New exhibit looks at one’s artistic journey

A new exhibit opened at the Steinbach Arts Council’s Hall Gallery on Sept. 6 titled Journey, which represents the walk a painter takes in his or her artistic voyage.

“With art I see it as a journey as I’m still learning and I consider myself as a student actually. I’m still learning and I’m still on my journey. I’m not done yet and we always can learn. I can imagine myself sometimes later in life I would be trying out and still learning or gaining experiences,” said Swetlana Stang.

Stang said she wanted to do an art exhibit but didn’t have enough paintings so she asked members of her Southeast Artists Group if anyone wanted to show with her. Kim Gwozdz and Arlene Rattai decided to join Stang.

“To me art is emotional and usually you identify with the subject you’re looking at. Basically, an artist wants a person to enjoy it and buy (the painting),” said Rattai.

Gwozdz said painting takes practice like riding a bike and that people shouldn’t be discouraged from picking up a brush.

“There’s a saying that out of every 10 paintings that a painter does one is a keeper and the rest of them are not so good,” she said with a laugh.

Stang is from northern Germany from the town of Friesoythe close to the City of Oldenburg. She moved to Canada more than 10 years ago and has nine children. Prior to moving to Canada she took a one year course for painting in Germany. After her arrival she found she didn’t have time to paint as she was looking after her children, but 10 years ago she met Gwozdz and joined the Southeast Artist Group and hasn’t looked back since.

She primarily paints in oils doing landscapes and still life. Her landscapes in Journey are vibrant and her still life recalls classical painters.

Winnipegger Gwozdz is retired and moved to Steinbach after she got married. She sometimes teaches watercolour and acrylics classes at SAC. She paints in acrylics doing mostly landscapes, but she will sometimes paint animals. Her landscape paintings in Journey leap off the canvas with detailed renderings that make the viewer believe he is looking at the real thing.

“I enjoy painting nature. I just find it very relaxing. I find in particular I’m partial to trees. I find them one of the oldest things that we have in the world so I just enjoy that they are still around,” she said.

Retired designer Rattai has been painting since 1995 when she decided that she wanted to stay active in retirement. She began painting on porcelain cups and saucers and candy dishes before moving on to canvas work with watercolours, pastels, and oils. The medium she uses depends on her subject matter. For instance, she will use pastels to draw animals because the pastel lets her define the fur of the animal.

“I do such a variety of it. I love landscape. I love flowers. Animals and people are kind of (difficult). I only do it if I have to. It’s a lot trickier. You’ve got to be dead on with an animal. It’s got to look like that animal and the person has to look like that person,” she said.

For Journey, Rattai’s paintings are whimsical depicting curious children and nature.

“Basically, I was a designer for many years and I discovered one of the things missing from most people’s homes is good art and that is what reflects who you are…It creates a hominess. People would say to me how it seems too sterile and lacks hominess and most of the time it was because there was no picture on the wall.”

Journey will run in the Hall Gallery until Oct. 11.