For July, Arbor Gallery in Vankleek Hill presents Natasha Martel’s exhibition titled Food for Thought, in the main room.
Martel received her master’s in fine arts from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD) University in 2022. Since then, she has been teaching painting and drawing courses at the Dollard Center for the Arts in the West-Island. This is her first still life exhibition, she previously explored themes of abstraction. She enjoyed mixing the formal element of the three-tiered backgrounds and the turning cast shadows spotlighting the central object–in this case a piece of fruit or a vegetable.
“Fruits are so visually interesting to look at – especially cut open!,” Martel said.
In our members’ space
For more than 35 years, Hélène Desjardins has explored the expressive power of watercolour, inspired by Jean-Yves Guindon, an internationally renowned watercolourist, and shaped by her own experimentation. Her recent work in graphite adds depth to her portraits, capturing the subtlety of emotion. Flowers, animals, and music are recurring themes—each piece a quiet reflection of peace, connection, and inner stillness.
Stephanie Pehar is a multidisciplinary artist based in Saint-Lazare. After spending more than a decade as a portrait photographer, she returned to her roots in painting and found renewed inspiration through watercolor. Her nature-inspired work reflects a love of quiet beauty and emotional connection.
The exhibition runs from July 3 to July 27 at Arbor Gallery, open Wednesday to Sunday, from noon to 4 p.m. The vernissage with artists present is Saturday, July 12, from 1pm to 3pm.
Submitted photos
