Back by popular demand!
Welcome to The Stratford Artists Takeover Show 4.0
featuring over 50!!! local Stratford artists.
The shop is organized in alphabetical order by artists.
Shipping cost may not be accurate and a credit will be issued in such a circumstance.
Scroll through, click on the arrows to see more and enjoy!
Any questions, give us a call or send us an email!
KATHLEEN BARRY
ANN BENJAMIN
I try to see the magic in everyday moments and bring them to life through my paintings. Over the last 50 years I have evolved by exploring new techniques and mediums, including my latest adventure into multidimensional art. By embracing diversity, I strive to challenge traditional notions and invite viewers to embark on a journey out or the box.
I'm a local artist who sees the magic in everyday moments and brings them to vibrant life through my paintings. Over the last 50 years, I have evolved my scope by exploring new techniques and mediums, including my latest adventure in multi - dimensional art.
I'm a local artist who sees the magic in everyday moments and brings them to vibrant life through my paintings. Over the last 50 years, I have evolved my scope by exploring new techniques and mediums, including my latest adventure in multi - dimensional art.
HANNAH BENNETT
I’m an acrylic portrait maker. I use whatever canvas-like-material I can get my hands on and paint portraits. I typically use non-traditional colours in my artwork bringing a different tone to each of my works. I use colours that reflect the people.
NANCY BERNHARDT
Nancy Bernhardt is a self taught Stratford artist known for vibrant colours and rich textures in acrylics and collage. A long nursing career has honed her eye for detail and instilled a deep appreciation for joy and beauty in life and art. Nancy’s work can be seen locally and in private collections. When not painting she’s usually creating sweet treats in the kitchen.
I’m my mixed media work I focus on colour, shape and composition rather than representational imagery. My process begins with a collection of paper scrapes, paint swatches and other mark making materials. I experiment and play with cutting and layering textures and colours arranging these elements on a canvas to achieve a harmonious balance of colour and form.
I’m my mixed media work I focus on colour, shape and composition rather than representational imagery. My process begins with a collection of paper scrapes, paint swatches and other mark making materials. I experiment and play with cutting and layering textures and colours arranging these elements on a canvas to achieve a harmonious balance of colour and form.
ARLENE CROOK BEST
Arlene Best is an accomplished artist, designer, and creative professional based in Stratford, Ontario. Her multifaceted career began in Toronto’s fashion and modelling industry, where she trained at International Top Models before managing multiple branches across Ontario and developing the first Makeup Artistry course in Toronto. Her international experience includes time in Paris with Flash Modelling Agency and the successful launch of the first International Top Models School in New York City. In 1985, Arlene founded Directions Talent Management Inc., representing more than sixty performers across television, film, and theatre. Her insight, professionalism, and ability to recognize talent made her a respected figure within the entertainment industry. After moving to Stratford with her husband, actor Wayne Best, Arlene turned her creative energy toward interior design. Through Ar Works and later Arlene Best Interiors, she built a design practice known for artistry, colour, and warmth. Her hand-painted floorcloths were featured in Floorcloth Magic by Lisa Curry Mair, and her poster design for Balzac’s Coffee Roastery appeared in Vogue Magazine’s March 2007 issue. Today, Arlene’s artistic journey continues through acrylic painting and fluid art, where she explores movement, chemistry, and the harmony of colour. Her work celebrates spontaneity, transformation, and emotional expression — a natural evolution of her lifelong passion for beauty in all its forms.. I work with acrylic pouring techniques and hand embellishments , I love the spontaneous movement of the paint when pouring, which then allows me to then manipulate and control the outcome of the painting. I use a variety of tools to create the effects that I achieve, and I loved botanical paintings. My inspiration comes from the flower world and nature .
EMMA BLOWES
Emma Blowes is a local student artist currently studying at the University of Guelph in Studio Art. On track to graduate in 2026 with a Bachelor of Arts. Emma was born and raised in Stratford, Ontario and comes home often as her parents live in Stratford as well. Emma has worked in multiple local art galleries, art camps, and has been a vendor in multiple local art markets. Emma loves to try new things, so she has a lot of art from different mediums, including more adventurous mediums like printmaking, photography, sculpture, etc. yet she mostly works in watercolor and acrylic. Emma really enjoys colour and having fun with her art, she is quite a type b artist, laid back and enjoying herself. She mostly finds inspiration through the nature of beautiful Stratford. Emma would be honoured to be apart of the Stratford Artist Takeover Show at Matilda Gallery and Bar.
RICK BOON
I learned pointillism in grade 9 art class in the early 1980’s from Mr. Bruce Clarke at Stratford Central High School. He was patient and guided me to create a couple of nice pictures. Fast forward to 2019 when I had major hip surgery, I needed to fill my time in the recovery process, so I started to create pictures again and with each piece, my skills improved. I continue to create pictures and simply pass copies to people who I think would enjoy them. The finished product is always special after the lengthy process needed to finish them, but to then find someone who would enjoy a copy is very exciting for me.
CATHERINE BUTLER
The Catherine Butler Collection is a Stratford-based (by way of Niagara-on-the-Lake and Toronto), independently owned jewellery and art business. It all began back in 2008 with Catherine making jewellery out of a love for creating one-of-a-kind statement pieces using vintage materials and unique stones, with some of the proceeds of the sales going towards helping take care of her special needs rescue dog. A couple of years later, and with new rescues in tow, Catherine picked up a paint brush and a new creative outlet was born. Catherine is happiest when at home, creating and surrounded by her furry coworkers.
