Artist- Oil on Canvas
Janet Simmons Sweet, CFS
Artist Biography/CV
Janet Simmons Sweet has lived in rural Southern Ontario her entire life. Dr. Hussey, a pioneer conservationist fighting to save the Rattray March, raised an early appreciation to Janet’s natural world. The value of a raw landscape, married to an emotional response. This, and an instant love of a Constable painting…. at age five.
In 1968 she was formally introduced to art through an experimental education program. Enhanced art classes with an art teacher who pushed her technically, forced a discovery. She could combine her natural world and her emotion, on a canvas.
1997 brought the value in that discovery. She was diagnosed with cancer. Life suddenly finite, painting rose to capture the fleeting moments. She became a fulltime artist in 2001.
International travel cemented influence from the Romantic and Impressionistic Periods. Emotion was the ignite, and the exquisite light delivered it. Ongoing Workshops continue to refine and shape her own style. Dramatic lighting to create mood, is the signature most noted in her work.
Acrylic and Oil mediums co-exist in separate layers, which technically requires clear decisions between the two. The first is used for planning lighting and composition. The second is used selectively, in layers of vibrant colours, elevating and contrasting the light.
Janet holds Memberships in local art organizations, serving as Director/Treasurer and the Chair of Gallery/Marketing/Festival/Juried Committees. She is an elected member of the Colour and Form Society. In addition to a Studio in the Alton Mill Arts Centre since 2008, she has participated in Public Gallery Group Exhibitions, Juried Exhibitions, and Art Festivals on a regular basis.
In 2014, Janet mounted her first annual Solo Exhibit. One idea. 12 Canvases. Since then, each year a new Collection is debuted. The Grey Matter Collection in 2019 is her most personal. Canvases were painted in grey scale, with disappearing details in soft light. Exhibited together, they recorded the devastating diagnosis of Dementia. Her Mother was the ignite.
Janet can be found in her Studio at the Alton Mill Arts Centre 12 months of the year, creating and selling her artwork. The Centre is a vibrant art community that hosts it own high end, well attended Events several times a year. Fire and Ice Event(January) and Cuisine-Art Event (July) have both been nominated and received awards from the Headwaters Tourism Board.
Watercolours completed on site, and Life Draw Classes in Charcoal/Graphite are ongoing
Plein Aire Watercolour studies
Life Draw Class: Three hour session; Graphite
In March 2016, Janet was elected to the Colour and Form Society, an organization of professional artists founded in 1952. The CFS is an intrinsic part of the Canadian art scene. Singular in its multi-cultural structure, it adds new dimension to the Canadian identity.
Highlights of Past Exhibits 2011-2022
2011
•Dec 5, 2010 - Jan 9,2011 - Annual Christmas Membership Show - Beaux-Arts Brampton
•Jan 9 - Apr 10, 2011 - Coffee Culture Exhibit - Brampton
•Jul 4 - Jul 30, 2011 - Beaux-Arts Brampton Membership Show - Beaux-Arts Brampton
•Sep 7 - Nov 20, 2011 - Membership Exhibit - Headwaters Dam Gallery, Caledon
•Nov 6 - 27, 2011 - Pelham Fine Arts Juried Show - Pelham, ON
