Donald Andrus: The Shape of Desire

 Published by: Goose Lane Editions Pages: 140 Price: $45 ISBN: 9781773104102 Donald Andrus: The Shape of Desire is the inaugural compilation dedicated to Canada's prolific abstractionist, Donald Andrus. For over 35 years, Andrus has defied artistic categorization, exhibiting extensively across Canadian galleries. This seminal collection features significant essays appraising his

How to buy NFTs – the quick and simple guide

 In their quest for diversification, people have plenty of options at their disposal and one of the relatively-new asset classes (that everyone is talking about) is NFT. This market has witnessed surprising growth since 2020 and despite a bumpy road during 2022, it’s far from being dead as some might

Patrick Gordon Framing

 Patrick Gordon isn’t kidding when his website says he’s been involved in Ottawa’s arts community since birth. The founder of the framing business that bears his name was born into a family of artists, both musical and visual. “My mother was the artist in the family,” Patrick reflects. “We were

Seasons of Catherine Schissel

 All photos courtesy of Catherine Schissel Catherine Schissel has been painting for as long as she can remember. Raised in Kimberley, BC, her father, a game warden, passed on his love for the outdoors to his children. Schissel’s early adulthood was spent raising her four children while farming in southern

Revitalized Ottawa Art Gallery Spotlights 6,500 Years of Regional Art

 Feature photo courtesy of OAG It has been a long time coming but Ottawa’s ever expanding art collection now has a glorious new home in the expanded Ottawa Art Gallery (OAG). For the local art community, the cutting of the ribbon on this vibrant exhibition palate was not just welcome,

Most Insta-worthy Spots in Ottawa

 Photos by Kat Walcott With the warm, spring weather finally kicking in, there is no better time than now to follow your blogger aspirations and snap some aesthetic outdoor shots for your Instagram page! Ottawa is a city full of art, architecture and beautiful views so it really is an ideal

Crafting with your kids? Tips for parents

 If you ask an average three-year-old what makes slime a good slime, you might expect the response to include words like gooey, sticky, slimy and stretchy. Extra points might be awarded if an older sister considers the slime “totally gross.” But the best slime is free from boric acid. Although

Art hopping across L.A.’s vibrant neighbourhoods

 Nothing defines Los Angeles, a mecca of arts and culture, quite like its vibrant neighbourhoods.  Each with its own personality, L.A.’s art scene spreads throughout them all. As a recent study by DCI (Development Counsellors International) has found, Canadians prioritize the ability to have new experiences as a primary motivation

Inuit Art: Traditional Yet Contemporary

 At the 2017 Venice Biennale, an exhibition which shows the best contemporary art from around the world, Inuit artist Kananginak Pootoogook’s work was displayed. It was a first for the Inuit art community. Inuit art has been popular internationally for decades, but this was the first time it was included

A Mesmerizing Maze of Memory Awaits in ELLE-MOI. D’un bout du monde à l’autre

 Photos by Nicolas Ruel  SERIES DANCE 10 SEASON 2017-2018 Production KATIA GAGNÉ / Les Créations Ozar et Danse Cité February 22, 23 & 24 2018 / 7:30 pm ODD BOX Studio, Arts Court ___ As it is in the oasis of the mindscape where memories weave and intertwine around reality,

Violin virtuoso gets set to descend upon the Alpha Art Gallery

 Drenched in sweat, the crowd noise still ringing in his ear from where he’s just left them dazzled and riotous, the man they call Dr. Draw finally takes a breath and lowers his instrument. He has a moment to remember the words Bon Jovi rocker Richie Sambora once told him.

