MASTRIUS ARTISTs BLOG
Check back often for tips and tricks from Master Artists, expert advice on artistic techniques and building a lucrative art business, plus exciting up to date news in the art world!
Art Battles: Competition in a Non-Competitive Environment
By Mastrius
At Mastrius, we champion a non-competitive creative environment. But did you know a little light competition can actually boost creativity?
Kerryann Torres
By Mastrius
Funny, inspiring, and bursting with creativity and heart, California-based Mastrius artist KERRYANN TORRES has lived all over the world and is making waves with her one-of-a-kind oil paintings.
Andrew Bellavie
By Mastrius
“Well, if we’re all gonna die, I may as well try something I really want to do.”
Cathy Tetarenko
By Mastrius
Mastrius artist CATHY TETARENKO’s pure Canadian vistas make us feel like we belong in those beautiful moments.
Limor Dekel
By Mastrius
Every painting by Mastrius artist LIMOR DEKEL is an ode to movement.
Abby Wilson
By Mastrius
The mountains are calling—and they called acrylic artist and Mastrius navigator ABBY WILSON to paint!
Claudia Gonzalez
By Mastrius
Mastrius artist CLAUDIA GONZALEZ is serving up those warm, summer vibes and we are here for it!
Brad Teare Master Artist
By Mastrius
Trading one knife for another, this woodcut illustrator turned professional palette knife artist knows how to make an impact. Welcome, NEW #mastriusmaster BRAD TEARE!
Shirley Hauck
By Mastrius
Award-winning art quilter turned painter, her art is now collected as far away as Ireland—meet Mastrius artist SHIRLEY HAUCK!
Bobbi Dunlop Master Artist
By Mastrius
Sometimes we are fortunate enough to have people cross our paths at pivotal moments and leave a lasting impact.
Ashley Thimot
By Mastrius
Through extraordinary paintings of ordinary days, Mastrius artist ASHLEY THIMOT shares the power of being thankful.
Heather Pant Master Artist
By Mastrius
Acrylic painting has been a huge part of Mastrius Master HEATHER PANT’s life, including professionally for the past 20+ years. “I always wanted to live by my brush. I helped raise two boys with my paintbrush.”
Liz Skelton
By Mastrius
Spurred on by the music flowing out of her earbuds—Pavarotti, jazz, hard rock—Mastrius artist LIZ SKELTON paints original works inspired by the heat, colour, and vibrancy of her South African upbringing.
Deborah Tilby Master Artist
By Mastrius
One of the top oil painters in Canada, Mastrius Master DEBORAH TILBY believes it’s the striving and struggle of creation that keeps painting interesting.
Lynne Mizera
By Mastrius
“I have a very common story, I have realized,” shares Mastrius Navigator LYNNE MIZERA. Growing up, an adult told her she lacked creative talent. “And I completely shut down. I stayed creative in other ways, but what I longed to do was paint.”
Vladimir Zlotskiy
By Mastrius
Feodosia was pastel artist VLADIMIR ZLOTSKIY’s happy place. Perched on the Black Sea in Crimea, it’s a gorgeous coastal town with a rich 2500-year-old history of nurturing great European artists. Vlad grew up painting its mountains, sea, and citizens walking the cobbled streets.
He doesn’t go back to visit.
Angus McEwan Master Artist
By Mastrius
Spots are OPEN to mentor with international award-winning watercolour and mixed media artist Mastrius Master ANGUS McEWAN!
Aline Ordman Master Artist
By Mastrius
Looking beyond the surface of a scene to uncover its abstract elements, Mastrius Master ALINE ORDMAN manipulates shape, value, and colour to create the most compelling compositions.
Andrew Orr Master Artist
By Mastrius
Look closer! It’s easy to mistake these beauties for photographs, but they are the incredible works of Mastrius Master and renowned oil painter ANDREW ORR.
Carol-Anne Almquist
By Mastrius
While she sees the lives of people her age begin to wind down, Mastrius artist CAROL-ANNE ALMQUIST feels like she’s just getting started!
Julie Gilbert Pollard Master Artist
By Mastrius
We adore Phoenix-based artist and Mastrius Master JULIE GILBERT POLLARD’s interpretation of the natural world! Whatever the medium, her favorite subjects—water, rocks, and flowers—are new and special every time.
