Artway Invitational - Past Exhibits

I guess I have always painted for as long as I remember. I first took the brush to paper as a ten year old to create two pieces of art 'Yesterday Today and Tomorrow' and 'Life in Universe' in watercolor. Both of them won me the first prize in the little town in South India where I was born.

Then I lay down the brush for years only painting vistas in my mind and waiting for that time 'when I would have time to stand and stare...'

It took me 38 more years to realise that time may never come and I may leave this world with these unpainted frames inside of me.

So I picked up painting again oils this time making time in between my full time corporate job and being mom to two kids.

I paint for my own pleasure, Painting is like a prayer to my soul. But, after having filled 20 or more canvases with color I decided to give myself this online gallery.

Come walk along here, browse your cares away, leave your ideas and if you wish, take something away.

My name is Paul Draper and I am 40 years of age. I was born and raised in Brampton, Ontario. I first became interested in art when I was eight or nine years old. I attended Helen Wilson Public School and when I was in grade three or four, I was placed in a special education class where my teacher assisted me with developing my early artistic skills. Later on in junior high and high school, my ability became more pronounced.

I began experimenting with various utensils, such as: lead, pencils, chalk, pens, coloured pencils, various paints, coloured markers, and pastels. Several of my works have been placed on display at such places as: Visual Arts Brampton (Artway), The 2010 and 2011 Travelling Floral show through Visual Arts Brampton, CMHA's Par Clubhouse Art Show, Supportive Housing in Peel's Art show, Destination Cafe - Art Show, The Designer Commitee and Mad Pride Week.

I am very proud of my accomplishments and I have found art to be of great therapeutic significance for me.

Mirror Image is a random, single panel comic strip observing the strangeness of life. It has appeared in print at Brampton Guardian, Orangeville Banner, Oakville Voice and Soo Profile. The comic strip can also be found online at Facebook, Twitter and www.mirrorimagecomics.com

About the author: I am humanoid, and sustained by coffee.

I remember wanting a camera for Christmas when I was about 12 and being disappointed to get one of those cheap tinny "no control over anything" jobs. Where was my Hasselblad (in those days the Rolls-Royce of cameras)?

Well, I never did get a Hasselblad - for the same reason I never got a Rolls-Royce.

Although I have been taking pictures for over 50 years and have done my time in the darkroom, it was my discovery of Photoshop that got my creative juices flowing.

When taking pictures I often have no destination in mind, physical or otherwise,  though I gravitate towards flowers, trees, and other things that don't require a release form. Sometimes I don't know what I've got until I see it on my monitor and my creative Muse kicks in and finds something that neither I or my camera saw. Sometimes it's a ho-hum picture until it meets up with its complementary partner or two and something new and interesting makes its appearance.

One never knows what my Muse will find.

http://moratorian.deviantart.com/gallery/

Illustrator and artist, Gary Paiva, was born and raised into a vibrant, artistic and culturally diverse Portuguese household in Toronto, Canada. His father was a landscape architect and his mother is a culinary master, who's artistry with exquisite Portuguese dishes inspired much of Gary's passion.

Being diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis at the early age of two and a half, Gary, years later having found his purpose, gravitated towards art. In 2001 Gary attended the Toronto School of Art to enrich his skills, focusing in illustration, and was fortunate to begin mentoring under well known illustrators such as Joe Fleming and Harvey Chan. Gary Paiva, was also honoured with the inclusion into the Scarborough Arts Big Art Book – published in 2012.

Gary also devotes a portion of his time to graphic design, assisting as creative and sales director for a local marketing firm, and freelance illustrator / artist from his home studio in Mississauga, Canada.

Known for his unique and surreal Canadian-themed Christmas cards, Gary has now begun taking on a new venture as an urban fashion designer, and is currently creating a collection of baby and children's apparel. Designs will launch summer 2016 exclusively under the Francisco & Joseph brand.

Available for consultation of freelance illustration or marketing work, Gary would love to hear about your project.