Bees
(& the Birds) Artists helping pollinators
artist lookbook
Bees(& the Birds) May 18 to May 29, 2016 Gallery Hours: Wednesday - Saturday 12-6 pm Sunday 12-5pm
10% of all show proceeds go to help the bees
Artists helping our pollinators Our GREAT line-up of TALENTED, BEE-friendly ARTISTS includes;
Simi Adelynn, Amy Berenbeim, Barney, Kris Bovenizer, Ruth Bretholz, Melissa Bullock, Andrea Deal, Carolyn Eady, Erin Finley, Rebecca Filman, Marion Flanagan, Darija Ilic, Teresa Kastelik, Japneet Kaur, Blair Kelly, Stephanie Kenzie, Raz Latif, Fiona Legg, Michelle Matsui, Lillian McKinnon, Rachel Alicia Nadira Naipaul, Christine Pensa, eXavier Peterson, Jennifer Pilles, Michelle Reaney, Katie Sorrell, Heather Talbot, Nijole Taylor, Jennifer Toffoli, Kayla Tremblett, Kirsty Turnbull, Saskia van Kampen, Sheryll Venzon, Leela Viswanathan, Melissa Wakefield, Ele Willoughby.
About the show Bees (& the Birds) is a salon style art show to raise funds and awareness for our bee friends and other pollinators. The second annual show will be held, once again, at Graven Feather Gallery. The show runs from May 18 to 29, 2016. An opening reception will be held on Thursday, May 19 from 6 to 9 p.m. The show is comprised of a group of 38 artists coming together to use their art to help the bees.
Each of the artists participating in the show want to make a difference and help the bees. The works are beeinspired pieces that explore the role of this alchemist insect in our world. The participating artists felt their work could play a big role in raising awareness and money to help our pollinators. Using their talents to offer solutions for individuals, for their communities and for our world. That’s why 10% of all show proceeds - including sales - will go to the David Suzuki Foundation’s efforts to save the bees. Organized and curated by local Toronto artist Christine Pensa (Art That Moves), and hosted at Graven Feather Gallery, 906 Queen St. W. Toronto, the show features painting, prints, drawings, and photographs on the theme of our friends the bees, birds, and our pollinators.
About Graven Feather Gallery
Established in 2011, Graven Feather is an art hub located in the heart of Queen West next to the beautiful Trinity Bellwoods Park. Geared towards both artists and the artloving public, this bright and cheery environment is at its root a functioning studio for its artists, as well as a workshop, retail, and gallery space. Graven Feather is committed to building connections with artists and the community. A home to artist members, renters/visiting artists and a venue for exhibitions and community oriented events. Graven Feather studio is an open and accessible destination dedicated to fostering creative output and artistic exchange. Walk-in traffic and visits from the public are welcome and encouraged. For more information about the founders of Graven Feather, http://www.gravenfeather.ca/
About-Us.
Send questions to director Pam Lobb at gravenfeather@gmail.com.
About show curator Christine Pensa
I am passionate about helping our pollinators, particularly my friends the bees. In fact, for the last 3 years, I have donated 10% of all proceeds of my bee-related-art to them. In 2015 and 2016 I created a Love the Bees Calendar because I wanted to know what one person living in an urban center (me) could do to help the bees. The illustrations in the calendar reflect the tangible results of my research in my own backyard. Last year I wanted to do more, so I started the first Bees (& the Birds) show. The show was a success, both for participating artists, and for pollinators. This is the 2nd year of the show at Graven Feather Gallery. I’m excited that, once again, we have an incredible line-up of diverse and talented artists who are willing to donate 10% of their sales to help our pollinators. This year there are 39 artists, some returning, many new. I’m happy to be able to feature their work in this lookbook!
I hope you will enjoy seeing some of the work that will be at the show, and, I hope you will join us to see the rest of the work during the show, which runs May 18 to May 29, 2016.
About who we are donating 10% of our show proceeds to . . . We are proud to be donating to the David Suzuki Foundation again this year! Visit the site link below to find out how you can take ACTION to help.
http://www.davidsuzuki.org/issues/wildlife-habitat/projects/save-the-bees-and-butterflies/
(Excerpt from www.davidsuzuki.org) Almost 90 per cent of the world’s plants rely on pollinators like bees and butterflies for fertilization and reproduction, including over 70 per cent of the major crops that feed us — everything from apples, tomatoes, raspberries and peppers to chocolate, coffee and almonds. But pollinators are in trouble. Honeybee populations have been in serious decline. Canada’s 800+ species of wild bees are experiencing similar problems. And species like monarch butterflies are at historic lows.
The good news We can all play a part in bringing back the bees and butterflies!
The artists’ work and other information we provide at our show is an invitation, to find out for yourself, more about the bees, the butterflies and other pollinators. Please click on the ARTIST NAMES to find out more about them and their work Information on Opening Night click here.
Bee the alchemist insect who turns nectar into honey
Nijole Taylor
Ele Willoughby
Rebecca Filman
Saskia van Kampen
Amy Berenbeim
Andrea Deal
Michelle Matsui
Carolyn Eady
. . . Bees, purest laborers, ogival workers fine, flashing proletariat, perfect, daring militia that in combat attack with suicidal sting; buzz, buzz above the earth’s endowments, family of gold, multitude of the wind, shake the fire from the flowers, thirst from the stamens, the sharp, aromatic thread that stitches together the days . . . (excerpt from Pablo Neruda’s poem, Ode to Bees)
Melissa Wakefield
Jennifer Toffoli
Fiona Legg
Blair Kelly
Raz Latif
Erin Finley
Leela Viswanathan
Lillian McKinnon
eXavier Peterson
Kirsty Turnbull
Kayla Tremblett
Barney
“Well,” said Pooh, “what I like best,” and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn’t know what it was called.” (from Winnie the Pooh author A.A. Milne)
Stephanie Kenzie
Marion Flanagan
Jen Pilles
Rachel Alicia Nadira Naipaul
Heather Talbot
Last night, as I was sleeping, I dreamt--marvellous error!-that I had a beehive here inside my heart. And the golden bees were making white combs and sweet honey from my old failures. (excerpt from Antonio Machado’s poem, Last Night)
Kris Bovenizer
Sheryll Venzon
Simi Adelynn
Teresa Kastelik
Katie Sorrell
Darija Ilic
Japneet Kaur
Michelle Reaney
Melissa Bullock
Ruth Bretholz
Christine Pensa
Other good bee people and information at . . . Alveole Urban Beekeeping https://www.alveole.buzz/en/about Documentary http://www.queenofthesun.com/ Help the Bees & Butterflies http://www.davidsuzuki.org/issues/wildlife-habitat/projects/save-the-bees-and-butterflies/ Beekeeping in Skirts www.honeybeewild.com
More on the next pages . . .
Once again, I’m excited to announce the show will have bee-friendly products from Hi Honey, and Cubits seeds. Both have generously donated a percentage of their sales to our show’s charity.
Karen McKenna Hi Honey
Read Karen McKenna’s thoughful article for NOW magazine. https://nowtoronto.com/news/bee-positive/
Laura Watt Cubits