Need a large cup of inspiration with a side order of joy?

You’ll find it at the Beaumont Library when you go to view the Smart Art Exhibition by our local artists. Walking around the library looking at the fascinating paintings, one thing is clear, the artists from the Artists Association of Beaumont have been busy. This collaboration between the library and the artists is a wonderful gift to our citizens both young and old. Providing art to look at creates endless benefits for our community and the people in it.

Art hung on the walls of the library, not only creates an aesthetic sense but contributes to feelings of joy. Studies from the University of Westminster have shown viewing or creating art causes a release of dopamine, the chemical related to love and pleasure.  People who visited an art gallery on their lunch break reported feeling less stressed afterwards. Even though Beaumont does not have an art gallery yet, we appreciate having our library giving us wall space for art exhibits that will bring you joy, perhaps on your next lunch break.

In this exhibition of eight artists, we are experimenting with adding a new dimension to the art on the wall. Each painting has a QR code which you are invited to scan with your smart phone, to discover more about the art and the artist. How’s that for a smart art exhibition? Here is a brief look at what you will find hanging on the library walls until the end of January.

Though there is no set theme, several of the artists unintentionally created a theme of winter, each with their own individualistic styles.  Ricardo Copado, in his folk/surreal style captures our cold Canadian winters in “A Midnight Winter’s Dream” but gives them a whimsical twist.  Juli-Ann Mckenzie inspires others to see the bigger picture with her realistic depiction of snowy mountains and rivers in “Silvery Solitude” and “Winter’s Wonders”.  Chloe Heeseok Oh’s impressionistic work transforms an everyday winter scene such as the tree in front of her house so that it is full of colour, warmth and light. Our newest member, Jill Kratky captures her sense of place with an explosion of sunrise reflected on snow-covered sidewalks. The layering of lines over colour gives an impressionistic quality to her work.

Two of our artists chose to do a still life. Christie Jedele’s “Sparkling Pears” expresses her skillful use of artistic elements of composition, colour and especially value. Chloe’s still life “Sunflowers and Apples” exaggerates bold use of colour and mark making to create an intense impact on the viewer rather than the typical calm still life.

We have a couple of artists who are presenting two very different styles of abstract art. Dennis Lee, inspired by Canadian abstract artist Jack Bush, created “Dove” in which bright geometric planes of colour appear to be floating across a textured background. This composition invites the viewer to give their own interpretation of what is happening.  Christie Jedele’s “Mexican Flame Flowers” is a fun colourful abstract piece with magical gestures that captures the joyful nature of Christmas poinsettias growing in the wild.  

Elaine Grandon and Trish McIsaac decided to escape winter with their summer and autumn landscapes.  Elaine’s photograph “Last Paddle” captures the serenity of a calm lake in summer. Her soft sunset colours create silhouettes of people and landscape making it easy to imagine yourself in that time and place on that warm summer evening. In “East Coast Trail”, Trish McIsaac depicts the beauty of the ruggedness of the Newfoundland coastline by texturing the cliffs with her palette knife. Her bright autumn leaves caution you to stay away from that rocky ledge.

If you and your family are looking for something to do this Christmas or in January, come to the library to view the exhibit.  You may even find a piece of art that will make a great gift for someone special.  Maybe you will leave feeling relaxed, possibly inspired and a little smarter but hopefully you will be feeling joyful.

Written by Trish McIsaac for the Artists’ Association of Beaumont.