Artists of Stonebridge Ready To ‘Paint The Town’

Annual Art Show This Weekend At Cedarhill Golf And Country Club

In 2010, a handful of Stonebridge residents who had a common interest in visual arts had an idea – why not form a group that would help local artists focus on their painting, improve their skills and grow as artists, all while increasing awareness and appreciation of visual arts in the community? Thus was born the Artists of Stonebridge, a not-for-profit organization that now includes close to 40 talented artists from all over Barrhaven.

As we move into the fall, members of the Artists of Stonebridge (AOS) are busy preparing for the annual Fall Show and Sale, Paint the Town, to be held Saturday and Sunday, October 23-24 from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Cedarhill Golf and Country Club.  After last year’s show was cancelled due to the pandemic, they are excited to once again be able to share their art with the community.

As with many organizations, AOS had to find creative ways to continue their painting journey together during the Covid-19 pandemic.  Zoom calls replaced their regular get-togethers, helping them to stay connected and providing encouragement to keep painting. This virtual platform also served as a way to hear from speakers/presenters who shared their visual arts expertise with members.  AOS also held a series of virtual group workshops to provide feedback on paintings that member artists created from a similar subject.  As expected, participants interpreted the subjects quite differently and for some, the workshops provided a challenge but also an opportunity to learn new techniques and approaches.  The organization continues to thrive, despite the challenges over the last several months.

Because of the pandemic, AOS also shifted their rotating exhibits at the Minto Recreation Complex Barrhaven (MRCB) to a virtual format on their website. In early August, they were able to move back to live exhibits at the MRCB and are looking forward to sharing a new round of themes and artwork with the community in 2022.  In addition to showcasing artwork at the MRCB, AOS has a number of other exhibit venues throughout the community including Ottawa City Hall, the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) on Strandherd Drive, and the Barrhaven Vietnamese Restaurant, with more to come in the near future.

Since its inception, AOS members have given back to the community through activities such as workshops, mural painting, and donations to fundraising auctions and local charities. This past summer, they were honoured to support the Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind’s (CGDB) first online fundraising auction.  At this year’s Fall Show and Sale, AOS will again be accepting donations from visitors for the CGDB, as well as the Art for Aid Project, an organization that supports Canadian First Nations, Inuit and Métis art education programs.

AOS members look forward to welcoming visitors to this year’s Paint the Town Fall Show and Sale. Covid protocols will be in place.

The Artists of Stonebridge wishes to thank the following businesses and organizations for sponsoring the AOS 2021 Fall Show and Sale: Kent Browne, Broker, Royal Lepage Team Realty, Lépine, TLC Legal, Barristers, Solicitors & Notaries, The MacMillan Wealth Advisory Group, BMO Nesbitt Burns, Capital City Heating & Cooling, Barrhaven Auto Centre, Yunfeng Shao, Shengun Financial, Broadway Bar & Grill, Barrhaven, The Anything Guys (TAG) and Royal Bank of Canada.