Stories

We live in a world focused on its economic present, a world that has pushed the health of our planet far into the periphery. We have lost our vision for a sustainable world.

With this Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society Fundraiser, we are attempting to shift focus toward the wilderness and wildlife that are in desperate need of protection.

• Canvas art prints featuring Canadian wildlife by Jonathan Munz
• 50% of proceeds donated to CPAWS
• Ready-to-hang stretched over 1.5” wood bars
• Free Canada-wide shipping
• Proudly sponsored by Insight Eye Care

Animals Wearing Glasses?

When our friends at Insight Eye Care approached us about commissioning a quirky six piece series of Canadian animals wearing glasses for their office, we were excited to work with them. When they suggested making the project into a fundraiser for CPAWS, we were ecstatic. 

 

About CPAWS

The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) is Canada’s only nationwide charity dedicated solely to the protection of our public land and water, and ensuring our parks are managed to protect the nature within them. In the past 50+ years, they've played a lead role in protecting over half a million square kilometres – an area bigger than the entire Yukon Territory! Their vision is to protect at least half of our public land and water so that future generations can experience Canada’s irreplaceable wilderness.

With a busy show season quickly approaching, we thought it might be handy for you to have a list of the Kitchener-Waterloo art shows Paint by Munzy has coming up!

Spend your Saturday’s filled with art and community at these walking tours and art events.

Be sure to save the date for Munzy’s 5th annual holiday art show! On November 17th, we will be launching our 2019 Art & Community calendar along with Munzy’s newest original oil paintings.

RSVP for free tickets here

 

Mary Allen Studio Tour

Friday September 28th 7pm - 9pm

272 Herbert Street, Waterloo (Laura’s house)

maryallentour.com

In 1989, Margaret Rowell of the Historical Society began the Mary-Allen Studio Tour. She hosted a walking tour through the historic neighbourhoods while focusing on all the artistic people living in the area. Around the same time, Yvonne and Ray Stanton, residents of Allen Street, proposed that the neighborhood host a studio tour. Resident Artists, Eldon Leis and Jaquelyn Lumsden who were neighbors across Herbert St. at Allen, enthusiastically supported the idea since they both held homesales pf paintings, Bonsai trees, and pottery respectively. The tour now includes homes in Uptown Avondale and Menno neighborhoods as well as homes in Belmot Village, yet the goal remains the same. The Mary Allen Studio Tour encourages neighbours to get to know the talented artists living and working within the area!

Check out the map of the tour to see all the stops at the galleries along the way!

 

 

Endangered Vision Collection Fundraiser

Launch Party  - October 18-19

Insight Eye Care Fall Frame Show

49 Albert Street Waterloo

Insight-eyecare.ca

What could be better than partnering with one of Munzy’s favourite local businesses for a great cause?

When Insight Eye Care moved into their new space on Albert St in Uptown Waterloo, they noticed that they had a lot of empty white walls. Hoping to work with a local artist to help with their bare wall woes, Insight commissioned Munzy to create 6 quirky bespectacled animals.

So what is this fundraiser all about? Our friends at Insight, known in the community for their advocacy and charitable work, are excited to share their commissioned collection for a cause and are the driving force behind our Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society fundraiser.

Half the proceeds of any prints or greeting card sets from this adorable collection will be donated to support CPAWS. (Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society)

This fundraiser kicks off on October 18th where the original paintings will be on display at Insight Eye Care’s annual Fall Frame Showcase.

 

 

Frederick Art Walk

Saturday November 10th 10am - 5pm

230 Frederick Street, Kitchener

frederickartwalk.org

One of my personal favourite art shows in the city, I’m looking forward to showcasing Jonathan’s art there. This will be our first year showing at the 18th annual Frederick Art Walk!

The Frederick Art Walk is a 4 km walking tour through one of Kitchener's oldest neighbourhoods, bounded by Victoria and Krug Streets (on the north and south), Lancaster Street and East Avenue. Surrounded by grand maple trees and century-old homes, participants can enjoy the beauty of the fall and the exquisite artworks. Featuring an extraordinary array of fabric art, paintings, chocolate, photography, pottery, stained glass, sewing crafts and jewellery, that are all for sale!

 

5th Annual Munzy Holiday Exhibition (2019 Calendar Launch)

Saturday November 17th, 6-10pm

Button Factory Arts (2nd Floor) 25 Regina Street South, Uptown Waterloo

RSVP for free tickets here

Shop handmade, beautiful artwork this holiday season at Paint By Munzy’s 5th Annual Holiday Art Show & 2019 calendar launch!

