art – Page 3 – The Beat Magazine 2025

Full Circle: Westland Gallery Goes Home Again

March 6, 2026March 6, 2026 by Richard Young

By Beth Stewart

(Pictured: Designer’s rendition of exterior Westland Gallery façade. Photo courtesy of Al Stewart.)

Westland Gallery has settled into its new/old location at 247 Wortley Road. The site, once known as The Art Exchange and then Westland South, has been rechristened Westland Gallery. While the new sign has yet to go up, the old one has come down.

Located in Wortley Village, Westland Gallery offers original artwork by Canadian artists from within Ontario and mounts a new show every four to five weeks. Westland has twice been voted best art gallery in London, and this year, it won a People’s Choice Award for favourite businesses in Wortley Village.

Westland Gallery came into being when, in 2007, Al Stewart’s friend Eugene Lamont asked him to be the “caretaker,” so to speak, of the latter’s historic building at 156 Wortley Road. It was just a few blocks north of Stewart’s original business, The Art Exchange.

For the next four years, the two shared the building; Lamont continued selling antiques, and Stewart began selling art at the second location.

Finally, in 2013, Westland Gallery was born. While Stewart made extensive renovations, he remained true to the building’s history.

Built in 1886, the building had housed a painting and decorating store called Westland, two pharmacies, and an antique store. The last two were owned and run by Lamont.

(Pictured: Westland Gallery proprietors, Karen and Al Stewart.)

Prompted by their 65th birthdays in 2025, Westland Gallery owners Al and Karen Stewart decided it was time to “dial things back.” Al Stewart says, “This is what we needed to do for ourselves at this time.”

While they were ready to let the building go, they sought a buyer who would continue to celebrate Lamont’s legacy.

Al Stewart says, “We have taken care of her, and now it is time to let someone else have the honour.”

Now, in a best-case scenario, the old building has been sold to Purdy Naturals, a storefront business that fits well into the fabric of Wortley Village.

Although the location of Westland Gallery has changed, the quality and service haven’t. Westland Gallery will still deliver exceptional artworks in a range of styles and mediums, as well as services such as art consultation and secure international shipping.

While they will miss the old building, the Stewarts are excited to have a home-based business once again.

(Photo: Courtesy of Al Stewart.)

Extensive renovations have been done to 247 Wortley Road, and more are planned. Shelving has been removed. New flooring has been installed from the front of the gallery through to the back of the Stewart’s living space to create greater continuity.

(Photo: Courtesy of Al Stewart.)

The “new” location is more compressed, but Al Stewart is rising to the challenge and making use of every inch. There is less storage space, which will necessitate a faster turnover of overstock and greater website presence.

He sees it as an opportunity to put the fun back into selling art.

(Photo: Courtesy of Al Stewart.)

Westland Gallery’s inaugural exhibition, “International Women’s Day”, runs from March 3 to March 28, 2026 and celebrates the work of 19 female artists. The opening reception is Saturday, March 7, from 1pm to 3pm.

(VC Glennie, “Goldfinch,” oil on wood panel, 16 x 40 inches.)

(Marcy Saddy, “Janie Jones,” acrylic on cradled board, 20 by 20 inches.)

(Donna Andreychuk, “Falling Down”, oil on canvas, 40 by 40 inches.)

(Watch this video of the International Women’s Day Exhibition: https://youtu.be/qFFGfdedNu4?si=n0-WhKNyf7wFYe2P)

This is followed by “Pat Gibson and Nancy Moore” from March 31 to April 25, 2026, and the annual floral exhibition “Moms and Mums” from April 28 to May 23, 2026.

Westland Gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10am to 5:30pm, and Saturday, 10am to 4pm. For more information, visit: https://westlandgallery.ca/

By Beth Stewart

Beth Stewart is a writer, educator, and visual artist. She has a B.A. and a B.Ed. from the University of Windsor and a Diploma in Art Therapy from Western University. Beth has worked as an Art Therapist with Canadian war veterans and as a Secondary School Teacher of art and English for the TVDSB. She retired in 2024.

Beth was the arts editor at Scene Magazine from 2004 to 2006. She founded Artscape Magazine in 2006 and served as its editor until 2008. In addition, Beth wrote on the arts for Lifestyle Magazine from 2006 to 2017 and served as the copy editor for The Beat (in print) from 2009 to 2013.

As a visual artist, Beth works mainly in dry media and favours coloured pencil. Over the past decade, Beth’s focus has been on wild and domestic birds. Beth is a member of the Coloured Pencil Society of America, the Gallery Painting Group, the Eclectic Collage Collective, the Lambeth Art Association, and a founding member of the Coloured Pencil Artists of Canada group.

Web: https://bethstewart.ca/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009620916363

Heart and Soul: Angela Hardy and Robert Ruby

February 10, 2026 by Richard Young

by Beth Stewart

(Pictured: Angela Hardy, “Artists in Love”, acrylic with metallic background on two 6-by-8-inch panels.)

Angela Hardy hails from Labrador; Robert Ruby was born in Kitchener. The odds of them ever meeting were slim to begin with. That they met and fell in love, is serendipitous.

The two visual artists now live and work together in St. Thomas, Ontario. It is a relationship forged in happenstance and fired by a passion for art.

Angela Hardy has worked and trained in most mediums, but primarily considers herself an acrylic painter. Her art is firmly rooted in realism with a healthy dollop of impressionism. She has a deep love of colour and light.

While she paints multiple subjects, including birds, blossoms, landscapes, and skyscapes, she always circles back to figurative and portrait work. Overall, her subjects embrace beauty, love, and strength.

(Pictured: Angela Hardy, “The Keeper”, grease pencil, acrylic paint, silver and gold leaf on a 10-inch round panel with a 14-inch refinished wood octagon frame.)

Over the last few years, Hardy has leaned hard into her passion for art history and the symbolism and decorative elements of the Medieval, Renaissance and Art Nouveau periods.

