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Brenda Stonehouse

In the Pink
The work of artist Brenda Stonehouse of Lindsay Ontario will stop you in your tracks; yes, those vivid colours, strong lines and the striking use of light will catch your eye, but you may also find yourself caught in a bit of serendipity. You may find your mind drifting back to simpler times; it may even bring you back to a moment in your past, a good memory.

With the fast paced, ever-changing life whirling by, it is wonderfully refreshing to take these moments in seriously.

As a child, Brenda’s family moved around Ontario, so she had the privilege of living in a
variety of different cities. From the cottage country of Huntsville and Muskoka, to the rugged terrain of the Canadian Shield in North Bay and Thunder Bay, and to the busy city life with Lake Ontario in the background in Kingston and Toronto. With this came Brenda’s appreciation of the diversity in the landscape this province has to offer and that is reflected in her paintings. You will see the rocks, trees and water that are reminiscent of this vast landscape.

Growing up, Brenda enjoyed music, playing the piano and the French horn; she even considered pursuing this passion as a career. She has always been creative and her post-secondary studies led her to study graphic design, which she loved. Interestingly, it wasn’t until 2002 that she took up the art of painting. Influenced by her father, Bruce, who is also an artist, Brenda began working with oils. She took some classes and put in a lot of hard
Always Room for Friends
work, and her dedication to this passion of painting has paid off. After a few joint
exhibitions with her father, she has gone on to solo successes in local art shows, and it is no
small feat to be sharing her works of art at the prestigious annual Buckhorn Fine Art
Festival.

Of her paintings, Brenda says that most will see the bright rich oil paintings with vivid colours, whereas she sees the “shadows and the difference in light.” She adds, ‘It’s in that light that I find my inspiration.” This deep contrast using dark spaces and bright light areas adds many dimensions to her work. Her subjects are found in everyday life, with a touch of nostalgia. The Kawartha Lakes area is home to a large agricultural area, but, like many, it is seeing the city limits expanding, and the old way of life making way for the new. Brenda is working to preserve some of those times gone by on canvas. “I like to preserve memories - to me, that is important.”

Brenda finds that her real inspiration comes from her own definition of beauty. She has been sharing her journey about her progress with painting in a blog, and it is there that you see yet another work in progress - her garden.  So, now with summertime here, she says she will be splitting her time between two passions. You will find her either working in the garden, or painting it!

Visit her webpage at Brenda Stonehouse where you will also find her blog.

©Janet Jarrell 2015

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