• Free Admission
• Free Parking (Paul Puncher “station” lot across the street)
• Original 2019 calendar paintings debut & silent auction
• Prints, greeting cards, colouring books, mugs and more!
• Live music, hors d’oeuvres & cash bar

And the 2019 “Trees Of Canada” Art & Community Calendars!

RSVP's are not necessary but it helps us out a lot! Feel free to bring friends and family too! We'll look forward to seeing you at this years party.

 

5th Year Munzy Art Gallery Anniversary 

Saturday Dec 1st 12-8pm & Sunday Dec 2 12-4pm

32 King Street N. UpTown Waterloo

paintbymunzy.com

You better believe we’ll be doing some celebrating! Pop by the gallery on our big day to say hello.

 

Etsy Waterloo Region Holiday Market

Saturday November 24th  10am - 5pm

RIM Park, Waterloo

etsywaterlooregion.com

Shop the very best on Etsy from Waterloo Region and surrounding areas at this awesome holiday market with over 75 vendors selling gifts like bath bombs to puppy dog treats, t-shirts, and jewellery. This holiday market offers one-of-a-kind, handmade gifts by artisans and crafters in the Waterloo Region and surrounding communities. Paint by Munzy will be showcasing our unframed prints, greeting cards, mugs and more!

Join us for an exciting weekend at the 29th Annual Mary Allen Studio Tour!

 

I'll always have fond childhood memories of going grocery shopping with our Mom to prepare for our next family camping adventure. Summertime was always so exciting; Tiny boxes of sugar cereals that were never on the menu at home found their way into our shopping cart and the family wasn’t officially ready to go anywhere until we had a good supply of in-shell peanuts for our chipmunk friends.

Algonquin Provincial Park was where my siblings and I would have had the most success building trust with our little woodland friends. We always loved our campsites at Pog Lake (often returning to the same lot or near by) where we were able to spend full afternoons at a picnic table, peanuts in hand and making what we thought were chipmunk noises. We waited.

With a little patience, a round of euchre or two and perhaps some lunch, they always came. I still can't believe how comfortable our little "Chippy's" were with us campers. Sitting on our shoulders and laps, they would stuff their cheeks full of snacks. Scampering off to hide their loot, they would return for more treats countless times.

Most of our chipmunk feeding adventures happened in the late 80's early 90's, although from what I've read, in-shell peanuts are still a healthy snack for our friends. Indeed, I thought I would share more about what other snacks a chipmunk might like if you're planning on making some new friends this summer.

Living off the land, the chipmunk’s diet varies based on what's available to them. When feeding any wild animal (birds, squirrels, no bears please!) it's always important to understand what their natural feeding habits might be to keep their diet close to normal.

Nuts and seeds are usually the best choices when feeding chipmunks. After doing some research, I've recently learned that chipmunks living in year-round warmer climates further south are more likely to feed on pecans and peanuts; whereas our northern friends here in Canada may only have acorns, oak nuts and hickories available. Now if you don't have access to any of these options, unsalted sunflower seeds or strawberries would be another healthy option!

So there you have it! Some tips on feeding Chipmunks. Happy camping this summer everyone and remember to always respect our woodland friends!

There are millions of interior design blogs on the web today.

It's just hard to narrow down which ones are from Canadian Interior Designers. Until now that is.

We’ve hand picked the top 50 Canadian Interior Design Blogs for you. Making it a cinch to stay inspired, and connect with the best Canucks in the business of making our spaces more beautiful.

1. Nordic Design

As the name implies this blog focuses on nordic styles of interior design. Think of the Swedish look made famous by Ikea, and the unmistakable Hygge look from Denmark. You'll be adding natural surfaces, and clean lines to every space after spending some time browsing these refreshing posts.

2. Lushome

If you are into Interior Design, go ahead and bookmark this site. It has an encyclopedia of knowledge. Topics range from interior design, decorating, colours, staging, Feng Shui and much more.

 

3. Amanda Hamilton Design

Amanda Hamilton's blog crushes it. Get modern design tips, room makeovers, neighbourhood reviews, high-level decorating tips and more. And whenever she’s not dishing out tips on her blog, she's delighting her clients in Calgary and Vancouver.

