Infinite Daydreams: Reflections on the Sublime Imaginary - Art Gallery of Burlington

 Delighted to be included in this Group show 

at the Art Gallery of Burlington.

My interpretation of the sublime ... 

a gentle sunrise on the lake  ...  Lake Ontario, Burlington

Exhibit 15: Art in the Workplace - Hamilton

Thrilled to hear that I've been chosen again for the group show at McMaster Innovation Place.
Opens August and runs until November.

Delivered the works for hanging yesterday, July 10th, and was gratified to both hear and see the delight from those people receiving the items. These very small moments affirm what I do daily. It is gratifying to see that they were visibly moved by what they saw - it pleased them - made them happy for just that milli-second. And that pleased me.

Joy is an underestimated human emotion that radiates throughout our being.
It fills us with the sanctity, wonder and awe of Life.
What more could we possibly want? - - - Come See!

Grand Opening Gala - Thursday, AUGUST 7th, 2014 

7:00-9:00pm 

at the Atrium in McMaster Innovation Place 

175 Longwood Road South, Hamilton. MAP/Directions.

 

Exhibit: Artists

Artist Statement

".. Sometimes you just can't take yourself too seriously ... The following selection is from a recent series called, 'Regression' ... Playful patterns emerge from careful placement of dollar store decals and cheesy rhinestones. Serious Fun. Google Margaret Lindsay Holton to learn more about this award-winning, mid-career, Golden Horseshoe artist, or contact the artist directly, at 'mlhpro' at 'hotmail' dot 'com'. "

New Paintings, Spring 2014

The first was inspired by a painting I saw done by local artist, Claudette Losier, (she's a great painter!) Trying a new technique, of 'rollers', I did several 'grounds' then painted over ... Lotsa fun!

Frozen Lake by m.l.holton

 The second was a return to 'my way' with brushes and metallic gold/silver pens ... This photo repro doesn't quite do it justice, but it will give you all the sense of where I'm going with this ...  Entitled: 'Dreamtime'

'Dreamtime' by m.l.holton

If interested in purchase, contact me for size, price and availability. (Both of these are LARGE canvases.) The first one is framed in a silver wood frame, the second is going for framing and I haven't decided yet if it will be 'black' or 'silver' ....

Let's Go Fly a Kite!

I'm totally besotted. Went last weekend to the local Kite Festival and spent four hours enchanted by the mechanics of 'flight'. Aside from that, there is sheer pleasure in just holding a string and playing with the wind - and watching wonderfully colourful, often exotic, kites soar upward. Pure Deight.  Photo essay ensues ...

Initially, there was a lot of 'trial and error' ... 

Mothers & Fathers worked tirelessly 

to get their children's kites' air-borne ....

The satisfaction of staying aloft was an unbeatable feeling ...

Wonderful whimsical Full-On-Spring day. Blissful. 

Published too now on Raise the Hammer, with some helpful links.

DVSA - 44th Annual Auction, April 12th, 7pm

44th Annual Art Auction

Dundas Valley School of Art

Saturday, April 12, 2014 -  7 pm

Presenting over 1200 original works of art from established and new artists. 

 Oils, Pastels, Watercolours, Sculpture, Pottery, Jewellery.

Free Previews:

Thursday April 10 & Friday April 11, 9am – 9pm

Saturday, April 12, 9 am – 4 pm

Silent Auction bids accepted during these hours

Auction Admission - $25 in advance

$30 at the door

21 Ogilvie Street, Dundas, Ontario

MAP & DVSA Website LINK

** I'm in with a photo-collage this year:  'Silk & Satin' - - Find it! :)  **
Update: The Hamilton Spectator story

 

Regression: In Four Parts - (Mixed Media)

Regression: Part 1 - Time & Tide - Mixed Media

Regression: Part 2 - Whirlwind

Regression: Part 3 - Spiderboy

Regression: Part 4 - Circle of Pooh 

Fun one. Mixed media and YES, those are dollar store stickers & stick-on rhinestones

 mounted on painted canvas ... framed ... 

Sometimes you've just gotta PLAY & stop taking yourself so SERIOUSLY.  seriously. 

Alternate naming for this grouping could be 'Cabin Fever'
... it's been an exceptionally LONG winter. 

I haven't decide to sell the originals of these at present. 

But might make high-quality prints available when they come back from the framer.

Interested? Let me know. 

(Would be GREAT for a kids room ... or an 'innovative office' enviro ... )

Fine Art Society of Milton presents - 'From Heart to Hand'

The Holcim Gallery at the Milton Centre for the Arts 

will host this annual members show from the Fine Art Society of Milton,

'From Heart to Hand'

Opening Night Reception: 

Thursday, April 3rd, 6:30 to 8:30pm. 

Expect a diverse mixture of new art works crafted over this exceptionally long winter!

