Ruben de Haas

 

Amsterdam native, makes pop art and dad jokes

Currently creating and displaying his work at the Naderia in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

Ruben or Coloruben  – will appeal to those who love type, graphic design, and color.

De Haas balances perfect juxtapositions. While the text in his images is precise and boldly unique, the colors add a splash of quirk and wit.

After seeing his work, you might be surprised to find out that Ruben is actually colorblind. He therefore tends to work with bright and vivid colors – in order to see well what’s going on.

                 

A few words from Ruben: “As a kid, my clever stepmom taught me long and complicated words. I’d pen them down to work out choice handwritings. Twenty years later I still polish letters by hand. This apparently is called handmade typography.”

To check out artwork by Ruben de Haas – see the following links:

rubendehaas.com

instagram.com/coloruben

facebook.com/thecoloruben

Francine Migner

An Exciting Artist of Infinite Dimensions

Colourful Art with Whimsical Appeal

 

Francine Migner’s art conveys flourish and vigour. Each piece reflects her spirited personality and panache – honed in balance with her artistic sensibilities and openness to the world.

“I think life is about variety, and I’m full of life. I don’t want to miss anything, but as an artist I have to make choices. I aim for the essential, upon exploring the vast horizon of a subject.” She’s an artist of diversity.  For five years she did etchings on paper. 

This Hibiscus litho was done in Florida in 1989

Francine has a zany side to her as well. Take a look at her unique installation pieces. In Post Modern Remnants, her imaginative acumen is in full swing.  Have you ever wanted to put your string of pearls around an elegant bottle, and at the same time, give canned drinks their due? She found hundreds of crushed bottles in a recycling site in Victoriaville, and incorporated them in the piece. Post Modern became such a hit, it was exhibited over four times in Quebec in different display contexts. She also created a chess board made of carpet and sand in alternating square patterns. It’s an unforgettable homage to her father. “He played chess in tournaments.”

In Niagara Falls, Ontario, her remarkable piece called Baby Duck 2001 was created in honour of the wine makers of the famous region.  In 12 bottles, you can see red liquid that is in fact beet juice with water.

 

“I have fun with every piece I create."

 

“In my piece, Sur les Routes de la Loire, I found an old ticket with the image of the Chateau Chambord on it, and some negatives.” Out came a stunning collage on hand-made paper made from cotton. Aesthetic and calming, it is framed in a shiny gold line that is actually hot glue. There’s a royal feel to this little rare gem.

 She recycles objects she finds, and has focused on her surroundings. “I find inspiration in the real world.”  In 1991, she went to the Big Apple, and created a painting in black acrylic. It consists of a black and white photo she took outside on a street in Soho, New York. She then collaged it on an old litho plate. It is on permanent display in The Collection of Loto-Quebec in Montreal.

 In fact they purchased two more pieces from her, including a  

Diptych of two monoprints cocooning two Chinese lanterns.

A traveler to Cuba, she created a series of 15 mixed media paintings.  One of them, Havana, is a collage that fuses two walls. “They come from two photos that I printed on ink jet. I collaged them on an old painting of mine with a slightly coloured background, because I washed the vivid colours out of that painting, which was pink, yellow and mauve. She took a magic marker and created an ornate background to frame the centre piece.  The aerospace company Pratt and Whitney purchased Havana.

Francine has had twelve solo exhibitions, and her work has been juried in over 40 Quebec group shows.  She spent three days participating in an event called, Artrasta, which gathered over 15 artists who showed their work and painted in front of the public. This took place October 9-12 at Mushagalusa Gallery on Ontario Street.

 This go-getter gal loves meeting the public in different ways. She interfaces with school children in the Artists in School Program. A talented woman, she goes beyond the art of artistry: she plays tennis and skates.

Ever joyful, her collages puts you in a happy mood.

Her website is http://www.francinemigner.com/

Her email is mignart@videotron.ca

Francine Dunberry

Jewellery that Celebrates Earth’s Gems

by Nancy Snipper

Francine Dunberry is a one-of-a kind jeweller. Her innovative designs called Les Bijoux de l’Âme are not only peacefully appealing, they resonate exquisite beauty in execution and effect. In a single necklace, she captures graceful forms with stones, beads and wiring – all meshing together in a sublime composition.

Adornments are not flashy; rather, like the magnetic force of its timeless origins – the earth’s minerals and stones – each final creation attracts compelling compliments; it draws in the onlooker and one is entranced.

Her designs are unique and organic. Visually and texturally, they are true masterpieces; each integral part flows into a climatic whole, such as the necklace pendants that make any woman feel like an eternal but humble goddess.