My artistic process is rooted in intuition and immersion. I’m drawn to working with vibrant colour, allowing it to guide the direction of each piece rather than following a fixed plan. I begin with a loose sense of movement, and as I layer colour and form, the work gradually reveals itself. The process is fluid and responsive—each mark informs the next, creating a kind of visual conversation on the canvas. I’m particularly inspired by the openness of abstraction. I love that a single piece can hold many meanings, shifting depending on who is experiencing it. It’s important to me that my work leaves space for personal interpretation, inviting viewers to find their own stories, emotions, or memories within it. Painting is also a deeply grounding experience for me. It’s one of the few times when my mind becomes completely quiet and I feel a sense of calm and clarity. That feeling of serenity is an essential part of my work, and I hope it resonates with others, whether through the energy of the colours or the stillness that emerges from the process.
My artistic process is rooted in intuition and immersion. I’m drawn to working with vibrant colour, allowing it to guide the direction of each piece rather than following a fixed plan. I begin with a loose sense of movement, and as I layer colour and form, the work gradually reveals itself. The process is fluid and responsive—each mark informs the next, creating a kind of visual conversation on the canvas. I’m particularly inspired by the openness of abstraction. I love that a single piece can hold many meanings, shifting depending on who is experiencing it. It’s important to me that my work leaves space for personal interpretation, inviting viewers to find their own stories, emotions, or memories within it. Painting is also a deeply grounding experience for me. It’s one of the few times when my mind becomes completely quiet and I feel a sense of calm and clarity. That feeling of serenity is an essential part of my work, and I hope it resonates with others, whether through the energy of the colours or the stillness that emerges from the process.
KAYLA BUTT
Kayla Butt approaches painting as an iterative and intuitive practice, grounded in a sustained dialogue between abstraction and representation. Working primarily in oil and mixed media, her canvases are built through layering, obscuring, and returning, each surface accumulating decisions and erasures over time. A recurring vocabulary of symbols, text, and found imagery threads through the work, rendered unstable through repetition and revision.
Drawing from personal memory, the quietude of small-town life, and the ways in which recollection reshapes itself, Butt explores the tension between what is held onto and what slips away. Mirrored text, fractured motifs, and layered atmospheres serve as visual metaphors for the unsaid and the half-forgotten. The work moves toward greater complexity with more tension, more depth and each new layer a negotiation between control and letting go.
Drawing from personal memory, the quietude of small-town life, and the ways in which recollection reshapes itself, Butt explores the tension between what is held onto and what slips away. Mirrored text, fractured motifs, and layered atmospheres serve as visual metaphors for the unsaid and the half-forgotten. The work moves toward greater complexity with more tension, more depth and each new layer a negotiation between control and letting go.
NANCY CALDER
I have always been drawn to realism, to create a sense of life and living from a blank canvas or piece of paper. I find the concept of realism, absolutely fascinating. I am always surprised and amused by the degree of dimension that can be achieved, a feeling that one can almost reach into a painting and touch the objects in a still life, or catch the eye of the of the subject in a portrait. I love both the intensity and vibrancy of the oil paints, yet it can also be such a subtle medium.
I was born and raised in Toronto and a number of years ago relocated to Stratford Ontario.
Although my journey didn’t begin until later in life when time and finances allowed, it was more than rewarding. My education started with graphite, moving into carbon, charcoal and finally oil paint. Initially I enrolled into the Academy of Realist Art to pursue my love of the human figure, but as I progressed through the program, I became very fond of painting still life. In the fall of 2013, I earned my diploma.
I choose objects for my still life’s that appear to have had a life of their own. My stories are from a moment in time, a little curious and vaguely familiar.
I was born and raised in Toronto and a number of years ago relocated to Stratford Ontario.
Although my journey didn’t begin until later in life when time and finances allowed, it was more than rewarding. My education started with graphite, moving into carbon, charcoal and finally oil paint. Initially I enrolled into the Academy of Realist Art to pursue my love of the human figure, but as I progressed through the program, I became very fond of painting still life. In the fall of 2013, I earned my diploma.
I choose objects for my still life’s that appear to have had a life of their own. My stories are from a moment in time, a little curious and vaguely familiar.
CARLA COLES
Carla Coles is an award winning multi-disciplinary artist, poet, author, entrepreneur and woman-about-town living and working in Stratford, ON. She admits to being a little in love with her community. Her paintings are abstracted backgrounds with a main focal inspired by nature that leans towards whimsical. She is a multimedia artist but loves the bold colours and flexibility of acrylic paint spending weeks perfecting the chaotic backgrounds using many varying techniques from sprays and splatters to adding and removing objects to create voids in the space. Thinning and thickening the paint with different mediums until it all comes together. Her passion is working in large format but also enjoys the intimacy of smaller pieces. Her work reveals the truths in her own life. Carla’s work has been featured in magazines, online publications, and as part of local events, one of her paintings has even been adapted to a vinyl covering for downtown electrical box as part of a beautification project. Carla has helped restore two local murals and has done commissions for both businesses and social clubs. She has been a proud member of Stratford’s Art in the Park for several years and sells internationally. Carla paints things and writes things and hangs out in cafés. She has a tendency towards mischief and a fondness for pudding.
I love the chaos of abstracted backgrounds, mixed media.. the drips, spatters and voids.. Sometimes I balance the circles and orbs with a grounding stripe and a main focal image..sometimes not at all, I have been obsessed with crows for the last couple of years, they represent finding your true path..I also love how to us human types they are mostly just black birds but to each other and other species they are bright and colourful, that unexpected element is something I try to keep in mind when creating my art. I love when the light hits it different and there is colours and textures you never noticed before. Whimsy has always been a language in my work and my life and I am really leaning into that vein.. I think the world needs more of that.. The colours and subjects are bright and unafraid, a vulnerability and a strength .. kind of a feral whimsy to my work.
