Artist Sarah Shaw’s work includes landscapes animals people and flowers and she is well-versed in creating with numerous mediums./SUE TIFFIN Staff Artist looks for ‘an experience gained’ in downtown Minden
By Sue Tiffin
Sarah
Shaw is an adventurer, an artist, and anticipating a fun, busy summer
bringing art and art classes to Minden’s main street.
Shaw is an adventurer, an artist, and anticipating a fun, busy summer
bringing art and art classes to Minden’s main street.
The
Whitby-based painter who has been the artist on board expedition ships
to the Arctic and has painted scenes of Guatemalan streets, is setting
up shop on Bobcaygeon Road in the space adjacent to the former Village
Chalet beginning in May, after the owner of the building thought it
might suit a little art studio and recommended she fill the empty
storefront on weekends until the end of August.
Whitby-based painter who has been the artist on board expedition ships
to the Arctic and has painted scenes of Guatemalan streets, is setting
up shop on Bobcaygeon Road in the space adjacent to the former Village
Chalet beginning in May, after the owner of the building thought it
might suit a little art studio and recommended she fill the empty
storefront on weekends until the end of August.
“So I figured, let’s go for it,” she said.
Shaw has been painting since she was a child, and operating an art studio for the past 17 years.
“My father’s side of the family is very artistic,” she said. “It’s a gene I was born with.”
When
her children were small, she wanted to be able to stay at home and
raise them, and said she had the space and the means to open a
home-based arts studio.
her children were small, she wanted to be able to stay at home and
raise them, and said she had the space and the means to open a
home-based arts studio.
“It flourished
from there,” she said, of Shaw Studios, where she began teaching two
classes a week and now teaches 15 classes a week.
from there,” she said, of Shaw Studios, where she began teaching two
classes a week and now teaches 15 classes a week.
The
Minden store will serve as an art gallery, with original artwork for
sale, as well as handmade wooden sculptures and knickknacks. She’s also
opening the door to a wide variety of classes and workshops to engage
the community. After doing research on the area, Shaw said she found
there were few opportunities specifically offered for children to
explore art. She’ll be offering one-and-a-half-hour classes in a variety
of mediums for kids on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Minden store will serve as an art gallery, with original artwork for
sale, as well as handmade wooden sculptures and knickknacks. She’s also
opening the door to a wide variety of classes and workshops to engage
the community. After doing research on the area, Shaw said she found
there were few opportunities specifically offered for children to
explore art. She’ll be offering one-and-a-half-hour classes in a variety
of mediums for kids on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
“A
lot of parents, if they don’t know art, they don’t try it,” she said.
“Some parents don’t like the mess in the house. Here’s an opportunity to
get messy. Art is a nice, mindful, creative activity, rather than a
physical one. You have a lot of sports camps and whatnot, but when it
comes to art and music there isn’t too much of that.”
lot of parents, if they don’t know art, they don’t try it,” she said.
“Some parents don’t like the mess in the house. Here’s an opportunity to
get messy. Art is a nice, mindful, creative activity, rather than a
physical one. You have a lot of sports camps and whatnot, but when it
comes to art and music there isn’t too much of that.”
Additionally,
Shaw offers family workshops, in which an adult and child can come to
the studio together for instruction on a piece of art.
Shaw offers family workshops, in which an adult and child can come to
the studio together for instruction on a piece of art.
“It’s a good bonding moment for the family,” she said. “It’s fun and carefree, and parents don’t have to sit on the sidelines.”
Adult
paint nights will be offered with an option for participants to choose
from a library of images to create, and Shaw is reaching out to local
groups to offer fundraiser opportunities through the interactive
evenings. She said she’s open to offering what the community tells her
it wants.
paint nights will be offered with an option for participants to choose
from a library of images to create, and Shaw is reaching out to local
groups to offer fundraiser opportunities through the interactive
evenings. She said she’s open to offering what the community tells her
it wants.
The
self-professed wanderer and camping aficionado plans to combine her
love of camping with her love of teaching while in Minden, avoiding the
drive back and forth to Whitby by pitching a tent in a campsite with her
son, his friend and her dog.
self-professed wanderer and camping aficionado plans to combine her
love of camping with her love of teaching while in Minden, avoiding the
drive back and forth to Whitby by pitching a tent in a campsite with her
son, his friend and her dog.
“You’ve
always got to try something new, be brave, take some bold steps,” she
said, noting the importance of teaching children to be brave and “go for
things,” while appreciating “an experience gained.”
always got to try something new, be brave, take some bold steps,” she
said, noting the importance of teaching children to be brave and “go for
things,” while appreciating “an experience gained.”
Art
classes for kids and youth aged six to 16 at Shaw Studios in Minden
will include Charcoals on July 7 from 10 to 11:30 a.m.; Oil Pastels on
June 8 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. and July 21 from 1 to 2:30 p.m.; Watercolours
on Aug. 8 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and Acrylics on May 25 from 10 to 11:30
a.m. and Aug. 15 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Classes range in price from $8 to
$15.
classes for kids and youth aged six to 16 at Shaw Studios in Minden
will include Charcoals on July 7 from 10 to 11:30 a.m.; Oil Pastels on
June 8 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. and July 21 from 1 to 2:30 p.m.; Watercolours
on Aug. 8 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and Acrylics on May 25 from 10 to 11:30
a.m. and Aug. 15 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Classes range in price from $8 to
$15.
Family
workshops are geared toward pairings of one adult with one child, and
cost $30 (additional children can opt in for $12 each). Participants are
guided step-by-step through an acrylic painting, together. Workshops
take place from 1 to 2:30 p.m. on June 9, July 28 and Aug. 18.
workshops are geared toward pairings of one adult with one child, and
cost $30 (additional children can opt in for $12 each). Participants are
guided step-by-step through an acrylic painting, together. Workshops
take place from 1 to 2:30 p.m. on June 9, July 28 and Aug. 18.
Adult
paint nights, in which students aged 18 and older, of all levels of
experience, can paint a 16 x 20-inch canvas in acrylics, are available
at $40 per person. Workshops run from 7 to 9:30 p.m. and Shaw said small
classes ensure she can work one-on-one with participants. Paint Nights
will be held May 24, June 10, June 27, July 22 and Aug. 16. Each night
offers a different painting option, and participants receive a discount
if they sign up for more than one night.
paint nights, in which students aged 18 and older, of all levels of
experience, can paint a 16 x 20-inch canvas in acrylics, are available
at $40 per person. Workshops run from 7 to 9:30 p.m. and Shaw said small
classes ensure she can work one-on-one with participants. Paint Nights
will be held May 24, June 10, June 27, July 22 and Aug. 16. Each night
offers a different painting option, and participants receive a discount
if they sign up for more than one night.
Shaw
Studios will be located at 107 Bobcaygeon Road in Minden. More
information is available by calling 905-431-1625 or visiting www.shawstudios.ca. Sarah’s work can be seen at www.sarahshaw.ca.
Studios will be located at 107 Bobcaygeon Road in Minden. More
information is available by calling 905-431-1625 or visiting www.shawstudios.ca. Sarah’s work can be seen at www.sarahshaw.ca.