The desire to draw and paint has always been a part of Hardy’s life. It was first nurtured by her mother, and then she was fortunate enough to attend West Viking College in Newfoundland and the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in Nova Scotia.

A little over 10 years ago, Angela Hardy moved to Ontario.

Robert Ruby graduated from the Fine Art Environmental program at Fanshawe College. He, too, has worked in a variety of mediums, but has always gravitated towards assemblage, art that brings together disparate elements – often everyday objects, scavenged or bought – to form a new whole.

The act of assemblage can be seen as a rebellion against art in the traditional sense, and this, says Ruby, makes “intent and narrative” a crucial element of the medium.

Ruby embraces Kurt Schwitters’ philosophy that there is “no reason why used tram tickets, bits of driftwood, buttons and old junk from attics and rubbish heaps should not serve well as materials for paintings.”

It is appropriate that much of his work with its congregation of materials resembles altar pieces, reliquaries or shrines, as he too seeks to protect and respectfully display objects and ephemera.

Ruby is an acquired brain injury (ABI) survivor, which impacts his life and art. There was a long period of time, fourteen years to be exact, during which he attempted to deal with it on his own. He finally sought help.

It was not long after this that he met Angela Hardy, who was giving a talk on art in Port Dover.

He says, “Because of her, on October 5th, 2015, my world changed.”

She says, “Life took a turn I could have never dreamed.”

They quickly discovered how their interests aligned, but for nearly a year, they stayed in the friend-only zone.

“We both knew that we belonged together. We did then, and we still do,” admits Ruby. His assemblage, “Help is on its Way,” is a tribute to Hardy.

(Pictured: Robert Ruby, “Help is on its Way”, mixed media, 42 by 20 by 9 inches, 2022. This piece is part of a body of work that speaks to the challenges, confusion and frustration that often surround an Acquired Brain Injury.)

Angela Hardy and Robert Ruby’s home is also their workspace, so the two are almost constantly together. Both agree they wouldn’t have it any other way.

Ruby says, “Our physical space, the studio, tells a story. What’s in it? Paint palettes and drippings, brushes, tea cups, gears, tools, clocks, canvases, grease pencils, parchment paper, books, easels, paintings and assemblages. It’s a mirror in which I see my dear one, Angela Elizabeth Marie, every day.”

Hardy adds, “There’s never a shortage of romantic gestures or discussions on life and love. We have both lived full lives previous to ‘us’ and that helps drive us to not want to waste the time we have together.”

Since meeting, the two have enjoyed successes and met challenges.

In 2018, one of Hardy’s pieces was accepted into the Salon de la Société Nationale des Beaux Arts (SNBA), Carrousel du Louvre à Paris. In 2019, she was awarded a silver medal for painting at the Arts Sciences Lettres, Paris. Then, life took a couple of unexpected detours.

(Angela Hardy’s acrylic on canvas 30 by 40 inch “Venus Within” was shown at the SNBA, Salon de la Société Nationale des Beaux Arts, Carousel de Louvre in 2018.)

The first was the pandemic. The uncertainty made it hard for Hardy to dive back into the body of work – the “Indestructible Women” series – she had begun before her time in France.

Then, in 2021, her mother, Hardy’s guiding force, became ill with Alzheimer’s. Hardy returned to Labrador, where she stayed for eleven months caring for her mother while battling the Newfoundland healthcare system for her mother’s right to stay in Labrador.

Says Hardy, “Watching my mother decline changed how I see the world.” It drove home the importance of living fully. She concluded, “Art isn’t just for when we have time or feel the inspiration, it is a powerful tool to help us in difficult times … when we create for ourselves, we also serve others by giving their minds, imaginations, and emotions a place to linger.”

Her mother passed away in December 2022. Hardy says, “Without my partner, my Robert, his support and love, I don’t think I would have made it through it at all or find my way during and after.”

(Pictured: Angela Hardy, “Sanctuary of Safe and Sound” (part of the ongoing “Indestructible Women” series), acrylic on canvas, 48 by 48 inches.)

In 2023, Ruby had a 22-piece solo show at the St. Thomas-Elgin Public Art Centre (STEPAC). “The Mechanics of Meaning” explored his experience navigating life with an ABI. Much of the work was assemblage art, and the melding of old and new materials in this project can be seen as a metaphor for Ruby’s old self meeting and melding with his new self.

(Pictured: Robert Ruby, “Three Out Of Five Ain’t Bad”, mixed media, 12 by 24 by 10 inches, 2023.)

Since then, Ruby has been working on pieces that address the issue of aging, with his most recent piece titled “Assisted Living no. 01”. In addition, he has been working on a series about society’s treatment of women. One of the finished pieces in this series is “White Picket Fence,” which is fashioned after Margaret Atwood’s Handmaids.

Four of his assemblages are currently on display at Frankingstyle Art Gallery on Talbot Street in St Thomas.

(Robert Ruby’s “Declaration No 01” is subtitled “Before Every Vitruvian Man There’s a Vitruvian Woman”.)

In their time together, Angela Hardy and Robert Ruby have never run short of creativity. Says Hardy, “If anything, this collaboration of love and creativity keeps growing. Our day-to-day revolves around the art we make.”

London photographer Paul Lambert says, “Angela and Robert are a testament to the beauty of connection. Angela and Robert remind us that being ‘artists in love’ isn’t just about sharing a creative life — it’s about living as co-creators of something bigger than themselves.”

(Pictured: Angela Hardy and Robert Ruby. Photograph by Robert Ruby.)

For more information on Angela Hardy and Robert Ruby, visit:

http://www.angelahardyfineart.com/

http://www.facebook.com/angelahardyfineart

Instagram: @ang2art

http://www.robertrubyfineart.com

By Beth Stewart

Web: https://bethstewart.ca/

Closer: Love Laid Bare at Procunier Hall

February 7, 2026February 7, 2026 by Richard Young

by Jo-Anne Bishop

(Pictured: Cast & Crew of Closer. Photo Credit: Ross Davidson.)

