Creating art with paint, paper and wire

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This article was published 19/03/2019 (2480 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Guests at this year’s Artarama art exhibition and sale will marvel at Marie Sumner’s mixed media creations that can feature recycled paper, cardboard and wire.

The La Salle artist, who’s exhibited her work at the annual show and sale for about seven years, has worked in mixed media for the past few years.

“It’s a lot of fun,” she said.

Sumner is always looking for paper, fabric and other items that she can incorporate into her pieces. She has also made her own paper that she paints. She commonly uses kitchen gadgets to create unusual patterns on her work.

She said she’s sometimes inspired by a shape or form upon which she adds layers of paint and various objects. The scope of a piece is governed by its weight to some extent as Sumner said she needs to ensure that the layers and objects are going to remain in place.

Her pieces also featured watercolour paint — the medium in which she first worked when she began painting about 18 years ago.

“You can’t get away from your first love.”

Sumner started painting after her retirement 18 years ago. “It was something I wanted to do.”

She selected watercolour as a medium even though she initially had a hard time finding classes for it. Her subject matter at that time was landscapes and she painted the scenery outside her home in Kingswood as well as scenes she captured on film when travelling.
Her horizons expanded when she took sketching classes and other workshops where she focused on still life arrangements and human figures.

“You end up being self-directed,” she said.

She was one of the first members of the Prairie Palette Art Group that meets in Oak Bluff. She now belongs to a small art group meeting weekly in Charleswood and to another group whose members work primarily on mixed media pieces.

Sumner believes that the advice and encouragement she receives from others who are passionate about their artwork helps to keep her motivated and inspired.

“I have no idea how people paint solo.”

Sumner shows her work at two annual Winnipeg exhibitions and sales — Artarama in the spring and BrushWorks in the fall. Both are fundraisers and have a similar homey atmosphere, she said.

She will bring about a dozen pieces including mixed media and watercolour paintings along with notecards featuring her watercolours to Artarama.

The annual exhibit and sale is sponsored by the Knights of Columbus and held at Mary Mother of the Church (85 Kirkbridge Dr. in Winnipeg) from March 29 to 31. Sumner is one of 44 Manitoba artists participating.

All net proceeds are earmarked for local charities including Winnipeg Harvest, Riverview Health Care, Rossbrook House, Chez Nous, Habitat for Humanity, and MS of Manitoba.

Sumner said she looks forward to exhibiting at the show as she’s become acquainted with many of the other artists as well as those guests who come each year.

The exhibit has two galleries with one in which framed art is shown and unframed art and cards in the other.

Artarama includes art demonstrations, a cafe and raffle of approximately 30 items of art donated by participating artists.  

Admission is free.

For further information contact Peter Lodewyks at pglods@mymts.net or Walter Berry at wcberry@planetnine.ca