Bloom and Art Festival

Celebrating the Artists of our local communities!

On July 6th & 7th, artists will gather at Beyond the House (144 Craig Street, Russell, ON) to showcase their work and promote art in our community. This art exhibition and sale will showcase various forms of visual media, sculpture, stained glass, stone, pottery, and more.
Russell's two high schools will be sending artists, selected by their respective art teachers, to exhibit their work.

As part of the festivities, we will be holding a BBQ on both Saturday & Sunday  
between 11:30 am - 1:00 pm with all proceeds going to support the Arts Programs at the two Russell high schools.

Art, plants and more!!!  It's going to be so much fun!

An on-line auction is being organized so that you can bid on a gorgeous stained glass window entitled "Sunflower Redux", that has been graciously donated by Kim Kargus of Kimberley Kargus - Glassworks for Good.  Proceeds from the auction will be distributed between the 2 Russell High Schools to support their Arts Programs.
The Sunflower window is now on display at Beyond the House and you can bid in store.  If you are unable to come to the store, you can contact Kim to place a bid through her.
Thank you for supporting the Arts!!

Participating Artists:

Paul Schibli:

Paul has been painting in oil for the last 30 years and has taught oil painting in Russell for the past several years.  Focusing primarily on landscapes and florals, Paul has exhibited in Ottawa (Cube Gallery) and Toronto (Canvas Gallery).  His paintings are held in private collections from Alberta to Nova Scotia, Washington State to New York and Florida.
To see more of Paul's work, follow the link to his website.

Tina Hoare (Roving Sheep):

Tina is a local fibre artist.  A farming community in Alberta is where Tina gained an appreciation for nature, which is often reflected in her art.  Her artworks are created using a process called felting.  Different coloured wool rovings are layered with other natural fibres to create vibrant wall hangings and home decor.  Tina specializes in animal portraits, nature scenes and 3D abstracts.
Follow Tina on Facebook to see more of her work.  

Colette Beardall:

Colette is an award winning sculptor of ceramic animal and figurative sculptures.  Colette started exhibiting in Alberta in the 90's and after moving to Ontario has exhibited in Ottawa, Toronto & Massachusetts. Her newest work represents a deep reflection on the state of the world and ourselves.  Most of her animal sculptures are considered critically endangered and she actively supports nature conservation charities. 
To see more of Colette's work, follow the link to her website.

Ron Veh:

Ron lived in Russell for 40 years, raising a family and running a construction business.  Throughout his career, he continued to pursue his love of painting.  He attended courses at the Toronto Art College and evening courses at the Ottawa School of Art.  His original works were in watercolour and oils, and more recently he has explored painting with acrylics.
To learn more about Ron, follow this link.

Greg Rokosh:

When Greg was about 16 years old, he watched a street artist doing portraits in pastel.  He had always loved to draw and asked the artist if he could teach him to paint in pastel.  So began his love of the medium.  Greg painted at OCA in Toronto and in other studios and in other media but he always returned to pastel.  Greg's love of the medium is apparent in his work.

Stephanie Wellman:

Stephanie is a Master Pastelist turned Photographer.  She still enjoys picking up the buttery stick of a pastel, but now enjoys picking up a different tool; a camera.  Through her paintings, Stephanie has learned to appreciate light, detail and texture and how they interact with each other.  Stephanie resides in Russell and is well known in the community.
To see more of Stephanie's work, follow her on Facebook.

Leslie Chandler:

Leslie draws inspiration from the natural beauty of the west coast of British Columbia where she was born and raised.  It was her father, John Moutray, a professional artist, who ignited her passion for art as she watched him paint in his studio.  Currently retired and settled in Russell, Leslie devoted over three decades teaching French Immersion Visual Arts and more in varied educational environments across Canada.  Her commissioned paintings and fine art reproductions adorn private collections across Canada, the United States and Europe.
To see more of Leslie's work, please see the link to her website.

Christina Stapper (CMS Pottery):

Christina Stapper, a local potter from Russell, Ontario, began her journey with clay in 2020.  Since then, she has put in countless hours playing, experimenting, learning from other potters, self exploration with the wheel, hand-building and glazing.  Christina quickly became a full time potter and has a shop at her home (CMS Pottery).  She offers workshops and experiences, and sells her pieces at markets, galleries and pop up shops.  "I have finally found what I want to do when I grow up!" 
To see more of Christina's work, follow her on Facebook. 

Pina Rennick:

Pina Manoni-Rennick was born in Bassano Romano - a town north of Rome, Italy and moved to Canada in 1965.  Her interest in nature has nurtured her desire to recreate it with oil, watercolours and acrylics.  Pina has enhanced her skills by taking the Visual Arts Program at Algonquin College, workshops at St. Lawrence College, The Ottawa School of Art and through ongoing study with national and international artists.  
She paints each day at her studio  "The Loft Art Studios" and on location.  Pina has enjoyed displaying her work in three solo shows and several group showings in Ottawa and the surrounding region.  "Painting for me is a pleasurable ongoing journey of discovery.  It's a wonderful way to express myself.  Colours has always been the constant force behind my paintings.  It's what I love the most."
To see more of Pina's work, follow the link to her website.

Ellie (Bloxham Studio):

Ellie is a letter carver and figurative sculptor who began her art adventure in Cambridge, UK in 2011.  Letter carving combines Ellie's love of words and calligraphy and uses traditional letter carving techniques in combination with a mallet and chisel to cut the letters into slate, marble or limestone.  In addition to letter carving, Ellie aspires to evoke a sense of romanticism through her stone sculptures and low reliefs.
To see more of Ellie's work, follow the link to her website. 

Shanon Hope (Shanon Hope Studio):

Shanon Hope is a multidisciplinary contemporary artist living & creating  in Morrisburg Ontario, by the St. Lawrence river.  Formally educated in photography, self-taught glass artist and emerging painter.  Shanon's abstract & contemporary impressionism style is inspired by nature, colour & light!
For more information and samples of her work, check our her website.

Frank Schmohl (Bent out of Shape):

Frank creates interesting garden art using metal and rocks.  Each piece is unique and hand-made and he is continuously working on new ideas to perfect his craft.
Follow Frank on Facebook to see more.

Caprize (My Recycled Dreams):

I'm Caprize, owner of My RecycledDreamsBoutique Birdhouses and the artisan behind these whimsical bird dwellings that are sure to make your feathered friends tweet with joy! 
Crafted with love and a dash of quirkiness, each birdhouse is a unique masterpiece that will add charm and character to any garden or backyard. 
Come find me and let's talk birds, banter and the art of creating cozy homes for our flying friends!
For more information, please check out my website.

Cindy Laneville: 

A mosaic artist specializing in stained glass and various mediums.  Her unique creations continually evolve, inspiring new projects.
*Cindy is unable to be with us for the weekend but we will have her pieces displayed and available for sale."
To see more of Cindy's work, follow the link to her website.