Live Monthly Meetings!
As a member of SOYRA, you will enjoy the benefit of being able to attend in-person monthly meetings. This is a great opportunity for you to meet and network with other artists.
Members Meetings are organized so you can find out all the latest SOYRA news including everything you need to know about upcoming shows and exhibitions.
SOYRA works hard to bring you engaging learning opportunities presented by a variety of qualified art professionals. Every month, you will have the opportunity to listen to a presentation from a guest speaker or watch a guest artist demo their techniques.
Your SOYRA Members Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month in the Aurora Armoury located at 89 Mosley Street, Aurora, Ontario. Doors open at 6:30pm and the meetings start at 7:00pm sharp.
NEW: We are Zooming all of our in person meetings! A link will be sent out to you the day before the scheduled meeting. If you cannot attend live, you will still have the option to be part of the meeting.
SOYRA operates on a calendar basis from January 1 to December 31 with a break from monthly meetings during the months of July and August.
Previous Guest Artists
Guest Presenters
Here is a list of the exciting artists and speakers we have booked in for
Tuesday Members Meetings!
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm (live or via Zoom)
Up Next: Tuesday, May 13, 2025
Joanne Poluch
May 13, 2025
Presenter: Joanne Poluch
Owner of Remarque Art Consulting
Topic: Defining Your Artistic Success
What does success mean to you as an artist? Is it gallery representation, financial stability, creative fulfillment, or something else entirely?
In Joanne's engaging and thought-provoking talk, “Defining Your Artistic Success,” she will help you break free from external expectations and define success on your own!
June 10, 2025
Presenter: D.D. Gadjanski
Topic: An Evening of Critique
This evening will be an occasion to look at art and reflect on design and composition in our own and work of our colleagues.
D.D. will talk about the organization and approach to the process of a painting, the use of colour in respect to subject matter and mood in the painting, structural construction of painting, use of line etc. You will see the advantage of planning for artwork ahead of the painting session in order to achieve a more successful art piece. We all have a unique approach to art and process in our work so the results are therefore unique as well.
2025 Upcoming Presenters
September - Katie Micak, Owner, Micak Contemporary
Art Gallery
October - Dass - Photography
November - Karin Foulds - Healing with Art
December - AGM & End of the Year Social
April 8 , 2025
Topic: A Conversation with a Textile Artist
Presenter: Heike Blohm
Textiles and stitching have long existed in many forms but it is only relatively recently that they have been recognized as an art form in their own right. Traditional embroidery has long been considered a woman’s domain - women’s sewing wasn’t even thought of being on the same level as a man’s ability as a tailor. This attitude is changing. Women, and men, have slowly been pushing the boundaries of the use of needle and thread as an artistic expression to the point where you get less of a puzzled reaction when you explain to someone your art form.
Heike has used stitching incorporated with materials and Japanese papers for a couple of decades now as her primary creative mode, proudly calls herself a textile artist and would like to share her knowledge and insights on the subject with you!
March 11 , 2025
Topic: Glass and Mixed Media
Presenter: Julia Spittel
Julia Spittel is a local glass and mixed media artist from Aurora, Ontario who is drawn to colour and inspired by nature. Julia’s creative evolution through a variety of artforms over her 37 career has allowed her to cross pollinate skills and techniques from photography, pottery and painting to develop unique ways of glassmaking to make her work distinctly and immediately recognizable. Fifteen years after being Introduced to warm glass, Julia is now master of the medium and has come full circle as she now designs her landscapes in glass and fires them in her potter’s kiln!
Join Julia as she takes you through her glass making process from concept to colourful completion of her one of a kind Landscape Glass pendants designed to ressemble abstract scenes of land, sea and sky.
February 11, 2025
Topic: Make their Mark
Presenter: J. J. Martyn
Printmaking is a dynamic and accessible art form with a rich history. Traditional printmaking techniques include relief printing such as woodcut, wood engraving, and Lino block printing. This presentation explores three key methods: monotype Gelli printing, Lino block printing, and the intaglio method drypoint etching. These can all be adapted for at-home practice using minimal equipment and water-soluble paints and inks. By incorporating up-cycled materials, printmaking offers a sustainable, creative outlet that combines traditional methods with contemporary innovation, making it an approachable way to express artistic vision without the need for a dedicated studio.
January 14, 2025
Topic: How An Artist Sees
Presenter: Judy Sherman
“Through the juxtaposition
of old masters style and present day life,
my work is a visual commentary on world
circumstances. With a little humour and
a gentle nudge the message is delivered.”
The demo will include how Judy creates an oil painting from start to finish. Beginning with an oil sketch to evaluate composition and values she will take you through the stages to a finished piece. You will get to see how Judy sees.
