Our second May Featured Artist Pat Duke

Today its our Third Place Winner Pat Duke's turn to be Featured. Congratulations for being one of our May Featured Artists of the Month Pat. I will now pass this blog post onto her

 

Hello my Bayview Friends and readers of this blog

 

After teaching for 30 years, I retired BC (that is before computers!)  I  began to practise and then taught Calligraphy.  I wanted to add colour to my lettering, so studied Watercolour with David McEown.

To further inform my art, I  studied for B. F/A (Hons) degree at York University, graduating just before my 70th birthday.

My oil painting  Young Flute Player, after Judith Leyster, 1635 was part of a 6 weeks summer, 4th year Studio Course.  We could choose any work of art prior to 1700.  The Professor asked for "fabulous fakes", i.e. size as, materials as the original.   Fifteen students in the class were all working in different styles and time period.  Interestingly, when I researched the life and times of this Dutch artist for my essay, I learned that she and I have the same-July 28th birth date. 

 

 

Born 1609 in Haarlem, Holland, Judith Leyster was the only woman accepted into the same Haarlem Guild as Frans Hals.  After her marriage in 1636 to her studio partner  Molenaer, and five children later, little is known of her art.  Only since the rise of Feminist movement has her oeuvre received the recognition it truly deserves.

 

I celebrated my 75th year with a solo showing of 175 works of Paintings and Calligraphy, at the Skylight Gallery of Aurora Town Hall.