Chris Krupinski Master Artist
By Mastrius
Highly recognized and awarded watercolor artist and Mastrius Master CHRIS KRUPINSKI serves up deep color and remarkable command of a medium typically challenging to control.
Andrew Sookrah Master Artist
By Mastrius
Likened to the “Group of Seven meets Vincent Van Gogh,” renowned contemporary Canadian painter and Mastrius Master ANDREW CHEDDIE SOOKRAH uses a wide range of media to interpret land and life.
Amber Summers
By Mastrius
It’s STORY MORNING with Mastrius Navigator and aspiring artist AMBER SUMMERS! Grab your coffee and let the steps she’s taken in her creative journey encourage your own!
Cordula Kagemann Master Artist
By Mastrius
From her 300-year old home in the German countryside, Mastrius Master CORDULA KAGEMANN shares the signature process and techniques that have made her one of Europe’s most recognizable abstract collage artists.
Karen Wilson Master Artist
By Mastrius
Wielding her palette knife, Mastrius Master KAREN WILSON brings contemporary subjects from seascapes to florals (and everything between!) lusciously to life.
Zach Krasner
By Mastrius
It was Picasso who once said, “I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.” Following in the footsteps of the cubist master, Mastrius artist ZACH KRASNER takes the very same approach.
Cathy Simone Master Photographer
By Mastrius
Award-winning photographer and Photoshop master, CATHY SIMONE balances light and shadow to produce a truly riveting image and story.
Gil Robles Master Artist
By Mastrius
New master mentor GIL ROBLES captures portraits as both a time machine and a bridge—at any time viewers can experience and connect with a personality from another place and time.
Roberta Hoiness
By Mastrius
Life is seldom quiet for former physical therapist and busy mother, #mastriusartist ROBERTA HOINESS. By picking up painting, she created moments of peace for both herself and her home.
Desmond O’Hagan Master Artist
By Mastrius
Known for his loose, luminescent painting style and bold, confident strokes, Mastrius master DESMOND O’HAGAN instills the same skill and spirit in the artists he mentors.
Catherine Bagnell Styles
By Mastrius
Looking out over the Atlantic from her light-filled studio—a renovated fish shack in Nova Scotia’s Ketch Harbour—#mastriusartist CATHERINE BAGNELL STYLES paints intricate impressionistic landscapes with an occasional floral thrown in for good measure.
Gordon Wiltsie Master Photographer
By Mastrius
Storyteller, artist, explorer, and not to mention, award-winning National Geographic photographer, #mastriusmaster GORDON WILTSIE has spent 40+ years documenting Earth’s wildest places.
Jane Romanishko Master Artist
By Mastrius
#Mastriusmaster JANE ROMANISHKO is living proof that artists never stop learning!
Lainey Benson
By Mastrius
#Mastriusartist LAINEY BENSON is living that glass-half-full life… and it is making all the difference.
Dave Santillanes Master Artist
By Mastrius
“By the time I was in high school, I knew I wanted to be a full-time artist… the ‘free’ kind of artist, the kind that worked for themselves and painted what they wanted to paint.”
Leah Olsen-Kent
By Mastrius
If anyone seemed destined for life as a floral artist, it was #mastriusartist LEAH OLSEN-KENT.
Lorraine Watry Master Artist
By Mastrius
When #mastriusmaster LORRAINE WATRY dedicated herself to painting, she wanted to one day hold her own alongside the “big dogs” in watercolour. Three decades later, she’s carved out a place for herself all her own.
Laurie Cairns
By Mastrius
When life gives her lemons, #mastriusartist LAURIE CAIRNS makes the best lemonade!
David Langevin Master Artist
By Mastrius
When art school didn’t offer #mastriusmaster DAVID LANGEVIN the technical painting information he craved, he determined to dig it up himself.
Barbara Simmons
By Mastrius
“It’s that feeling you have when you are on the water and everything is beautiful, and it just feels good to be alive.”
Doesn’t that sound amazing? Lucky for us, #mastriusnavigator BARBARA SIMMONS bottles that feeling, painting the soul of the Georgian Bay from her studio on its banks and bringing it into homes across the country.
Deane Christensen
By Mastrius
Creatives often share the sense #mastriusartist DEANE CHRISTIANSEN describes: “When I saw something, I always thought, ‘Oh, I could make that,’ or, ‘I could do that’.’” What’s unique about Deane is, then she went ahead and did.
