Terra : The Good Earth by Olga Kay-Grigoriev and Erin Thibault

Galerie Old Chelsea is pleased to present the art by two of ten Galerie Old Chelsea’s owners, Erin Thibault & Olga Kay-Grigoriev who are excited to share their love of the natural world. Whether it’s the light cascading through the trees, as Erin captures in her paintings, or the subtle details of a single leaf carved out of wood by Olga, both artists give homage to the beauty of nature that is all around us in the Gatineau Hills.

Erin’s work is inspired by her deep connection to nature, to wild spaces and
to the natural world around her. Her paintings are rather dreamy, as she paints the essence of the subject rather than its exacting details.  As Picasso famously said…” I begin with an idea and it becomes something else”. Erin’s works will often start with a particular scene and at a certain point will organically shift into an entirely different image. She allows whatever is claiming the canvas to do so, letting go of the reigns and allowing the essential to come through. She can often see it emerging and flows with it.  She considers herself an intuitive painter, working in an impressionist style.

Following a fulfilling career in education, Olga turned to wood sculpture as a new way of artistic expression. She trained first with a fellow artist to discover the potential of various mechanical and hand-carving tools, then took courses in sculpture in Florence, Italy, and also life drawing at the Ottawa School of Art, Olga now spends time in her Quebec studio putting the learning to practice in a process of playful experimentation as new ideas come to mind.

She enjoys working with wood as it evokes a banquet of sensory stimulation and a warmth only nature can convey. Carving is a satisfying process which offers sufficient challenge and risk to keep her interest. Olga’s material comes from fallen trees on her property or from the surrounding Gatineau Hills. Her muse is the journey of life, through love and loss, joy and sorrow and all the stories in between. Animals, people and objects in nature are the subject of her work. Her pieces reside in many homes and gardens. She welcomes special commissions, for in art, just as in life, anything is possible.

In addition to the vernissage on Saturday May 10, Erin et Olga will be present at the gallery on the following days:

Erin: Friday May 2 from noon to 3:00 pm. / Friday May 9 and 16 from 4:00 pm to 6:00 / Saturday May 3 from noon to 3:00 / Saturday May 17 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Olga: Sunday May 4,11 and 18 from 1:00pm to 4:00 pm