I love the chaos of abstracted backgrounds, mixed media.. the drips, spatters and voids.. Sometimes I balance the circles and orbs with a grounding stripe and a main focal image..sometimes not at all, I have been obsessed with crows for the last couple of years, they represent finding your true path..I also love how to us human types they are mostly just black birds but to each other and other species they are bright and colourful, that unexpected element is something I try to keep in mind when creating my art. I love when the light hits it different and there is colours and textures you never noticed before. Whimsy has always been a language in my work and my life and I am really leaning into that vein.. I think the world needs more of that.. The colours and subjects are bright and unafraid, a vulnerability and a strength .. kind of a feral whimsy to my work.
DESMOND COLES
I let the materials at hand inspire me, and bring out the beauty in the everyday as well as the whimsy of play. These pieces were done with layers of acrylic, first painted as one piece and then separated to create their own form in the disjointed absences of the original image. My inspiration comes from the materials I find and the little often overlooked details of the world around me.
PAIGE CONNELL
Paige Connell was born in Cambridge, Ontario. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Studio Art from the University of Guelph in 2012 where her practice focused on drawing, painting, and printmaking. Her work is composed mainly of portraits and figures (human and meteorological) and examines our psychological inner lives. Connell has exhibited her works in Kitchener, Toronto, and Stratford, where she currently lives and works. She is a member of the Stratford Art in the Park Association.
Composed mainly of portraits and figures (human and meteorological), my work examines our psychological inner lives. Using personal and found imagery as reference material, I explore subjects of memory, strangeness, and heavy emotion in a delicate effort to embody the parts of us not always visible. Drawing from my own elaborate inner life, I create expressive figures with intentional ambiguity to evoke curiosity and leave room for individual interpretation.
Composed mainly of portraits and figures (human and meteorological), my work examines our psychological inner lives. Using personal and found imagery as reference material, I explore subjects of memory, strangeness, and heavy emotion in a delicate effort to embody the parts of us not always visible. Drawing from my own elaborate inner life, I create expressive figures with intentional ambiguity to evoke curiosity and leave room for individual interpretation.
BO DAVEY
My work tells my story. My art is created through the emotions, lessons and healing energy of that story as it plays out. I paint intuitively often using nature as a metaphor to find answers and truths. I am self taught but more self teaching. I promote my art and process as a form of self discovery and healing, hoping to help others through my experience. Within each painting is a part of my story. The images I create allow the viewer to relate to the work via their own experience and interpretation. I started experimenting with painting in the mid 90's. Through many life challenges, it was always my sacred space. What has become my healing journey through art really began in 2015 and those series of works continues today....Bo Davey
I paint with acrylics, mainly on canvas. I paint images in nature which stand as metaphors for my story. I use many very thin layers and over time the painting evolves. I paint intuitively but methodically, riding rather large waves of emotions. Nature has always been my inspiration. It has always been my safe space. I communicate with spirit through nature and then also from my art. Healing has evolved to be the main theme in both subject and process and this is what I want to share.
I paint with acrylics, mainly on canvas. I paint images in nature which stand as metaphors for my story. I use many very thin layers and over time the painting evolves. I paint intuitively but methodically, riding rather large waves of emotions. Nature has always been my inspiration. It has always been my safe space. I communicate with spirit through nature and then also from my art. Healing has evolved to be the main theme in both subject and process and this is what I want to share.
LAURA DOUGHTY
Born and raised in Stratford, Laura Doughty was drawn to the visual arts and the love of being creative at an early age. She finds inspiration from the world all around her. Her creative practice is deeply rooted in the rhythm and structures of the natural world. She draws inspiration from the quiet strength of rock formations, the fluidity of rivers, and the intricate patterns found in landscapes shaped over time. For her, nature is not just a backdrop but a living archive of resilience, transformation, and beauty. Through acrylics and pastels, Laura translates these organic forms into work that invite the viewers to pause and reflect on their own connection to the environment. Each piece is a dialogue between permanence and change, echoing the way mountains endure, rivers carve, and forests renew. Her art celebrates the poetry of natural formations, reminding us that creativity, like nature herself, is both grounding and ever evolving.
My process is I go out for a long walk. I touch the bark, look at the bumps in the logs, say hi to the little creatures, and be present. My inspiration comes from the beauty of the elements. I like to try and recreate the textures of the land. I want the audience to feel connected to the Earth to move with it. It’s really important to me to help people see the beauty in roughness and jaggedness of it all. I want to bring that feeling back to our own bodies, by feeling the smooth and rough parts and feel how connected we are to this Earth.
My process is I go out for a long walk. I touch the bark, look at the bumps in the logs, say hi to the little creatures, and be present. My inspiration comes from the beauty of the elements. I like to try and recreate the textures of the land. I want the audience to feel connected to the Earth to move with it. It’s really important to me to help people see the beauty in roughness and jaggedness of it all. I want to bring that feeling back to our own bodies, by feeling the smooth and rough parts and feel how connected we are to this Earth.
TERRY DOUGLAS
Paint for fun, escape, release.
KAMERON DOYLE
JAMES DYCK
My artwork explores moments of quiet reflection, emotion, and connection to the natural world. I am particularly drawn to nighttime scenes that create atmosphere and invite contemplation. For me, art and painting are forms of self-expression and reflection, grounded in exploration and experimentation. My work is largely driven by emotion. My aim is not simply to create something beautiful, but to evoke an experience of thought and feeling.
