,
as he is a great teacher.
“ Old Man With Spectacles “
My husband, John, and I often canoed and
portaged in Algonquin Park, and this was a favourite spot. In spring, we would
do this trip, a 'Rite of Passage'. This painting earned a place in a Bear Creek
Studio Juried Show. Check out "Bear Creek Studio" in my links.
'Rite of Passage'
" The Cabin "
This log home is the summer residence of our good friends and also our neighbours. The painting hangs in their winter residence.
Collection of Ralph & Beverly Edwards
Our English springer spaniel, Jasper, has my
husband, John, and I well trained. We bought Jasper when he was just a few
weeks old, and brought him to the Manitoulin. This was a good thing for Jasper
and for us. His coat becomes quite thick and wooly for Northern Ontario
winters.
Jasper left us in the spring of 2006 and is very much
missed. Perhaps a new painting will take this place before long.
" Jasper at 5 Years "
" Apples and Pears "
The first painting of winter 1999, this one hangs in our cottage Gallery.
I applied the acrylics as you would watercolours. Working with washes and the
contrasts between the reds and yellows and blending both was fun and appealing.
I hope that you find it appealing too. 'Apples and Pears', acrylic on canvas, is unframed, measuring 12" X 24"
'John' is my husband, friend and sometime canoe partner. One of my earlier works, he not only hangs in our cottage, he lives here too. He is also known as Grandpa John.
Bear Creek Studio Juried
Exhibition, Petrolia, Ontario, Canada,
1992: one watercolours shown in Juried Exhibition.
Sheguindah Centennial Museum
Juried Exhibition, Manitoulin
Island, Ontario, Canada, 1996: Best Watercolour and People's Choice in Juried
Exhibition.
Northern Ontario Artists Association
Juried Exhibition, 1999; one watercolours
shown; 2004: two watercolours selected for show. The NOAA Juried Exhibition travels to Art Galleries throughout
Northern Ontario for a year and will visit Manitoulin Island again during the
coming year.
La Cloche Juried Exhibition, Whitefish Falls, Ontario, Canada, 2000:
four watercolours shown, including Best of Show and Domtar Award in the 23rd
Annual LaCloche Juried Exhibition. Two were watercolours were chosen for the
2001 Exhibition and three in 2002 and three in 2003.
Paint the Shores Huron County Juried Exhibition in Grand Bend, Ontario, Canada, 2002: one watercolours
selected.
Best in Show, People's Choice,
and Honourable Mentions have been awarded Moira's watercolours in Juried
Virtual Exhibitions on the World Wide Web.
Notice:
The Gore Bay Museum and Gallery, 12 Dawson Street, Gore Bay will be
featuring the work of Moira Elsley from late July until November 2007. Call
Nicole Weppler, Curator for more details. The telephone number for the Gore Bay
Museum and Gallery is (705) 282- 2040.
You may also email Moira at mani2studio@amtelecom.net
or leave a message in the Guestbook. Be sure to visit Moira’s website at www.manitoustudio.com where you will
see some of her more recent paintings.
Would you like to commission a painting created from an approved photograph?
If so, please leave a message in my Guest Book. Critiques are also appreciated.
Next, take a look at the neat links to other artist's sites.
·
Last
revised on April 28, 2007
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