Spirit of Giving 2008

We regret to announce that the

Spirit of Giving art show

is in hiatus for 2008.

Stratford Public Library Art Show & Sale Announced!

** Click photo to Enlarge**

*This is a permanent post; scroll down to discover our participating artists, and to see any new information as it becomes available. Thank you and hope to see you there!

The Friends of the Stratford Public Library

The Friends of the Stratford Public Library are the sponsors of this event. They organize many projects over the year, including the big yearly booksale and the featured speakers series.

The Friends of the Stratford Public Library was formed in 1996. It is a group of concerned citizens who love their library. In these days of reduced funding, the Friends organization is helping the library through community events and fundraising projects. By becoming a member of the Friends (for only $10/yr!) you show that you care about your Library and support its role in the community and the valuable services which it provides. It is also an opportunity for you to get involved in your community.

Door Prize!

With your attendance at our Spirit of Giving art and craft show & sale, and your donation of $1 or more, you will have a chance to win our door prize. Mulder the Bear has been donated to our event in order to make someone happy when they take him home!

How to find us

The Stratford Public Library is located at 19 St. Andrew St, Stratford. (corner of St. Andrew and Church St.)


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Judy Roth

The first time Judy M. Roth saw the light behind her stained glass she knew there was no turning back. Her passion for glass for the past 6 years has given her great joy and satisfaction.

A full-time artist, Judy creates large stained glass windows and also works with a glass-on-glass mosaic technique and a floating glass style she is developing.
You will find vibrant colour, shapes and unexpected 'space' within her pieces.

Karen Waschinski

Using her late grandmother's Mundlos 1936 pedal sewing machine, Karen Waschinski creates soft sculpture creatures with very clear personalities that enjoy being handled and played with. She has been designing her own critters since 1994 and launched her business, Scratching at the Window, in 2004.
Each animal is an original design lovingly put together by hand using the finest European mohairs, suedes and other fabrics, often over a wire armature for full poseability. Above all else, Karen’s critters want to have fun! They all embody playful spirits that want to share the pleasures of this life, with all of its adventures, thrills, and even its sorrows. They are storytellers seeking out that special someone with whom to share a lifetime of wondrous tales.

Arlene Lupton

Arlene is a Stratford resident who will be sharing her painting with us. She paints with an original eye. With a freedom of colour and motion, she produces intriguing and vibrant images of the natural world.

She says, "Being creative has always been a large part of my life. I enjoyed landscaping, sewing, and a variety of hobbies. At fifty I developed a frozen shoulder. An occupational therapist suggested I read a book called Drawing from the Right side of the brain by Betty Edwards. This developed into learning to paint both traditionally and in a more abstract style. I hope you enjoy my art and also find that at any stage of your life both good and bad can bring a new joy and passion into your life."

Anna Koot

The youngest of seven children, Anna (Oliveira) Koot was born and raised in S.W. Ontario in a busy Portuguese family. She now lives outside of St Marys with her husband and four kids. She is a decorative artist and teacher, and has illustrated a children's book, Henry and Harriet.

Arlene Crooks-Best

Arlene is a Stratford resident and a Decorative Interior Painter. She owns a small, in-home Interior Decorating business called Ar Works which creates one of a kind rooms for her clients. She specializes in faux painting and painted finishes, hand painted furniture, floorcloths, murals and wall canvases. Her original painted poster for Balzac's Coffee House in Stratford and Toronto was featured in Vogue magazine, March 2007. You can also find her painted floorcloths in the book “Floorcloth Magic” by Lisa Curry Mair, published in 2001 by Storey Books.

Arlene looks forward to sharing some of her paintings and custom works with us this fall.

Roslyn Harrush

Roslyn Harrush was born in Montreal, Quebec. Her exuberance for living has led her to travel; spending long periods in the Middle East, South America, and Alberta. She now calls Stratford home. Roslyn's love of travel and multicultural experiences contribute to her eclectic style.

Roslyn's passion is painting. Watercolour, acrylics and oils used in combination and on their own ignite the endless possibilities within the artist. Roslyn's bold use of colour and texture creates unconventional and compelling pieces. She says:

"Nature plays an integral role in my art. Plants, flowers and birds are provocative elements. My mental and visual awarness come together creating a fusion of thoughts and ideas... The garden and its growth lead me through the life cycle of living things, its evolution and transformation guide me along the creative process."

Roslyn has participated in many show and sale events. Her works can be found in private and corporate collections across Canada. Roslyn is a member of Gallery 96 in Stratford.