4. Homes Magazine

Having a hard time getting started on your next project? Then spend some time browsing the design & decor category of MyHomePage. In a few clicks you'll have more design ideas than you can work with. Plus, you can also find info on renovations, the ever changing real-estate industry and product through their sister websites.

5. HGTV Canada Renovations

HGTV Canada has a whopping 75 shows about home renovations, gardening, real estate and cleaning. If thats not enough you can visit their renovations blog for tons more on interior design and renovations.

6. The Pinnacle List

As the name implies, The Pinnacle List is luxurious and bold. It made it on our list because of its unique targeting at the luxury destination real estate audience. With a wealth of knowledge how to add some more bling and class to your interior design.

7. Home Stratosphere

Home Stratosphere is a solid interior design blog. Featuring professional photography, clean design, and well written guides for interior & exterior design. Including how to design for your wine cellar, staircases, bathrooms and more.

8. Design Chronicle

Design Chronicle has many commercial and residential focused posts. See the work that retailers are putting in these days, to design great experiences for shoppers across Canada. You'll also hear where top notch Canadian Architects where they get their inspiration.

9. The Province

The Arts & Life section of BC's The Province has a beautiful and well curated selection of decorating articles. See how top Canadian designers approach their projects, and how major public buildings were re-designed.

10. Montreal Gazette

Our friends in la belle province are well served with the interior decorating, renovating, gardening and many other tips found on the MontrealGazette.com.

11. Vancouver Magazine

If you don't already live in Vancouver, you may want to after you see this site. Vancouver Magazine does a fantastic job of putting together an enviable portfolio of projects from their city.

12. Home Stars

Homestars helps you find professionals to help you with your home including renovators, repairmen, retailers and more. They also have a healthy variety of interior design articles that will please anyone who's thinking about their next project.

13. Canadian Architect

The focus of this blog is architecture, but you will thank us for adding it. Learn how the layout and structure of your home affects your lifestyle, and your interior design.

14. Bluebird Upcycled

Erin Rochon offers a unique perspective on interior decorating by integrating "upcycling", furniture refinishing and DIY into her posts. Making this blog great for your wallet, the environment and your home.

15. Style at Home

Never suffer from interior-design FOMO again with Styleathome.com. You'll be in the know of the top trends, colours, patterns, looks and designs you need to have.

16. Modern Home Mag

Modernhomemag.ca curates stunning modern designs to inspire and guide you. See renovations, peep through hundreds of home tours, or drool over amazing listings in Victoria, BC.

17. Home Made Lovely

Home Made Lovely has ideas for decorating, and guides you can use to spruce up your own home. It also includes budget decorating ideas and farmhouse styles.

18. Christine Dovey Blog

Christine Dovey is a world renowned interior designer. Get an intimate look behind the curtains of her work, including her inspirations, partnerships and challenges.

19. Desire To Inspire

Desiretoinspire.net is one of my favourites on this list because of the modern designs it features from around the world. Funny thing is it's written by two women who've never met, and who do not practice interior design. Nonetheless, their enthusiasm and passion for design shines through each curated room and project they feature.

20. Lark & Linen

Jacquelyn Clark's blog showcases her soft, feminine and chic style, through the design of warm interiors & delicious recipes.

21. Brittany Stager

Don't let Brittany's youth fool you, she's a pro. Check out her site for quick tips on interior decorating for your home, bathrooms, bedrooms, dining and more. I personally enjoyed her DIY section.

22. Rambling Renovators

Have you ever thought about the planning and work that goes into renovating a home? If so, you can get all your answers here with step-by-step guides from Jennifer and her handyman husband Sean. As they renovate an entire semi-detached 1950's house, room by room.

23. Re-Creative

Staging your property can get you thousands more than your asking price. Just ask The Property Brothers. Re-Creative Works shares the secrets to their success in Toronto's hyper competitive market, by applying their modern and eclectic style to every project.

24. Row House Nest

Meagan and Roselie have a blog that is jam-packed with DIY projects. Their style is a mix of mid-century modern and rustic interior designs.

25. Condo.ca

Condo living has its perks, and Condo.ca does a great job of showing what they are. Make life more comfortable and stylish with interior design advice for singles and families.

26. Design Quarterly

If your looking for interior design inspiration for commercial or hospitality projects then take a look at Reminetwork.com. They feature projects from across Canada that are fit for designers, homeowners and Executives.

27. Sabrina Smelko

Get inspired with high-level advice from award-winning designer Sabrina Smelko. Then go along for the ride as she shares the ins and outs of her life, work, musings and creativity with you.

