Christmas at The Colborne Art Gallery

By Rosanne Dolan, Colborne Art Gallery artist and liaison

The final art exhibition of 2025 at the Colborne Art Gallery opens November 6 and runs until December 21.  A celebration reception of the past year and opening of the new show will be held at the gallery on Saturday, November 8 from 2 to 4 p.m.  Joining the gallery’s eleven artists will be returning guests, Rebecca Bruneau, a multimedia artist particularly known for her 3-D felt animals, Larry Spencer, a woodcarver of children’s toys, Cathy Allen, a ceramics artist, and Brenda Sulivan, a ceramics artist and sculptor.

Brenda Sullivan is no stranger to the gallery.  She has become a regular at many CAG Christmas season exhibitions.  In 2016, she was featured as a guest artist for her solo show, “The Degrees of Separation.”

Brenda’s formal education in ceramics began at MacDonald College in Montreal.  Her first studio gallery was in Pointe Claire, Quebec.  Her current studio gallery called “Dragon Clay”, is located in Port Hope.

Both Brenda’s ceramics and sculptures “draw inspiration from textures and rhythms of the natural world.”  She states, “I love Art Nouveau, all creatures great and small, the theatre, and have a quirky sense of humour.”  This is seen in the Art Nouveau curves used in much of her work and the drama of whimsical dragons and mythical creatures that she creates by interpreting the natural environment.

Brenda’s recent Jelly Bean Row Pots acknowledge her Newfoundland origins.  They are based on the popular tourist attraction of colourful row houses found throughout St. John’s, the island’s capital city.

Many of Brenda’s creations blur the lines between functional use and sculptural form.  Storytelling is an important aspect of her work which imbues everyday items with playfulness and personality.  Brenda explains, “By incorporating sculpted, carved, or drawn elements into my pottery, I tell stories that resonate with both the past and present.”

For 60 years, the development of Brenda’s style has been nurtured by passion and inquiry. She declares, “I continue to expand my repertoire, testing new forms and ideas and I have embarked on investigating aspects of sculpture that help create awareness of the protection of our beautiful world.”

The Colborne Art Gallery is located on the Apple Route at 51 King Street East, Colborne.  Gallery hours are 12 – 4 p.m., Thursday through Sunday, or by appointment.

All artworks are for sale and admission is free.

Further information about artists, gallery news and exhibitions can be found at www.thecolborneartegallery.ca