Artist Mentors

As an enthusiastic artist, who has been studying calligraphy and handwriting for over a decade, Ingrid blends tradition with her own personal flair. Whether deliberately spilling ink on the page, or delicately tracing flourishes, she believes art exists in both chaos and precision. 

Born and raised in Orillia, I've had a keen interest in art from my earliest memories. Being homeschooled by my Mom, also an artist, I had the opportunity from a young age to explore and experiment with many different mediums and styles including watercolours, acrylics, graphite, digital, graphic design, textiles and functional art. It also gave me the opportunity to learn and experiment with everything from sewing to jewelry making, crocheting, knitting and pattern making!

As I show up in front of a blank canvas, I am never really certain where it will take me. It is like starting a conversation with a stranger. My paintings jump to life with colour and movement or retreat to gentle tranquility as I depict the wondrous beauty found in nature. Occasionally, I incorporate wildlife into my paintings to further explore the narrative of the natural world.

Peter Fyfe is a Fine Arts graduate (Hons.) of York University Ontario (1982-1986) where he studied painting and sculpture. Through this time he produced work challenging the nostalgic image of the RCMP in Canadian lore, and creating assemblages which dealt with how land settlement was marketed to new immigrants. His most current work tackles materiality, environmentalism, and the art world itself through those lenses. Peter is known for his expressive use of bright colorful, hard-edged abstract paintings that push simple iconography to the limits of what can be recognized.

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what ignited my passion for glass. It certainly stems back as far as childhood. I have early memories of my grandmother's green glass collection. I loved sneaking away on my own, to the special living room. The kind with wallpaper, floral curtains and stiff couches that no one ever really sat on. I would perch myself over the side of a wingback chair and study the glimmering glass, in various shades of chartreuse and emerald.

Gillian Lowry is a multidisciplinary artist, working in illustration, printmaking, painting and writing. She studied Studio Art and Geography at The University of Guelph and graduated on the Deans List with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours), receiving the Printmaking Award and the top prize in Sculpture at the 2006 Juried Art Show. Gillian’s writing and artwork have been published in North Simcoe Life, and Blank Spaces Magazine. Her work often draws on nature and the environment for inspiration.

I began painting full-time in 2009 and was honoured to be named as the Kempenfest Feature Artist, an achievement highlighted by Pie Magazine and the Barrie Examiner. My work has been showcased in numerous gallery shows, connecting with a broader audience and providing opportunities to share my love for art.  In 2013, I earned the Master Pastelist Award and signature status (MPAC) from Pastel Artists Canada, a testament to my dedication to the medium.

Hilary Slater paints landscapes of the Canadian wilderness, from Ontario to Labrador with a focus on four seasons of painting. She also works in large-scale abstract landscapes in mixed media. Recently Hilary's painting focus has been on Geomorphology, capturing the natural forces that sculpt the land, above and below the visible surface. Ontario shows evidence of Igneous, Sedimentary and Metamorphic forces contributing to the shaping of our region. 

I consider myself to be a patient, kind, compassionate, and optimistic individual. In my free time I like to dance and paint, sometimes at the same time! I graduated from Vancouver Island School of Art in 2013, then went on to study ECE at Georgian College in 2016, and now I get to combine the best of both educational backgrounds working at Heartworks Children’s Studio in Orillia!

I studied fine art and design for seven years at the Helen and Arches Centre for Art, graduating in 2012 with concentrations in Interior Design, Jewelry & Metals, and Goldsmithing. Guided by a deep respect for nature and sustainable practices, her work explores the harmony between organic form and minimalist design. Through traditional techniques and a refined sense of simplicity, Jessica creates pieces that reflect both the beauty of imperfection and the timeless connection between material and maker.