Spring is HERE!

Spring is here and so with the bees, the buds and fresh air!  Love it love it!!  And because it is spring, I come bringing updates in my lair of creative projects.  Finally, after about 3 months my website is up and running!  Come visit, www.marissasweet.com and let me know what you think?  It is fresh, catchy and shows my new work and studio workshops. 

I have two new workshops this spring.  The first, Mixed Media with Photo Collage, (May 18-19) brings forth creative ways to display your memories on canvas.  A two-day class filled with creative ideas, play, elements of design, assemblage, inspired by colour and memory!  You can still register as there are a few spots available by emailing me Marissa.sweet@rogers.com ASAP!!

The second new workshop is on July 14 is Acrylic Mediums 101!  This is all about acrylic mediums and what they can do to enhance your work.  Mediums not in the spirit world, but rather in the art world!!  What's more fun, is that I will be providing the mediums you will be working with to try, this way you do not have to buy them before knowing what they can do.  This workshops is all about exploration with step-by-step instruction, so hope you can join me for this 1-day class!

I just finished a Bold Floral workshop last weekend and we had a ton of fun.  I have more fun, engaging with you, the sharing, the energy!!Hope to see you again in the fall.

So far, I guess this is it ... but wait, I have another class in Cobourg, with THE PAINTED TREE.  The class is all about learning how to abstract your landscapes!!! Now how cool is that??  Visit their website to learn more about the course.

Till then... keep creating and enjoy the sunshine.

Marissa

The Year That Was

Happy New Year to all!!!  The last time I wrote in this blog should be close to six months, holy jumping crapola, time does fly!  For those who are in my distribution list, I was always around and in comunication with you, but not necesarily through this medium.  As part of my on-going commitment to keeping in touch, I am in the process of building a new website which will have a link to my blog.  I am giving myself 3-4 months for this transition, but in the meantime www.taopad.com remains my official webpage.

Fall 2012 was such a great time for me and my studio. After a beautiful vacation with my hubby in Paris, France... I came back loaded with so much inspiration that I am going to devote this whole year to building a new series.  So watch out my dear friends as I go through the process of playing, moulding, daring new heights, screaming in frustration or jumping with delight.  Going through paint like never before and eagerly looking at what becomes!

My solo show with Cultural Expressions " Words Become Her" was a trip to the moon!  I was thrilled to share this experience with most of you, and thank you again from the bottom of my heart for your support.

I was also fortunate enough to be selected to 3 Juried Art Shows in the Region.  Each Juried Art show is like a competition and my nail biting clicks everytime.  3 panel of art judges say 'yea or ney" and truly have the forsight to building their show.  I am honoured and thrilled that my paintings have  been selected for the Visual Arts Juried Show in October,  The Markham Group of Artists in November, and The Station Gallery, in December.

Fall 2012 also brought forth new venues to faciliating workshops, among them "The Painted Tree" in Cobourg, Ontario.  The class was at full capacity with 9 students!  I am glad to have been invited to teach in this location gain and now have a winter schedule lined up for 2013.  The first is on January 12 &19 "Abstract Landscapes" and on Feb. 23&March 2 ;" The Creative Power of Abstract Painting"!!!  There are still some spots left to call (905) 372-1313, or email, The Painted Tree, http://www.thepaintedtree.ca/ to register.

Hope to see you real soon!!!

Love,
Marissa

Workshops this summer

Last weekend was a blast!  Beginner's Acrylic at my studio with 6 eager students wanting to taste (not literally) acrylic painting!  The workshop introduces students to the wonderful diverse world of acrylics and the dynamic way you can manulate the paint to look like watercolour or oil masterpieces! Acrylics can adjust to you as the artist, whether you like to paint in thin layers, or abstractedly, in thick impasto like Van Gogh style or the impressionist style captured by the Group of Seven, acrylics work and I love it!!  

Students hard at work!  Layering, blending, glazing.... etc. etc. etc.... what FUN to play with colour!!

Not only do we enjoy painting, but at the end of every workshop, I too, am inspired. 

I hope each participant leaves the studio with fired up inspiration, 

satisfaction in productivity and

the enjoyment of learning something new!

Sweet Art Studio has more workshops in store this summer

.  Please visit, http://www.taopad.com/ for more information.  See you again soon!!

Marissa

Summertime

" Skies the Limit" group show at the Artscape Wychwood Barns last June 22nd blew the roof with rockin' friends coming out to support the art!  I am very proud of my Sweet Art Studio workshop artists who helped make the show such a success!  Thank you to all who came and brought the house down!!! 



L-R Betty and Mike McGowan, Marissa Sweet, Linda Gidora

I am very honoured to have won Second Best Painting in the Mixed Media category, at the Oshawa Art Juried show, held at the Robert McLaughlin Gallery.  Out of 200 entries, 85 paintings and 4 sulptures where selected for the show.  This year was also the first time to include a 'Youth Category' to the awards.  I am glad this category was put in place and congratulations go to Betty McGowan who ran the show with so much organization and grace! http://www.mcgowanart.com/




Together with Ron Backwell, President OAA


NEWS FLASH>>>>!!!! I will be the featured artist at the Clarington Gallery,  Municipal Administrative Centre, in quaint and picturesque town Bowmanville, Ontario.  The show features 8 paintings from my "Chi, Life and Energy" series.  My paintings call the viewer to reflect on their surroundings and our interconnectivity with Mother Nature.  Show runs from July 3 to August 31, 2012.  Gallery hours are from 8:30a.m.-4:30p.m. M-F.




