Colour and Light Fills Headwaters Arts Gallery for “Colour Gone Wild”

By Riley Murphy

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The opening reception for Headwaters Arts' third themed member art show of the year was held this weekend, and brought artists and community members together to embrace colour and light as Spring soon approaches.

The show, “Colour Gone Wild”, features more than 40 artworks in a variety of media and subjects, including acrylic, watercolour, and oil paintings; photography; mixed media; stained glass; paper collage; and textiles.

Each artist was invited to take their own inspiration from the Henri Matisse quote, “Colour helps to express light, not the physical phenomenon, but the only light that really exists, that in the artist's brain.” 

And some artists took inspiration from their own lives.

Caledon resident Wayne Hudson has been part of the Headwaters Gallery for a few years. A landscaper by trade, the winter has given him some much-needed time to work in his studio, he laughs.

His piece submitted to the gallery features ripples of light reflecting numerous colours off the water, and nearby turtles sunning on a branch.

Hudson has a degree in visual arts and mostly practices acrylic on canvas. 

When he heard the title of the show, he thought his piece, “Quiet Waters – Painted Turtles,” was well-suited.

“This one was, for me, really an exploration of the colour and the reflections on the water.

I'm fascinated by the water and what I can do with it,” says Hudson.

He explains that, for him, nature and the outdoors are all about taking inspiration and adding to it.

“I'll use drawings or I'll use photographs as a jumping off point, but a lot of times it's in my head and I'll take off from there,” he adds, noting the variety of colours he added to the reflection in his piece.

Taking inspiration from his landscaping work, Hudson says it influences much of what he does in his art.

“When I'm working on a garden, that's kind of my summer canvas, using flowers and perennials in a way that's artistic. Then that translates over a little bit into my painting as well,” he says.

At the open reception for the show, Hudson said it was a great space, with a great collection of people.

“We all come at it from quite different things. But this show, the theme unites a whole bunch of different people from different spaces. It's really good to be part of this show and see it hanging here,” said Hudson.

Terra Cotta artist Jorge Nascimento gave “light” a whole new meaning in his painting, using an LED wand at the reception to showcase each intricate detail of his piece.

His work, titled “Mars Eruptions,” was a mixed-media piece made almost entirely of epoxy resin and pigment.

When illuminated, onlookers could see each bit of pigment woven into every aspect of the design.

Nascimento has been experimenting with epoxy resin for over 20 years.

He explained with epoxy resin taking over 45 minutes to cure, he worked on the piece in layers, creating the seen lava and eruptions, some of which were made by injecting alcohol into the resin before it cures to create certain patterns.

“It's so tough when you're an artist, when you do something completely different,” said Nascimento. 

During COVID, he switched to pursuing his art full-time.

To be there that day, he said he was at a loss for words.

“I love it,” said Nascimento. “I have to thank the gallery for putting on this show. It's all volunteers, which is extremely nice.”

“Having the exposure is really important,” he added.

No matter the type of media or material, it seems each artist took their own approach to the theme of Headwaters Arts' third themed members' art show of the year, with many more works sure to come down the road.