Irene Blogg has exhibited her work in many parts of Canada, the United States and Europe. She has been a participant in two International Sculpture Biennials.

She began her training with classes at Central Tech and subsequently was invited to become a teaching assistant in those classes. Irene has also taken courses at the Banff School of Fine Art. In addition to teaching at the Learning Resources Centre for the Toronto Library Board, Irene has been a guest speaker at the University of Toronto and the Ryerson Polytechnic Institute. She is a Past President of the Sculptors Society of Canada and has been a recipient of a number of awards.

View CDA's collection of works by Irene Blogg

Louise Doyle has an extensive and varied background in publications, from concept, content and design to delivery. She has experience in designing logos, business cards, magazines, annual reports, newspapers, brochures, etc., as well as press releases. She was previously, a contributing writer, co-owner and Associate Publisher of the Fort McMurray Express newspaper.

A teacher, artist, and writer, Louise draws upon her vast array of life experiences and her love of medieval history, which she incorporates into her artwork. She has always been artistic, dabbling in a variety of mediums from oils to pottery to stained glass. However, she began experimenting with textile art while recovering from an illness and has blended the techniques found in quilting, fabric art and silk painting.

Louise has completed educational courses and training at McMaster University, Keyano College and Athabasca University. She has completed courses in the following subjects:

    Ø Journalism,

    Ø Graphic Design,

    Ø Newspaper Design,

    Ø Photography & Darkroom, and

    Ø Ancient & Medieval History

Scott Johnston was born in Toronto in l966 and studied photography at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute

His photo exhibitions include:

    Ø Gallery 306 (1997),

    Ø Here and Now Gallery (1998),

    Ø College Street Bar (1998),

    Ø Rosedale Diner (1999 & 2000)

    Ø To Go Cafe (1999)

    Ø Cedar Ridge Gallery (2000)

    Ø Elevator Photo Gallery - (2000)

    Ø Starbucks/Art Hip cafes

    Ø Yonge & Bloor (2001)

    Ø Steamwhistle Gallery - (2001)

    Ø 5th Toronto Photography Festival

Johnston's photographs seemingly capture the accidental humorous moments that define our human experience, but each photo is carefully staged to recreate this pivotal moment. Several of his photo series are orchestrated around the concept of the visual pun. Though his characters are based in the present, Johnston's scenes defy a distinct sense of time or geography, which imbues his photos with an uncanny sense of timelessness.

Johnston's recent large oil paintings resonate with the same positive energy that is so characteristic of his photography. Johnston's style of figurative abstraction reduces his subjects to simplified forms that dance or raise their arms up to the sky, their bodies stretched in jubilation. Some, drawn in hard edges and solid colour, stand frozen like golden icons, while others are more ephemeral, elegantly blending and turning to an unseen music.

Anne Judin was born and raised in Montreal and moved to Ontario in the mid sixties. In her earlier years, she focussed, on travelling, exploring much of Europe and parts of North, South and Central America. The camera was her passion then; however, early retirement presented the opportunity to pursue and further develop her love of painting.
As a member of the Richmond Hill Group of Artists and Society Of York Region Artists, she has participated in a number of juried and non-juried shows at the Aurora, Newmarket and Richmond Hill Town Halls, and the York Region Administration Centre.

Wilf McOstrich has long been a creative soul. Being "good" at art in school started him on a life in creative advertising, in commercials, films and print. He spent over 35 years creating advertising and winning recognition for his work. He won over 200 international awards, including the Cannes Festival. Although now "retired" he still manages to find the time to teach creative writing and thinking at Humber College, runs his own studio - called Boothill - and paints almost daily. In summer, he ups-stakes and encamps to his Northern Studio in Haliburton.

Wilf also expresses his love for New Mexico with frequent trips to the American Southwest - and he creates and builds mirrors, tables, wall ornaments and more - all bathed in the brightest colours and brilliant hues of this region. At one time, he actually painted cowboy boots for wannabe buckaroos and rock bands.

View CDA's collection of works by Wilf McOstrich

Clifton Sears first made his carvings and sculptures available for sale in the early seventies. He has had one man shows in various galleries in Nova Scotia, including the Open House Gallery in Anapolis Royal, the Yarmouth Fire Fighter's Museum, and the Y'ARC (Yarmouth Arts Regional Centre). A portrait figure of Sydney Mahaney was commissioned by the Shelburne Dory Shop Museum and is on permanent display there. Clif is a member of the Sandspit Arts Council and the Yarmouth Arts Society.

Areas of specialty include carved portrait figures, realistic wildlife and marine sculptures, figuritive abstracts, and caricatures of fishermen. Clif creates his works in wood, paints, stone and metal.

View CDA's collection of works by Clifton Sears

Formerly from Montreal, Rosie Sherman majored in art and psychology at McGill University. She then moved to Toronto in July 1978 to pursue a career in her other passion, which was travel. Through her work with a major airline, and as a Tour Escort, she had the opportunity to see most of the world.

The need to express her creative energy resulted in her return to school to embark on a career in Interior Design. Rosie owns and operates an Interior Design company, which has given her the continuing opportunity to blend form, colour, texture and design. Her favourite task has always been accessorizing-choosing the right art and other important details to achieve the desired effect.

