Tag Archives: Nancy Bennett

Celebrating Int’l Women’s Day 2025

Big shout-out to all my sisters around the world…the women who lead, the woman who create, the women who inspire.  Over the years, I’ve been lucky enough to meet so many fabulous talented women who have brought joy to my life as well as helped educate and inform me. I reached out to a number of women who have left a tangible imprint on my current life so I asked them to offer up their thoughts, their own inspirations and how they live their lives in such a positive and engaging fashion….here is what they said.Celebrating Inspiring Women ...So many women throughout history across multiple disciplines spring to mind but it is anthropologist Margaret Mead whose words remain embedded in my consciousness, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” We all do what we can to make the world a better place and my films are built on frameworks that speak to truth, understanding, forgiveness, love and reconciliation…with a bit of action, adventure and fun thrown in. Art is where thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. And the beauty is we can all do it. ~ Victoria Wharfe-McIntyre, Australian film director, writer and producer (below)Throughout my life, I have been inspired by the amazing women around me – their resilience, spirit, and strength in facing and overcoming changes while caring for others. The sister bond of support and encouragement, working together, sharing our stories – there are too many to mention. I remember my mother teaching me stories through singing our Anmatyerr song lines for as long as I can remember. Mum would sing songs about our family dreamtime stories and told stories by drawing symbols in the sand. This deep connection to my culture and heritage is reflected in my song ‘Heading Home’ where I sing: ‘Lying in my mother’s arms feeling safe and sound. She sang of Tjukurpa and her Homeland as she drew in the sand.’ These experiences have profoundly shaped who I am as an artist and a woman, carrying forward the ancestral storytelling traditions that continue to inspire my work. ~ Rhubee Neale, Indigenous Australian artist (below)When I think about the women artists who’ve influenced me, my practice and my work the most, I’m seeing that they influenced me by being welcoming and supportive in addition to being talented artists with their established practices. Though I was a newbie, Irina Schestakowich immediately treated me as a fellow artist, sharing opportunities, materials and introducing me to her contacts. Being part of a community provided a foundation to anchor my practice. Though I met Janet F. Potter through painting, she’s shown me that following the muse to the craft side is another way of expressing our vision. Paper, textiles, rocks, sticks are as important as paint to her work. Learning from Janet I’ve incorporated textiles and whimsy into my work. I learned to trust and follow my muse. I hope my work inspires artists to trust their instincts, find the community that will support them. They should create what they’re inspired to create and trust that the audience will find them and value them. In other words, do the work you’re inspired to do and trust that the world needs it and wants it. ~ Nancy Bennett, Canadian artist at Labatt Studio, Toronto (below)To start with, I’d like to share one of my favourite quotes….I believe in kindness. Also in mischief. Also in singing, especially when singing is not necessarily prescribed.” ~ Mary Oliver, US poet. As a musician and composer, I appreciate her philosophy which continues to inspire me on a daily basis. She is known for her poignant observations of the natural world. Her work has a romanticism that refuses to acknowledge the boundaries between nature and the observing self. I think the natural world is the essence of creativity in its purest form. ~ Petra Salsjö, Australian film & tv composer (below)I owe who I am today to my mother, Rasheda Islam—an amazingly strong and resilient woman, a trailblazer far ahead of her time in a traditional and conservative society. In the 1960s, she raised me to think for myself, ask questions, and speak my mind without fear of judgment. She also taught me never to let traditional norms define me as a girl/woman. Her wisdom and guidance taught me to stay grounded in my values and navigate challenges with patience, calmness and prudence. She was always poised, proper and well spoken, respected by everyone around her. After pausing her education to care for a young family, my mother returned to university to complete her Master’s in Literature followed by a degree in Education. She started her teaching career after becoming a grandmother—showing me that it’s never too late to follow your passion. Although she is no longer physically present, she remains my greatest source of inspiration, empowering me to embrace new beginnings, pursue my artistic passion, and dedicate myself to healing and sharing my teachings with others. She was, is, and always will be, my true mentor and guiding angel. – Tanzina Amin, artist, teacher & gallerist (below) Women possess the power of the universe but it’s up to women to understand how it works. Successful women use that power. ~ Adonay, recording artist, songwriter & business woman (below)

So all these wonderful women have contributed to my personal happiness by sharing their talents and own personal joys. Thank you, ladies.  But who was my earliest inspiration growing up as a little girl in the West Australian bush? Hmmm….well, I spent hours in the local library learning about history (yes, I was a bit of a geek even back then) and was always intrigued by a warrior woman who changed history –  Boudica, Queen of the Iceni, who took on the occupying Romans who had slaughtered her tribe, killed her husband and raped her daughters in 61 AD. She took up arms, rallied her tribe and lead a revolt against the occupying Roman troops, raising towns and settlements as she headed towards Londinium (London). She set the most western outpost of the Roman Empire ablaze! Sadly, she was killed and the Iceni were conquered and absorbed into the main population of the British Isles. All this took place near where I was born and where both sides of my family originated (there’s even a town called Fordham in Essex county). So here’s to all the Boudicas out there continuing the fight against oppression, cruelty, misogyny and the path of destruction and bullshit created mostly by men.  HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY!

 

NANCY BENNETT TELLS HOW SHE WALKED AWAY FROM THE 9 TO 5 LIFE TO EMBRACE HER INNER ARTIST

When I first came to Toronto in the late 70’s, I fulfilled my parents’ dream of a safe and secure life with an office job (dull…urgh!) which, thankfully, I walked away from in ’79 for a life in showbiz when I landed my first audition, the role of Magenta in the Toronto theatrical production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show! which obviously became my parents’ nightmare…LOL!  I had been doing my 9 to 5 work at a renowned investment house called Wood Gundy, where I first met Nancy Bennett who, unbeknownst to me at the time, was also struggling with her own office vs. arts dilemma.