DEBBIE ECKMEIR
Debbie Eckmier is a Stratford, Ontario–based fine artist working in acrylic and watercolor. Her work, rooted in realism with touches of whimsy, is inspired by nature, florals, and nostalgic subjects. With a background in decorative painting and over 40 years of teaching experience, she brings both technical skill and a passion for encouraging creativity. Her work reflects a quiet appreciation for beauty, connection, and the meaningful moments found in everyday life. I am self taught and have taken many workshops with artists like David McKeown, Marianne Broome, David Kitler and Robert Bateman.
I enjoy getting out in nature to sketch and take my own reference photos which I often combine to create my paintings. I lean to realism but enjoy a more contemporary style in some of my watercolour paintings.
I enjoy getting out in nature to sketch and take my own reference photos which I often combine to create my paintings. I lean to realism but enjoy a more contemporary style in some of my watercolour paintings.
MONICA FRIESEN
Monica Friesen started painting in 2012 to process difficult emotions after leaving the strict Mennonite community. Over time she began to paint landscapes as an expression of her love for and connection with Mother Earth who was always a safe space for her to be herself. She is a self-taught artist who works primarily with acrylic mediums. She was a participating member of St Marys Stonetown Arts group for 3 years, exhibited work in the group show 'Invited Artists' at the St Mary's Station Gallery, and is currently represented by Cuyuni Creates Gallery. My inspiration comes from the symbols hidden in nature that catch my eye and move something inside me. My process is experimental and in every piece I challenge myself with something I haven't done before.
EM HARRIS
Em Harris is a queer trans artist from Stratford Ontario proving that art will always be political . Historically women have rarely been the lead of the story. If they were, it was always the man telling it. Yet the story cannot exist without them.
HELEN HARRISON
I am a retired elementary teacher, working as a music teacher for most of my career. I began painting about 11 years ago by going to an art event at Gallery Stratford and then taking a few courses. I think of my art processes as a rediscovery of my inner child. I am part of the art group at SLAAA, attending as time allows. I am a busy retiree involved in several volunteer activities.
I paint with acrylics and am mostly inspired by nature. I usually use a photo as a reference, but am beginning to experiement with abstract and painting as the spirit leads.
I paint with acrylics and am mostly inspired by nature. I usually use a photo as a reference, but am beginning to experiement with abstract and painting as the spirit leads.
LINDA HAWKEN
Linda was born in Toronto but lived in Hawaii and England for part of her life. After many moves in Ontario since returning to Canada, she has found her favourite place in Ontario - Stratford. Photography was her first artistic passion before using that work to inspire her to put brush to paper using watercolours. Linda is self-taught but has been fortunate to have been a member of several art groups who encouraged and mentored her to refine her work over the last 15 years. No subject matter is off limits for her and she is still learning new techniques and skills to try.
COLE HORN
MARGARET JOHNSTON
Margaret Johnston feels incredibly privileged to be from somewhere as concerned with artistic expression as Stratford, Ontario. Growing up in the backyard of a world-class theatre company, listening to the Fanfare from her front yard throughout each Festival season, and steeping in the love for art and craft that permeates throughout the city all contributed to her artistic practice and her reverence for expression in all its many forms.
I love to work with acrylics in bright, solid colours. In my view, breakfast is - by far - the best meal of the day, and my love for the breadth and beauty of all breakfast can be comes out in my artwork. Painting in bold colours and discrete shapes lends a mindfulness to my practice as I work, while the graphic, cartoon-like style gives me the freedom to do away with any need for realism. I love to create works that might find themselves at home in a children's book illustration or a cartoon tv show!
I love to work with acrylics in bright, solid colours. In my view, breakfast is - by far - the best meal of the day, and my love for the breadth and beauty of all breakfast can be comes out in my artwork. Painting in bold colours and discrete shapes lends a mindfulness to my practice as I work, while the graphic, cartoon-like style gives me the freedom to do away with any need for realism. I love to create works that might find themselves at home in a children's book illustration or a cartoon tv show!
KEVIN KEMP
After working as a scenic painter in film and theatre in Toronto, I moved with my family to Stratford and began work with the Stratford Festival and teaching scenic paint with the Off The Wall artist alliance. After 30 years, I have retired and continue to paint and study music.
CLAIRE KENDALL
After leaving a successful career in television production and moving to Stratford, Claire Kendall has concentrated on her art full-time. She has studied at the Ottawa School of Art, as well as with individual artists, and primarily works with acrylic and oil paints. She will frequently incorporate a twist to the expected portrayal of her subject, whether it be through her use of colour or the creative interpretation of her subject matter.
ABDUL KHALIQ
MARTINE LEE
AMANDA LUNDRIGAN
I was introduced to the joys of gardening at the young age of 4 by my grandmother. Planting impatient flowers around the tree base in my backyard sparked a lifelong love of nature and beauty.
Around age 12, I discovered my father's old Yashica analog camera in the closet, and a new passion was born. With my father's guidance, I began experimenting with photography, often using his camera and receiving support through film and photo printing.
Although I am mostly self-taught, I took photography classes during high school and university to refine my skills and explore new techniques. These classes taught me the fundamentals of film photography and darkroom photo printing. I now use a variety of digital cameras and throughout this journey, I've come to appreciate the idea that the best camera is the one you have with you, regardless of its type or capabilities.
Having built a large collection of images since I first picked up a camera, it wasn’t until 2019 when I began to share my work with the world as a participating artist of the New Hamburg Art Tour.
In 2023, my work ‘Autumn Delight’ was chosen to be part of the 2023 Minto Juried Art Show. I continue to seek out venues and events to display and sell my work.
I currently live in Stratford, ON. A large part of my collection has been shot while walking my furbaby, Monty around Stratford - particularly around Upper Queens and the Stratford Festival.
