Barb Sohn Art

​I am thrilled to report that I have been successfully juried into the Federation of Canadian Artists.
 
The FCA is dedicated to raising artistic standards by stimulating participants to greater heights of knowledge and achievement by offering what is believed to be the first completely artists' sponsored gallery in Canada. Currently the Federation is the only national-level visual arts organization that manages their own full-time art gallery.
 
The mission of the FCA is to advance the knowledge and appreciation of art and culture to all Canadians, offering education, exhibition and communication in the Visual Arts, and to support and promote emerging and professional member artists.
The Federation of Canadian Artists (FCA) is an organization of artists founded in 1941 by professional Canadian working artists including Group of Seven luminaries Lawren Harris, Arthur Lismer, and A.Y. Jackson. The first National Executive Council was led by Andre Bieler, and Lawren Harris was the BC region’s first Chairman. Other notable founding members included Emily Carr and the Honorable Mark Kearley.
 
The FCA continues to operate as a registered charity with members throughout Canada and Chapters in Alberta and B.C. 

A Gift of Time
Let me start by saying I’m excited! After months of isolation and cancelled events, I am thrilled to announce that I have a solo show coming up at the end of July in Kingston, Ontario at Gallery Raymond. I will be bringing out all the new paintings from my Pandemic Painting Period . Hopefully our opening night will be able to go ahead and we will somehow practice social distancing, and you will be able to see some of my recent art in person.
This has been an unusual year for me as an artist, as it has for everyone. I have had a number of shows and events cancelled as far away as September. All of my classes, workshops and speaking engagements are gone. Our local studio tour, among other events, was cancelled for June. This is the event where people come and see where I live and create in my little studio in the woods. And I get to bring all of my art out of the corners to make room for new art.
These cancellations have an impact on me - I miss the direct contact with people who love art. I miss the conversations about art in general. I love to hear what people like, because it motivates me to go into my studio and produce new and different paintings.
But there is a silver lining to this isolation These past five months, I've been given the gift of time. Time to slow the pace and acknowledge the importance of my art community and friends. When I go out to my studio in the morning, I bask in the “room of my own” feeling – surrounded by my paints, easel and the view out my windows into the forest. I was lucky enough to have several commissions this spring, which fueled my creativity, and because of the gift of time, I was able to slow down and work with enthusiasm and focus on some larger paintings. And I had the time to study other artists that I admire and understand what it is about their work that draws me in.
And so, in August, I have a show of my new work at Gallery Raymond in Kingston. On Friday, July 31 from 7 to 9 pm come and meet me and to see my work in person. If you can't make the opening, the show continues until September 24.

The Toronto Artist Project is possibly the best show in Ontario to see exceptional art, and I was very honoured to be juried into this show for 2020. The show opened on a Thursday night with a reception and party, and ended on Sunday and never once stopped being busy! What a week! I met many new artists, who I hope will become my friends, and many people who seem to love my art.  Thanks so much! And, I would also like to thank the organizers of the show for the excellent job they did. I will be back in 2021.

 MERA (MacDonald's Corners Recreation and Fine Arts)  Award of Excellence in Fine Arts and Fine Crafts was created in 2008 to acknowledge local artists who demonstrate excellence in their work.  I'm happy to say I was the runner up in the 2019 MERA Award of Excellence for my work as an artist living in the Perth, Ontario area. The award was presented by Lyndal Neelin.  Thanks so much to MERA for this exciting opportunity!