By Sue Fenwick and Doreen Tawse Smith
The Cherry Point Art Group is prepping for their annual show this month, a show that will feature the work of Doreen Tawse Smith.
Tawse Smith was born in Saskatchewan, and grew up in Winnipeg where she started her working life as a travel agent. Transferred to Edmonton, Doreen met her husband and raised her family. With a busy home life and extensive travel, she found little time to paint, although she did pull out her oil paints from time to time to paint landscapes inspired by her travels.
On retirement in 1990 Tawse Smith moved to Vancouver Island, settling in Duncan. Keen to devote more time to her art, she joined the Cherry Point Art Group in 1998 and took up watercolours.
As a cherished member of the group, and to honour her commitment to the local art scene, she will be this year’s profile artist at the Cherry Point Art Show at St. Peter’s Church in late April.
Tawse Smith is a prolific painter, and her advancing years have not diminished her energetic engagement with the arts. On the contrary she’s busy painting portraits, landscapes and animals in her preferred medium of watercolour. She loves colour.
“You find different techniques and evolve as an artist, learning more about colour and how to use it,” she said.
Over her many years of painting Tawse Smith has extended her knowledge by participating in workshops at Victoria Art College, and workshops held by local artists Cim McDonald, Pat Fischer, Victor Arcega, Linda Faulk and Harry Heine. She likes to “stretch” herself, and perseveres with new techniques, finding possibilities in colour and form.
“I like the fact that painting is totally absorbing and I think everyone should try it,” she said.
Tawse Smith’s work will be on display at St. Peter’s Church for the two days of the art show: Friday, April 21 and Saturday, April 22.