Kevin Beilfuss Master Artist
By Mastrius
When new #mastriusmaster KEVIN BEILFUSS was small, he told his parents he wanted to make a living as a colouring book artist. Now, Kevin jokes, he spends all his time trying to colour outside the lines.
Mavis Gauchier
By Mastrius
Crouched down along the trail, deep in the intricacies of often-missed flowers and fungi, you’ll find #mastriusartist MAVIS GAUCHIER, documenting details she just can’t ignore!
Sergio Mendoza
By Mastrius
#mastriusnavigator SERGIO MENDOZA just sent off a portrait of a past president commissioned by the Presidential Palace in Ecuador. An amazing feat for someone who once felt like “a zero as a member of society.”
Veronica Funk Master Artist
By Mastrius
Evolving over time, #mastriusmaster VERONICA FUNK’s work has become about storytelling—honouring the lives and stories of women through portraiture.
Lori Siebert Master Artist
By Mastrius
#mastriusmaster LORI SIEBERT calls herself “a bit of a chameleon,” but that may be hard to believe because she is not blending in! Sharing her fresh approach to color and sentiment in everything from acrylic and watercolor to torn paper and clay, Lori might more accurately be labeled a modern day renaissance woman.
Garin Baker Master Artist
By Mastrius
Growing up and living in vibrant New York City, #mastriusmaster GARIN BAKER never has to repeat the same theme or subject twice! He honours the diversity and uniqueness all around him—and the singularity of each work of art he creates.
Tracy Epler
By Mastrius
Glancing up at her wall of quotes, #mastriusartist TRACY EPLER chooses one she’s newly committed to living out: “No matter what you do for a living, nurture your art.”—Irwin Greenberg
Alex Garant Master Artist
By Mastrius
Pioneer of contemporary figurative op art, leader in analogue glitch art, Canada’s pop surrealist, and internationally-crowned Queen of Double Eyes, #mastriusmaster ALEX GARANT is charting her own original and authentic course.
Penny Gabor
By Mastrius
Ontario-based #mastriusnavigator PENNY GABOR knows that life rarely takes us in a straight line. In fact, she’s embraced it as an art.
Michele Doucette
By Mastrius
Calgary-based #mastriusartist MICHELE DOUCETTE was always on the move. Running stairs, cycling, sprint triathlons—“that was my identity.” So when Michele was diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), she was devastated.
Cheri Christensen Master Artist
By Mastrius
All things fluffy, furry, and feathered come to life in blazing glory under the brush of Texas-based #mastriusmaster CHERI CHRISTENSEN!
Melissa Mulder
By Mastrius
Exquisite weddings, elaborate bouquets, the finest florals arranged to perfection—the career #mastriusartist MELISSA MULDER walked away from to hold onto something precious for just a little longer.
Mark Heine Master Artist
By Mastrius
#Mastriusmaster Mark Heine was raised by artists to be an artist. “I’m a second-generation artist, and my apprenticeship began at birth.”
Marty Haefcke
By Mastrius
“3 and half years ago I picked up a paintbrush and today I’m rushing to get 4-5 pieces ready for the @squarefootshow hosted by @jveenstraartist!”
This could be the rags-to-riches, guts-to-glory story of #mastriusnavigator MARTY HAEFCKE. But as is often the case, there’s a lot more going on behind the scenes.
Vanessa Ali
By Mastrius
Architecture, graphic design, web design, singing, knitting, making jewellery, playing musical instruments, and gardening are all in a day’s work for #mastriusartist VANESSA ALI. Now amidst ALL the things she creates, she is making her mark as an oil and acrylic painter.
Cindy Revell Master Artist
By Mastrius
Oil painter and #mastriusmaster CINDY REVELL turns her spirited, imaginative, fun art into a serious career.
Victor Wang Master Artist
By Mastrius
Navigating two worlds and always holding the tension and beauty of both, #mastriusmaster VICTOR WANG sculpts figures and portraits on canvas using nothing but his tools and the paint.
Karen Weihs Master Artist
By Mastrius
Painting in the luminous style that led her to moniker “The Colorist of the South,” #mastriusmaster KAREN WEIHS walks the line. She teeters between abstraction and landscape and shares the familiar without divulging the whole story.
