Graduation Ceremony - June 8th, 2024
A seal indicates a high level of competence in painting. It takes several years to attain a seal and we have a graduation ceremony to celebrate the accomplishment. However, as Roslyn Levin, a noted artist and instructor, reminded us: it is only a step along a lifelong development process.
Katherine Stark described the dramatic, almost cliff-like edge she had painted.
By highlighting a few sparse trees and rock faces, this painting creates a rugged, imposing landscape.
Wendy Morrow showed how to create the border that defines the snow in a winter scene.
The heaviness of the snow on the trees is felt in this painting. The flock of geese adds another element, indicating perhaps that the geese were caught unaware of approaching winter.
Janice Bennink's northern scene had a wild, defiant look.
The painting captured the harshness of surviving through many hot and cold seasons on a northern shore.
Julianne Kang turned to an interior scene: her cat.
The brush strokes create the feeling of soft fur and a contented expression. Like other artists, Julianne Kang added calligraphy to the painting.
A familiar northern rock face that many Canadians have seen draws the eye to Laura Hill's painting. The colour and the cracks in this old rock bring a realism to the landscape and add a dominant component to the composition.
Dancing cranes have fascinated artists for many generations. Jeanne Lee also discussed the symbolism of two cranes: harmony such as lifelong relationships.
The art is to express the interplay between the birds. The vitality of the birds is contrasted with a background of an old pine tree.
Marilena Isacescu explained how her painting came about.
The central pine tree bends in the wind yet expresses a strength and durability to live within this north region of lakes, forests and rocks.
This western view of Canada by Ayako Shibata blends overpowering distant mountains and forests with a foreground of an island and some closer fir trees, perhaps a refuge for some canoeing travelers. The painting is very much a look at the elements of natural Canada.
After these thoughtful presentations, the graduates gathered for a group photo.
Left-to-right the graduates are Katherine Stark, Julianne Kang, Jeanne Lee, Ayako Shibata, Janice Bennink, Marilena Isacescu, Wendy Morrow and Laura Hill.
Everyone wanted a picture of these artists.
An impression of each artist's seal was added to the Sumi-e Artists of Canada list.
This long list is one of many lists dating back to the 1980s.
Snacks courtesy of Linda Nakatsu and socializing mostly about art ended the graduation ceremony.
Time to return to our painting along with our graduates.