Mimi Radda and Marilyn Fernandes are local residents and neighbours who share a passion for art.
Their talent and devotion to art has been met with positive reaction in their private and public shows.
Recently they were invited to display their acrylic and watercolour paintings on the Gallery Wall, inside the Golden Frame at 3733 Lawrence Ave. E. until April 25.
“They asked if you’re interested, you know and you’d be silly to say no because the more places you could advertise your work, the better, the more exposure you have,” Fernandes said.
The exhibition is open to the public and the paintings are also available for purchase. Radda made it clear that while money is necessary, for her, art and creativity is more important than making a profit.
“Well I think creativity is important in whatever you do in life in that it inspires people,” she said. “There is another part of life not only money making, but there’s beauty.”
Radda and Fernandes have found their community serves as an inspiration for their work and they have reflected the beauty of this area in their paintings.
“Definitely we’re inspired with the Scarborough area because quite often we take our own pictures in the area and that’s our motives,” Fernandes said.
“It could be anywhere in the Scarborough area, sometimes the parks and sometimes monumental buildings and different things like that.”
This fascination for art has been present throughout Radda and Fernandes’ lives.
“Well I did it all my life,” said Radda adding she had done all types of art including cartoons, acrylics and water colours.
“I’ve been interested [in art] ever since I can remember doing things with my hands. My mother remembers me being in my room at age three just taking materials and creating with them,” Fernandes said.
She said although art was still a part of her life she did not really become as involved in public and private shows until her neighbour, Radda got her involved in the Art Guild of Scarborough.
As a part-time professional artist, Fernandes understands the business is expensive and tough. There are few art guild members that are full-time artists and the majority of the members work as artists part-time or as a hobby.
“I think people figure, you know, starving artists that whole thing because in reality a lot of artists cannot do it full-time,” she says. “It’s usually something along the side.”
Fernandes’ life and job still involve art as she teaches at the Cedar Ridge Creative Centre and she also runs a mixed media course there for children ages 5-14.
She made it clear that while being an artist is tough, she and Radda are lucky to have their paintings displayed at Cedar Ridge where some Scarborough artists have to wait on a two-year waiting list.
“It’s amazing how much talent exists in Scarborough,” she said of the number of artists waiting to have their paintings judged and approved to be displayed.