CONNECTIONS - Sherway Gardens' Gallery in the Garden until July 25 June 17, 2009

Connect with three Etobicoke artists as they explore their inner worlds and the world around them in Sherway Gardens’ (Hwy 427 & the QEW) current Gallery in the Garden exhibit entitled Connections which will be on display until July 25, 2009. Paintings by Marie Manger Beamish and Jennifer Koivu and sculptures from Quan Luc Steele present evocative and thoughtful images that invite participation in their experience and world view. Call 416-621-1070 or visit www.sherwaygardens.ca for more information.

Etobicoke artist Marie Manger Beamish is a former art teacher in the elementary public school system with a Specialist Certificate in Art Education, Beamish was creatively influenced by her father, a self-taught artist of considerable talent, and attended a number of art courses over a 30 year period at various schools including Central Tech, OCAD, Haliburton School for the Arts, Springbank Art Centre, Mississauga Art Centre, Neilson Park Creative Centre and Belles Artes in San Miguel, Mexico. Beamish is a member of The Etobicoke Art Group and Visual Arts Mississauga and she has participated in many juried shows for the last 10 years in Toronto, Mississauga, Oakville and Elora. She is currently a co-Chair for the Gallery Committee of Neilson Park Creative Centre. Beamish is a prolific painter whose works featured in Connections include paintings in acrylic, mixed media and collage.

Jennifer Koivu grew up in Etobicoke, and while drawn to music and visual arts, she pursued a business career after obtaining a B.A. from the University of Western Ontario, B. Education from University of Toronto and a M.B.A. from the Schulich School of Business. After 15 years in telecom marketing, Koivu felt disconnected from herself and wanted to rekindle a personal passion. This led her to take painting classes at the Art Gallery of Ontario where she felt she finally came alive. She continued with classes at the Etobicoke Art Group at Neilson Park Creative Centre and Toronto School of Art and now divides her time between painting and property development. Koivu’s acrylic paintings on display in Connections are evocative scenes of places around her made all the more dramatic as there are no figures but only the trappings of daily life that she has used to invite our participation in each scene.

Quan Luc Steele works out of Neilson Park Creative Centre and has been a member of The Etobicoke Art Group for many years. This Toronto artist has studied stone sculpture with Mary Ellen Farrow and presently studies painting under John Leonard and Steve Rose. Steele is also being mentored by Reinhard Reitzenstein through the Burlington Arts Centre. Steele’s stone sculptures showcased in Connections are curvaceous abstracts that are sensuous to the eye while her most recent wood, wire and hydrocal sculptures force us to examine our own feelings about opportunities taken or missed.

About Sherway Gardens’ Gallery in the Garden:
Sherway Gardens’ Gallery in the Garden was established to showcase local artists. The Gallery in the Garden operates all year round and each exhibit is on display for approximately 6 weeks. The Gallery in the Garden is located at Sherway Gardens’ door 3 entrance.

Official Website: http://www.sherwaygardens.ca