Lauren Mantecón Master Artist
By Mastrius
When #mastriusmaster LAUREN MANTECÓN was nine years old, she tagged along with her mom’s local art chapter association to show her work in a Miami, FL, shopping mall. Next to paintings of palm trees, nude studies, and sandy white beaches, she carefully set up her small canvases of abstract planets and galaxies.
No one knew then, but they were witnessing the beginnings of Lauren’s lifelong body of work exploring the human connection with the mysterious beyond.
Noémie Côté
By Mastrius
Amid two cross-continent moves as a child, art was a solace for French Canadian oil painter and #mastriusartist NOÉMIE CÔTÉ.
Sharon Lynn Williams Master Artist
By Mastrius
With a fine arts career spanning almost 40 years, #mastriusmaster SHARON LYNN WILLIAMS showcases how embracing variety keeps life interesting and us, as artists, at the top of our game.
Maria Wigge Master Artist
By Mastrius
Life’s path doesn’t often travel in a straight line. Yet #mastriusmaster MARIA WIGGE has found that unexpected trajectories often add layers and meaning to life we didn’t expect.
Zhaoming Wu Master Artist
By Mastrius
Internationally-renowned figurative painter #mastriusmaster ZHAOMING WU uniquely blends the classical and contemporary to always elevate the human form.
Gaye Adams Master Artist
By Mastrius
We all love a final product, but #mastriusmaster GAYE ADAMS’ work is marked by her love of the process. Gaye paints en plein air “for the thrill of the chase,” and can’t help but share her joy in capturing the magic and wildness of light in a painting.
Nancy Tankersley Master Artist
By Mastrius
We’re thrilled to introduce the newest talent on the Mastrius mentor team—oil painter and founder of Plein Air Easton, #mastriusmaster NANCY TANKERSLEY!
Brooke O’Connell
By Mastrius
#Mastriusartist BROOKE O’CONNELL is saving the lives of her subjects by painting them.
Keiko Tanabe Master Artist
By Mastrius
Accomplished plein air watercolourist, #mastriusmaster KEIKO TANABE expresses mood, depth, and beauty masterfully through her landscape, cityscape, waterscape, and interior scenes.
OUR STORY: LevellingUp
By LevellingUp
The LU creative community we know and love didn’t start out exactly that way.
OUR STORY: Mike deBoer
By LevellingUp
Today we’re peeking behind the scenes to get to know the engine that is MIKE DEBOER: LU co-founder and Julie deBoer’s husband and partner in (creative) crime!
OUR STORY: Julie deBoer
By LevellingUp
Chances are, you know LevellingUp co-founder JULIE DEBOER or have heard snippets of her story online. Today we get to hear the story of how she became an artist and how the LU community continues to impact her life. Grab a seat!
Topher Straus Master Artist
By LevellingUp
A New York-trained fine artist known for his raw playfulness and imaginative concepts, #LUmaster TOPHER STRAUS is also an enthusiastic businessman.
David Chidley Master Photographer
By LevellingUp
We’re SO EXCITED to share that mentorship groups for aspiring and emerging PHOTOGRAPHERS have launched—beginning with Master Mentor and photographer DAVID CHIDLEY!
Larry Moore Master Artist
By LevellingUp
Despite growing up in a family of artists and working professionally in the art world now for 45 years, Florida-based #LUmaster LARRY MOORE’s work has never grown stale.
Janice Gallant
By LevellingUp
“Paint from the soul” is #LUnavigator JANICE GALLANT’s mantra and rallying cry. But she had quite a journey to get there.
Steve Seeley
By LevellingUp
Longtime photographer, animator, and key player in Calgary’s design world as co-founder of Studio Dialog, #LUartist STEVE SEELEY is beginning again with a whole new analog artform—painting!
Marc Grandbois Master Artist
By LevellingUp
Quebec born & based, #LUmaster MARC GRANDBOIS is passionate about three things: nature, painting, and the nature of painting.
Sharon Fox Cranston Master Artist
By LevellingUp
Creating since childhood and professionally for 30+ years, #LUmaster SHARON FOX CRANSTON is an accomplished artist in a wide range of mediums and subjects. Art is her JOY, the language she uses to share how she sees the world, and her legacy.
Janki Chokshi
By LevellingUp
“Learning never stops till your last breath,” says California-based #LUartist of MANY mediums JANKI CHOKSHI! And for Janki, creative learning started almost with her first breath.
