Tag: exhibition

Full Circle: Westland Gallery Goes Home Again

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

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

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

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

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

Nature Nurtures and Teaches: The Root of Wisdom at Westland Gallery.

by Richard Young

by Beth Stewart, The Beat Magazine 2025

The Root of Wisdom at Westland Gallery marries the work of two disparate yet ultimately complementary artists. Ottawa artist Clara Kim’s work with its frenetic brush work reveals recognizable forms, whereas Guelph artist Christopher Cape’s work is understated and ethereal. Together, they offer a respite from the day-to-day with a giant serving of the natural world.

According to Kim, the title of this joint exhibition is a nod to poet William Wordsworth. She is likely alluding to his piece “The Tables Turned” as, in it, he advises “Let Nature be your teacher/ She has a world of … Spontaneous wisdom”. Nature as teacher is certainly seen in the work of both artists.

Kim’s work with its colourful birds, bears and other beasts is contained in the front gallery. Most of the pieces are quite large. She depicts her animals in a style that she says is influenced by both ancient Korean arts and contemporary western sensibilities.

Through the ages, Korean art has been naturalistic, favouring the beauty of raw materials and natural patterns. Kim takes these traditional values and extends them with modern materials and approaches.

To this end, Kim employs a variety of tools and materials in her oil and acrylic paintings including knife scratching, and ink crayon, and pastel drawing. This is clearly seen in her abstract backgrounds and in what Westland Marketing Coordinator Anna Wilson calls the “evolution” of Kim’s mark making.

(Clara Kim’s oil and acrylic piece on canvas, “My World”. Image courtesy of Westland Gallery.)

In Kim’s “My World”, the bear stands firmly on calligraphic shapes and is backed by abstract forms. In her “Rainbow Raven #2”, colourful lines meander playfully as flecks of similar hues dance across the blackness of the bird’s plumage.

(Clara Kim’s oil and acrylic on canvas piece “Rainbow Raven #2” Image courtesy of Westland Gallery.)

Christopher Cape’s plein air landscapes occupy the upper gallery. Bold and mysterious, these works shun detail in favour of colour, reductionist form and evocative titles. They avoid obvious telling and beg for individual interpretation.

(Christopher Cape’s oil on cradled birch “Before the End”. Image courtesy of Westland Gallery.)

On the other hand, his “Take Flight”, with its stacked birds, bucks the non-representational trend while still embracing its pastel colouration and a limited depth of field.

(Christopher Cape’s oil and acrylic on cradled birch, “Take Flight”. Image courtesy of Westland Gallery.)

Titles stand out as integral to Cape’s art. His are evocative. To what end does “Before the End” refer? What happened “Moments Before”? What does “You Remember More than You Know” mean?

Happily, for the artists, there are lots of red dots to be seen; a few pieces have already gone to their forever homes.

“The Root of Wisdom” continues to October 25, 2025, at Westland Gallery, 156 Wortley Road. For more information, visit https://westlandgallery.ca/

Reviewed by Beth Stewart

For information about Beth Stewart’s art, visit https://bethstewart.ca/

Lambeth Art Association hosts Joanne Poluch, Art Coach and owner of Remarque Art Consulting, October 18th

by Richard Young

On Saturday, October 18th, the Lambeth Art Association is hosting a special event open to the London area artist community.  Joanne Poluch, acclaimed Art Coach and owner of Remarque Art Consulting, will lead a lecture entitled How to Define Artistic Success and How to Approach and Nurture Buyers.

About Joanne Poluch:

Joanne Poluch is the owner of Remarque Art Consulting in Guelph, Ontario.  Joanne holds an Honours Degree in Art History from the University of Guelph and an Art Marketing Diploma from Sotheby’s Institute of Fine Art in New York.   Establishing her business in 2010, Joanne has enjoyed a solid reputation in art consulting ever since. Her business model is versatile and has been based on exceptional customer service, a relaxed and professional relationship with corporate/ private clients, and assisting artists at ALL levels of their art practice. Joanne’s deep passion for art, flair for creativity, and compassionate style have allowed her to enjoy a thriving and successful business. 

Joanne is frequently called upon to be a guest speaker for numerous art groups, locally and at the national level. As a popular and introspective juror, Joanne remains a quintessential player on the art scene. 

Enjoying a very active art coaching/mentorship practice with artists across Canada, her philosophy is simple – build up artists through positive energy and deep-seated support. 

Joanne holds the position of Manager of the Art Sales &  Rental program at the Art Gallery of Guelph. 

She is also a registered current member of CARFAC.

This special event takes place from  1:00 to 3:15 pm at Riverside United Church in London.  Tickets to this event are $10. To reserve your spot, email the Lambeth Art Association at lambethartassociation@gmail.com

To learn more about Joanne Poluch, visit https://remarqueartconsulting.ca/

To learn more about the Lambeth Art Association, visit https://www.lambethart.com/

New Exhibition, Echoes of the Land, opens at Westland Gallery, Sept. 2.