There are moments early in Closer when you may find yourself wondering where it’s all going. Patrick Marber’s provocative examination of love, desire, and emotional brutality opens at a measured pace, and I’ll admit that at first, I wasn’t convinced. The stripped-down staging and deliberate slowness made me question whether this production would land for me at all. But somewhere around the midpoint of the first act, something shifted, and from there on, I was completely engrossed.

Directed by Dave Semple and produced by Andrea Bennett, Closer unfolds in the small black box space at the Palace Theatre’s Procunier Hall, placing the audience uncomfortably close to the emotional wreckage on stage. Starring Noah Englmann as Dan, Scarlett Allen as Alice, Alex Pinter as Larry, and Meghan Brown as Anna, the production strips away nearly everything except the actors themselves and ultimately proves it doesn’t need anything more.

(Pictured: Closer Cast – Scarlett Allen, Noah Englmann, Meghan Brown, and Alex Pinter. Photo Credit: Ross Davidson.)

The performances across the board are deeply believable, but special recognition must go to the two female roles. Scarlett Allen gives a brave, uncompromising performance as Alice. Allen gives herself fully to the role, including moments of near-total nudity that could easily feel gratuitous or awkward in lesser hands. Instead, she owns the space with absolute confidence. Never hesitant, never insecure. Her fearlessness makes Alice feel raw, real, and emotionally dangerous, which is exactly what the role demands.

(Pictured: Scarlett Allen as Alice. Photo Credit: Ross Davidson.)

Meghan Brown’s Anna is equally compelling, offering a performance layered with vulnerability, restraint, and quiet devastation. I found myself hanging on her every word and movement, forgetting for a moment that this was a play and not a moment of voyeurism. Together, Allen and Brown anchor the production with emotional authenticity, elevating every scene they’re in. While Englmann and Pinter deliver strong, grounded performances as Dan and Larry, it’s the women who truly drive the emotional core of the play.

(Pictured: Meghan Brown as Anna. Photo Credit: Ross Davidson.)

Closer is, at its heart, an unflinching look at relationships and the many contradictions of love. I grew up on the verse “love is patient, love is kind,” but this play reminds us that love can also be messy, cruel, obsessive, and brutal. Marber doesn’t soften any of it, and this production leans fully into those truths. Love here is exposed for all its ugliness and beauty, its tenderness and violence, and the result in this production is as uncomfortable as it is compelling.

The program describes the show as “stripped down, grown up, and not for the faint of heart,” with a strong viewer discretion warning—and that description is absolutely accurate. This is not a play for anyone inclined to clutch their pearls. If explicit language, sexual frankness, or emotional cruelty make you uncomfortable, this likely isn’t the show for you. But if you’re willing to sit with a little bit of discomfort, Closer will reward you with a powerful exploration of love, loss, and heartbreak.

One of my initial hesitations was the minimalist staging. There are no traditional props and only sound effects and physical suggestion. At first, I found myself distracted, wondering why actual props weren’t used at all. But as the play progressed, it became clear: they don’t need them. The actors are the props. Their physicality, timing, and emotional commitment are so precise that you stop noticing what’s missing. Your focus narrows entirely to the characters and their unravelling relationships, which is exactly where it should be.

(Pictured: Set of Closer. Photo Credit: Ross Davidson.)

By the end of the two-hour production, the bare stage feels not like a limitation but a strength. The production is perfectly staged and brilliantly acted, proving that when performances are this strong, nothing else is necessary.

Despite my early doubts, I left thoroughly impressed and genuinely moved. Closer is challenging, bold, and beautifully performed. If you’re looking for theatre that doesn’t shy away from taking emotional risks, do yourself a favour and catch this production before it closes on February 15th.

IF YOU GO:

What: Closer, by Patrick Marber

When: February 5^th-15^th, 2026

Where: Procunier Hall at the Palace Theatre, 710 Dundas St, London Ontario

Tickets: $30-33, 2024-2025 Shows – Palace Theatre RECOMMENDED 18+

Reviewed by Jo-Anne Bishop

The Artistry of Notion, at Westland Gallery until February 28.

February 5, 2026 by Richard Young

Reviewed by Beth Stewart

The Artistry of Notion exhibition at Westland Gallery celebrates the work and friendship of Johnnene Maddison and Mike Brouse. It includes fifteen of Maddison’s colourful abstractions, as well as three of her small hand-stitched gems, and fifteen of Brouse’s expressionistic pieces.

Maddison’s acrylic-on-canvas paintings fill the front gallery, while Brouse’s oils are spread throughout the rear gallery.

Johnnene Maddison’s delightful pieces preserve small points in time in paint and form.

In her artist statement, she writes about how her subject matter and choice of media has evolved over the years from mixed media work about women – their rights, their history, their challenges – to single-media acrylic paintings that are gestural and immediate.

This work is personal yet also presents Maddison’s experiences as universal truths.

The pieces burst with colour and carefully constructed forms. While the pieces stand on their own, the titles guide the viewer’s observations and direct their thoughts.

(Pictured: Johnnene Maddison, “Doors and Windows”, acrylic on canvas, 36 by 36 inches.)

Her 36-by-36-inch acrylic on canvas “Doors and Windows” rightfully occupies the front window. The subject can be enjoyed as is, but can also be seen as a representation of transitional thresholds.

(Pictured: Johnnene Maddison, “Wandering in My Mind”, acrylic on canvas. 30 by 40 inches.

Upon entering the gallery, her 30-by-40-inch acrylic on canvas, “Wandering in My Mind”, graces the left wall with its cadmium yellow centre clamouring for attention. Another eye-catcher, her 30-by-40-inch acrylic titled “Crazy Trip”, hangs on the back wall. Both embrace angular forms that straddle a line between staticity and busyness.