Susan Harrison-Tustain Master Artist
By LevellingUp
Decades ago, artists didn’t have the luxury of learning from online master painters. When New Zealand-based #LUmaster SUSAN HARRISON-TUSTAIN couldn’t find anyone teaching what she wanted to learn, she dedicated her life to learning it herself.
Debbie Nicolaisen
By LevellingUp
Despite setbacks, this inspiring #LUnavigator keeps hearing and heeding the call to paint… the talented acrylic & oil artist DEBBIE NICOLAISEN!
Jean Pederson Master Artist
By LevellingUp
Innovative artist, author, and educator, #LUmaster JEAN PEDERSON has had a long and successful art career and she too admits to feeling fear sometimes. What is encouraging and inspiring is HOW she responds to that feeling.
Amy Steinberg
By LevellingUp
If you’re into beauty (and really, who isn’t?), then check out the work of this California-based abstract impressionist—#LUartist AMY STEINBERG!
Clarence Porter Master Artist
By LevellingUp
Always an artist, #LUmaster CLARENCE PORTER began his career as an art director/graphic designer in the Toronto advertising world.
Patricia Roncone
By LevellingUp
#LUartist PATRICIA RONCONE is the painter we need right now to remind us that we can do hard things. And make beautiful things!
Pamela Beer Master Artist
By LevellingUp
Some days it’s hard for even the best of us to hold onto hope. Good thing we have #LUmaster PAMELA BEER!
Michelle Paradis
By LevellingUp
#LUnavigator MICHELLE PARADIS’ story paints an amazing picture of how art opened up the possibility of new life for her, and now she shares that sense of hope with others.
Janifer Calvez
By LevellingUp
Artists consistently blaze new trails and break new ground. Meet an #LUartist breaking tired artist stereotypes—professional acrylic painter JANIFER CALVEZ!
Ezshwan Winding Master Artist
By LevellingUp
Ezshwan is an extremely experienced and savvy instructor—training students in both her art techniques and how to effectively get art out into the world.
Belinda McNeice
By LevellingUp
This week we’re oohing and aahing over the work of representational/impressionist oil painter BELINDA McNEICE! Inspired by the great outdoors, Belinda has an amazing way of capturing the light—something she’s honing even further by painting en plein air.
Jean Parker
By LevellingUp
One LU creative has been with us since the earliest days—first as a leadership guru and now as an emerging artist. We’re so thrilled to end this year with celebration as we turn the spotlight onto #LUnavigator JEAN PARKER!
Niki Parry
By LevellingUp
We’re kicking off this last week before the holidays with vibrant colour an an equally vibrant Northern Canadian #LUartist—NIKI PARRY!
Deanna Beaujot
By LevellingUp
Argentina-born, Calgary-based #LUartist DEANNA BEAUJOT is speaking from the heart with her art, first with watercolour and more recently with acrylic and mixed media.
Becky McNabb
By LevellingUp
Meet an #LUartist who recently started facilitating an artist group with #LUmaster Anita McComas while also being mentored by #LUmaster Lauren Mantecon… the wonderful acrylic & mixed media artist BECKY McNABB!
Cheryl McFadden
By LevellingUp
CHERYL MCFADDEN started off as a self-taught painter and transitioned into owning a glass fusing studio, making architectural pieces with huge sheets of glass and massive kilns. While unique and satisfying, the art form required a significant ongoing investment. When Cheryl sold the studio and returned to her first love of painting, the comparative ease and low cost of buying art supplies was delightful!
Mary-Jo Lough
By LevellingUp
Abstract acrylic artist and #LUnavigator MARY-JO LOUGH serves up drama and depth from a well of rich life experience. Mary-Jo joined the ranks of full time artists two years ago after picking up the brush again while caring for a mother diagnosed with lung cancer.
David James
By LevellingUp
“You don’t really learn by reading something in a book, not this anyway. The only real way to learn is to bring yourself in front of it and do it; that’s when you discover so much.”
Raquel Roth
By LevellingUp
Colour is RAQUEL ROTH’s way into the hearts of her viewers, and she receives amazing feedback from clients that her florals bring back memories of loved ones or put a smile on their faces day after day. “It’s a really cool feeling to be able to touch people through art.”
Gerry Hogaboam
By LevellingUp
Ontario-based impressionist and abstract painter, GERRY HOGABOAM is an accomplished artist in both watercolour and acrylic. A retired educator, Gerry built an entire second career out of painting.
