Artists In Profile - Natural Surroundings Inspire Artist, Blind River, The Standard,1995

The Standard. Call of the Arts Supplement Page 3

ARTISTS IN PROFILE

Natural surroundings inspire artist

Leslie's preferred subjects are the natural surroundings which are so inspirational here, landscapes, florals, rocks-her husband says "she paints great rocks!" Often her inspiration is found while boating in the North Channel, a favorite pastime. Since retiring from teaching in 1993, she is painting seriously, with shows at the Inn on the Lake, and two 2nd place awards at a show on Manitoulin Island, at Howland Museum near Little Current.

Her husband supports her artistic endeavours; you can tell he is proud of her work. With hobbies such as music (piano), reading (compulsively), and boating, Leslie is thoroughly enjoying life. Future aspirations? She would love to do En Plein Air tours of France or Italy someday but... for now, it is capturing the beauty of nature, perhaps painting people next, then......

From her early beginnings in Southern Ontario, having taught school in London, Leslie made her way North, teaching in Espanola, Blind River, and finally Elliot Lake. Although having no formal art training, Leslie took advantage

of many workshops, with Ivan Wheale having the most influence on her. She remembers being an Art Club member in the mid-sixties, meeting in Sten Lundberg's House of Mips shop, painting with Pep Purss, Viola Moody, and others of that early era. With about 10 members, they held NOAA shows, at that time having

separate Graphics and Color Shows. Leslie painted sporadically over the years, mostly in oils, starting when the Elliot Lake Centre for Continuing Education held a Summer School of the Arts. She remembers instructors Gordon Raynor, John Smith, and of course Ivan Wheale.

Photo

Artist Leslie Aube exhibits a work in progress.