28. The Marion House Book

Emma Reddington has the eye of an art exhibitor. Her beautiful pictures of artfully designed interiors, and unique home accessories are well worth the visit.

29. White Cabana

Jordana must have super powers. She's a writer for Domino, a previous contributor to Fashion in Motion, and a published author. Dr. Jordana (yes, she's got her PHD in education too) still finds time to shares loads of good stuff on her blog, mainly her love for the crispness of the color white.

30. Savvy Home

Browse through inspirational posts with great photography featuring coastal interiors. Plus you can also get shopping tips, and decor services from Gabrielle Savoie.

31. Maria Killam

Maria Killam's blog is a great interior design blog to follow if you want to know about colors. If your stuck choosing the right colors for your living room, dining room, or bathroom, Maria has you covered.

32. Reena Stropa

Reena Stropa's blog masters the balance between function and beauty of interior design. I love their appreciation for designing for their client's needs, especially for busy families. Their designs always look and feel great without sacrificing practicality.

33. Living Room

The best part about this blog is the variety. You’ll see great interiors from across Canada, and the world. From homes, apartments, bedrooms and backyards. For singles, couples, and families.

34. Canadian Homeowner

If you’re a homeowner you know that what you don't know can hurt you. Luckily, Canadian Home Owner has put together a good selection of tips you need to know about. And they help you do it in style.

35. Creating Contrast Designs

The Creating Contrast blog is great if you want more than just to look at pretty pictures. You'll learn the details about getting interior design projects done right. Claire's insights will help you to remodel specific rooms (living room, kitchen, mudroom) and projects like halloween decor and more.

36. Judith Taylor Designs

Journey through a world of inspiring interiors right from your laptop with Judith. Enjoy her insights as she curates and critiques perfect designs that challenge trends from the past and present.

37. MV Glass Point

Add a clean modern touch to your showers, staircases, offices and even patios with glass framing. Learn everything there is to know about glass here. From what hinges to get, how to find a contractor, and inspiration.

38. Tanya Collins

Tanya's blog showcases a number a well explained blog posts to modernize your home today. She's been featured everywhere in Ottawa when it comes to interior design, and is a dedicated fundraiser and supporter of her community.

39. Perfect Painter

No interior is complete without the right choice of colors for your walls, trim and ceilings. That's why this blog is a must. You'll also find interesting tips to paint your floors, home exterior, swimming pool and even your driveway.

40. Space Harmony

This blog is very user friendly and comprehensive. You'll find more than enough inspiration and guides to renovate, enhance, and design the perfect spaces for your home.

41. Ariel Muller Design Inc.

Learn about innovative new technologies in the interior and exterior design categories. Like a "Loop" outdoor shower system, IMAX home theatre, and a vibracoustic bathtub that combines music and vibrations to give you a superior relaxing experience.

42. Hibou Desing & Co.

They say makeup looks great when it's not overdone. Interior design follows the same rule, and you see this in effect here. Every room, look, installation, rug, painting and piece of furniture works harmoniously.

43. Canadian Mom Reviews

Moms know a thing or two about making you feel at home. That's exactly how you'll feel here. Get interior design, DIY, gift guides, and many other tips through the heart of a Canadian mom.

44. Sarah Richardson

Enjoy a behind-the-scenes look into the coveted designs of renowned Designer Sarah Richardson.

45. Zolo

Get great advice on how to improve the design of every room. You'll also find good tips on home buying, selling, mortgages and more.

46. Leanne Bunnell Interiors

You can learn a lot about interior design from Leanne. That includes the usual bedroom, bathroom and living room design advice. As well as less common things like spotting new trends, redesigning with laminates, and how fashion crosses over from runways to your home.

47. Patricia Gray

When John Travolta wants great design, he calls Patricia Gray. The award winning Designer shares her love of art, architecture and exquisite design, all while seeming so down to earth. Despite her massive success and encounters with stardom.

48. Home and Design (Globe and Mail)

Learn how to design, decorate and upscale your home from the stories of other Canadians. The Globe and Mail takes you inside homes, apartments, shopping malls and offices across Canada, and unveils how they were designed.

49. Design Shop

The girls from the Design Shop share their sophisticated style with you. Eavesdrop on their critiques of commercial and residential projects from across Canada, and beyond.

50. Kristina Lynne

Kristina Lynne's blog is great. For professionals that want inspiration and for DIY interior design projects. She has a good eye for design, and her experience as a house flipper add a layer of insight that’s hard to find.