Canadian artist Patrick John Mills: an expressionist and abstract painter

 Photos courtesy of Patrick John Mills Canadian artist Patrick John Mills is considered an expressionist and also abstract painter. His artwork has been shown in selected exhibitions in cities that evoke art and sophistication such as London, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Frankfurt, Montreal and, of course, Ottawa. “Obsessed, intense, creative and also

Anthony Cardozo Explores the Many Facets of the Flag

 It’s something that you see every day: most likely more than once, probably so much that it blends in with its surroundings and momentarily loses its meaning. It is the Canadian flag. With his art show, Interpretations: The Maple Leaf Flag, currently running at the Wild Oat Artisanal Café in

Unreal Talent on Display at Ottawa Comic Con’s Artist Alley

 Ottawa Life’s Festival City Series is back! We'll provide a unique look at some of your favourite events. We’ll go beyond the music with artist interviews, volunteer profiles, concert reviews and spotlights on the tastes, sights and sounds of the festival season.  Your city! Your festivals! Like a good sunscreen, Ottawa Life

High Fashion is in Bloom This Week at Bayshore Shopping Centre

 Photos taken by Isabel Payne. In fashion this week: rose skirts paired with calla lily sashes, bright orchid dresses, and big, beautiful hats adorned with succulents! This week only, Ottawa florists have come together to showcase a gorgeous display of flowers and pure, raw talent. At a VIP event last night, the first

Big Art Come Back

 Feature Image Artist: Jerry Grey Art lovers will be mixing and mingling with the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ottawa (BBBSO) and Operation Come Home (OCH), as they bring back the ‘Big Art’ auction on Saturday, March 25th at The Glebe Community Centre. BBBSO and OCH have partnered for the fundraising

Meet Ottawa Artist Katerina Mertikas

 It’s not every day that you get the opportunity to meet a celebrated Canadian artist. Katerina Mertikas is best-known for her bright and colourful paintings of children playing outdoors in the snow and enjoying the rain under bright umbrellas. The expressionist artist will have a variety of her artwork on

Piecing Together the Abstract

 Photos by Alex Mazur. Have you ever let your mind wander while watching passing clouds floating through the sky? Suddenly those white wisps look like a sailboat, or that fluffy cloud looks unmistakably like a cuddly bunny. This psychological phenomenon is called pareidolia, an instance where the mind recognizes familiar

Loft Studios Open House is a September “Must Do”

 Stephen Perry. Dog with Flock of Swallows 32?x 48?. Beginning September 22, the Loft Artist Studios on Gladstone Avenue are opening their doors and sharing their work with the public. The open house will run for two weekends, giving visitors the chance to explore the workspace where 17 local artists

A Portrait of Canada

 Canada is a place of boundless natural beauty, and part of being Canadian means appreciating the natural wonders of where we live. Few understand this better than Leah Pipe, the BC-based artist who pens the awe-inspiring beauty of the Skeena Watershed area in Northern British Colombia. Beautifully arresting, rivetingly detailed and quietly absorbing, Pipe’s

A Dash of Colour: Getting to Know Sara Alex Mullen

 Sara Alex Mullen knew she had found her artistic calling when she made the final brushstroke on her first landscape painting. The local artist has been painting for 15 years, but discovered her real affinity for capturing the Canadian outdoors while taking courses at the Ottawa School of Art in

Hit the Links with the Ladies’ Foursome at Hudson Village Theatre

 Summer is here and that means that the Hudson Village Theatre (HVT) season has finally arrived. It is one of the true joys of summer because without fail, the HVT offers up stellar theatre. Ottawa Life will feature more about the HVT in the days to come, but for now

Skyline Gallery Will Capture Canada in Stark Colour

 All photos by Mark Schacter.  After travelling the world and publishing three books of photography, Mark Schacter is putting down roots in Ottawa’s artistic scene and inviting locals to come see his work. On Saturday July 9, Schacter will open the doors to Skyline Gallery, a space set aside in

The Mechanics of Modern Art

 A glimpse of Inferno. Photo by Gregory Bohnenblust.  Imagine if before watching a contemporary art piece, you and 24 others were strapped into robotic exoskeletons that jerked, twisted and lit up in front of the rest of the still-sitting audience. Some people might say that would be hellish, which is exactly

Shining Light on Turkish Art

 Art is just one of the many ways countries around the globe connect with one another. Different areas may have different practices, laws, traditions and cultural norms, but art is art. The Embassy of Turkey in Canada and Terra Art is putting on an art exhibition, "Mavi Art – Colours From