Around age 12, I discovered my father's old Yashica analog camera in the closet, and a new passion was born. With my father's guidance, I began experimenting with photography, often using his camera and receiving support through film and photo printing.
Although I am mostly self-taught, I took photography classes during high school and university to refine my skills and explore new techniques. These classes taught me the fundamentals of film photography and darkroom photo printing. I now use a variety of digital cameras and throughout this journey, I've come to appreciate the idea that the best camera is the one you have with you, regardless of its type or capabilities.
Having built a large collection of images since I first picked up a camera, it wasn’t until 2019 when I began to share my work with the world as a participating artist of the New Hamburg Art Tour.
In 2023, my work ‘Autumn Delight’ was chosen to be part of the 2023 Minto Juried Art Show. I continue to seek out venues and events to display and sell my work.
I currently live in Stratford, ON. A large part of my collection has been shot while walking my furbaby, Monty around Stratford - particularly around Upper Queens and the Stratford Festival.
ANDREA MASELLA
As far back as I can remember, I was drawing. I may not have been the best artist in my 6th grade class, but I've had a passion for as long as I've known how to hold a pencil. My art is heavily inspired by real life, as I feel that I thrive in realism, however
I've begun to enjoy a more cartoon-ish style as well! If I'm not making portraits or studying still life scenery, I find that expressing various mental health struggles through my art is something that I am proud of. I have experienced a variety of symptoms and diagnoses,
but this healthy coping mechanism has been helpful through it all. Some days, I don't have the words to express my emotions, even to myself, but I find that art sometimes portrays these feelings better than any other method of expression.
As well as visual arts, I enjoy playing both the piano and clarinet, and I have a strong passion for science, in particular astrophysics. I am gradually pursuing this interest at McMaster University.
I believe that my well rounded enjoyment of subjects in many areas makes me a better artist. I can pull from these topics and create pieces that make me happy, and express real experiences that others can relate to in one way or another
I've begun to enjoy a more cartoon-ish style as well! If I'm not making portraits or studying still life scenery, I find that expressing various mental health struggles through my art is something that I am proud of. I have experienced a variety of symptoms and diagnoses,
but this healthy coping mechanism has been helpful through it all. Some days, I don't have the words to express my emotions, even to myself, but I find that art sometimes portrays these feelings better than any other method of expression.
As well as visual arts, I enjoy playing both the piano and clarinet, and I have a strong passion for science, in particular astrophysics. I am gradually pursuing this interest at McMaster University.
I believe that my well rounded enjoyment of subjects in many areas makes me a better artist. I can pull from these topics and create pieces that make me happy, and express real experiences that others can relate to in one way or another
SHAR MATTUCI
BETH MAWHINEY
JANINE MINOR
Janine Minor is a mixed media artist living in Stratford, Ontario. She works with paper, wax and relics from nature, in high relief or three dimensions. Inspired by both natural and manmade processes, she combines handmade and found materials to simulate structures, surfaces, and the stories they suggest.
The quiet, powerful beauty of natural forms and processes is the inspiration for most of my work. Over time, rendering light on form with paint and drawing materials has led me more towards creating things that occupy real space and catch real light. Recently, I have combined my own handmade paper or recycled paper forms with encaustic painting materials (beeswax and resin) to create relief and three-dimensional pieces. Both high and low relief allow the qualities of light to interact with the shape and texture of dimensional materials. The tactile part of this process is so compelling and satisfying. These representations often emerge with a "voice" to me, visual metaphors which reference lived experience as much as physical form.
The quiet, powerful beauty of natural forms and processes is the inspiration for most of my work. Over time, rendering light on form with paint and drawing materials has led me more towards creating things that occupy real space and catch real light. Recently, I have combined my own handmade paper or recycled paper forms with encaustic painting materials (beeswax and resin) to create relief and three-dimensional pieces. Both high and low relief allow the qualities of light to interact with the shape and texture of dimensional materials. The tactile part of this process is so compelling and satisfying. These representations often emerge with a "voice" to me, visual metaphors which reference lived experience as much as physical form.
LAURA MOWBRAY
KATE MULRONEY
Kate Mulrooney is an artist living in Stratford, Ontario. “I love to paint images that speak to me,” she says. “Sometimes I feel like I don’t pick them, they pick me, asking to be painted with bold strokes and bright colours. It’s all about the light.” I take photographs when I am out and about, and also collect photographs from the internet (and use them with permission) for my source material. I am a studio painter, and love moving between very loose and painterly strokes for some projects, and a more controlled, yet still impressionistic approach for others. I use acrylic paints on canvas, canvas board, wood or paper. I have so much enjoyed exhibiting at the gallery on previous occasions. This year, all my proceeds are being donated to a refugee resettlement project that I am a part of, bringing an Afghani family here to Canada.
MALKA PEIRIS
I paint because art has no limits; it is a total escape that can become whatever I need it to be. While looking at a painting can spark a feeling, the act of creating one is a much deeper experience. My work allows me to build a lasting bond with people I’ve never met, creating a deep, personal connection between us through the life of the painting.
My inspiration comes from what makes others happy! I love to create something for people that they saw in a dream or their favorite shows/scenery from trips or even a feeling that they can't fully describe, I want to try and bring that into our world and make it a tangible memory for them, with my own little twist of course!
My inspiration comes from what makes others happy! I love to create something for people that they saw in a dream or their favorite shows/scenery from trips or even a feeling that they can't fully describe, I want to try and bring that into our world and make it a tangible memory for them, with my own little twist of course!