Have you had a good experience with Paint By Munzy or just love Jonathan Munz's original Canadian artwork?

Here's your chance to let us know about it! Leaving an online review is quick, easy and it helps us out a lot!

Leave us an online review on Google, Facebook or Trip Advisor before December 15th, 2017 for your chance to win:

A free night stay at Delta Hotel by Marriott in UpTown Waterloo!

Contest Schedule:
Contest starts November 18, 2017 at 6:00p.m
and ends December 15th, 2017 at 8:00p.m.

How To Enter With A Gmail Account:

Simply Click Here Or:

Google “Paint By Munzy”
See our gallery listing on the right hand side? Scroll down and click “write a review”
Rate us with stars. 5 would be great!
Describe your experience with us. If you like, include a photo as part of your review. Hit “publish” and you’re done!

Don’t Have A Gmail Account? You Can Also Enter By Reviewing Us On Trip Advisor Or Facebook!

On December 15th, 2017 the winner will be selected in a random drawing from all entries/product reviews received.

Good luck!

Hi there!

My name is Laura Munz and I'm the co-owner of the Paint by Munzy Art Gallery located in UpTown Waterloo.

Before we opened our gallery doors almost four years ago my background was entirely in hospitality and travel. Due to this, I often find myself recommending great places to grab a bite to eat in Kitchener-Waterloo to our many visitors. To save myself from writing out this list on the back of a business card another billion times (at least), I thought that it might be helpful to write a post of some of my favourite spots in the Waterloo Region. 

We have so many unique independent businesses that I love in this area. For that reason, please note that these are a few of my favourites. If you’ve had a great experience somewhere in town and think our Paint by Munzy community should know about it, please feel free to add any positive experiences to the list below.

I didn't include either of our markets on the list but they are certainly favourite stomping grounds that should not be missed. On weekends you can find me alternating between the St Jacobs or Kitchener Market overwhelmed by the variety of offerings, weighed down by heavy bags of produce with a big smile on my face!

Be sure to look into the listed places for yourself before visiting to ensure they are still up and running. Happy exploring!

1. Jane Bond
2. Nick & Nat's Uptown 21 - Brown Bag Lunch Friday's
3. Ethel's
4. Proof
5. Timeless Cafe
6. Princess Cafe
7. Settlement Co
8. Seven Shores Cafe
9. Bhimas Warung
10. Koh I Noor
11. Vincenzo's
12. Mozy Shawarma
13. Pho Dau Bo
14. MPC Public & Public Market (same owners)
15. Rainbow Caribbean
16. Queen Street Commons
17. Checkerboard
18. TWH Social
19. Yeti Cafe
20. Chopan

A few months ago I had the pleasure of having Victoria and Ryan visit our Paint by Munzy Art Gallery.

As I always do, I asked them if they had visited the gallery in the past or how they learned about us. They both told me that they were big fans of Jonathan's work but that it was their first visit to the gallery. After a few minutes of conversation they shared with me that they had received a copy of our annual Paint by Munzy Art & Community Calendar from one of our amazing sponsors at Fox Financials and then shared with me that they had saved the pages to frame and display in their home!

I loved learning that our calendar pages now lived on their walls and asked if Victoria would be willing to do a Q&A for us. She graciously accepted and I'm excited to share it with you today!

 

Could you tell us how you were first introduced to Munzy?

Ryan and I were first introduced to Munzy art in an annual Christmas calender from our financial planner Nancy Fox of Fox Financial it was such a beautiful calender I could not bear to recycle it each year so I would cut the prints from the calendar & save them!

I loved seeing how you re-purposed our annual art calendar by framing some of our month’s images. Could you tell us a little about your calendar art displays and what inspired you to feature them in your home?

As I mentioned each year I would cut out & save the beautiful prints done by Jonathan from our annual calendar and the prints that I feature in our home are mainly the water landscapes that I am truly drawn too. I grew up in the Kawarthas so moving to KW was a transition. Where is the water ?! Jonathan's prints truly bring a sense of the Kawartha's waterways into our home.

It appears to me that you are a framing expert. :) Do you have any tips to share about choosing the right frame for an art print?

I am literally laughing out loud, I framed my Munzy prints in dollar store silver plated frames, each frame costing me roughly $2.50!!!!

When visiting the gallery you had mentioned that you’re not originally from Kitchener-Waterloo. Could you tell us as “newbies” what a few of your favourite things to do in the city are?

