Art

Beach artist Marita Engel is having a special exhibition of her paintings, called Healing Through Art, at the Bluffs Gallery, 1859 Kingston Rd., now through Sept. 18. This exhibit will show new and old paintings done over the last 30 years of the artist’s career.
“Art is a spiritual thing,” says Engel. “It has a special life of its own. It has an effect on both the artist, as well as on the observer. The healing comes through a special power that we realize but cannot explain. It has an effect on the mind and the body.”
Engel grew up in Austria after the Second World War. She recalls not having many toys to play with, and turning to drawing and eventually painting. She participated in her first group exhibit when she was just 22 years old. Engel came to Canada in 1963, and has participated in many group and solo shows since.
For more information or gallery hours, call The Bluffs Gallery at 416-698-7322.
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Arts On Queen is presenting a special one-day event when, on Sept. 1, artist Laurie Wonfor Nolan will be painting a still-life en plein air on the street corner in front of the store at 2198 Queen St. E.
Laurie has had a successful career as a commercial artist since 1983, but discovered a “new way of responding to the world with paint” in 1996. She held her first solo show of large plein air in 1999 and hasn’t looked back. She has gone on from traditional landscapes to animal studies, still life and urban subjects.
For more information call Arts On Queen at 416-699-6127.
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Reflexive Direction is the title of an exhibition of recent paintings by Cailey Massey currently running at Open Gallery, 454 Kingston Rd. It is a series of paintings “that is the result of questioning one’s natural reaction to avoid undefined spaces.”
Massey is a young artist from Nova Scotia who is “captivated by the human figure and its vast ability to adapt its form through the pure act of continuous re-creation and manipulation.”
For more information, and to see some of her images visit cailmassey.wix.com.
Open Gallery showcases artists and art at the intersection of art and architecture. For more information call 416-694-0008.
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Dave Bottoms once advertised with Beach Metro News as a contractor. He was also a writer and photographer on the side. After a serious bout of anxiety and depression forced him to quit the contracting business in 2005, he turned to photography to help get himself back together.
“In no time I found myself in love with the hobby,” Bottoms said. “Even to this day, when I’m out taking photos I find I forget all about my troubles. It’s as if I’m a different person. There’s me, and there’s the world, with the camera between us.”
The results will be on display at the Beacher Café. 2162 Queen St. East, from Sept. 1 to 30.
The Lazy Photographer Exhibition will feature Bottoms’ street photography, interesting juxtapositions of people and objects, portraits and photojournalism pieces. For more information visit lazyphotographer.ca.
There will be an artist reception September 8 from 7 to 9 p.m. where you can meet Dave, or reconnect with him. For more information call the Beacher Café at 416-699-3874.
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Beach artist Lynda Freeman is holding a nine-week series of acrylic painting classes at Essentia, 2180 Queen St. E., beginning Sept. 10, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Beginners and intermediate artists are welcome to attend. There will be lots of personal attention, and small classes. The cost is $200. Call Freeman at 416-693-0955 for more information or to register.
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Nicola Maguire of From the Fridge Door is returning to GAS (Gerrard Art Space), 1390 Gerrard St. E., with an autumn slate of children’s art classes. Students will create a variety of work while developing their skills in colour sense, use of space and observation. They will learn about different artists, their techniques and their particular media.
There are classes for preschool children 4 to 6 years, as well as school aged 6 to 12 years. The cost  is $150 for an eight-week session. Classes begin September 10, and both groups will host an art show at the end of the session.
To register, or for more information, email info@fromthefridgedoor.com.

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