From the Pen of Margarethe Vanderpas

Studio 1

Studio 2

Spring is in the air as geese land on the lake behind my studio in Stratford. I moved to Stratford a little over a year ago and absolutely love it. It has that small town feel, everyone is so friendly and it boasts a lively artistic community. There are also many parks, trails and gardens here and I often get out for long walks along the river and have also started cycling. In May I'll venture up to the Bruce Peninsula again to do some hiking and sketching, seeking out new inspiration for my work. In June I looking forward to putting my kayak back in the Bay to do some exploring.

I've been busy in the studio this winter preparing for the upcoming exhibition at Westland and completing a number of commissioned paintings. The new pieces include landscapes inspired by trips to Killarney, the Bruce Peninsula and a trip to Muskoka last September where I visited with friends on an island. It was fantastic. We boated out to visit the Canadian Artist Ed Bartram on his island where he summers and has a studio. I've long admired his work and really enjoyed the experience of seeing his island studio and the landscape that inspired his work. I'm now planning my kayaking trips for this year and Lake Superior is at the top of my list.

Studio 3

Studio 4