I love the clasps of her necklaces and bracelets. 

Francine uses all kinds of materials in her designs: quartz, crystal, pearls, copper beads, fine gems – many enhanced with hand-made lace and delicate wiring.

With her dexterity, imagination and empathic gifts, she lovingly creates earrings, bracelets, broaches, watches, hair clips and more. Detailed parts are understated offerings that invite discovery each time one wears a piece.

“Sometimes, I will work an entire day on one small broach; other days, my creations come to me quickly and I work swiftly before the inspiration leaves me.” 

One can’t create such works of beauty without being spiritually driven.

“I start my day with meditation, and in my relaxed state, I’m ready to take on earth’s jewelled message. Each piece begins to form in my mind and take its place in the world.”

“Jewellery is like a crafted song; I allow emotions to speak to me as I create. My bracelets, for example, were made during emotional highs and lo the item. For example my sadness clasp bracelet has holes in it to represent loss. 

Yet there is exciting contrast; the appliqué wiring speaks of energy and complexity in relationships.

She feels her jewellery heals through its connective qualities to the person wearing it. They are a form of tangible therapy.

Francine Dunberry accepts commissions.

Her website is: http://www.francine-dunberry.com/

All photos by Sophie Dunberry Poissant

A one-of-a-kind jeweler ... Susana Reyes del Campillo

by Nancy Snipper

The artesian market in San Miguel is one of my favourite places. It sparkles with hundreds of kiosks that feature the unique craftsmanship of the artists selling their wares.

 I wandered into a small kiosk that nears the exit or entrance at Relox Street. Here I met the quiet-spoken jeweler Susana Reyes del Campillo who makes earrings, necklaces and more that come from trees and other earth-grown materials. She also decorates frames and basically adds such zany twists to the ordinary. I bought her leaf shape earrings that I believe are from the jicama tree. She adds textural excitement by adorning the plain with a bead or paint.

Susanna also sings in Pro Musica’s opera performance held as part of the classical music concerts this musical organization brings to the town. (I actually wrote all Pro Musica’s program notes for their 2013/14 season).

No doubt about it, Susana is marvelously talented; I love her highly original adornments. You can find her at this address: #6 Anador Lucas Balderas between Relox and Hidalgo Streets between which runs the remarkable number of kiosks. Email her at susan.rcampillo@gmail.com

DaNisha Sculpture:

A Marriage of Ceramics

by Nancy Snipper

Biography

International Canadian artists Nisha and Dan Ferguson knew as children that they would be artists. Both were fascinated with drawing since the impressionable age of three. They both answered without hesitation, when asked what they wanted to be when they grew up, "Artist!"
They spent every summer of their childhood in their family’s cottages: in the Kawarthas north of Toronto for Dan, and in the Gatineaus, east of Ottawa for Nisha. They each traveled for a year before enrolling at the Art Centre of Central Technical School of Ontario, which is of course as you may have guessed by now, where they met some 20 years ago.
Right after graduation Dan and Nisha married. With as much precision and as sure of one another as two trapeze artists who meet in mid air, they began to collaborate artistically and have never looked back. Dan is the sculptor and mould maker, and Nisha is the designer and painter.
Now parents of two sons, Joshua and Julian, and internationally renowned as DaNisha Sculpture they exhibit their work in prestigious galleries and boutiques throughout Canada, Mexico the United States and Russia. Always open to adventure, places of great beauty, and the stimulation of change, Dan, Nisha, and their sons relocated to San Miguel de Allende Mexico in 2001. The art and architecture of Mexico has inspired Dan and Nisha with new inspirations.

City Tower

City Tower (2)

Sheep Tower

When you hear people speak of DaNisha Sculpture you will hear the words optimism, excitement, innocence, wonder, and awe. These descriptions accurately reflect the source of a vision held since childhood. Neither Dan nor Nisha ever wavered from their early vision to be artists. Nisha, an accomplished acrobat and choreographer, may once have been tempted to run away and join the circus, but she founded the successful performance troop in Ontario known as "Gravityworks," and realized she could incorporate a long held fascination for the circus into her life and art. 

In San Miguel de Allende Mexico Nisha reformed and trained a new group which performs around the state of Guanajuato to this day.
"Working with my life partner," says Dan, "and compromising my ideas in order to find something new is a metaphor for our life together. However, compromise is an illusion. What it really does is allow for possibilities neither of us may have thought of."
 

Single Elephant

Zebra Trio

Grizzly Bears Bowl

Inch by Inch

Triple Lions

Trumpeter

Triple Cheetahs

  
If you want to see the complete line of DaNisha Sculpture, and read more about them, go to www.danishasculpture.com