Clarington Gallery, Bowmanville Ontario



See you next time!!! Enjoy the summer!
Marissa

June Shows

Whhhhaaaaaa!  It's June and I have 2 shows coming up and really really soon!  Okay, not quite June yet, but it will be in 2 weeks! 

My first show is on June 2-3 weekend, Riverdale Art Walk on Queen Street East! This popular outdoor show, where 120+ artists will inspire, mezmerize and transport you to their creative wonder.  Hope you can come down for the day and let us colour your world!  I will be at #37 Booth.

June 21-24, a powerful 4-artist show called "SKIES THE LIMIT'!!

Together with artist friends, Betty and Mike McGowan and Linda Gidora, ' SKIES THE LIMIT" will be showing over 25 new original paintings at the Artscape Wychwood Barns Gallery in Toronto!  It will be a funky, artsy and gutsy show that shows our interpretation of this famous uplifting quote!

Please come out on our artists' reception night, on June 22nd from 7:00p.m.-9:00p.m.   It will be a party on Friday night!!!!!!!!!  See you all soon!

Hip Pip Hurray!

VAC Studio

I just completed my 4-session class at TheVisual Arts Centre in Clarington, "Abstraction without Fear" with a bang!  Everyone had a blast and are all inspired to work on new ideas and create new masterpieces.  I thoroughly enjoyed the studio space and my time with all the students.  Watch out for the Fall schedule.... as I hope to say.. 'i'll be back!""  Visual Arts Centre is a non-profit organization that provide quality exhibition and educational programming to the community.  Visit them at http://www.vac.ca/

Classes are currently being scheduled at Currys, Whitby store.  http://www.currys.com/.  Today was a wrap for "Beyond Abstraction" where students practised 3 different approaches in abstracting a landscape.  2-days of non-stop thinking, planning, conceptualizing, execution and painting.  The time just flew by!!!  Curry's students are resilient, even with a tight sqeeze in the classroom, everyone put out an effort to make it work.  Congratulations to all today, since we had to deal with a sudden power outtage!  Luckily, the power came back in no time to start painting again!!

New classes scheduled are; Beginners Acrylic - May 26-27 and Bold Floral, June 9-10!

NEW NEW NEW!!!! Want to learn Chinese Brush Painting?????  Yup yup, I am teaching this class on June 16th at The Whitby Station Gallery, Henry Street, Whitby.  This 1-day class will be a great way to learn how to manipulate bamboo brushes on rice paper, working away with delicate strokes and adding that zen flavor.  Register now! http://www.whitbystationgallery.com/ 

MORE MORE!!! The Whitby Station Gallery's annual favorite, "Drawing for ART" was such a huge HUGE success!!  I donated 1 painting for this good cause and hope it has now found a new home to live in!  Click on the website link to see the artwork images.

Till then my friends...

Happy Painting!

Marissa

Spring Workshops (Time to Bloom!!!)

I think spring came early this year and wowwajumba so with all my upcoming workshops! 

For those in the Abstract realm, I will be teaching "Abstraction Without Fear" at the Visual Arts Centre of Clarington every Wednesday (11-2p.m.) for the whole month of April!!  This workshop focuses to different techniques and methods on how to start an abstract painting.  Discover different acrylic mediums that can change the volume and flow of your acrylic paints.  This course are for those who want to create paintings based on 'intuition' and artistic freedom! http://www.vac.ca/

"Beyond Abstraction" a new abstract workshop I developed will be at Currys Art Store in Whitby.  This abstract workshop (April 28-29) will start by exploring different ways of abstracting a landscape. Students will be working from their own photo as a reference material. Students will deconstruct, exaggerate, crop and edit injecting some humour and personality then reconstructing it again into a finished masterpiece!  No software required, just pure imagination!!!  On day two, students will be able to work on another photograph and choose which technique they liked best from the day before!  You can register by calling Currys at 905-728-2868!

For those who like BIG and Bold flowers!  Bold Floral is back at Curry's Art Store on April 14-15.  Learn to paint flowers up close and personal... feel their energy, their strength as you capture their beauty.  This acrylic class are for those who have already taken a beginner's acrylic class. 

I am back with Meta4 Contemporary Art Gallery in Port Perry, from April 24-May 29!  Every Tuesday from 12:30 - 3p.m., I am teaching "Vibrant Acrylic Painting"! This is for Beginners to Intermediate painters who want to continue learning different painting techniques, from underpainting, to glazing, perspective and composition!  It is a comprehensive course which will get you on your way to creating vibrant paintings!! http://www.meta4gallery.ca/

Last but not least, I am back with the Pickering Recreation Centre for their Beginners Acrylic class on their Spring leisure guide.  Registration begins March 19th.  https://onreg.city.pickering.on.ca/econnect/Start/Start.asp

I am excited to see you in any of my workshops to start painting!!


Cheers,
Marissa