Barbara Reade lives right beside Lake Ontario in the heart of downtown Burlington. The windows of her my studio space look out on a sweeping vista of sky, water and all the urban elements that make up her vibrant neighbourhood. Barbara’s palette is often influenced by the colours that she sees with a mix of natural hues, highly saturated pigments and the weathered stone neutrals of the local architecture.

When describing her work, describes a powerful interplay between wildness and precision that draws her to abstraction, much like the mix of the natural and urban landscape in which she lives. There is an exhilarating energy that happens when these two opposites coexist. 

Technically, Barbara is a mixed media artist, which means that she uses a variety of materials to layer and build history on the surface of each painting. Every painting that she make begins with play. Barbara never knows where a piece is headed, which keeps her studio practice fresh and unpredictable. One of her goals as an artist is to keep exploring and pushing my limits, whether that be with materials, scale or with new techniques.

On today’s episode Barbara talks about her return to art making after many years away, how her aversion to rectangles lead to her current totem series and launching “No Brush Required”, her weekly artists chats on instagram with Tamara Grand and guest artists. 

Interested in seeing some of Barbara’s work. Go to their website at https://barbarareade.com/

Find Barbara on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/bdreade_art 

Find me on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/artconversationswithlisajayne/ or at my website at www.lisajayneirvine.com

Happy 1st Anniversary!!!

It’s hard to believe that the podcast is a year old. What started as an idea has evolved into great conversations with artists from across Canada and around the globe. The podcast has now been downloaded in over 26 countries and continues to grow. Thank you to all the artists and individuals who have continued to support the podcast each week. My gratitude is overflowing. 

So for this special Anniversary edition, we have turned the tables. I have invited back my first guest, Lydia Swanson to sit in the host chair and interview me on this special occasion. Tune in as we discuss the conception of the podcast, my creative process and the work I make in my studio. And of course my dreams for the future… 

Find me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/lisajayneirvine

Find me on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/artconversationswithlisajayne/ or at my website at www.lisajayneirvine.com

Nicole Kagan is a multi-faceted visual artist born in Johannesburg, South Africa and based in Toronto, Canada. Deeply inspired by the natural world as a reflection of the interior human experience, her works are layered and lush, thoughtful and evocative. In her making practice, Nicole thrives on the freeing sense of experimentation and alchemy that accompanies working in mixed media — with an increasing interest in meaning-making, and the intersection of movement and stillness. Her works exist as both beautiful images to behold, as well as mindful visual reminders in one's space, symbolizing a range of contemplative themes and concepts. Nicole also facilitates creative-mindfulness sessions — teaching a range of alternative methods to stay more present in the moment, through accessible, sensory practices that explore a calming experience of creative expression and flow. 

On today’s episode Nicole talks about her process as an artist, the importance of being in the moment and how her work has evolved over time. She also discusses the book she is currently working on and how art and life influence one another. 

Interested in seeing some of Nicole’s work. Go to her website at www.nicolekagan.com

Find Nicole on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/nicolekagan_art/ or https://www.instagram.com/meditativemuses/

Find me on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/artconversationswithlisajayne/ or at my website at www.lisajayneirvine.com