Canadian Artist Showcase: Art by Putzy

Wow, it's 30th June which marks the end of the financial year here in Australia. The other thing it marks is the end of our virtual tour of Canada, we hope you have enjoyed it.  We will finish things off by showcasing a fabulous Canadian artist.

Previously located in the Beaches of Toronto, Hamilton, and later Paris, France, Art by Putzy is now based in the Niagara region of Ontario. As well as being a professional visual artist, Putzy (Elizabeth) Madronich is a consultant and artist educator for the Royal Conservatory of Music’s Living Through the Arts and Learning Through the Arts programs. 

Putzy's beautiful studio in Port Colburne, ON

We were very lucky to have the chance to catch up with Putzy and ask her a few questions about her work and sources of inspiration.

Why art?

Creating visual art is an essential part of who I am. It’s what makes me, me. It’s what gives my life definition, satisfaction and purpose. It’s how I interpret the world.

Putzy (Elizabeth) Madronich

Even though I’m not looking for it, I am captivated and inspired by the beauty of ordinary objects that might go unnoticed by others – the texture on fossils or a peeling painted barn board, the shadows of plants or objects in the late afternoon sun. The vibrant colours found in nature, sunsets, flowers and bugs, the wind blowing through a field of tall grasses.

All of this gets filed away and brought out when I’m painting. I collect small lovely things like wrappers and stones and wine labels, pieces of glass, anything I find that has an interesting pattern, shape, colour, or texture. I could never imagine not making art. I won’t leave my studio for a weekend without bringing art supplies and my camera. They are more important to me than clothes and a toothbrush.

What work do you most enjoy doing?

I love the spontaneous results of watercolour, also its transparency and light. I enjoy the smell of beeswax and the primitive designs created while playing with batik. However, collage is my ultimate joy and challenge. I use hundreds of tiny objects, pieces of hand printed papers and many other materials in my collage pieces. It is very difficult to retain the integrity of the subject itself while assembling all those pieces into a unified whole, that has balance, great colour and textures, and the right values. 

Egypt by Putzy

Where is your most inspirational place?

My most inspirational place has been Marrakech, Morocco. I traveled there not long ago, with my

brother Charles, who is a fine photographer. We spent days painstakingly setting up shots: framing
them up, assessing the light, taking turns in the view finder and finally, inventing covert ways in which to include people in the background without upsetting them. Each narrow street is a frenzied tangle of life – donkey carts piled high with pots, vendors trying to seduce you into their stalls with sweet mint tea, blind men soliciting alms, bicycles, scooters, fortune tellers, story tellers, snake charmers, pick-pockets, mad men and hustlers of every kind.

Moroccan Bazaar by Putzy

Vivid colours also flood the marketplace in the mounds of oranges, saffron, pickled lemons, olives, dried apricots, figs, pistachios and sweet meats. The colours are so overwhelming, the beauty so obvious, so simple. It affects all your senses simultaneously with such incredible intensity that you can’t help but to channel that energy into a work of art that you can share with others.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

Great advice I have received is “paint every day for a set number of hours religiously.”

The best piece of advice I would give would be this: When painting, never be concerned with whether or not people will love or hate your work. Paint only for yourself and be uninhibited. Go out on a limb and take risks. It’s the only way one can ever do anything great. 

Antique Store in France by Putzy

Visit and "Like" the Art by Putzy Facebook page for more information and to stay up-to-date on Putzy’s art and adventures!