Admission and parking is FREE at the Milton Centre for the Arts.  

 Holcim Gallery in the Milton Centre for the Arts

ALL WELCOME! 

1010 Main St E, Milton, Ontario, Canada - 

(30 minutes from Toronto or Hamilton, off Hwy 401)

For additional info, phone:  1-905-875-5399

See you there!

Update: Great night. Lovely food, music, turn-out and ambiance. 
Plus, The Milton Champion did a story on the show. 

Puttin' on the Ritz @ Grimsby Public Art Gallery

Puttin' on the Ritz
Fundraising Auction ** & Gala Event
Saturday March 29 @ 7pm


Hey There Daddy-O!
Get yourself all dolled up and put a wiggle on for an evening of art, music and a swanky good time! Tickets $35 available now at the Gallery! * Silent & Live auctions * Live musical entertainment  *Hors d’oeuvres & Cash Bar *Door prizes & much more!

Puttin’ on the Ritz is the Grimsby Public Art Gallery's biggest fundraising event of the year; proceeds from the auction will support our educational programs and care of the art in the Permanent Collection. As always, there will be an exciting array of items up for  auction - art, collectables, gift certificates, floral arrangements and more! Regional artists will be lending their talents to the cause, as will the many generous individuals and businesses in our community.

Auction Preview Friday March 28 @ 7pm
Grimsby Public Art Gallery
18 Carnegie Lane, Grimsby, ON
905-945-3246 v gpag@grimsby.ca

**I have two items in this FUN fundraising event - Rob Ford's iCloud (hee!) and POW-WOW: A Winter Sunrise - complete with lotsa 'hot air' - and glistenin' embedded rhinestones ;) - See you there!

Cabin Fever: Photo Mashups

 Note: None of these photo collages are 'for sale'.

It's very cold out there - with a blistering BRIGHT light. 

It's Cold. And Very. Bright.

New Painting - The Orchid Series

Having some fun with these at the moment ... coming along nicely. 

Should be done by the end of the week.

The Orchid Series, a set of three acrylic paintings, by m.l.holton

Painting on three 1/4" G2S mahogany plywood panels. Each panel is 2 feet square. Acrylic with gold ink accents. Contact the artist directly, if interested in purchase. Asking $6000 for the set of three, unframed. Looking good. :)

THE BOXER - 'Black History Month' in Burlington, Ontario, Canada

If you find yourself in Burlington, Ontario, Canada during the month of February, be sure to swing into the Burlington Art Centre on Lakeshore Blvd to catch another aspect of the festivities for 'Black History Month'.  Hanging in the Community Hall will be a repro of an oil painting I did several years ago. It will be up for a month. 

 

The Boxer (of Panama City) - oil on board, by m.l.holton

Alternatively, if you find yourself at the 35th Annual Art Auction at the same venue on February 7th, take a wonder through the Centre and find this work. It may not be IN the auction, but it IS 'for sale'.  Asking $250 for the one-off photo print, signed and dated by moi. The original, in oil, 28" square, is $6500 (Canadian) framed in 2" black wood. If interested in either purchase, contact me directly.

As for the genesis of this painting, it's a good story. A very blonde Dutch friend and I were traveling around Central America when we landed in Panama City. We decided to walk around the waterfront and, quite literally, fell into a local 'boxing club'. Loud, smelly, very male, oozing testosterone and 100% black, we had a rather curious 'aha' moment about 'skin colour' and, tangentially, racism ...

In a perfect world, skin colour shouldn't 'matter' at all.
But it does. Black, White, Red, Yellow or a mix: we are who we are.

B Town Sound Presents .... Water, Water, Everywhere!

A group show / art sale of diverse mediums for ONE NIGHT ONLY

And yes, I'm 'in' with an oil called 'Northern Lights' ... 

Come see!

Thursday, February 6th, 2014

7-10pm. CASH BAR.

It's gonna be a happenin' event of local artists, great music and lotsa fun. :)

B Town Sound, an award-winning rockin' recording studio,

 is handily located just off the QEW, off Walker's Line. 

Easy to get to if coming from Hamilton or Toronto ... 

Address: 919 Fraser Drive, Burlington

Phone:(905) 616-7500 - Mark your calenders! :) 

 

The New Year, 2014

'The Drink Tray' - Photography by MLH

Happy ... yes. 

It's going to be a vvverrrry busy year ....

 stay tuned.

Christmas Wishes for 2013 & Tribute to Arthur Heming

Arthur Heming was told as a lad that he was color blind. As a result, he painted in black and white for most of his adult life, until, one day, he discovered he wasn't ...  Love this story, and love his work.  I've chosen this painting of his as a Christmas tribute to all the artists out there who persist in the face of overwhelming odds. Your dedication and your efforts are very much appreciated. Keep at it!

Season's Very Best to All. 