MAVERICK POTTER
Often what inspires me most is connection, disconnection, society, longing, human nature, and the beauty and disgust that lies within those boundaries when communicating the Self to the Other. In SYMBIOSIS I wanted to express the disconnect between the body and the mind that can come to exist when someone is chronically ill; struggling to understand and survive in a body that harms them, among a society that may deem them, at their worst, parasitic. I can not change the way my body exists through hard work and grit, doing so has driven me to an even worse place then I was when I had assumed I could. I must exist now as I am, hoping that I can come to understand as well as come to care for a body that preys on me. Hoping that others can come to understand and come to care for another that can not offer them what they could if they were healthy. My usual medium is digital art, it allows me to take my time, to have the stability offered artificially by art software programs like Clip Studio Paint so that I do not have to worry about tremors ruining a piece. For SYMBIOSIS I chose canvas and acrylic, as I felt that any flaws in the end products would be more true to the message I was trying to convey.
For this series my inspiration came while talking with a friend about how to get blood stains out of clothing, and how blood can not survive outside the body. From there my mind journeyed through the idea that while I need my blood to survive, my blood also needs me to survive, and that while we do not think about it this way scientifically; that my blood and I exist in an obligate mutualistic relationship. Often I have felt so separated from my body due to disability and health scares that I feel as if it could and would go on existing without me if only it could. It made me ponder upon my inherit disgust and discomfort with parasitism in nature- when this is already the way I feel about my own body. So I looked into various forms and kinds of parasitic relationships found in nature to depict. Each piece in this series except the last depicts some sections of the human body, lined in white, with the circulatory system running through it in red. In black on black paint in the background sit the parasites, some more harmful to their hosts than others- the bovine tapeworm depicted in the first piece (which occurs in cattle and humans) causes almost no long term or harmful symptoms, whereas the fig wasp depicted in the second piece dies as soon as the female has entered a fig gall, and in the third piece protozoa invade the space where the lungs would be and a tongue-eating isopod sits in the head and neck. The fourth piece in the series intentionally stands apart, depicting a flat coil candle in white, burning fast from on end- depicting a soul burning out. The background in black on black it is littered with a multitude of parasites; a mosquito is included- although it is not naturally a parasite it is a common vector for diseases that can cause sickness and death. There is a tick and a flea at the bottom, there are round worms, ring worms, hook worms, flat worms, a whipworm, a snail taken over by a Leucochloridium paradoxum (the green-banded broodsac), an ant taken over by Ophiocordyceps unilateralis (zombie-ant fungus), and at the top of the piece above the burning soul is a female of the Ephilates wasp species laying her eggs in a scarab larvae. I used Golden artist acrylics for the black on black, in Mars Black and Carbon, and Royal and Langnickel acrylic paint pens for the lines with small tipped paint brushes for finer details on the red and white.
For this series my inspiration came while talking with a friend about how to get blood stains out of clothing, and how blood can not survive outside the body. From there my mind journeyed through the idea that while I need my blood to survive, my blood also needs me to survive, and that while we do not think about it this way scientifically; that my blood and I exist in an obligate mutualistic relationship. Often I have felt so separated from my body due to disability and health scares that I feel as if it could and would go on existing without me if only it could. It made me ponder upon my inherit disgust and discomfort with parasitism in nature- when this is already the way I feel about my own body. So I looked into various forms and kinds of parasitic relationships found in nature to depict. Each piece in this series except the last depicts some sections of the human body, lined in white, with the circulatory system running through it in red. In black on black paint in the background sit the parasites, some more harmful to their hosts than others- the bovine tapeworm depicted in the first piece (which occurs in cattle and humans) causes almost no long term or harmful symptoms, whereas the fig wasp depicted in the second piece dies as soon as the female has entered a fig gall, and in the third piece protozoa invade the space where the lungs would be and a tongue-eating isopod sits in the head and neck. The fourth piece in the series intentionally stands apart, depicting a flat coil candle in white, burning fast from on end- depicting a soul burning out. The background in black on black it is littered with a multitude of parasites; a mosquito is included- although it is not naturally a parasite it is a common vector for diseases that can cause sickness and death. There is a tick and a flea at the bottom, there are round worms, ring worms, hook worms, flat worms, a whipworm, a snail taken over by a Leucochloridium paradoxum (the green-banded broodsac), an ant taken over by Ophiocordyceps unilateralis (zombie-ant fungus), and at the top of the piece above the burning soul is a female of the Ephilates wasp species laying her eggs in a scarab larvae. I used Golden artist acrylics for the black on black, in Mars Black and Carbon, and Royal and Langnickel acrylic paint pens for the lines with small tipped paint brushes for finer details on the red and white.
DOROTA RUTHKOWSKA
Dorota is an artist, a mom, a retired teacher, an entrepreneur, an animal & nature lover, and an avid reader & learner.
Dorota has discovered painting quite by accident in 2015. She bought an art kit as a gift for someone and ended up using it herself. Paintings emerged and Dorota discovered a connection to new worlds and dimensions.
Dorota has always had a “soulful” streak, avidly learning about different spiritual practices & traditions of the world, sacred plants, spirit animals and past lives. She participated in many ceremonies, sacred circles and fell in love with drums, drumming and sacred sound. She has always had an interest in human psyche, the workings of our brain and our “shadow self”
Dorota’s artistic style could be described as “soulful realism”. She finds the emotional spark for her art in dreams, meditations, during quiet moments and in every new place she explores. Her paintings feature vibrant colours and explore themes of human experience, sacred geometry, spirituality and nature. Some of her favourite painting motifs include mandalas, animals, feathers, flowers, night skies & galaxies. Dorota’s paintings are created with a touch of glitter as well as metallic and iridescent paints for extra magic and depth. She also paints hand-held drums due to her love of restorative power of sound and rhythm.
