Karen MacGregor is an artist living Port Elgin. She and three other Strait Shores Artists, Katherine Becker, Linda O’Keefe, and Debbie Malcolm who call themselves the Group of Four are combining their talents to participate in the annual studio and gallery tour Art Across The Marsh.
Shortly after moving to Port Elgin in 2022 Karen has found an artistic community that has brought more enjoyment to her artistic practice.
“I met these three wonderful ladies about three years ago, introduced to them by a friend and we clicked. We just really enjoy doing our own thing and we get together often with coffee and then just have the morning together and just create. And, the group of four just sounded like an appropriate label for us going forward at Art Across the Marsh.”
“Being an artist, is many different things to many different people. For me, I retired three years ago and I’ve had the opportunity to delve into all kinds of different mediums and that part I enjoy. As far as going as a group of four, it’s just more fun. Obviously, it’s a take on the Group of Seven… and we’re three short!”
This is Karen’s third year showing at Art Across the Marsh. The first two years she presented as a solo artist. She has found retirement in Port Elgin to have largely been a boon to her artistic journey.
“Basically because it is a nice, quiet place and I have been afforded the time to experiment and just pursue all kinds of different mediums, including sculptures and watercolour and acrylic pencils.You know, it’s just like, I’m a kid in a candy store in my own little studio here. What will I do next??? So it’s been exciting that way, for sure. “
Talking about her current artistic practice, Karen is enthusiastic.
“My latest, medium of choice has been coloured pencil, and that’s been a challenge and something new. And that’s mostly what I’m going to be bringing with me. I do have a few, felted sculptures that I will be bringing along just for fun and there will be a little bit of other mediums, but mostly my coloured pencil. I’m pretty excited about that.”
“My favourites are the old masters and I like the still life and that kind of a look. I’m interested in detail. I love portraits. I love to do just paintings with people in it. With my coloured pencil, it’s more birds and animals and they’re kind of fun too. I like to be a little more on the realistic side.”
Last year, Karen joined the Sackville Art Association and has found the experience to be very positive. She recommends the group to other artists and is impressed that they do a lot for the community and the local schools, offering bursaries and making sure that they get art supplies for classrooms.
When asked what advice she has for artists in our community who are looking to start to share their art, Karen had this to say:
“Believe in what you’re doing and do it because you want to. And it’s fun and that takes a lot of the pressure off of what people are gonna think. But definitely I would advise everybody that’s interested in this creativity, whatever it is to get it out there and share. It’s the fun part. “
You can see Karen’s work with other the artists’ of the Group of Four at the Baie Verte Community Hall, in Baie Verte, as part of the Art Across the Marsh studio and gallery tour. Hours for the tour are 10am to 5 pm – Saturday, October. 18 and Sunday, October 19.
Here is the official map of all those participating in the tour:
For more information on Art Across the Marsh and all artists and galleries participating in this year’s tour, go to: artacrossthemarsh.ca or check out their facebook page.