Merry Christmas!

p.s. More lovely evocative Heming visuals via Google Images ....

Ambassador-at-large, His Excellency - Peter Wintonick

Shocked to hear that an old dear friend from Montreal died recently from a rare cancer. Peter Wintonick will remain an inspiration to many as a 'documentary' provocateur. One of the most 'open' individuals I've ever known, his carefully chosen words were consistently poetic and poignant. His vision was VERY LARGE, an all encompassing world-view. The planet lost a 'good soul' in his passing. R.I.P Peter. This small acrylic of mine lingers as a tribute ... I will miss him dearly.

Dollar Store Beauty

A mere 5" high, but iluminated with all the grace and elan of the REAL DEAL ... 

that is to say, young bucks in nature. And at just $1.25 RETAIL,  these solitary beauties have been produced by the hundreds of thousands .... Ultimately, they are creating much more then delight. This offshore 'stuff' enters our lives and gives us all new meanings. Like it or not.

New painting - 'Running the Rapids'

 

'Running the Rapids' 

Contact artist for more info re: price and size.

A Picnic on the High Level Bridge? Do We Dare?

Thomas B. McQuesten High Level Bridge, designed by architect John Lyle, is a cantilever short steel bridge built by the Hamilton Bridge Company in 1932 and now designated under the Ontario Heritage Act.

A new hashtag recently emerged on Twitter, #ambitioushamont, that bolsters the Hamilton Economic Development Office's latest promotional efforts on behalf of the City of Hamilton. A companion video is pumping a somewhat machismo 'New City Vision!' that shouts out the 'ambitious' future of the City built on the back of its industrial core.  As of noon, Oct.28th, that newly launched video had been seen over 18,300+ times. Not too shabby branding.

The Hamilton Economic Development webpage now lists members of the 'creative industry' as the "top tier of innovation" in the "health, technology and engineering" sectors. The push is clearly on to court national and global investors to put their capital into this City's necessary transformation from an industrial giant to a hotbed of audacious high-tech innovation with a progressive forward-thinking future.

Yet, what happens when an innovative press-grabbing IDEA appears out of the ether that would irreversibly transform the City for the Better in more ways then one? Who - and/or what - will actually turn that idea into reality?  

On August 13th, 2013, CBC Hamilton ran an intriguing story about just such an idea put forward by a fourth-generation industrialist with deep roots in the region, Patrick Bermingham. In short, what Patrick wants to do is have a picnic on York Boulevard, on the High Level Bridge.

Site of proposed picnic: the High Level Bridge 'platform'.

Huh? What? Whacky, eh?

Why would we do that?

As he says, "Close the bridge. Just for an evening. Then let the people take over. Let them bring their picnic baskets and enjoy the peace, the panorama and, the Gods permitting, a sunset."  The point, according to Patrick, is to celebrate and appreciate what this City really has to offer.

YES! What a wonderful way to "embrace the city". Visually, there's the humming industrial harbour to the East, and to the West, the sculpted natural bounty of Cootes Paradise. Enveloping all is an unparallel panoramic view of the Niagara Escarpment. It's one of the best and most welcoming views of the entire City and, hypothetically, a riveting spot for a leisurely picnic to absorb the lovely setting sun over Cootes Paradise.

View East

 Very few seldom take the time to appreciate this unique vantage as they speed along the boulevard into or out of the downtown core. Patrick's wants to change that, if for only just a few hours.

 

View West

In the light of the avowed re-purposing of the 'ambitious City', what has happened to this ambitious IDEA? Last week I phoned Patrick to find out.

First, where did this idea come from? Apparently, while in conversation with his older sister, Susan Jasper, ( founder of the now wildly successful  'Telling Tales' children's authors' festival held at Westfield Heritage Village ) , the siblings got talking about 'fundraising' in general. Specifically, it evolved to a discussion about how could they raise funds for Susan's latest philanthropic venture - the Cootes to Escarpment Ecopark System. She has joined the fundraising 'camp'.

The Cootes to Escarpment Ecopark System has been percolating since 2007, with initial exploratory funding supplied by the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was formally signed between the 10 partnering organizations earlier this past summer. Those partners now include Conservation Halton, Hamilton Conservation Authority, the Royal Botanical Gardens, the Cities of Burlington and the City of Hamilton, the Region of Halton, the Hamilton Naturalists' Club, McMaster University, and the Bruce Trail Conservancy.

Their combined mission is "to collaboratively continue preserving and enhancing the natural lands using a sustainable approach that balances natural ecosystem health with responsible human appreciation and activities to achieve the vision."

Their mission is built on the vision that the proposed Ecopark: "will be known internationally as a protected, permanent and connected natural lands sanctuary from the Harbour to the Escarpment that promotes ecosystem and human health within Ontario’s Greenbelt. "  

Proposed Ecopark Boundaries

 Overall, it is certainly a noteworthy and ambitious plan of conservation and rejuvenation that has profound long term business, tourist and resident ramifications for the entire region.

