- MacLaren Art Centre

Nature’s Colours: The slow art of dyeing with natural materials (Adults 18+)

Robyn Clarke — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 17:47:56 +0000

Katie Green is a local Barrie artist with a passion for community and bringing art into all areas of life, ranging from public to personal and useful to decorative. Building community, sharing experiences and supporting the next generation of artists keep her inspired in her own art practice. She operates from the idea that art is an experience that can positively impact people’s everyday lives. She works across multiple mediums including textiles, pen and ink, and printmaking, most recently the Risograph.

Pushing the boundaries between different mediums as well as playing with the line between useful design and decorative art informs her art practice. Her work is playful with a sense of whimsy and she is drawn to bright colours especially fluorescent pink. She uses recognizable symbols and icons like gesturing hands and arrows as well as text to explore ideas of the human experience. Her art has an element of advocacy as well as humour.

Her journey to becoming a practicing artist has been long and winding. She believes every diversion from working construction, playing varsity basketball, living in a ski town and most recently health challenges affecting her energy and vision, has added to her ability to navigate being an artist and increased her ability to support the arts community.

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BRIGHT 3: Brightening Barriers

Robyn Clarke — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 15:21:15 +0000

January Paige (she/her) is a Queer, Georgian Bay Metis painter, bead worker and writer, living and creating in what is currently referred to as Barrie, Ontario. Using bold, organic linework and bright, flat colors her work often explores themes of nature, community and generational healing as she is inherently influenced by her ancestors and the language of the land, working in collaboration with her younger self.

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Mosaic Tables (Adults 18+)

Robyn Clarke — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 23:47:20 +0000

My name is Anastasiia, and I am a professional monumental and visual artist, with my greatest passion being mosaic art. I work with materials such as marble, stone, and stained glass, transforming them into modern artworks and one-of-a-kind interior pieces. I love creating works — whether abstract, figurative, or portrait — and I am especially happy when they bring joy to people.

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FANTASTIC WORLDS (Ages 6-9)

Robyn Clarke — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 23:40:37 +0000

Marjorie Dale is a passionate multidisciplinary artist whose work spans painting, sculpture, mixed media, and digital art. She has a deep appreciation for creative expression in all its forms and thrives on exploring different techniques and pushing artistic boundaries. Her art takes inspiration from her personal interests, experiences, and, well, kind of everything and everyone. Every cool new tidbit she learns, every inspiring story she reads, and everywhere she goes adds depth and dimension to her work.

Beyond Marjorie’s personal practice, she is deeply committed to nurturing creativity in others, especially young artists. She has worked with children in camps, school programs, and community art initiatives and believes that every child has a unique artistic voice waiting to find its expression. Through patient guidance and an encouraging approach, she likes to help students gain confidence, develop new skills, and express themselves freely.

Whether working on a large-scale sculpture, an intimate canvas, or guiding a group of young creators, Marjorie hopes to bring passion, experience, and a dedication to making art accessible and meaningful for all.

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MINI CREATIONS (Ages 6-9)

Robyn Clarke — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 23:28:30 +0000

Tessa Deneumoustier is a multidisciplinary artist specializing in oil painting and digital illustration. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Guelph with a major in Studio Art and a minor in Art History. She has shown her work in exhibitions at the Boarding House Gallery in Guelph, Ontario, including “Waiting for my Imagination” and “Unreliable Narrator.”  Her practice primarily focuses on depicting exaggerated childhood memories through various mediums. Tessa is currently working at the MacLaren as a lead instructor on the VanGo team. Her digital portfolio is available on Instagram @tessadeneumoustierart.

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CREATIVE POP-UP! Daily Youth Drop-In (Ages 15-18)

Robyn Clarke — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 23:09:49 +0000

Dates: August 4 – 7 (4 days)
Times: 12:00–4:00 pm
Cost: FREE drop in! Registration encouraged

Be inspired, share ideas, imagine, mix colours, create, repeat! Nobody's too cool for art. Each afternoon for the first week of August 4th to August 7th, drop in to our PIE Education Centre to hang out with a creative community of youth! Get curious and explore a variety of art materials you may not have at home. Join us for an hour or 4 hours to express yourself creatively in a welcoming and safe space!

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INSPIRED! Famous Painters & Styles (Ages 10-14)

Robyn Clarke — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 23:01:26 +0000

Vivian Heliotis is a regional artist and educator based in Barrie, Ontario. She earned her Honours Specialization in Visual Arts from Western University in 2014 and completed her Bachelor of Education in 2023. She is now an Occasional Teacher with the Simcoe County District School Board, where she continues to foster creativity and confidence in students.

Vivian is a member of Spare Room Artist Studios, where she creates most of her painting work. She leads private and group paint classes for all ages and has delivered art programming in elementary schools, sharing her passion for the arts with her community. Her work has been exhibited in local galleries, and she is an active contributor to Barrie’s vibrant arts community.

In 2023, Vivian’s artwork was featured in the Brightening Barriers exhibition. She has also led painting workshops during Culture Days in Barrie and participated in community events such as Lawn Chair Luminata and Open Air Dunlop, where she guided children through hands-on craft activities.

Vivian encourages others to approach painting with curiosity and an open mind. She is excited to continue sharing her enthusiasm and love of art with the community through her work at the MacLaren Art Centre.

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ART & SOUL (Ages 10-14)

Robyn Clarke — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 22:47:59 +0000

Maeve Pearce is a certified teacher and yoga enthusiast who is passionate about helping children grow with confidence, creativity, and calm. With years of experience working with young learners, she aims to create engaging, experiences where children feel safe to move, express themselves, and try new things. She believes in nurturing the whole child—mind, body, and heart—and is excited to bring that energy to this summer’s camp.

Monica Loney is a visual artist known for her use of the continuous line in her work. She is no stranger to public art, and you can find her advocating for its importance within the community on guided tours as well as through her own large scale pieces and installations located within Simcoe County. Monica was the recipient of the 2022 Emerging Artist Award for the City of Barrie and has recently received an Ontario Community Changemakers grant from 880 Cities. With this, she will continue her advocacy on the benefits of public art through her project ‘The Transformative Power of Public Art’ in 2025.

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ART & SOUL (Ages 6-9)

Robyn Clarke — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 22:39:15 +0000

Monica Loney is a visual artist known for her use of the continuous line in her work. She is no stranger to public art, and you can find her advocating for its importance within the community on guided tours as well as through her own large scale pieces and installations located within Simcoe County. Monica was the recipient of the 2022 Emerging Artist Award for the City of Barrie and has recently received an Ontario Community Changemakers grant from 880 Cities. With this, she will continue her advocacy on the benefits of public art through her project ‘The Transformative Power of Public Art’ in 2025.

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