‘Water & Oil’ exhibit on display at Town Hall 

Written By Paula Brown

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Water and oil don't usually mix, but the two are about to be brought together at the Shelburne Town Hall Art Gallery with its latest exhibition. 

The new exhibit, titled Water and Oil, brings the works of local artists Marion Herron and Phyllis Robinson to the Shelburne Art Gallery from Oct. 6 until Oct. 27. 

Herron will be showcasing a collection of 20 pieces of work spanning two decades in the exhibit. She works in both watercolour and acrylic mediums. Herron focuses on landscapes as her main subject matter, capturing sunlight through trees, clouds racing across the sky, water rushing over rocks, and the changing seasons. 

“I've lived in this area for about 25 years and it's such a beautiful scenery. I'm turned off by cities, I much prefer the natural world,” said Herron. “The rural landscape is quickly changing with growth and I felt very strongly about the change in the rural landscape; it's evident living in this area that gradually we're seeing more and more farmland disappear. I'm hoping my landscape painting will help people appreciate what we have, and where we live.” 

Herron began her artistic journey through drawing and painting as a child and later attended advertising art school in Montreal. Herron has also trained through night painting classes after work, ‘en plien air' painting weeks in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, evening classes at OCAD, and painting weeks with fellow artists in Mono. She has been a long-time member of the Dufferin Arts Council, Orangeville Art Group, Brushfire Art Group, and the Country Palette Artists. 

As part of the exhibit, Herron will be donating the proceeds raised through the sales of her work to the Dufferin Community Foundation's Environmental Fund. 

“I feel very strongly that we've got to really take care of the environment, otherwise none of us will be here – we have to do something for the climate and try to preserve our landscapes,” said Herron. 

For her part in the show, Phyllis Robinson will be showcasing a collection of 18 pieces from her nearly 20 years of work, with five of the pieces being portraits. 

Robinson took her first drawing course in 2004 and quickly began focusing on portraiture, taking lessons from Laurie McGaw. 

“I'd never picked up a pencil before and I was 54 years old. I was amazed that I could draw, and I guess that kind of spurred me on,” said Robinson. 

Over the years, she has also taken classes with Linda Evans, Harold Klunder, and John David Anderson. Although not a member of any artistic organizations, for at least 10 years, Robinson participated in 7-day ‘paint weeks' with a group of artists from Dufferin County. 

She works mostly with oil as a medium, and when she can't find people for her portraits, she focuses on painting cows or landscapes. 

“I like oils because they're more forgiving. They don't dry too quickly so you can change them if you make a mistake, and I think the colours are more subtle. I think the human face is very interesting and if I can I like to make a good likeness,” said Robinson. 

Water and Oil will be on display at the Shelburne Town Hall Art Gallery from Oct. 6 to Oct. 27. A reception to celebrate the exhibit's opening will be held on Thursday (Oct. 12) between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.