A few years ago Rosie began painting in earnest, mostly to personalize the art and expression she wanted to convey in her own home. Then, after varied courses in watercolour, pastels and acrylic, she chose her favourite medium and subject matter. She loves painting floral pictures, landscapes, women and her form of whimsical art in bold and bright, colourful acrylics. As her work progressed she began to show and sell her paintings to clients and friends. She had an exclusive show of her work at Grazie restaurant in the summer of 2000.

View CDA's collection of works by Rosie Sherman

My art studies have included experimental watercolour and mixed media with Peter Kolisnyk at the Koffler Centre in Toronto , Jill Segal and John Leonard at the Haliburton School of Fine Art as well as a variety of teachers at the Banbury Centre. Other major artistic influences include Louise Nevelson, Barbara L. Green, and Lawrence Goldsmith .

The exhibition Texture/Feeling/Colour at OriginalPapers Art Gallery ,August 17 to August 30, 2000 was my first one-person show. My work was also selected for the juried exhibition at The Women's Art Association of Canada, September 15 - October 8, 2000 and the juried Artfocus exhibition at Metro Hall, November 7-10, 2000 where it won the award for best watercolour. I have recently exhibited (March 23 - 28 , 2003) in a group show at the Cedar Ridge Gallery.

View CDA's collection of works by Beverley Shukyn

Bonita Silver has created and produced work in Art Deco for over 25 years. She is a self-taught Canadian artist/artisan whose artistry has strong leanings into constructivism artistry. Others who have practised constructivism in the past include the great architects Frank Lloyd Wright and Frank Gehry.

The clean and timeless beauty of Art Deco, by definition, is a technique that combines shapes and patterns into elegant design formations and can be seen throughout many areas of interior design and architecture.

Bonita has created designs for, and has worked with both manufacturers and interior design firms. She has participated in shows, including the Uniquely Ontario Show '99, where members of the Toronto Arts Council judged her collection.

She currently maintains an affiliation with the Toronto Art Deco Society and the World Congress Art Deco Society in Washington.

Bill van Oorschot was born in the small rural village of Mariahout in the province of Noord Brabant in Holland, where nature is a part of life. His youthful pastimes consisted of walking and cycling through the forests, fields, and country roads, enjoying the beauty and peacefulness found in the colours of nature.
In his thirties, after immigrating to Canada, he felt the need to create his own peaceful images. Formal training was not possible at this time, so he did the next best thing. He studied from books, went to galleries, bought brushes and paint and canvas and let nature take its course.

Shelley Warsh is an artist living and working in Toronto, Canada. Her background consists of a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology from the University of Toronto, a Masters in Social Work from Wilfrid Laurier University and a Graphic Design Diploma. Shelley is a Registered Graphic Designer in Ontario. She has run her own graphic design studio for over 11 years and was employed in the corporate world as well. She is also Professor of Graphic Design at George Brown College in Toronto, and at the International Academy of Design.

Shelley has been following her spiritual pathway for over twenty years. This has deepened her life experience and added to the richness of her artistic life. As a result, art and spirituality play complimentary roles in Shelley's life. She works primarily in chalk pastels and acrylics on canvas. The body of artistic work Shelley is currently working on is dedicated to the Heart and Soul of the human experience. She loves working in large format acrylics on canvas and her work has an abstract quality with a dynamic use of colour.

View CDA's collection of works by Shelley Warsh

Garry Young was born in St. Catharines and grew up in Cambridge Ontario. Beginning at age 11, he took oil painting lessons for three years, under the tutelage of a local Cambridge artist, Bram Bradford. In addition to these lessons, he broadened his drawing and painting skills through numerous courses and workshops during his high school years.
During the early 1970's Garry studied art at the University of Guelph. He was particularly attracted to the printmaking techniques offered by Professors Gene Chu and Walter Bachinski. These two artist-teachers also taught him a great deal about tonal values and composition. Garry has also chosen to teach art, and is currently an art teacher at Thornhill Secondary School.

Although Garry has experimented with printmaking, ceramics and sculpture, painting remains his passion. While he has received considerable training in oil and acrylic painting techniques, he is virtually self-taught in watercolours. He strives to paint in a spontaneous and impressionistic manner. His goal is to create an intensity of expression through light and colour, brushwork and texture. Since participating in an outdoor painting workshop at Mount Allison University, in 1981, much of Garry's work has been on the spot landscapes.
Garry's painting trips have taken him to England; Canada's West Coast, various parts of Ontario and Quebec, and the Maritimes. These trips have been interspersed with painting workshops given by schools like Canadore College and the Haliburton School of Fine Arts, and individuals such as artist Charles Couper of Bear River, Nova Scotia.
Garry has had several successful shows of his work in various venues, including the Newmarket Public Library in 1982, a Queensville Gallery, a Toronto Gallery and a Newmarket Gallery. His work is also currently on display in galleries located in Tweed Ontario and Halifax, Nova Scotia.

View CDA's collection of works by Garry Young