Wednesday, December 26, 2018

Ending and beginning

Ending and Beginning






      At one point in my life winter was to be endured and hated. There are still moments when it is like that do but it helped a lot when I started finding the beauty in it. That can be said of almost anything in life. It helps to find the hidden blessings.  As artists it can be difficult to start a new painting, spoil that white with first marks and also hard to let it go and call it finished. There are jokes that a painting is never finished as long as it is still in the possession of the painter.
    That seems to be what this Holiday season is all about as it celebrates the end of a year, end of the shortest day but welcomes the rebirth of hope and creating anew. May this season bring joy and creative renewal to all aspects of your coming year.

January is when I offer  new classes and workshops. Although it is easy to hibernate for the winter months it is also a time to brave the cold and be awed by the exquisite light on the lake or the beauty of snow. It's fun to just play with colour and paint trusting that something will emerge. My classes are fun, but informative and students are encouraged to explore their own expression using the medium of watercolour and some mixed media. This winter  two morning classes are offered and one Thursday evening session.
Monday morning six week session starts  January 14th at 10 am
Tuesday morning session starts January 15 at 10 am
Thursday Evening six week session starts January 17th at 7:15 pm.

Check my class page for more details.

Check my Gallery page  for paintings for sale. Please contact me any time with questions about paintings or classes  ....shamanstree@gmail.com

My wish is that the New Year is happy and creative and full of happiness for you!

Sunday, October 21, 2018

Fall Exhibit of paintings at Essentia

 Painting Exhibition at Essentia





INSPIRED by COLOUR

 Warm vibrant colours in loose, contemporary abstractions and landscapes.
A warm invitation is extended to view recent watercolours and acrylics during the month of November. 

location: Essentia - 2180 Queen St. E. 


An opening reception will be November 8th 
6-8 pm It would be great to see you. 

Essentia is located  on Queen St. East (east of MacLean)
open seven days a week
phone 647-348-0321
email toronto@myessentia.com
website  www,myessentia.com

For more information phone Ruth Hayes 416-699-8609
shamanstree@gmail.com

Friday, August 31, 2018

Fall Painting classes

New Beginnings, New painting Classes



September for many is seen as the start of a new year and if nothing else it heralds a cycle of new learning and a return to familiar routines. With the arrival of Fall new morning watercolour classes on Monday mornings and Tuesday mornings will be offered. as well as Thursday evenings. I have been asked for more day classes and this Fall I am trying it. The classes are six week sessions that are small, relaxed but informative, and with an approach that encourages your own expression and creativity. It's a joy to see returning students and I welcome new ones. No experience is needed.

    Classes Start Monday mornings September 17th, Tuesday September18th at 10 am and a Thursday evening September 20th at 7:15 pm.  Check out my classes page.

Watercolour is a special love of mine but experimenting with other media and incorporating them with watercolour has been a theme this summer. I totally enjoyed watching the wonderful results emerge from students in my summer art camp. Art is a journey and staying open to the creative insights that come is a gift. 


Thursday, June 7, 2018

Summer Painting Classes

Ways to enjoy Summer Painting

At last the pleasant weather is here, flowers are blooming and everything is bursting with colour.
Perhaps your summer plans will take you out of Toronto but if  you are here and would like to experience the beach, the lake and a  creative painting get away  two one
 one day Saturday workshops are being offered  in June and Art Camp for Grown-ups will take place in July and August.


"Blues" Mixed media collage  Ruth Hayes

Saturday June 16th      One day workshop  10 am- 2:30 pm

Watercolour  combined with inks, graphite, and a variety of different media to create
playful, lively results.

Saturday  June 24th    One Day Workshop- Mixed Media but adding collage.

Check classes page for more details or call for more information.
416-699-8609

Summer Art Camp for Grown-Ups

This is a week of painting, play, experimentation or just sketching at the beach. My home studio backs onto a park and Lake Ontario. Urban Escape!
July 9th-13th
August 13th-17th
10 am-1 pm   Monday -Friday
limited space - reserve early

Have a Creative Summer!




Thursday, April 5, 2018

Watercolour, Inks, Acrylic, Pastel

Painting with it all-Mixed media



"Life is about using the whole box of crayons"

     A current painting trend  embraces the whole range of whatever is in the paint box and it's great fun! My first love is watercolour but it can be unforgiving in that once the colour has gone muddy or other mishaps it seems to be beyond redemption unless..... I try a different media. It could be anything from collage, gouache, acrylic, pastel or ink.

This is where the painting becomes a journey of staying with the artistic process until a satisfactory result emerges. This could take me to places I had not imagined (sometimes depressing but often good). These pieces often end up being my favorite paintings.

I often start with a watercolour surface but there are boards, canvases, and a full range of surfaces available that will hold up to the many layers of work that might evolve. I find wood panel surfaces fun to work on as well. The possibilities seem unlimited. I will have some of these works on display at the upcoming Beach Studio Tour May 4th, 5th, and 6th.

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Painting as spiritual Growth

Watercolour as Soul Work




Ruth Hayes       Watercolour       "Tree of Life"

"The Artist must train not only his eye but also his soul. "
Kandinshy

Watercolour is said to be the most difficult medium because it doesn't allow for mistakes or so I've heard.  A true watercolourist might say mistakes are only "happy accidents" waiting on the imagination of the artist to figure out how to take the painting in a new direction. As a painter who loves the spontaneity and surprise of watercolour I have spent a lot of time trying to imagine new possibilities for sudden blossoming of colour or unintended drips.
This is where painting has become my spiritual path and discipline.

 I've seen lists of "Ten things I've learned from my dog". I could do one for watercolour or to return to my quote by Kandinsky how has my soul been trained (or tortured).
High on my list is patience and more patience. How often have I gone back into a wash before it has dried completely? A crucial part of watercolour is allowing drying time before going in again. Another aspect is patience as a painting reveals itself. This is where I set the painting aside and at some later time I will look at the painting and know exactly what I need to do to make it work.

Surrender to the creative process. I might think I know where I'm going only to turn the painting upside down to find a different painting wanting to emerge.

Listen to the painting and not to my intellect.

Stay present and in the moment.
Paint with a sense of play and joy.

Paint with a sense of humble gratitude as sometimes it feels like I'm only a channel for what emerges on the paper. Sometimes it looks like a dog's breakfast and finding again the patience to hold the space and tolerate failure as well as success.

Paint for the love of it.

Tuesday, January 9, 2018

Deep Winter

Painting classes - Winter 2018


Deep Winter



"Winter Brilliance"   Ruth Hayes      Watercolour and Ink"  


Happy New Year and I hope you enjoy winter. Loving winter has always been a challenge for me but especially this year. With record breaking cold it's hard for me to poke from beneath the scarf wrapping my face to see the astounding light and mist rising from the morning water, the large super moon and the amazing sunsets. The choice is to burrow in for the winter or to find a way to become creative with it. It's not always easy, I  must admit. Painting and finding a way to love what is most a challenge is one way to get through the season. Winter light is beautiful perhaps because there is so little of it.

A new series of six week Painting classes and workshops are about to begin. My classes are playful, informative and fun using the medium of watercolour mainly but also mixed media such as ink and collage.  One day Saturday workshops are offered as well. You can check my classes page. Something new this winter is a  Tuesday afternoon class.

Winter Class Schedule Six Week Series
Thursday Evening January 18th
7:15-9:15 pm
Tuesday Afternoon January 23rd 
1:00-3:00 pm

One Day Saturday Workshop 
January 27th
10 am-2 pm