Friday, September 28, 2012

Karen Bailey

Artist, painter

“I paint people at work. Military medical personnel, church tea ladies, waitresses, charity shop volunteers”—Karen Bailey

Ottawa-based artist.

Is a graduate of the Reigate School of Art & Design, England.

Is a “painter of the people”. Many of her works feature behind-the-scenes workers and under-recognized people.

Some of her series have highlighted the working life of servers and hairstylists while “Blanche Dot Doris”, focused on older women who prepare food for church functions.

Some of her past work includes courtroom drawing for Global Television, book illustration for Appletree Press, U.K., heraldic art and calligraphy.

Has received the prestigious Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation grants for drawing and painting twice in her 30-year career.

As one of five military appointed artists in the Defence Program, she spent one week at a Kandahar hospital in 2007 to paint portraits of patients and medical military personnel. She entitled this collection of work—“The Triage Collection”.

Her largest canvas to date, Blast Victims, was included in the War & Medicine exhibition at the Canadian War Museum.

Was commissioned to paint the official portrait of past governor general Michaëlle Jean for Rideau Hall (unveiling took place in September 2012).

www.canada.com www
ottawacitizen.com
www.karenbailey.ca

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Verna Cotton

Local historian (Navan), author, volunteer

Is the third Tweedsmuir Coordinator for the Navan Branch of the Woman’s Institute, as well as a founding member of the Cumberland and Township Historical Society.

Is the author of pictorial history books entitled “The Navan of Yesteryear”.

Worked as a volunteer, secretary and president of the Navan Women’s Institute, fulfilling executive duties and helping with fundraising and community service projects.

Continues to serve on committees for the Navan Fair and St. Mary’s Anglican Church.

Verna and her husband Syd have both been recognized by the municipal and provincial governments for their contributions to the community of Navan. They received numerous awards, most significant of which was the Ontario Bicentennial Award, presented in 1984.

In recognition of Syd and Verna Cotton’s contributions to the community of Navan, a park on Forest Lea Drive has been renamed the “Syd and Verna Cotton Park” by the City of Ottawa in September 2012.

As long-term residents of the Navan area, Syd (now deceased) and Verna have shown great commitment to improving their community. To read about Syd’s contribution, please visit the following link: http://ottawa.ca/en/city_hall/policiesadministration/policies/comm_naming/syd_verna_cotton/index.htm

www.ottawacitizen.ca
ottawa..ca

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Kathleen Edwards

Singer-songwriter, musician

Born in Ottawa in 1978. As the daughter of a diplomat, spent much of her childhood in Korea and Switzerland. Now lives in Toronto.

Her musical style is classified as “alternative country, folk”; her instruments are guitar and violin.

First recorded a six-song EP entitled "Building 55" in 1999, of which she pressed 500 copies and toured across Canada managing her own gigs.

Wrote seven of the ten songs for her debut album “Failer” launched in 2003. Her second album “Back to Me” came out in 2005, while her third album “Asking for Flowers” was released in 2008.

In 2006, she was nominated for Juno Awards for Songwriter of the Year and Adult Alternative Album of the Year for "Back to Me".

In her career, she has opened for Willie Nelson, John Prine, Aimee Mann, My Morning Jacket, John Mayer and Bryan Adams. She was also invited as a guest on the David Letterman Show, and as a performer at Farm Aid.

Her most recent release is “Voyageur” (2012). For her next project, she plans to record songs from the 1990s.

http://www.kathleenedwards.com
http://www.maplemusic.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathleen_Edwards
www.ottawacitizen.com