(Pictured: Johnnene Maddison, “Crazy Trip”, acrylic on canvas, 30 by 40 inches.)

While Maddison boasts a well-established artistic career, Michael Brouse came late to art after taking a class just before retirement. Around 2010, he began painting landscapes, but says he soon became “excited about the distortions caused by waves on reflections [and] segued into expressive abstraction”.

He cites Maddison and American expressionist painter Krista Harris, whose work is rooted in the natural world, as having influenced his work.

His works have an ethereal quality. As with Maddison’s work, titles are important

His layered, scratched, and scraped surfaces suggest landforms and figures, yet these remain elusive. His brushwork is ragged and energetic.

To Brouse, a notion as reflected in the title of this show refers to “an intuition, a feeling, imagination.” Fitting, as his expressive application of paint on a canvas conveys memory and dreams.

(Pictured: Michael Brouse, “Stillness”, oil on canvas, 36 by 48 inches.)

For example, he says his oil on canvas “Stillness”, which hangs on the left wall with its pops of orange, captures a vivid feeling from his childhood. It is one he has also marked with a poem: “Barefoot I stepped/ on to a cold winter floor/ as a child, touched by the/ radiant magic of a breaking morn./ My secret treasure stored away/ in the stillness.”

(Pictured: Michael Brouse, “North Shore”, oil on panel, 24 by 30 inches.)

On the right wall, Brouse’s 24-by-30-inch “North Shore” is next to the 32-by-40-inch “Notion”. While the subject of “North Shore” remains slippery, it contains forms that come tantalizingly close to representational, making it all the more intriguing.

One can assume its neighbour, “Notion”, is the source of the show’s title.

(Pictured: Michael Brouse, “Notion”, oil on canvas, 32 by 40 inches.)

IF YOU GO:

What: The Artistry of Notion featuring works by Johnnene Maddison and Mike Brouse.

When: February 3 to February 28. Opening Reception on Saturday, February 7, from 1:00 to 3:00pm.

Where: Westland Gallery, 156 Wortley Road, London, ON,

For more information, visit: https://westlandgallery.ca/

Reviewed by Beth Stewart

Uncommon Things Ring True

January 8, 2026 by Richard Young

Reviewed by Beth Stewart

Uncommon Ground at Westland Gallery, January 6 to 31, 2026, brings together work by two disparate artists: Sheila Davis and Kevin Bice. While the works of both are firmly rooted in the environment, they diverge drastically from there. Together, they are a feast for the eyes and mind.

The main level is filled with Davis’s vibrant landscapes; it is an environment of colour, light, and form. The upper-level embraces Bice’s muted still life and landscapes; it is an environment of studied memory. Both celebrate the richness of life.

Davis’s work is awash in brush strokes and saturated colour. Being surrounded by her work is akin to forest bathing, the Japanese practice of immersing oneself in the canopy of a forest to promote well-being. Viewing her work is restorative – especially in the midst of a London winter.

(Pictured: Sheila Davis, “Wallflower II”, oil on panel, 40 by 40 inches. Courtesy of Westland Gallery.)

In “Wallflower II, a 40-by-40-inch oil on panel, turquoise and lime-green foliage compete with dashes of pink and orange against a band of cream. It is a lively dance of colour and form that beckons a viewer.

(Pictured: Sheila Davis, “Poetic License”, oil on panel, 48 by 48 inches. Courtesy of Westland Gallery.)

“Poetic License”, a 48 by 48-inch oil on panel, presents a dizzying array of colour and line that echoes an act of spinning around to observe one’s surroundings. In contrast, the vertical thrust of “Weaving Light”, a 42-by-36-inch oil on panel, elevates the viewer skyward.

(Pictured: Sheila Davis, “Weaving Light”, oil on panel, 42 by 36 inches. Courtesy of Westland Gallery.)

Bice’s work draws from places, people, and objects.

(Pictured: Kevin Bice, “Below the Bridge”, oil on canvas board, 18 by 21 inches – plein air work to celebrate the 150th year of the Blackfriars Bridge. Image courtesy of the artist.)

Some, like “Below the Bridge”, an 18-by-21-inch oil on canvas board, are plein air pieces, with recognizable locations; some, like “Remembering the Lake”, a 40-by-64-inch oil on canvas, seem to be inspired by old family photographs.

(Pictured: Kevin Bice, “Remembering the Lake”, oil on canvas, 40 by 64 inches.Courtesy of Westland Gallery.)

Others, such as “McClary Enamelware”, a 25 by 23-inch charcoal on rag paper, spring from time spent in the vaults of Museum London.

(Pictured: Kevin Bice, “McClary Enamelware”, charcoal on rag paper, 25 by 23 inches. Courtesy of Westland Gallery.)

Several of Bice’s paintings are accompanied by story cards. “I find that people are interested in the narrative which leads to the creation of a piece,” he explains.

For some of his works, like the plein air pieces, the narrative is simple: he was attracted by light hitting something or by a juxtaposition of textures that he wanted to spend more time with.

His motivation for studio works is often more complex. He says, “I might start a work because some image or composition or story is stuck in my head.” In these cases, he is never sure what direction the work will take.

In both instances, he views art as a means of exploration.

Of late, he has rediscovered plein air painting, and this is evident in Uncommon Ground. Bice explains, “It’s easy to get complacent and head for the comfort of the studio. Being around other outdoor artists is a great stimulant.”

Uncommon Ground: New works by Sheila Davis and Kevin Bice continues to January 31, 2026. There is an Artist Talk with Kevin Bice on January 10 from 1 to 3 pm and an Artist Demo with Sheila Davis on January 17, also from 1 to 3 pm.

For more information about this exhibition and Westland Gallery, visit https://westlandgallery.ca/

Follow Westland Gallery on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/WestlandGallery and on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/westlandgallery/

Reviewed by Beth Stewart

Drawing on the Past: Smashing Fashion! The 60s Illustration of Bonnie Parkinson.

