About Bent Tree Arts:
Hi! I'm Valerie May, an artist, wife, mom & community volunteer. I love to play with paints, inks, paper, book binding, and so much more. My mico art business is called Bent Tree Arts. Let me explain why:
My favourite painting in pretty much the whole wide world is Tom Thomson's The West Wind, featuring the windswept pine tree. I've obsessed about it for years, wrote an essay about it, have the print ... you get the picture.
What I love about that pine tree in Tom's painting, is that after many years of facing the elements head on, the tree has developed bends to adapt. These days, aren't we all facing headwinds? The wonderful bending comes with age & experience, sure. But do we snap in two? Certainly not! And if we feel that we have, that's okay, too. Making art will help, I guarantee it!
I've just moved to beautiful Muskoka, Ontario a lovely, treed area of the Canadian Shield. There's deep history here from my childhood. So glad to be back.
** Original Art ** Workshops for the Creative Soul ** Over 12 years experience guiding adult, kids, and special needs creativity workshops. Find out more HERE.
Exhibitions:
Heathers Bakery, Georgetown, ON / (Painted Paddles) February 2024
Baysville Arts and Crafts Festival, Baysville, ON/ August 2023
Oakville Art Society, Art in the Park / August 2023
Locally Grown Group Exhibition 2023 / Helson Gallery
Heather's Bakery, Georgetown, ON March 2023 solo exhibition
Art Battle - Hamilton, Ontario 2022
Locally Grown Group Exhibition 2022 / Helson Gallery
Heather's Bakery, Georgetown, ON / July 2021 (solo), May 2022 (group)
Re-Emergence: New Works by Artists of Halton Hills - Culture Days 2021 / Helson Gallery
Holiday Show and Sale - Halton Hills Public Library, Georgetown Branch 2021
Art Battle - Alton, Ontario 2019