The Pastoral Appeal of Pakenham

Even on a very frosty February afternoon, the couple has no hesitation in explaining why they gave up the milder weather of the west coast. The words tumble from Sharon’s mouth: “We wanted a dog, a barbecue, a fireplace, a garden, an art studio, a house, and more sunshine.” Pakenham offered all of this, and they are four hours closer to Europe, where they both love to paint “en pleine air”. Their six-month-old male Welsh corgi, Grady, was unbelievably well-behaved while I was there, and obviously agrees with his owners’ relocation decision.

A Pastel Duet

The artistic harmony in the Cranston household saturates their lives as intensely as their soft pastels saturate their glowing canvases. It is an uncommon confluence of interests and temperaments and talents. Sharon and Guy met through their individual “day jobs”. Guy works for SuperGraphics, a large-format graphics company, and Sharon is an independent graphic designer www.kudodesign.ca who now frequently partners with her husband on huge design projects. She designed their very attractive, informative and intuitive websites at www.sharonfox.ca and www.guycranston.ca.

But it is their mutual interest in painting with pastels that nourishes their many-splendoured relationship. “He asked me to marry him while we were attending a painting seminar in Oregon,” Sharon tells me. “We honeymooned in Provence, France, where we painted for a whole month,” he adds. It was a marvellous start to an artistic partnership that both describe as an intrinsic element in their life together.

Sharon has been an artist since she picked up her first Crayola. Perhaps it was a self-fulfilling prophecy, but her first report card said something along the lines of “Sharon does okay in school, but her artwork is exceptional”. After studying advertising and graphic design at Humber College, Sharon painted over 3,000 pastel portraits during three tourist seasons at Canada’s Wonderland, and spent her winters skiing. She absolutely loved pastel portraiture, but as is too often the case, the pay was inversely commensurate with the enjoyment. After various jobs as a graphic designer she struck out on her own and created Kudo Design.

Raised in the inordinately artistic Cranston household in Montreal, where every wall was literally covered with art works, Guy has been influenced by art and artisans his whole life. Guy’s mother, Stuart, was a talented artist; his sister Philippa is an accomplished writer and television producer; and his older brother, Toller, now wows the world with his signature paintings as he did with his signature Olympic figure skating. Guy’s father was originally from Arnprior, and Guy’s sister still lives in the family “cottage” at Marshall’s Bay. Their great-great-grandfather was the first doctor in the Ottawa Valley, and their grandfather was a doctor in Arnprior.

Guy acquired his love of woodworking from his dad, and did competitive bird carving in addition to his structural and functional pieces. He is still a member of the American Association of Woodturners, but now his passion is pastels. In particular, his passion is painting landscapes with pastels en pleine air with Sharon. They find the immediacy of the medium ideal for capturing the spontaneous play of light across landscapes they love, both in Canada and abroad. They agree that there is “nothing more fulfilling and rewarding than celebrating nature in the moment. Painting on location develops an emotional bond with the location that lasts a lifetime.” (Especially if you get engaged while you’re there.)

The Cranstons enjoy the saturation of colour afforded by professional soft pastels, and are looking forward to attending another workshop with renowned American pastelist Richard McKinley amid the vivid fall colours in the Gatineau next October. Like McKinley and other renowned instructors from whom they have learned (Albert Handel, Teresa Saia, …), both Sharon and Guy strive for a very painterly effect with their pastels. Sharon in particular enjoys the “loosening up” that the medium dictates. I learn that pastels actually last longer than oils when properly framed, and that unlike oils, the medium never cracks.

Pakenham Pastel Pleasure Alert

Fortunately the upcoming Pakenham Maple Run Studio Tour on March 29 and 30 will provide a wonderful opportunity to view Sharon Fox-Cranston’s and Guy Cranston’s painterly pastels. Their new River Ridge Studio at 174 Dalkeith St. in Pakenham is featured as Studio 2 on the Tour’s website at www.maplerun.on.ca. Hours are from 10AM to 4PM both days. Looking at the abundance of artistic talent presented across the eight participating locations, I’m penciling in the entire weekend for art appreciation.

For an immediate pastel preview, check out www.sharonfox.ca and www.guycranston.ca. For those of you who enjoy travel, Sharon’s website includes a marvellous travel link to three different artist travelogues documenting her painting trips to Provence and Languedoc in France, and to Wales and the UK. There are many excellent tips on where to go, what to see, and where to stay. No wonder she wants to be four hours closer to Europe! You can contact the Cranstons at 624–5672, or by email at sharoncranston@sympatico.ca and guycranston@telus.net.