•Dec 5, 2011 - Jan 8, 2012 - Annual Christmas Membership Show - Beaux-Arts Brampton
2012
•Apr 22 - May 14, 2012 - Beaux-Arts Wildlife and Nature Juried Exhibit - Beaux-Arts Brampton
•Jun 10 - Sept 4, 2012 - Insights Elora Art Council Juried Show - Elora
•Sept 7 - 9,2012 - Carmel Fine Art Festival, Juried Show - Niagara Falls, ON
•Dec 6 - 9, 2012 - Mistletoe Magic Exhibit/Auction - John B. Aird Gallery, Toronto
•Dec 2, 2012 - Jan 6, 2013 - Annual Christmas Membership Show - Beaux-Arts Brampton
2013
•Feb 5 - Mar 10, 2013 - Harvest Group Exhibit - Headwaters Dam Gallery, Caledon
•Apr 2 - Apr 28, 2013 - Open Juried Show - Beaux-Arts Brampton
•Jun 10 - Sept 3, 2013 - Insights Elora Arts Council Juried Show - Elora
•Sept 13 - 15, 2013 - Carmel Fine Art Festival, Juried Show - Niagara Falls, ON
•Oct 6 - Nov 3, 2013 - The Fall Road Trip, Solo Exhibit - Millcroft Inn Gallery, Caledon
•Nov 3 - Dec 1, 2013 - Natural Talent, Group Show - Assembly Hall, Toronto
2014
•Dec 4, 2013 - Jan 5, 2014 - Natural Talent, Group Show - Etobicoke Civic Centre Art Gallery, Toronto
•Apr 1 - 26, 2014 - Beaux-Arts Brampton Open Juried Fine Art 2014 - Beaux-Arts Brampton
•Apr 8 - May 4, 2014 - Fools Rush In, Juried Show - Headwaters Arts Gallery, Caledon
•May 3 - Jul 7, 2014 - Spring Up Exhibit - Falls Gallery, Caledon
•Jul 6 - 19, 2014 - Out Every Window, Solo Exhibit - Beaux-Arts Brampton
•Sept 12 - 14, 2014 - Carmel Fine Art Festival, Juried Show - Niagara Falls, ON
•Sept 24 - Oct 13, 2014 - EQUINOX, Solo Exhibit - Falls Gallery, Caledon
•Oct 1 - 28, 2014 - Wellington Artist's Gallery Juried Exhibit - Elora
•Nov 30, 2014 - Jan 4, 2015 - Christmas in Caledon II Juried Show - Headwaters Arts Gallery, Caledon
2015
•Dec 15, 2014 - Feb 2,2015 - White Ice, Solo Juried Exhibit - Millcroft Inn Gallery, Caledon
•Apr 5 - May 2, 2015 - “Order in Disorder”, the Ontario Society of Artists 142nd Open Juried Exhibition - John B. Aird Gallery, Toronto
•Apr 9 - May 12, 2015 - Headwaters Arts Juried Exhibit - Headwaters Arts Gallery, Caledon
•May 13 - Jun 14,2015 - "RED" partner Exhibit - Headwaters Arts Main Gallery, Caledon
•Sept 19 - Oct 4, 2015 - Headwaters Arts Festival Juried Show - Alton Mill Arts Centre
•Sept 16 - Oct 4, 2015 - RECEDE, Solo Exhibit - Falls Gallery, Caledon
•Sept 4 - Oct 9, 2015 - Invitational Exhibit Theatre Orangeville - Orangeville
•Oct 19 - Nov 23, 2015 - Autumn Escape Exhibit - Millcroft Inn Gallery, Caledon
2016
•Nov 29, 2015 - Jan 22, 2016 - Soar (Group Exhibit) - Etobicoke Civic Centre Art Gallery, Toronto
•Apr 5 - May 1, 2016 - Group Exhibit - Joseph D. Carrier Art Gallery, Toronto
•Jun 15 - Jul 10, 2016 - Colour and Form Society Biennial Juried Exhibition - Todmorden Mills, Toronto
•Sept 17 - Oct 10, 2016 - Headwaters Arts Festival Juried Show - Alton Mill Arts Centre
•Sept 18 - Oct 10, 2016 - From the Dock Solo Exhibit - Falls Gallery, Caledon
2017
•Jan 25 - Feb 13, 2017 - White Magic, Solo Exhibit - Falls Gallery, Caledon
•Mar 21 - Apr 8, 2017 - Beaux-Arts Brampton 10th Open Juried Exhibition - Beaux-Arts Brampton
•Sept 14 - Oct 15, 2017 - Headwaters Arts Festival Juried Show - Alton Mill Arts Centre
•Sept 26 - Oct 29, 2017 - Exposé Solo Exhibit - Falls Gallery, Caledon
•Dec 4, 2017 - Jan 18, 2018 - Natural Talent, Group Exhibit - Etobicoke Civic Centre Art Gallery, Toronto
