Meaford artist Suzette Terry knocked it out of the park at the 61st annual Toronto Outdoor Art Fair, held at the City Hall’s Nathan Philips Square from July 15 – 17. After a two-year festival drought, folks were out in droves, basking in the sunshine, meeting the artists and shopping for original creations.
Suzette’s booth was a cacophony of colour; hundreds of people stopped by to bask in the glow of her vibrant landscape paintings.
Her art had a broad, cross-cultural appeal, touching folks from all walks of life. Young kids dragged in their parents, old women from across the globe in colourful floppy hats stopped to appreciate, gaggles of excited young teens were awestruck, and serious couples searching for that special painting all visited Suzette’s tent gallery. It was a wild ride to be sure.
Her paintings featured the iconic rocks and pines of Killarney and superb collaged winter scenes from our very own Trout Hollow Trail along the Big Head River. “These imagined landscapes are inspired by real places,” explained Terry. An homage to the Group of Seven, Norval Morrisseau, Emily Carr, and Picasso, her paintings move the viewer and are embedded with Suzette’s joyous spirit. She puts a modern, interpretive spin on the familiar Ontario landscapes that we all know and love.
Long time city residents, out of towners, and recent immigrants all gravitated to the colourful paintings. One woman from India very matter of factly explained that there is a lot of colour in her country and that is why she was drawn to Suzette’s canvases.
Needless to say, there were many beautiful smiles to be seen by those viewing the work. Clearly the isolation of the two ‘Covid years’ impacted people, and the relief at being out, publically viewing art in a festival atmosphere was palpable – “We need this,” said one elderly woman dressed in purple, “It’s food for the soul.”
Art students, collectors, and appreciators of all shapes and sizes had the chance to chat with Suzette, whose engaging smile and passion for painting captured people immediately. All visitors to booth C216 wanted to know where she hailed from, so naturally the town of Meaford was mentioned multiple times!
During the weekend event, it was predicted that about 100,000 people came through the show to enjoy sculpture, textile art, painting, ceramics, photography, glass work, and jewellery. About 1,000 artist applicants vied for the coveted booth spaces and 400 were awarded. Meaford should be very proud to have such an accomplished painter and ambassador in town; she represented us with imagination and flair.
When you check out Suzette’s art at: www.suzette-terry.com get ready for a blast of colour to brighten your day!
Submitted by By Jen Burak
