Autumn Reflections En Plein Air

Honorable Mention #3

Amanda Riccio

After studying Art History and Visual Studies at The University of Toronto, Amanda’s artistic passion lies in creating artwork for her personal collection. Most of her work is done using ink on paper however some of her favorites become paintings. Her most recent work illustrates the stories her grandmother told her as a child. As a new mom, she has been spending time at the McMichael Art Gallery with her daughter. This is her first time displaying her work in many years and she hopes that joining this art display reignites her interest in sharing her work with an audience.

Honorable Mention #2

Grace Downer

Plein air and studio artist. My medium of choice is oils and I use traditional methods to depict landscapes. I love rolling hills, ponds, trees, creeks; they all impart a sense of peace in the viewer.

Honorable Mention #1

Winnie Chen

Winnie Chen is a Watercolor artist, based in Markham, and creator of MoonMoon Artwork Studio. Her artistic style is a seamless blend of abstract shapes and realistic forms, infused with vibrant colors that are sure to captivate the senses. Winnie’s preferred medium is Watercolor, owing to its transparent quality and unpredictable water flow, which add a unique touch to every painting she creates. For Winnie, art is a form of therapy that transports her into a dream-like world. Her ultimate goal is to invite her viewers to immerse themselves in her creations and experience a moment of peace.

Best Human Interest

Jessica Volpe

In my studio practice I explore narratives of motherhood, childhood and gender as I break down ideas of femininity. I explore human nature with the use of anthropomorphic animals and surreal imagery.

Most Daring

Spenta Chothia

Spenta creates art with energy that consumes her body and soul. She strives to capture beauty, love, forgiveness, and acceptance in her subjects, using painting as a means of emotional release. Her educational journey includes studying Art & Art History at the University of Toronto Mississauga campus and Sheridan College.

Best Architectural Feature

Yi Mei

Yi is a Richmond Hill based artist. She focuses on landscape painting, life scenery, still life, and flowers inspired by her living surroundings and community. She works primarily in oil painting and acrylic abstract painting, especially in mixed media and texture techniques on canvas. Her paintings are more like life unfolding, and personal stories. She loves integrating natural materials from her daily living environment, such as dry plants from her backyard, moss from pounds mixed with pigments, often on large size canvas or on wood boards to create a sense of intimacy.

Best Natural Feature

Oksana Baczynsky

Oksana’s mediums are transparent watercolour and acrylic. Watercolour, provides a luminescent spectrum of colours and values that captures the essence of her subject matter.

Acrylics offer textural aspects which capture the rugged aspects of the Canadian landscape.

Born in Montreal, Oksana has been a long-time resident of York region, where she resides with her husband and a menagerie of 4 legged pets. The family summers at their cottage in the Haliburton Highlands, where much of Oksana’s inspiration is born. Canoe trips into Algonquin Park, Killarney, also inspire the rugged northern landscapes that comprise much of Oksana’s work.

Best In Show

Susan Walker-Ing

Susan Walker-Ing has painted since a young child. Enjoying art in mediums such as printmaking, drawing, and painting in pastels, acrylics, and oils. Susan graduated from York University with a degree in Art History. She has won awards in many mediums, most recently and Honourable Mention in the Saugeen Plein Air Competition July 2020. Last year, 2021 Susan received Best in Show for her oil painting in the King City Plein Air competition. Plein Air brings the challenge and joy that she thrives with.