As "newbies" to the Kitchener-Waterloo area we absolutely love how health conscious this area is. It is truly the heartland of local farms and fresh produce. Our favourite things to do in the city as "newbies" are eat at Bhima's Warung in Waterloo, Arabesque in Kitchener, try local brews at Descendants Brewery, we frequently hit up the Saturday morning Kitchener market & we love to walk our neighbourhood in the Auditorium district. We also love to exercise at a local studio called EuroFit!

 

If you could spend the whole summer relaxing anywhere in the world, where would choose?

I would choose Bali, Indonesia. I likely would not relax the whole time because it would be a dream to work in a birthing clinic run by Robin Lim, Bumi Sehat. The food, beaches, culture, religious ceremonies would be a truly wonderful way to relax into summer.

After a lovely chat with you and your husband I learned that you manage your own business as well. Could you tell us a little about what you do and why your so passionate about your work?

I own and operate Victorian Wellness Doula Services.  I am a Birth & Postpartum Doula, Placenta Specialist. The short answer to what I do, I nurture, support & educate families who are having babies. I am passionate about the work I do and the families I serve because it brings families who are excited, scared & vulnerable before and after birth a sense of peace, empowerment & fulfillment to their journey into parenthood.


And if our friends are interested in getting in touch with you how could they go about doing so?

 

Victoria Nicholas -Victorian Wellness Doula Services
Birth & Postpartum Doula
Placenta Specialist
705-917-3540
victorianwellness@gmail.com

Facebook - Victorian Wellness Doula Services
Instagram - @victorianwellness

 

 

Jonathan Munz, "Paint by Munzy" artist based in Waterloo, Canada, has been a fan of NYC since his first visit to the city as a young man nearly 17 years ago.

Over a period of six months, Jonathan created a vibrant, deco style 18 piece “Iconic New York Art Series" using reference photos from his time spent in the big apple using a medium of oil on canvas.

"New York is my favorite city in the world (no disrespect to others, and I am by no means thoroughly traveled). The lights and sounds make me feel like I'm walking through a real movie (whatever that means), inviting endless walks of exploration.  Its nature as an old port seems to bring a vitality and diversity of architecture/people/food that is unsurpassed by any other city I've visited.  People who know me are aware of my love of winter and for the beauty of a snowfall, and NY in the winter is magical. The Chrysler building is my favorite building of all time, especially viewed at night from the Empire State Building (which is likely my second favorite). Munzy really does love NY" writes Jonathan in his artist statement.

If you're interested in exploring Paint by Munzy's full New York collection click here.

 

 

After almost four years of managing Kitchener-Waterloo artist Jonathan Munz’s career, naturally, I’ve received a lot of question about who Jonathan is and what inspires him to create his art.

In an effort to start answering some of those questions here's a mini Q&A I recently put together that I hope you'll enjoy!

Laura: You flip-flop between painting in two very different art styles. How would you describe those?

Jonathan: We’ve usually referred to the one "style" as "liney", as it is simply a lot of black outlines with flat colours filled in between, basically a paint by numbers scenario (our business name is a play on that). The other "style" are my renditions of impressionism.

Laura: How did your artistic style develop? Who are your influences?

Jonathan: I was lucky to have a lot of great teachers growing up, who basically encouraged one in whatever endeavours they liked, on the creative front special thanks to Pat Costigan and two of my high school art teachers Mr.Caesar and Ms. Burnett. This continued in my college years (Graphic Design program in Kingston), my colour theory class was especially well taught by Michael Shumate (a fantastic illustrator and great teacher), and I learned a lot from him specifically. As a Canadian boy who was lucky enough to enjoy camping trips to Algonquin Provincial Park most summers, I was hugely influenced by the Group of Seven, Tom Thompson especially. Of course I also love the shape-work of Picasso, and the colours and swirls of Van Gogh among others, and was perhaps most fascinated by Leonardo of Vinci's work. And I also have a love of eastern art, specifically the depictions of Mt. Fuji.

Laura: What inspires you?

Jonathan: Mostly nature, and photos thereof inspire me. Also, my mom.

Laura: How do you work?

Jonathan: I almost always work from a photographic reference to start, and basically paint away with some music or sports in the background.

Laura: If you had three wishes, what would they be?

Jonathan: A Spitfire, a cottage (does including a dog waste another wish?), and though I'm unconvinced it's completely possible, I would enjoy world peace.