Skip ahead a few decades and one day I encounter the same Nancy Bennett at an art show exhibiting her fabulous vibrant work – we’ve been playing catch up ever since.

Nancy in her booth @ Toronto's Riverdale Artwalk

Nancy in her booth @ Toronto’s Riverdale Artwalk

I was thrilled to hear of her journey since I last saw her when we used to share office gossip at our favourite after-work cocktail lounge; she has since left her busy career in the financial sector to devote her life to creating art full-time.  After securing her house, buying a dog and having a baby (whew, I’m exhausted even listing those), Nancy turned to her first love, painting, in 2008 when global finances took a very hard knock, impacting her career as well as most of those working on Bay Street.  As Nancy tells it….“I first started collecting works by local artists as an antidote to my work life which had become increasingly toxic…then I began painting again.”

After being laid-off from her day job in 2013, Nancy immediately began painting full-time; her first show “Kiss the Sky” at the Women’s Art Association of Canada, featured paintings of skyscapes using a knife, brush and rollers on canvas and wood, in both large and small formats. It took a couple of years and a deep “Group of Seven” phase for her to cultivate a style that feels natural – layered knife paintings on large wood panels. I recently visited Nancy’s studio and saw this new piece (below) that’s still in the early stages – she showed me how she layers her work… 20170721_105045

“My paintings combine skyscapes, which are universal, and landscapes, which are specific to each location. I’m passionate about sharing the appreciation for my urban home setting and emphasizing that we’re all under the same sky – a commonality that helps us talk and create art together. The sky is a constant in all our lives and is a source of unity, calm and wonder as well a source of endless variety. Through my work I encourage people to look up and know they are not alone.”

Nancy continues….”I paint with oil paints on wood. Through these materials, I feel a connection to the history of my craft. In the current world of social media, the relationships and communication are real but have a fairy-like quality, flitting around the edge of “real life” and fading away completely if not nurtured. All the new media art tools today have evolved through the work of artists over centuries. The textures of different paints are an inspiration for the hundreds of filters available on Instagram. My passion with oil painting is a homage to traditional creation and its interaction in the digital space is my acceptance to our technological evolution.”20170721_105005

In 2015, Nancy co-founded the Four Corners Studio Collective, a Toronto based group of four emerging artists working together, learning from each other’s skills and experiences and supporting growth in their respective careers.  That same year, she curated #TwitterFirstFriday, a monthly art show conducted on the social media platform.  The goals were to encourage networking between artists around the world and promote art through sharing across multiple networks. Throughout 2015, on the first Friday of each month Nancy gathered works posted by artists, evaluated them for suitability and adherence to the show’s rules and shared with an online community.

Nancy is a member of The Artists’ Network, CARFAC and the Akin Collective, and in 2017, she began volunteering at Art Heart, an arts program for vulnerable adults.

“I’m a social artist. I thrive in a community, share studio space and have an active online following on social media. Through my paintings, I bring the extended community into my world and transfer my physical space into their digital one. I share my views, interpretations and feelings as I work through a piece. I encourage my online community to observe their own surroundings with an artist’s eye and get involved in my work. I appreciate when they send me photos of scenes that inspire them or remind them of my work. Through this give-and-take, my audience is with me throughout as an active component of my process in addition to being a passive audience to the final piece.”17634397_1444251605608964_2311017889669336969_nUPCOMING SHOWS
August 2017 – Solo exhibit, Deer Park Library, 40 St. Clair Ave. East, Toronto
August 18- 20 2017 –  ArtWalk in the Square at Shops @ Don Mills, Booth #24.
February 2018 – The Artist Project, Exhibition Place, Toronto

You can follow Nancy on Facebook.com/NancyBennettArts or visit her website: www.nancybennett.ca14390924_1241314049236055_5450160895757346700_nAnd if you see Nancy at any of her upcoming shows, stop in to her booth, say hi and learn more about this multi-talented woman who (finally) got to follow her dreams….

GREAT OPENING NIGHT FOR JOHNY DELUNA’S “SPONTANEOUS LEVITATION” ART SHOW

Congratulations to Toronto contemporary artist JOHNY DELUNA on a great opening reception for his solo show, “Spontaneous Levitation” at Art Square Gallery, 334 Dundas St West (opposite the Art Gallery of Ontario) in Toronto. Last night, Johny greeted friends, family, art collectors and other gallery curators to his colourful, provocative show.20170608_181006 20170608_182959 20170608_183042 20170608_18330520170608_200348(0)He even had a 4-legged art fan drop by…20170608_184734Fellow artist, Nancy Bennett (below), brought some of her friends to admire the intricate and detailed work.20170608_182229 20170608_181034Media maven Georgina Bencsik grabbed Johny for a selfie (below)20170608_182928

20170608_183217 20170608_191556Johny’s elegant partner, Katrina (below), was also a work of art herself as she helped host the soiree…20170608_184804..and I was thrilled to welcome some guests visiting from Australia who fell in love with Johny’s work.20170608_200334 20170608_201323 20170608_202027Sandy, above with Johny, actually runs a community arts program back home in Queensland, Australia, so she was excited to chat with him about his work….and maybe an invitation to visit Down Under in the future?20170608_191609Spontaneous Levitation runs until June 19th so please come on down and meet the artist who will be on-site most days.20170608_181013