The 'roots' of our collective began at the Oakville Arts Studio (OAS), headed by a very talented artist, Ixchel Suarez. She is the heart and the reason our art collective started.

 

Each of our members, had a passion to learn and create art. We all started attending the Adult Art Studio sessions at the Oakville Arts Studio with Ixchel. Artists came and went, but over the years, a core group of us diligently came to the studio. This core group, mostly strangers at the beginning, shared a love of art. Our studio sessions began to become a source of socialization, & community.

 

Unfortunately the studio closed due to COVID, but our group continued to paint with Ixchel online, under her new art studio, 'Oak Heights Art Studios' and then eventually in different studio spaces in person with Ixchel.

During the summers  at the height of COVID, our group continued to find ways to paint together outside (& with masks). We discovered the joys of plein air painting...and our friendships grew stronger as a group. We became a support network. Not only do we help each other with our art, but we provide social, mental and physical support for each other. We are a group who paint together, laugh together, eat together and share our joys & sorrows.  

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Our group continues to paint together, anywhere we can find a space to paint...and many of us continue to paint online & in person with Ixchel. We are a community....we are a 'collective'...and we have all become better artists because of each other!