by Richard Young
MEDIA RELEASE – Westland Gallery’s incredibly brilliant and successful textile show will be closing this weekend, and I will be installing the next show, titled Echoes of the Land, this Sunday. This exhibition features Jane Roy, VC Glennie and Denise Antaya; three painters who are creating landscapes and urban scenes with a few figures thrown in to mix it up a bit. Denise is a high realism painter whose landscapes are generally from close to home. VC’s work is leaning towards abstraction, with some architecture and figures introduced for a more urban appearance. Jane has created two impressionistic series of works based on landscapes in both Canada and Scotland. We have worked with Jane for almost as long as she has been painting. She started taking painting lessons with Jamie Jardine 8-10 years ago and within a couple of years she was ready to show her work. I was fortunate enough to be the gallery that Jane chose to exhibit with. I was confident that she had the talent, drive and mentorship that would take her a long way.
Over the years Jane has found her own style, as well as confidence in her ability to create some wonderful work. She and Jamie are now both friends and collaborators and have created many pieces together that are really incredible. Somehow she has an endless supply of energy to be a mother, hockey player, painter and co-executive director of the London Foodbank with her husband, Glen Pearson. I feel honoured to have Jane as a part of our gallery.
Denise Antaya has been with us for about eight years, and again, when I met Denise, I knew she was determined and destined to be a star in the art world. After a life altering event she chose to return to school to study high realism painting. She went to the Academy of Realist art in Toronto where they teach you how to draw and paint like the old masters. Denise is a lifelong learner who keeps evolving and getting better and better. She was a finalist in the Great Canadian Landscape painter show on CBC and wins awards around the world for her beautiful landscapes. Nobody sees or depicts light like Denise. Her paintings make you feel the warmth of the sunshine and the joy a beautiful sunset brings.
VC Glennie is a more recent painter for us. Although she has been in our Square Foot Show for years, she was never able to commit the time to paint a full show for us. VC was a caregiver for aging parents for four years and she selflessly took on the role and drew whenever time allowed to keep her skills honed.
VC has had extensive formal training, starting off with a BA from the University of Western Ontario, then B.Sc.A.A.M. Art as Applied to Medicine from the University of Toronto.  She worked for years in the field as a medical illustrator until she found it too isolating. She then went to Sheridan college to study computer animation and then worked in the United States in that profession for a while. When she returned home, VC took a studio at The Arts Project until she was needed at home full time. When life changed again, VC went back to painting and has explored an array of different styles and subject matters. She was recently in The Figurative Show and has now created  architectural and figurative landscapes that push the definition of landscape painting just a bit.   The show promises to be another great one, I hope you all will be able to come and see it.

Al Stewart, Westland Gallery
For more information about Westland Gallery, visit https://westlandgallery.ca/

Q&A Profile Audrey Cooper & ArtWithPanache 

by Richard Young

Soon-to-be ninety-eight-year-old Audrey Cooper is the proud proprietor and curator of London’s downtown art gallery, ArtWithPanache. The Beat Magazine 2009 recently spoke with Audrey about her gallery and what the future holds for her. 

What follows is an edited Q&A Profile. 

When did you open your gallery? What motivated you to open it? 

I opened ArtWithPanache in September 2013. I was given the opportunity to convert 2,000 square feet of retail space in the Talbot Centre in downtown London into an art gallery. So, I said, “Why not? I am only 86 and it sounds like fun.”  So, I signed up and never looked back. 

The real motivation behind it though was when I came to London and started to paint, there were no galleries here willing to take the risk of showing emerging artists. I gathered all the artists I knew, hung their art and away we went. Over time ArtWithPanache became a sort of hangout for artists who would drift in for artist talk and companionship and that continues until this day. We are the only gallery that encourages artists to spend time in the gallery interacting with clients. I do not know why; I love it. 

What is the significance of the gallery’s name? 

I am something of a word junkie and ‘panache’ to me conjures up pictures of cool fashions, 1920s art, and the fantastic background decor in black and white Fred and Ginger movies. 

Have you always been at your present location? 

Yes, the gallery has always been in the Talbot Centre, but because of renovations to the first floor we are in a different space on the first floor. 

What does “London Gallery Run by Local Artists” mean? 

AtWithPanache operates primarily as an ‘Artists Collective.’ Artists who become members of ‘Panache Artists’ are not charged for displaying their work in the gallery; however, they must exhibit at least two paintings at all times and are eligible for one complimentary solo exhibition annually. The gallery commission on sales is set at 5% lower than the standard ArtWithPanache rate. Participating artists are required to volunteer in the gallery for a minimum of two days per month. Gallery staff are always available to assist customers with purchasing original art and to engage in discussions about art with visitors or fellow artists. 

Do you have scheduled exhibitions, or is the artwork displayed on consignment for set periods? Or both? 

Panache Artists regularly exhibit in the gallery, and non-gallery artists are welcome to display their work for two- or three-week periods on commission. Art groups and clubs also participate. Currently, Portside Gallery from Port Stanley is hosting a show with us. 

September is a particularly eventful month for you, with the opening of a show featuring an Oh Canada theme. The gallery is celebrating its 12th anniversary, and you will mark your 98th birthday. May I ask if you have any special plans for the month? 

September will be hopping. The Oh Canada show opens on Saturday, September 20, from 12:00 until 4:00 with our artists’ heartfelt depictions of their love for Canada and what it means for them to live here.  Artists will be on hand to mingle with visitors; refreshments will be served and lots of other stuff going on. 

September 30 is our day to celebrate our 12th Anniversary as ArtWithPanache and my 98th Birthday with an Open House in the gallery. Refreshments and lots of fun and surprises, Join us please. 

I see you were named to. the City of London Mayor’s 2024 New Year’s Honorary List under Arts. Tell me how it felt to receive that recognition. 

Ha! I was completely gobsmacked and still believe there was a mistake made at City Hall. 

Is there anything else you think The Beat Magazine 2009 readers should know about Audrey Cooper and ArtWithPanache? 

Since I have packed in 98 years there is lots more to tell but you will need to drop into ArtWithPanache to find out. 

To learn more about Audrey and ArtWithPanache, visit https://artwithpanachelondon.weebly.com/

You can also follow ArtWithPanache on Facebook and Instagram.