Evelyn Scott

What Ev Scott puts into her creations, with pleasure and love, is a piece of her heart and soul. She is a passionate 'Imagineer', 'Visioneer' and 'Experimenteer' - which technically means that she has "no idea how to read instructions or work with a pattern so I have to make up my own stuff" and her artistic talent is clear in whatever she tries!
Ev creates figurative sculpture from polymer clay, air dry clay, fiber, fabric, wood and pretty well everything else. She needlefelts and crazy quilts and loves to do any handstitching. She builds with wood and carves as well as doing mixed media collage. Among other titles, she also calls herself a "Bear Artist". Ev is a notable teacher and offers classes on various arts throughout the year at her ranch-style home, where she raises donkeys. She is perhaps best known for her intricate Santas with expressive, lifelike faces and twinkling eyes.

Mary Carrington

Mary Carrington is a book artist and letterpress printer in Stratford, Ontario. She does hand binding and box making. She also makes linocut prints.

Sheri Fleischauer

Sheri Fleischauer, 18, is a resident of Gadshill. She is an intuitive artist, developing her own wire and bead jewellry line in a "one of a kind" venue. No two pieces are exactly alike. She works with semi-precious healing stones and glass beads. Sheri can custom make pieces using your stones, pendants, and beads, etc.

Gerard Brender à Brandis

Gerard Brender à Brandis is a printmaker, wood engraver, typesetter, printer, bookbinder and designer extraordinaire. His years of experience have found him represented in the collections of the Royal Botanical Gardens (Hamilton, Ontario), the Missouri Botanic Garden, the Arnold Arboretum and the Hunt Botanical Library, among others. He has won many awards for his book design and the beautiful images he creates. Gerard has his art available for viewing and/or purchase at his home, open Wednesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. May to October, or by appointment.

We are pleased to have this internationally renowned book artist with us this year!

Roël Dixon-Mahatoo

Roël Dixon-Mahatoo is a wedding photographer by day and also works as a nature and travel photographer. He has published a book on Africa as a charitable fundraiser, arising out of his concern for children affected by the AIDS epidemic in Africa. All proceeds go to PLAN Canada for projects assisting these children. The Stratford Public Library holds a copy of this book thanks to Roël's generosity.

Roël will be sharing his book and photography with us at the "Spirit of Giving".

William Mullin

Born and raised in the scenic rural area of Stratford, Bill was introduced to his artistic development through the encouragement of local artists at Stratford's Art in the Park. Bill became a member of Art in the Park in 1977 and showed for numerous summers while working full time in the health care field. He conducted workshops for off campus courses at Fanshawe Community College. Because of time committments and the devotion required to successfully manage two careers, Bill had to temporarily leave the art scene but continued to paint for his own enjoyment. Upon retirement in 2003 he returned to painting full time and is again showing at Art in the Park. His oil paintings are peaceful and serene, depicting still life, landscape and street scenes from Stratford and surrounding areas. His paintings are detailed and the medium is applied with glazes and washes which give the appearance of a watercolour.

Bill and his wife Jane reside in Stratford along with their daughter and her family. He also enjoys the role of grandfather to two wonderful grandchildren. His paintings can be found in collections throughout Canada and the U.S.

Mary Lou Kingham

Mary Lou has taken courses in botanical and landscape watercolour painting for the last 4 years at Royal Botanical Gardens (Hamilton, ON) with Kathy Bourbonniere. She has painted with oils and acrylics in the past but finds that she enjoys working with watercolours at the present time, and specializes in botanical paintings.

She has donated miniature paintings to the Vine Art celebrations at Gallery 96 for the past 3 years and also donated paintings for silent auction with the Stratford Concert Choir (of which she is a part). She produces cards, some of which have been donated to the Holly Wreath Shop at St. James Church in November. She has submitted paintings to a juried show at Wellesley Art Round the Pond for the past 2 years and this past June participated with a booth at the show.

Some examples of her botanical watercolours:

Lucinda Jones

Lucinda Jones owns and operates "My Custom Framer" in Stratford. With over twenty years of experience in the visual arts, in 1996 she found her niche… custom framing.

Along with framing, Lucinda is an accomplished printmaker. She will be showing her prints in various formats at our art show, some of them showcasing her framing talents as well.

Ann Kelly

Ann Kelly is a wildlife painter who produces original works using her preferred 'canvases' of slate, stone and wood.