December 1, 2009 - January 31, 2010
Baker Bob's Bakery & Gallery
73 Little Bridge Street
Almonte ,Ontario

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The artwork of Valley artist Kaija Savinainen-Mountain opens Tuesday, December 1st amidst the delicious aroma of Baker Bob’s Bakery & Gallery at 73 Little Bridge Street, in downtown Almonte. Kaija (pronounced Kya ) brings her Finnish Nordic roots to her expressive and emotionally striking oils, inspired by her upbringing and connection to the land and environment in the Ottawa Valley and also Alberta’s prairie and foothills country. As she states “My work has an immediacy of vision that is reflected in its spontaneous, seemingly disordered or haphazard nature. Underlying the surface imagery, however, are formal elements and a sense of balance that is surprising. The order results from my vision of what I want to express.I like to think my work has an energy, and an exuberant quality, amplified by the fact I work in mixed media - watercolours, oil paintings, and pastels -entirely left-handedly. A decision to use the untrained hand, to attempt to tap into instinctive, subconscious, non-rational energies that supposedly emanate from the “right brain” has added another interesting dimension to my work.”

Influenced strongly by the Expressionist movement at the turn of the last century, and studying at the University of Lethbridge’s exemplary Fine Arts program, Kaija’s work will add colour and energy to the shortening days of December.

The show continues on until January 31st, 2010. Enjoy a fair trade coffee and freshbaked goodie, and take in this outstanding show as you visit picturesque Almonte.

Contact information: kaija@willowcreekstudio.ca

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