Yellow Door © 2009 Michelle Basic Hendry

I think it is finished.

I toyed with adding more peeling painting to the yellow door itself, but, I was afraid it would make it too busy and break up the door as the focus of the painting. This is my second interior painting. I have another that is in the early stages – again started in May. These ones have a story to them and are a challenge both technically and to create the right mood. It seems I need to sit with them a while longer than many of the outdoor and landscapes. I am setting up the easel for a big sky. I am looking forward to reversing my direction to that of more expansiveness before trying the “Bathroom Sink” from an old house here in town.

This weekend is the grand re-opening of my gallery – The Auburn Gallery of Fine Art. They have moved to a new location across town (a little over 1 km!) and diagonally across the street to the outstanding medieval potter Jonathan Bullock. The new address is 190 Royal Street in Gravenhurst (the street behind the TD Bank). Teresa is opening with a show by Sharon Nix – one of the most intriguing, colourful and moody portrait painters I have seen. The artist will be in attendance Saturday, July 11, between 1 and 4 pm.

Speaking of fine portrait painters, Anita Stephenson, after a brief apprenticeship with Scott Owles, contemporary realist painter, is finally allowing the world to see her incredible talent. About Face is opening at the Muskoka Gateway Gallery on July 11 (12 – 7pm). Anita’s ability to capture the moods and contours of the people she paints and the techical skill she possesses will indeed elevate her to the staus of one of Canada’s finest portraitists. This is an exhibition that is not to be missed and is not available anywhere on the internet at this time.

With two such exhibitions opening within walking distance of each other this weekend, I will be out of the studio soaking in a weekend of art. These artists and the galleries hosting them are putting Gravenhurst on the map for having some of the finest art in the region.