YES! The picnic on the bridge now has an #ambitioushamont purpose: raising funds for the Ecopark.

To test this plan Patrick invited the Mayor to attend a breakfast on the bridge to discuss the potential site as a "fundraising venue".  As Patrick reasoned, the city closes the road for the hugely popular Around-the-Bay running race. So why not this? Mayor Bratina  'got it' and has subsequently suggested that the summer solstice, June 21st, 2014, would be an opportune evening to hold the event.  So, seemingly, the City is more or less 'on board'.

Yet, the nagging particulars remain ... Who would come, how much would it cost to attend, who would cater? Would it be 'dry' or 'wet' event? What would it cost the City? Who would do the heavy lifting to get this event up and running?  I grilled Patrick on these issues.

By necessity, to raise funds for the Ecopark, the 'picnic' would have to be a ticket-only or private affair. Patrick did, however, seem agreeable to opening it up, allowing the necessary 'fundraising' through sponsorship pledges. As he says, HOW it's actually done is of little concern to him, "he's the IDEA man" and hey, wouldn't it just be grand to have a "big party" up there on the bridge?

When pressed on details, he reiterated that he's not really the "executioner", what he's done has put the idea on the table. What he hopes will happen is that other interested persons or groups will "take over and run it." His one fear though is that some groups might attempt to hi-jack the idea of closing the bridge. He has no wish to see the 'Sunset Picnic on the High Level Bridge' turn into a vendor-heavy noisy rock-n'-roll music "circus". The primary purpose, after all, is for patrons to slow down and enjoy the exquisite view ...

In answer to my continued questions about accessibility and cost, Patrick was rather vague. He concluded our conversation by saying that my questions were acting as an impetus to organize and implement the idea. He promised he would email with additional information last Friday. I emailed him on Sunday asking again for those outstanding details. I haven't heard from him. Yet.

As it stands today, I'm still not 100% sure if this idea is incubating, percolating or if it has just been moved right off the table. Will this wonderful IDEA ever play out on the High Level bridge?

It has been suggested by the Laura Babcock's Powergroup that Hamilton is, perhaps, on the tipping point of Greatness. Frankly, that seems somewhat doubtful if press-grabbing and innovative ideas evaporate in much the same way they appear, into the ether. 'Ambitious Hamilton', regardless of the all its scintillating promo vids, hashtags and inventive IDEAS, will remain dead in the water if there is no practical 'down-to-earth' follow through by residents and City Council.

So, over to you Hamilton ....

Like the Invest in Hamilton video suggests, "THIS STORY IS FAR FROM OVER".

Do We Dare?

Consider that the slow but sure development of the Cootes to Escarpment EcoPark System will certainly transform this City in many ways yet imagined. It is an ambitious and progressive forward-thinking long-term plan now established with a formal MOU within a practical time-line. You can learn more about it here . Rather then be dismissive or discouraged by its rather glacial evolution, let's be inspired - and motivated - by the derring-do of a maverick with moxie who leapt into the limelight for a few seconds to test the 'Do We Dare Do It?' parameters.

Mr. Bermingham may not, in the end, actually organize the picnic, but he has certainly launched a GOOD IDEA.  If you do think a picnic on the High Level bridge - in support of the Cootes to Escarpment Ecopark System - is something worth supporting, it's now up to us to make it happen.

To start, you can show your support by 'liking', 'joining' and volunteering with the Cootes to Escarpment Ecopark System on Facebook.  Check back often to that webpage for fundraising initiatives.

It may yet include the ambitious plan to have a Sunset Picnic on the High Level Bridge ...  if we dare.

... Stay Tuned ... 

Also published on Raise the Hammer.org - Saturday, November 2rd, 2013  - with lively comments
http://raisethehammer.org/article/1997

Leo Kamen comes to #Hamont, Nov. 30th.

Sunrise over Lake Ontario from Hamilton Beach, August 13th, 2013 by mlh

~ Get a personalized critique of YOUR artwork by Leo ~ in a private one hour session. 

Review his website (link in the eventbrite listing) &  contact him DIRECTLY to set up appointment.

Great opportunity to get a seasoned and professional overview of your efforts.

More info here:

http://canadada.eventbrite.ca/

New Painting - Fall 2013

'Freesia and The Hummingbird' 

This painting is the fruition of a much older pencil sketch. A few years ago, while sitting on the veranda at the lake house, I saw a hummingbird noodling into my lush hanging freesia. That industrious critter zipped in and out of the 'bells' with little concern for me. I have wanted to paint that lovely little critter ever since. Both items are 'for sale' or 'lease'. Please contact the artist for sizes and prices. Thank you. mlh