January 2, 2026 by Richard Young

Reviewed by Beth Stewart

London artist Bonnie Parkinson began her career as a commercial artist in the 1960s before turning to fine art in the 1980s and ultimately making her mark in both worlds. Smashing Fashion! The 60s Illustration of Bonnie Parkinson, which runs to January. 10, at TAP Centre for Creativity, is all about her commercial beginnings but with a contemporary twist.

Visitors are treated to 29 pieces, including seven of Parkinson’s original full-page ads from her time working at the London Free Press (LFP) and at Eaton’s, as well as twenty-two 60s-influenced pieces produced late in 2025.

(London Free Press, Special Fashion Section, Eaton’s ad 1969 detail. Courtesy of Bonnie Parkinson and Andrew Lewis.)

To fully appreciate the show, it is helpful to have a sense of the artist’s history.

Parkinson’s early career is a young artist’s dream. She was hired while still in her final year of the Special Art Programme at Beal to work part-time in the art department of the LFP. Upon graduation in 1960, she transitioned to the LFP’s full-time fashion artist.

Ladies’ fashion was in its heyday. Parkinson recalls, “At that time, London had many independent women’s fashion stores; my job was to do all these different stores, but each with a distinctive style.”

In 1964, she left the LFP to work for the T. Eaton Company (Wellington Square, London, Ontario). Between 1967 and 1968, she worked with Canadian fashion designer Marilyn Brooks at The Unicorn (Clarence St., London, Ontario) while continuing to freelance for Eaton’s in the evenings. From 1973 to 1974, Parkinson worked full-time at the Total Marketing Advertising Agency, London, Ontario. Then, in 1979, she was hired by Fanshawe College to teach illustration as well as life-drawing to fashion design students.

(Eaton’s ad 1968, fashion duo in fuchsia detail. Courtesy of Parkinson and Lewis.)

Parkinson describes her early illustrations as stylized and heavily influenced by the 60s phenomenon. It was an exciting time, and she met it with gusto. She drew directly on paper with a fine line marker, no pencil sketch first, and just put down what she saw. The emphasis was on the designed page, bold colour, and elegant lines.

In 1982, at the age of 40, Parkinson left commercial art entirely to paint full-time. Since then, Parkinson has been a constant in the arts community, exhibiting both locally and elsewhere.

(Eaton’s ad 1963, fashion trio in yellow detail. Courtesy of Parkinson and Lewis.)

What prompted Parkinson to put this Smashing Fashion! exhibition together? After 40-plus years as a painter, why did she circle back to fashion art at this point in time? Parkinson credits artist Andrew Lewis.

Lewis approached her in October 2025 with the idea for this show. He thought it was important to show the advertising fashion work that had been done right here in London, Ontario, as art. Parkinson agreed.

She quickly discovered that to do new illustrations of 60s fashions, some sixty years later, took some serious resetting. On top of this, it took a while for her to get back to pen and ink.

She also did an online refresher of the wild and crazy 60s Fashions.

(Bonnie Parkinson’s new illustration of swinging London England’s fashion icon Jean Shrimpton.)

Smashing Fashion! occupies the front two rooms of TAP that comprise Lab 203. It is an intimate area that is well used by Parkinson. The art is simply hung with minuscule magnets for maximum impact.

The full-page ads from the LFP are nostalgic nods to a once vibrant industry. Parkinson’s new illustrations effectively invoke the fashion sense that was part of the 60s’ cultural revolution, but in a less stylized manner and with more attention to detail in the fabrics. As a whole, the 2025 pieces present a veritable rogues’ gallery of the 60s with Andy Warhol, Cher, Jean Shrimpton and Twiggy amongst leggy young things sporting an array of bold patterns and designs.

(One of Parkinson’s new illustrations of 60s clothes.)

Smashing Fashion! The 60s Illustration of Bonnie Parkinson runs to January 10. A Meet the Artist reception is planned for Saturday, January 3, from 1 to 3 pm. It’s a hip way to start the New Year.

For more information about this exhibition and others at TAP Centre for Creativity, visit https://www.tapcreativity.org/

Follow Bonnie Parkinson on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bonnieparkinson_artist/?hl=en

Reviewed by Beth Stewart

Web: https://bethstewart.ca/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009620916363

Andrew Lewis Finding Balance: “Notes from the Mindfield” Preview

December 2, 2025 by Richard Young

by Beth Stewart

(Pictured: Andrew Lewis, one-third of the “The Three Furies” triptych, acrylic on canvas, 37 by 49 inches, 2025.)

Andrew Lewis’s solo show “Notes from the Mindfield” opens Thursday, December 4, 2025, at TAP Centre for Creativity with a reception from 6:00to 9:00pm.

This collection of new work includes over 250 drawings, paintings, sculptures and wearables and explores the artist’s observations and ideas on the complexity of our current era.

It is, he notes, an era sandwiched between the waning of the pandemic and the rise of artificial intelligence.

The show represents a new direction for the artist. Lewis describes the creative process as more “intuitive.” The result is work that he says “reflects a fragmented world where technology, memory, and human experience are deeply intertwined.” Of note is the dichotomy between abstract and biomorphic forms.

(Pictured: Andrew Lewis, “Ms. + Mr. Squarehouse” (Diptych), acrylic on canvas, 36 by 72 inches, 2025.)

Lewis is a busy creative. His personal work exists in addition to his design/branding business and his teaching at Western University. It is an environment in which he thrives.

The artist says, “At the University, I tell students that artists or designers are like truffle pigs in Italy, finding beautiful morsels that nobody else can see.”

His personal truffle-hunting began two years ago when he came down with COVID on New Year’s Day. It affected his physical and mental health. He says, “My creative process became scrambled.”

Since then, Lewis has witnessed the insidious infiltration of AI into daily life and the resulting deterioration of creative and critical thinking. “I see young, fresh minds not having the ability to provide original ideas or thinking due to how they interact with technology,” he says.

