Blog

tell your story

3/8/2019

"Toxic Paly"

24" x 30", Oil on Canvas, 2019, Catherine Farquhar

Frida Kahlo wisely stated that we should never to get attached to our plans. Anyone who has ever made a piece of art or understands the quirks of life can relate.

"Nothing is absolute. Everything changes, everything moves, everything revolves, everything flies and goes away.”

For an artist, this means that every new experience gives you another perspective or outlook. The information we receive through our senses is internalized and comes out transformed onto canvas or in print. Sometimes our creations are surprising and they may seem random to an outsider. As artists, our visual styles evolve and can change like the wind. Embrace this and run with it. Express how you feel and how you interpret your surroundings. Have the confidence to acknowledge your voice and create your art with love. Love that allows you to speak your truth through art and love yourself enough to make time to create and express your unique story.

for the love of art

2/2/2019

From the time my father brought home large pieces of paper for me to draw on, I have been fascinated with and developed a love for visual art. The relationship I have with art has been steady, constant, and with me all of my life. It has developed and changed as I have in my life journey. It has taught me to look at the world around me in different lights. It has taught me to find beauty in anything and to take note of and appreciate my surroundings. It has taught me how to slow down and smell the roses and how to be in the moment. I love to learn about cultures and history through the artists voice. I am always excited, amazed and humbled when I am lucky enough to see one of my favourite works of art in the museum. To see brush strokes or pencil marks and feel the energy from the work knowing that the artist touched, formed and created what hangs in front of me is priceless. When I draw and paint I get the same excited feeling and while I create I lose track of time. I love creating something from a mere idea, or sketch and I love watching it grow and evolve into a work of art. So I ask you. Why do you love art?

Eliminate stress today with art therapy

1/25/2019

Creating art can be a therapeutic way to manage stress in your life. Stress doesn't discriminate and it can affect children and adults alike. Painting, sculpting and creating visual art is an excellent way to manage and lower stress within your daily life. By engaging in creating visual art you promote self exploration and awareness and it can improve your overall health. When creating this way you may need to change your way of thinking and focus on the exercise and not the end product. I believe in order for it to be effective we need to allow our bodies and brains to relax. I believe there are three key elements which will help your mind and body relax. Environment, physical movement and music. Here is one way you can create artwork and eliminate stress today. Choose a space which makes you feel good. It can be indoor or outdoor. Put on music which calms you. Stand (do not sit) in front of a large paper or canvas and create something big! Use large sweeping arm movements to push the colours and lines around the surface. Move to the time of music if you like. Take breaks and time to stand back and reflect at your creation. Be creative and expressive and engage your mind and body and most importantly have fun.

invest in original artwork

1/18/2019

You would never put fake books on your bookshelf, so why would you put fake art on your walls?”. A quote I recently read in an article which provided a list of reasons why original artwork is as important in a home as a bed is. Fantastic! I couldn’t agree more. Original artwork is living and breathing, it was touched, formed and manipulated by the artist’s hand. It has energy, warmth and a three- dimensional quality that cannot be felt when viewing a flat, mass- produced, commercial print. Original artwork has the ability to inspire, trigger memories, create a mood, and foster creativity. Having original artwork hung in a home where there are children provides them with an invaluable gift...allowing them to view, think and reflect. Consider why artists make artwork in the first place? To express, to allow the viewer to reflect, question, and critically think about an idea or issue. I recently completed a monochromatic underwater landscape in shades of blue. My intention was to ambiguously capture peace and serenity. One of my teenage students viewed it for some time and then stated that he liked the mist around the mountains. I couldn’t have been more excited! He brought new personal meaning to the piece. He saw something entirely different. His reaction and comments on the piece were reflective and they demonstrated critical thinking based on personal memories. Invest and live with an original artwork for yourself and see how it effects you, your family, and your guests, not to mention how it will enhance and transform the feel of your living space.

"Solitude, Beneath the Waves"

by Catherine Farquhar, 24" x 30", Oil on canvas, 2018

building self confidence through art

1/11/2019

I often hear people say they're scared or intimidated the first time they come into the studio to make a work of art. Too many focus on the end product and they lose sight that the process is the most important part. The process is where growth and confidence evolve. Here is where true creativity happens. I can define being creative as solving problems in a new way, finding different avenues to reach your destination and changing your perspective. Every day life forces us to be creative and to find the best ways to make changes and in turn grow. So then doesn’t everyone know how to be creative? Making art is one way to creatively question and take chances which you may not attempt to do in your everyday life because the risk factors are too high. It’s scary and there’s judgment. In the studio, the environment is safe and the success of your creative art making process is determined by pre set goals. Being able to confidently state and explain how you achieved your goal in the creative process is an invaluable lesson learned no matter how big or small. Personal growth and building confidence through creative art making in the studio carries forward with you into other aspects of your life. This is how the process of art making in our studio allows you to build confidence one brush stroke at a time.

birthday party fun

9/25/2017

Erica celebrated her 13th birthday party at the studio. Friends enjoyed food, refreshments, good music and painting. Art related loot bags were well received.

September 25th, 2016

9/25/2016

our first open house and student group exhibit was a huge success!

I am thrilled to say that the Open House on Saturday, September 24th was a huge success! It was amazing to see the artwork on the walls in the gallery by students Jaide, Grace, Nicole, Evan, Oscar, Charlie Sydney and Lisa. While I was having a great time speaking to visitors and guests I did not take photos during the open house. However I did take these photos afterwards. Thank you to everyone who came out to view the work, learn about the studio and workshops, and to support the achievements of the students here.

Sincerely, Catherine

May 12th, 2016

5/12/2016

Silk Screen Birthday Party. Recently I had the pleasure of joining a fantastic group of girls to celebrate one special girls 13th birthday party. They wanted to learn how to silk screen on t-shirts. I made up 6 screens and the girls had the chance to print their own t-shirt. I had a ton of fun spending the afternoon with these girls. I thank them for being so much fun!

exhibit april 23rd and 24th

4/20/2016

muscle studies, commission for integrated training studios

2/29/2016

Male Back, 2015

Catherine currently completed several drawings for Integrated Training Studios. This body of work illustrates muscle structures in specific areas.