December 10, 2024
Topic: AGM & End of the Year Social!
There's nothing better than getting together with friends and art colleges at the end of the year!
This year, our meeting will start of as an AGM, giving you info about SOYRA in 2024. There will be a lot to time after the meeting to mingle, chat and have a look at the amazing work created by SOYRA member artists during the year's Plein Air Events.
Mark your calendars and make sure to be at this meeting!
November 12, 2024
Presenter: William Lottering, Artist and Playwright
Topic: The Art of Portraiture
While the art of portraiture is an age-old constant in the Visual Arts, its purpose has not changed - it records human images, their personalities and often their place in society.
In this presentation, William Lottering will discuss portraiture with some historical and modern examples, as well as how his own works are developed.
Feel free to bring one of your own portraits to display during the talk!
October 8, 2024
SPECIAL GUEST PRESENTER!
Presenter: John Hartman, C.M.
John Hartman, one of Canada’s foremost painters, is known for his unique aerial depictions of Canada’s iconic landscapes. The concepts originated from childhood dreams of flying and imagining the
landscape unfurling like a roll of film below him. Hartman’s prolific practice includes oil painting, watercolour, pastel, and printmaking.
John Hartman was presented with The Order of Canada in February 2024 by Governor-General of Canada Mary Simon, in recognition of enriching Canadian contemporary art by bringing landscapes and cityscapes to life on printing plates, canvas and paper. The Order of Canada is Canada’s highest distinction for excellence in visual and media arts.
September 10, 2024
Presenter: Sharlena Wood
Topic: Mixed Media Power
Mixed media can be daunting even if we technically understand our favorite materials. Knowing what mediums and surfaces work well together, permission to test and be experimental, and confidently break rules in support of knowledge and desires, are important and empowering. This evening is all about the power of drawing and painting combined.
June 11, 2024
Presenter: D.D. Gadjanski
Topic: An Evening of Critique
An exceptional opportunity to understand the importance of the elements of design. When properly considered, they make a world of difference in one's work. She will discuss what is good, what isn't working and how to fix it.
May 14, 2024
Presenter: Roslyn Levin
Topic: Japanese Brushstroke Painting
Roslyn Levin is an internationally accomplished
artist who has practiced sumi-e or Japanese
brushstroke painting for more than 30 years.
Sumi-e is a form of spontaneous ink painting where the artist depicts the essence of what he or she is trying to portray with as few brushstrokes as possible—simply and elegantly, but with strength in each line or shade.
April 9, 2024
Back by popular demand!
Presenter: Susan Lahey, MA, ISA CAPPPresident, Eastern Art Consultants Inc.
Topic: Understanding Chinese Calligraphy: The Art of Words
Susan Lahey will discuss the evolution of Chinese characters, styles of brush strokes, and how to “read” a painting, while sharing the beauty and philosophy behind examples of famous calligraphy that captures the essence of “writing an idea” this
is unique to the visual form of the
Chinese written language.
March 12, 2024
Presenter: Vicki Carruthers
Topic: An Artist's Journey
Experience the world through a child's eyes as Vicki presents bold, imaginative landscapes captured in whimsy shapes and vibrant colours. Discover how her passion for art shaped her journey, emphasizing themes of perseverance, love for sharing, and contributing positively.
February 13, 2024
Presenter: Zorica Miric
Topic: The Mathematics
of Reflection
Geometric reflection refers to how light interacts with surfaces and how those surfaces reflect light. Understanding these principles allow artists to accurately represent the play of light and shadow in their work. Benefit from the expertise of an artist with a solid mathematical background!
December 12, 2023
Presenter: Geoff Taylor, author of 'Tom Thomson's Last Bonfire'
Topic: An evening filled with lively and engaging entertainment as the author shares his creative version the events surrounding Tom Thomson's mysterious disappearance.
This is also a much anticipated and well attended end of the year social event for SOYRA members. Enjoy an evening of art talk, connect with fellow artist and get your holiday season off to a great start!
September 12, 2023
Presenter: Linda Welch
Creating a Sense of Place
Linda Welch is a York Region photographer and
artist and the current President of SOYRA.
Her work captures timeless moments which trigger a memory or tell a story.
This evening's presentation reveals how she creates a sense of place in her work to freeze a moment in time, prompt a response to a feeling about place or a compelling desire to communicate an idea.
May 9, 2023
Artist: Andrew Hamilton
Medium: Multidisciplinary Artist
Topic: Paint like the Group of Seven
April 11, 2023
Presenter: Susan Lahey, MA, ISA CAPP
President, Eastern Art Consultants Inc.
Topic: THE ART OF APPRAISING, HOW VALUE IS DETERMINED