(Pictured: Andrew Lewis, “Ultramarine Series No.3”, acrylic on canvas, 36 by 36 inches, 2025.)

His new work is an escape from the aftermath of COVID and from the pervasiveness of AI.

He began with a series of biomorphic drawings and rediscovered the joy of making images and of unplanned work that just flowed. He describes the resulting work as a fascinating outpouring of the subconscious. That’s what you’ll see at “Notes from the Mindfield”

(Pictured: Andrew Lewis, “Pills, Orgies and Chaos,” acrylic on canvas, 48 by 96 inches, 2025.)

“Notes From the Mindfield” continues to January 10, 2026, at TAP Centre for Creativity, 203 Dundas Street, London, ON.

Associated with this exhibition is an Artist Talk on Saturday, December 6, at 3:00 pm and a workshop on Saturday, December 13, from 1:00 to 4:00 pm.

For more information, visit: https://www.tapcreativity.org/

About The Artist:

Andrew Lewis is an internationally recognized Canadian artist and designer. His artwork has been commissioned by clients such as the British Columbia Arts Council, Canada Post, the Royal Canadian Mint, Perrier, Scotiabank, the Stratford Festival, Starbucks Coffee, Converse, and VISA.

For more information about Andrew Lewis and his work, visit: andrewlewisart.ca.

Follow Andrew Lewis on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AndrewLewisArtist

Connect with him on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/andrewlewisart/

Previewed by Beth Stewart

Web: https://bethstewart.ca/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009620916363

Jack Cocker “New Paintings” at Michael Gibson Gallery

November 25, 2025November 26, 2025 by Richard Young

Reviewed by Beth Stewart

(Jack Cocker, “Wanakita Cabin Scene (Evening),” oil on linen, 80 by 118 inches. Courtesy of Michael Gibson Gallery.)

Jack Cocker is enjoying his third solo exhibition with Michael Gibson Gallery while still in his mid-20s. That’s almost unheard-of success in the hardscrabble business of fine art.

It is a risky undertaking for an established gallery to take on such a young artist and a move that Michael Gibson admits he wouldn’t normally make, as such an artist’s story is “still being written.”

Cocker first approached Michael Gibson when the former was still in his third year at Western. He was studying under associate professor Sky Glabush.

Gibson visited Cocker at Western and then at the artist’s Mount Elgin Studio. He was impressed by Cocker’s ability to build colour and immediately recognized him as a gifted painter.

All of the works in the show were painted over the last year. All are firmly rooted in what Cocker describes as “familiarity, memory and connection.” They include views from his Mount Elgin studio, ski scenes, and figures representing Cocker or persons close to him.

For this show, the main gallery holds four massive pieces and five smaller ones. One of the large pieces is the oil on linen “Wanakita Cabin Scene (Evening)” which measures 80 by 118 inches. It hangs on the left wall of the gallery and features two of Cocker’s oft-repeated figures, his sister and his girlfriend. The piece is decidedly orange in all its glory and exudes the warm glow of a fading day.

(Jack Cocker, “Night Skiing,” oil on linen, 2025, 93.5 by 70 inches. Courtesy of the gallery.)

A more modestly sized 26-by-21-inch oil and distemper on linen, titled “Girl Near Water, 2024-2025”, with a single figure graces the back wall. On the same wall is “Night Skiing,” oil on linen, measuring 93.5 by 70 inches. It was painted when Cocker was learning to ski and features three beige figures on black snow.

(Jack Cocker, “Girl Near Water 2025”, oil on linen, 78 by 108 inches. Courtesy of the gallery.)

The middle gallery holds one large piece on the right wall, “Girl Near Water 2025”, oil on linen, 78 by 108 inches, with two figures and another 10 smaller pieces scattered throughout.

While Cocker’s works always include a figure and a landscape, they leave a lot to the imagination.

The artist explains, if a figure is too specific, it causes a painting to become “too much about the identity or the quality of the figure”, which, in turn, impedes a viewer’s ability to reflect. Cocker says, “While the paintings always contain elements of personal storytelling … I don’t [want them] to hinge on the autobiographical.”

Thus, the ambiguity of his figures serves to heighten a viewer’s “feeling of immersion in the scenes.” Cocker says that he hopes his paintings “feel like worlds you could walk into.”

(Pictured: Jack Cocker, Website)

Jack Cocker (born 2001) has a BFA from Western University (2023) and is currently in his first year of his MFA at the Emily Carr School of Art and Design in Vancouver.

Jack Cocker “New Paintings” continues to November 29, 2025, at Michael Gibson Gallery, 157 Carling Street, London.

For more information about the exhibition and the artist, visit https://www.gibsongallery.com/

Reviewed by Beth Stewart

Web: https://bethstewart.ca/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009620916363

Weekend Roundup of Selected Arts Events in the London Area, November 14-16.

November 13, 2025November 13, 2025 by Richard Young

Compiled by Richard Young, Publisher & Content Manager, The Beat Magazine 2025

LIVE THEATRE

Original Kids Theatre Company presents The Wizard of Oz Youth Edition, November 13-16, at the Spriet Theatre.

Get your tickets to ‘The Wizard of Oz Youth Edition’ before it’s too late! Visit our website www.originalkids.ca or call the Box Office today. 519-679-8989

Box Office Hours
Tues-Fri 4:30pm-8:30pm
Sat-Sun 10:00am-8:30pm

The London Fringe Festival may be over for 2025, but the buzz still lives on, and for one more night, we’re bringing back some of the shows you couldn’t stop talking about!
On Friday, November 14, join us at the Palace Theatre’s David Long Stage for MAGIC IMPROV MONSTER; an encore celebration of our People’s Choice favourites!

The evening kicks off with jaw-dropping illusions in Many Rooms: The House of Magic by Andrew Olmstead and Leonardo Martins.

Then brace yourself for a whirlwind of laughter and unscripted brilliance with The Improvables in their fan-favourite Controlled Chaos.