2018
•Feb 14 - Mar18, 2018 - Fragments Group Show - Headwaters Arts Main Gallery, Caledon
•Apr 11 - May 5, 2018 - Beaux-Arts Brampton Open Fine Art Juried - Beaux-Arts Brampton
•Aug 1 - 26, 2018 - 12 x 12 Show Group Exhibit - Headwaters Arts Gallery, Caledon
•Sept 12 - Oct 21, 2018 - Containing Energy, Solo Exhibit - Falls Gallery, Caledon
•Sept 13 - Oct 8, 2018 - Headwaters Arts Festival Juried Exhibit - Alton Mill Arts Centre
•Nov 7 - Dec 2, 2018 - The Meaning of Light Group Show - Falls Gallery, Caledon
2019
•Dec 18, 2018 - Jan 13, 2019 - The Escapade Group Show -The Pond Gallery, Caledon
•Mar 13 - May 4, 2019 - Beaux-Arts Brampton, 12th Annual Juried Fine Art Show - Beaux-Arts Brampton
•Apr 24 - May 26, 2019 - All Squared Up, Group Show - Headwaters Arts Gallery, Caledon
•Jun 3 - Jun 17, 2019 - Art Square Gallery - Dundas St W, Toronto
•Sept 18 - Oct 5, 2019 - Phenom, Headwaters Arts Invitational Exhibit - Alton Mill Arts Centre
•Oct 9 - Nov 3, 2019 - Grey Matter, Solo Exhibit - Falls Gallery, Caledon
2020
•Jan 5 - Jul 12, 2020 - Alton Mill Group Exhibit - Pond Gallery, Caledon
•Sept 17 - Oct 4, 2020 - Headwaters Arts Festival Juried Exhibition - Alton Mill Arts Centre
2021
•March 3 - Aug 2, 2021 - Pond Gallery Group Exhibit Headwaters - Alton Mill Arts Centre
2022
• Feb 2 - Apr 2, 2022- 13th Annual Fine Art Juried Exhibition - Beaux-Arts Brampton
• Sep 20 - Oct 13, 2022- 70th Anniversary Colour and Form Society Juried Show- ECC
• Oct 18 - November 24, 2022 - Natural Talent - Etobicoke Civic Centre Art Gallery, Toronto
• Dec 1, 2022 - Jan 5, 2023- CFS Elected Member 70th Anniversary - Carrier Gallery, Lawrence Ave, Toronto
Awards/Publications
Awards
•2012: Juror’s Award, Beaux-Arts Brampton Wildlife and Nature Juried Exhibit
•2013: Honorable Mention (Juror Award), Beaux-Arts Brampton Open Juried Show
•2013: Artist Choice Award, Assembly Hall, Toronto
•2015: People’s Choice Award, Headwaters Arts Festival Juried Show
•2017: Artist Choice Award, Etobicoke Civic Centre Art Gallery, Toronto
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2023: Juror Award, First Prize, Assembly Hall Gallery, Toronto
Artist in Residence:
•2014: Rose Theatre, Brampton, Ontario
Publications
•2014: Brampton Guardian
•2014: Odeum Magazine
•2014: Headwaters Tourism Guide
•2014: Orangeville Living Magazine
•2015: Sideroads Magazine
•2015: Caledon Enterprise
•2016: Caledon Enterprise
•2017: In the Hills Magazine
•2019: Caledon Enterprise
•2019: Caledon Citizen
Contributions to the Artistic Community
Board of Directors and Committees:
•2010 - 2019: Gallery Committee, Installations of Headwaters Arts Festival Juried Show
•2011 – 2014: Juried Show Committee, Headwaters Arts Festival Show
•2010: Co-Chair, Headwaters Arts Festival
•2010: Marketing Chair, Headwaters Arts
•2010: Vice-President, Headwaters Arts
•2009: Treasurer, Headwaters Arts
•2008 - 2013: Gallery Chair, Headwaters Arts
•2008 - 2014: Gallery Installations, Beaux-Arts Brampton
•2007 - 2012: Treasurer, Beaux-Arts Brampton
Juror:
•2017, 2018, 2019, 2020: New Members, Colour and Form Society, Toronto
•2015: Wellington Artists Juried Show, Elora
•2014: Orangeville Art Group Exhibit
•2013: Sheri Tenaglia Student Show, Williams Mill
•2012: Beaux-Arts Brampton BDDC Student Show
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