Dorota has discovered painting quite by accident in 2015. She bought an art kit as a gift for someone and ended up using it herself. Paintings emerged and Dorota discovered a connection to new worlds and dimensions.
Dorota has always had a “soulful” streak, avidly learning about different spiritual practices & traditions of the world, sacred plants, spirit animals and past lives. She participated in many ceremonies, sacred circles and fell in love with drums, drumming and sacred sound. She has always had an interest in human psyche, the workings of our brain and our “shadow self”
Dorota’s artistic style could be described as “soulful realism”. She finds the emotional spark for her art in dreams, meditations, during quiet moments and in every new place she explores. Her paintings feature vibrant colours and explore themes of human experience, sacred geometry, spirituality and nature. Some of her favourite painting motifs include mandalas, animals, feathers, flowers, night skies & galaxies. Dorota’s paintings are created with a touch of glitter as well as metallic and iridescent paints for extra magic and depth. She also paints hand-held drums due to her love of restorative power of sound and rhythm.
SANDRA SALISBURY-PATTERSON
Financial analyst by day, creator of glorious nonsense by night. I'm a lifelong Stratford resident specializing in lush oil paintings and elaborate jewelled reliquaries. Sandra Salisbury creates glorious baroque non-sense in oils, incorporating the artists own handmade paint and repurposed materials into their work. A lifelong Stratford resident and foremost expert on the history of Peppermint France, they draw inspiration from natural history, the Baroque era, and industrial music. An emerging artist and repeat participant in the Matilda Artist Takeover shows, they work at their 20+ year career in banking during the day. My favourite artists are Artemesia Gentilesche, Carravaggio, local artist Ryan Rader, and Brute. I work in a tiny home studio surrounded by my creepy pets. Everything I own is covered in paint.
GAIL SELKIRK
I'm a musician in my 70's who started creating art during covid. Self-taught.
TANYA SILLERS
I’ve seen humanity’s expressions, postures, and the slant of our shadows. My work expresses the tone of urban life flashing by while allowing myself and others to feel a part of it. Photography has given me extraordinary freedom to capture this. I feel it is the responsibility of the artist to reveal the inner feeling of their subjects. I try to show a balance of strength and subtlety in my pictures that reflect the living beauty of the world.
My pictures are taken with traditional photographic film using a 35mm single lens reflex camera or painted with watercolor or acrylic. The images are at times skewed or out of focus to reveal the movement of life in even the most still of subjects. The best of the resulting images are cropped and scanned at a high resolution to be printed on archival paper using pigment inks. I’m inspired by the reality off cities. I love the variety of the different ways people live and survive in the hustle and bustle or the places of peace where persons experience calm.
My pictures are taken with traditional photographic film using a 35mm single lens reflex camera or painted with watercolor or acrylic. The images are at times skewed or out of focus to reveal the movement of life in even the most still of subjects. The best of the resulting images are cropped and scanned at a high resolution to be printed on archival paper using pigment inks. I’m inspired by the reality off cities. I love the variety of the different ways people live and survive in the hustle and bustle or the places of peace where persons experience calm.
CHERYL STANLEY
Cheryl Stanley is an emerging Canadian artist whose work explores the quiet beauty and familiarity of everyday life. Working primarily in acrylic, she creates joyful, expressive paintings that often feature florals, everyday objects, and scenes drawn from shifting perspectives—out her window and through her travels. A keen observer, Cheryl is drawn to moments and objects that carry personal and collective memory. Her work is rooted in representational imagery, using colour, light, and pattern to evoke a strong sense of place and lived experience. Through her paintings, she invites viewers to reconnect with the ordinary in ways that feel both joyful and meaningful. Art has been a constant presence throughout her life, shaping a creative path that includes working with children and freelance food photography. With a growing focus on her studio practice, she continues to refine her voice and develop a body of work that continues to evolve. Born and raised in Toronto, Cheryl now works between her studio in Stratford, Ontario, and a seasonal home in New Brunswick. She has exhibited in online shows and local art markets, and is an active member of the arts community, including Stratford’s Art in the Park.
I paint loosely in acrylic, inspired by things I see in my everyday life and travels—flowers, food, objects, often leaning in to stories and nostalgia. I often start from life or photos I’ve taken, then simplify and rework to highlight the beauty that initially drew me in. My process is layered and intuitive, and I like to leave the brushwork visible so the painting feels active and alive. I’m love to take familiar subjects and present them in a way that feels fresh, memorable and slightly unexpected.
I paint loosely in acrylic, inspired by things I see in my everyday life and travels—flowers, food, objects, often leaning in to stories and nostalgia. I often start from life or photos I’ve taken, then simplify and rework to highlight the beauty that initially drew me in. My process is layered and intuitive, and I like to leave the brushwork visible so the painting feels active and alive. I’m love to take familiar subjects and present them in a way that feels fresh, memorable and slightly unexpected.
BRENDA STOREY
Brenda Storey is a self-taught artist. Facing the isolation and limitations of Environmental Illness since 2010, she discovered the world of watercolour in 2016. She began showing her work publicly in 2019. Using gestural ink drawings and limited palettes, faces have been a favorite subject. With a recent discovery of lower VOC acrylics more expressive spontaneous pieces, incorporating collage work, are emerging. Constantly growing, ever evolving, whether abstract or figurative; human emotions, environmental messages, or local scenes are the focus of her work.