We’ll close the night with an electrifying one-man tour de force starring Jared Brown in Daniel McIvor’s “Monster”, a powerhouse performance you won’t forget.

BOGO: Buy one ticket, get the second free!

Tickets: Just $25 (all fees included)

Proceeds are shared between the performers and the theatre

Palace Theatre – David Long Stage

Friday, November 14 | 7:00 PM

Get your tickets now at palacetheatre.ca

Dating Games features five short plays, each showcasing a comically terrible first date that goes off the rails. Written by Garth Wingfield, the show’s real focus lies not in the dates themselves, but in the emerging theatre talent directing the plays. This production serves as a groundbreaking training initiative, providing mentorship and performance opportunities for up-and-coming directors.

“Dating Games is a truly special production. It is more than just a show; it’s a project that combines mentorship, training, and performance, contributing to the entire theatrical community,” says Elizabeth Durand, Theatre Aezir’s Artistic Director.

If You Go:

What: Theatre Aezir presents Dating Games.

When: November 6th to November 16th

Where: First Baptist Church, 568 Richmond St., London, ON

Tickets: Discount codes are available for seniors, under-30s, and arts workers on Theatre Aezir’s ticketing page: https://events.humanitix.com/dating-games-bad-dates-good-theatre

Read Jo-Anne Bishop’s Review here: https://thebeatmagazine2025.ca/2025/11/08/londons-emerging-talent-shines-in-theatre-aezirs-production-of-dating-games/

Award-winning, world-renowned, and infamously cheeky, Ronnie Burkett is back at the Grand Theatre with his unmatched mischievous, rollicking irreverence. Burkett’s latest work, Wonderful Joe, unleashes his sharp, unrelenting wit on the cities we call home, the people we overlook, and the four-legged friends walking beside them. And he’s bringing Mother Nature, Santa Claus, Jesus, and the Tooth Fairy along for the ride. Wonderful Joe, created and performed by Ronnie Burkett, opens the Grand Theatre’s Auburn Stage for the 2025/26 Season. Already extended due to popular demand, the production will run from Tuesday, November 4, through Sunday, November 23.

Single tickets are $48, and Auburn Series Subscriptions offer a 25% discount ($71.44 for both Wonderful Joe and Mrs Krishnan’s Party). Tickets and subscriptions are available at grandtheatre.com, by phone at 519.672.8800, or at the Box Office, 471 Richmond Street.

To learn more about Wonderful Joe by Ronnie Burkett at the Grand Theatre, please visit grandtheatre.com/event/wonderful-joe. Follow the production and peek behind the scenes by following @thegrandlondon and #GrandJoe on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads, Bluesky, YouTube, & TikTok.

Read J Bruce Parker’s Review here: https://thebeatmagazine2025.ca/2025/11/08/ronnie-burketts-wonderful-joe-is-topical-heartfelt-and-heart-wrenching/

ART EXHIBITS

The Forest City Gallery team has been hard at work installing the work of over 65 artists this week.

We can’t wait to see you at the Opening Reception of ‘Synthesis’, the FCG Members’ Show & Sale on Saturday, November 15th, from 7-9pm.

Visit https://www.forestcitygallery.com/

Lisa Johnson’s incredible solo exhibition, Full Circle, will be on display until November 29th at Westland Gallery

http://www.westlandgallery.ca

Read Beth Stewart’s Review here: https://thebeatmagazine2025.ca/2025/11/09/lisa-johnson-takes-your-breath-away-at-westland-gallery/

The 2025 Cape Dorset Annual Print Collection is on display at London’s Strand Fine Arts Services until November 15th.

Strand Fine Art Services is located at 1161 Florence Street, Unit #4. For more information, visit www.strandfineartservices.com.

Read Beth Stewart’s Review here: https://thebeatmagazine2025.ca/2025/11/07/the-view-from-up-there-long-boots-and-jumping-high/

The new arrivals keep coming as Jeff Heene just dropped off these three at the Benz Gallery.

We had Nicole @lemonadeframestudio work her magic, and these pieces are now available in the gallery and online.

The gallery is now all rehung with new work, so swing by this week to take it all in.

https://www.thebenzgallery.com/jeff-heene

According to Edgar Allen Poe, what’s scarier than a raven? “Raven on Scot Pine”, coloured pencil on Museum board, is one of Beth Stewart’s submissions for our spooky art challenge at the Lambeth Art Association. Beth’s other submission, “We Three,” is coloured pencil on paper. Why is it scary? Beth explains that snapdragon blossoms, when dried, look like tiny human skulls. Who knew?

https://www.facebook.com/lambethartassociation

LIVE MUSIC EVENTS

WHAT: LONDON SYMPHONIA CONCERT
Payadora – The Soul of Tango
London Symphonia, Scott Good, conductor, Payadora Tango Ensemble.

WHEN: Saturday, November 15, 2025, at 7:30 pm. Doors open at 6:30pm

WHERE: Metropolitan United Church, 468 Wellington St, London, ON.

SUBSCRIPTIONS & TICKETS: Ticket packages start at $155 for a 3-concert General Admission subscription and $212 for Reserved Seating, plus fees and HST. 5-concert packages are also available. Individual adult tickets range from $55 General Admission to $75 Reserved Seating, plus fees and HST. Family Flex packs and free student tickets are also available. In-person subscriptions and tickets can be purchased online now at londonsymphonia.ca.

Read Daina Janitis’s Preview here: https://thebeatmagazine2025.ca/2025/11/13/tango-with-london-symphonia-and-the-payadora-tango-ensemble-this-saturday-november-15th/

Sunday jazz vibes are back at Toboggan!

Join us for another cozy afternoon in our Jazz Series featuring Rick Kish & Friends — live from 2–4 PM on Sunday, November 16th.

Enjoy smooth tunes, local craft beer, and good company with a $5 live music fee in partnership with the London Jazz Association.

