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.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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!