In 2010 my world shrunk due to Environmental Illness. Then I discovered the world of painting in 2016. Beginning with watercolour I’m mainly self taught. After several years I began exploring the possibilities of watercolour on canvas, then discovering lower VOC acrylics let me explore different mediums, which now include some collage work as well. My work ranges from figurative to abstract. I am constantly growing, ever evolving. My work has focused on portraits as well as animals and birds. Recently I have been exploring landscapes as well I began showing publicly in 2019 with START Stratford, now Stratford Art Market, at Factory163. During the pandemic I Contributed many paintings to Gallery Stratford’s “Little Art Things” fund raiser, and participated in the Arts Around Stratford events. I was a member of Stratford Art-In-The-Park for 2 seasons but due to health issues could not keep that up. I currently have some pieces in the Window Art Gallery at Lyric Flowers in St. Marys. You will find me a a couple of local art markets in the fall. I post all upcoming events on Instagram @brenda.storey.studio
This series I call Ancient Spaces. It was inspired originally by a photo taken by a friend on vacation in Sicily. I have been working on developing more landscape paintings so decided to do a series based on architectural ruins using a limited pallet. The inspiration photos were all night shots with dramatic lighting . Each site is specifically located around the Mediterranean Sea.
In 2010 my world shrunk due to Environmental Illness. Then I discovered the world of painting in 2016. Beginning with watercolour I’m mainly self taught. After several years I began exploring the possibilities of watercolour on canvas, then discovering lower VOC acrylics let me explore different mediums, which now include some collage work as well. My work ranges from figurative to abstract. I am constantly growing, ever evolving. My work has focused on portraits as well as animals and birds. Recently I have been exploring landscapes as well I began showing publicly in 2019 with START Stratford, now Stratford Art Market, at Factory163. During the pandemic I Contributed many paintings to Gallery Stratford’s “Little Art Things” fund raiser, and participated in the Arts Around Stratford events. I was a member of Stratford Art-In-The-Park for 2 seasons but due to health issues could not keep that up. I currently have some pieces in the Window Art Gallery at Lyric Flowers in St. Marys. You will find me a a couple of local art markets in the fall. I post all upcoming events on Instagram @brenda.storey.studio
This series I call Ancient Spaces. It was inspired originally by a photo taken by a friend on vacation in Sicily. I have been working on developing more landscape paintings so decided to do a series based on architectural ruins using a limited pallet. The inspiration photos were all night shots with dramatic lighting . Each site is specifically located around the Mediterranean Sea.
ADAM VANDERHEIDE
In his experiments with narrative and comics Vanderheide expresses his love of storytelling.
WILMA VANDERHEIDE
Wilma VanderHeide lives in Stratford and has always loved art. In the last number of years, she has been able to concentrate full time and has to submitted work to Matilda Swanson Gallery in Stratford, Westland Gallery in London as well as at the Stratford Art Market and Start the Holiday Market. She is an acrylic painter, water colour painter and potter. Her acrylic paintings her interpretation of scenery that inspires her. Whimsical and useful pottery are favourite outlets for her creative energy.
When painting Wilma is inspired by scenery that is translated into her imaginative variation of it. With her pottery experimentation and whimsical energy guide her process.
When painting Wilma is inspired by scenery that is translated into her imaginative variation of it. With her pottery experimentation and whimsical energy guide her process.
JULIANNE WALLER
I’m inspired by exploring the everyday experiences of women and the ways we connect with the world around us. By portraying ordinary situations and objects in unexpected ways, my work creates moments of joy, surprise, and reflection.
My artistic style combines mixed media techniques – blending acrylic paint, ink, vintage ephemera, coloured pencils and even bingo daubers. This playful and varied approach results in visually engaging pieces that encourage viewers to connect with the art in their own personal way.
While my artwork draws on my own life and viewpoint, it also reflects common human experiences. Through vibrant colours, patterns, and a touch of humour, I challenge viewers to reconsider familiar ideas and better understand the intricacies of our social environment.
Ultimately, my goal is to create art that not only brings happiness but also invites people to see the world in fresh and interesting ways. By mixing the familiar with the unexpected, I hope my work sparks curiosity and wonder, inspiring meaningful connections with each piece.
My artistic style combines mixed media techniques – blending acrylic paint, ink, vintage ephemera, coloured pencils and even bingo daubers. This playful and varied approach results in visually engaging pieces that encourage viewers to connect with the art in their own personal way.
While my artwork draws on my own life and viewpoint, it also reflects common human experiences. Through vibrant colours, patterns, and a touch of humour, I challenge viewers to reconsider familiar ideas and better understand the intricacies of our social environment.
Ultimately, my goal is to create art that not only brings happiness but also invites people to see the world in fresh and interesting ways. By mixing the familiar with the unexpected, I hope my work sparks curiosity and wonder, inspiring meaningful connections with each piece.
LEAH WELLS
I'm inspired by the beauty of Canada and I use acrylic pouring to create landscape paintings that capture the way I view the world- colourful and optimistic. I discovered a way to use the fluid acrylic pouring medium to create landscape paintings. By combining acrylic pigments, oils and conditioners, I pour my art in fluid layers. The bubble patterns that form are unique to each piece and bring a more granular interest to my work. My inspiration began with my roots; growing up on a farm where I fell in love with big skies over open fields. I travel across Canada and use photography to capture my inspiration for my art. My paintings resemble the way I view the world; bright and happy . I strive to capture my positive outlook on life with the fluid medium, paired with my love for colour and all things handmade. My work highlights my appreciation for the outdoors and the time I've spent in Algonquin Park. Each painting connects me to a moment in my adventures. I aim to invite viewers to join in my colourful optimistic outlook.
JACK WINN
Painting and sculpting for 40 years.