Tobboggan Brewing Co. 585 Richmond Street

2–4 PM

At The Aeolian:

ONE NIGHT ONLY — The Ultimate Cabaret Variety Show! A Cabaret for WENDAKE …a campy affair!! Prepare for an unforgettable evening of glitz, glamour, and jaw-dropping talent as we bring together the boldest and brightest stars of the stage in a dazzling cabaret extravaganza!� Sultry Singers� Live Musicians� Fierce Drag Royalty & newcomers…� Seductive Burlesque Bombshell� Electrifying Dancers� Surprise Acts & More! From classic jazz to contemporary pop, cheeky comedy to high drama, this is cabaret like you’ve never seen it before. Whether you’re here for the sparkle, the sass, or the sheer spectacle – we’ve got something for everyone.� Dress to impress. Bring your wild side. Leave your inhibitions at the door. �� Aeolian Hall� Friday, November 14th � , 6:30: Doors Open� 7:30: Showtime� Tickets: [aeolianhall.ca or 519-672-7950]� Limited Seating – Reserve Now! Dare to be dazzled. Come for the show, stay for the magic.

The colourful history of Newfoundland’s fishers and loggers, sealers and whalers is told with story, song and incredible visuals in this engaging musical review by Shipyard Kitchen Party, creators of “Tom Thomson’s Wake” and “100 Years from Now”. From the remote outports to the vibrant city of St. John’s, from the fishing stages to the kitchens and front parlours, you’ll hear the timeless sea-shanties, triumphant ballads and the hilarious foot-stomping sing-a-longs that make Canada’s 10th province its most legendary. You may not be a Newfoundlander when you take your seat, but you’ll feel like one when you leave! Saturday at The Aeolian. https://www.facebook.com/events/1170578908213804

Saturday, November 15th.
It’s time to celebrate the awesomeness that is 80’s Hair Bands!!
80’s GONE WILD
9pm start. Tickets $20 at Eventbrite.ca & The Bar.

The Fish at the Palasad Socialbowl, Saturday, November 15, 9:30pm. https://www.facebook.com/events/1744823356163353

Dwayne Gretzky at the London Music Hall, November 14 at 7:00pm. https://www.facebook.com/events/1327370142309651

The Journeymen of Soul wsg Anne Moniz, November 14 at The Wortley Roadhouse, 9:00pm. https://www.facebook.com/events/1436680740760811

This Saturday at The Morrissey House. The father and son duo, The Orr Boys, are making their debut together on the MoHo stage!

Join us from 7–10pm for a night of great music, pints, and pub vibes.

Call 519-204-9220 to book your table — this one’s going to be special.

OTHER EVENTS

A Hyland Cinema Classic

DOCTOR ZHIVAGO 60th Anniversary

November 16th at 4:25pn, November 18th at 1:00pm

Tickets here! https://www.hylandcinema.com/movie/doctor-zhivago

Cat Show, November 15-16, at the J-AAR Centre, Western Fair District, 845 Florence St., London, ON.

Lisa Johnson Takes Your Breath Away at Westland Gallery

November 9, 2025 by Richard Young

Reviewed by Beth Stewart

(Lisa Johnson, Photo – Westland Gallery.)

Lisa Johnson’s recent artist residency in Pouch Cove, Newfoundland, is the driving force behind her Full Circle exhibition at Westland Gallery.

While this was Johnson’s third month-long residency at Pouch Cove, this time was different.

In 2021 and 2022, she recalls clambering over rocks and sitting amongst lichen and berries to sketch. This time, she went to Pouch Cove during an East Coast winter, where the conditions are challenging and the landscape is stark. She encountered nature at its most elemental.

Johnson was excited to do a winter residency to bear witness to the dramatic contrast of snow against the black coastal rocks. It is a location she describes as “transcendent” and “raw”, alluding to its timelessness.

Wearing long johns and a parka, and with crampons on her boots to keep from slipping, Johnson was able to go out for hikes, drawing, and even a bit of plein air painting.

(Lisa Johnson, The Painter and the Poet. oil on canvas, 32 by 40 inches. Photo by Beth Stewart.)

On a typical day, she would paint in the studio first thing in the morning and later, if it warmed up a bit, go out for a hike either on her own or with other Pouch Cove residency artists. Returning to her studio, she’d paint for the remainder of the day on large canvases she’d stapled to the walls.

Charcoal gesture drawings have always been an important part of her practice; she loves their simplicity and energy. With this series of paintings, she aimed to achieve a similar aesthetic using oil paint on canvas. The resulting work is pared down to the point of abstraction.

It is an approach that perfectly captures the starkness of the landscape in winter and the drama of this Eastern coastline. It is evident in two oil-on-canvas pieces: “Drawing on Memories” and “Aerie”.

(Lisa Johnson, “Drawing on Memories” oil on canvas 22 by 24 inches. Photo by Beth Stewart.)

(Lisa Johnson, “Aerie”, oil on canvas, 40 by 38 inches. Photo by Beth Stewart.)

A particularly striking piece is “Silent Drift”, measuring 40-by-30-inches, it has an oriental flavour with its ink-like markings, flattened perspective, and preserved white space.

(Lisa Johnson, “Silent Drift”, oil on canvas, 40 by 30 inches. Photo by Beth Stewart.)

Full Circle includes landscape paintings created during this residency as well as work inspired by it and created after returning to her Ontario studio.

In the latter, Johnson continues with the approach that she began in Newfoundland. These paintings are large and gestural and employ a neutral palette. It is work she describes as closer to drawing.

(Lisa Johnson, “Early Riser”, oil on canvas, 32 by 40 inches. Photo by Beth Stewart.)

Full Circle also includes more colour-filled works from a spring and fall series, some from Newfoundland, and some from other Canadian locations.

These are sequestered in the upper level of the gallery and lean more toward using the visual vocabulary of color, value, shape, and composition to communicate memory while abstracting the landscape.