Watercolours and Rock'n'roll
The Aurora Weekly
Wednesday, April 1, 1998

This is the fourth in a continuing series of profiles on local artists. By Kimberley Kearsey Soft music, a soothing brushstroke, a pallet covered with vibrant colours, a tin full of brushes. All of these conjure up the image of an artist hard at work and full of inspiration.

Some artists find, contrary to this picture of serenity and calm, there are more effective methods for being productive.

If you were to walk into Susan Walker-Ing's studio in Aurora, you definitely wouldn't find Mozart playing softly in the background. If you did, you'd probably also find Walker-Ing deep in sleep and far from her easel.

"I like a coffee, chocolate bar, rock and roll and my paint," this 40 year old artist says. With Backstreet Boys, Jan Arden and the Counting Crows blasting in the background, "I can sing along and focus on my art."

Walker-Ing graduated from York University with honours in Art History. To round out her education, she headed to the one place that is associated most with the world of artistic creation, Italy.

"I think what makes Italy really exciting is that you can walk down the street, unbeknownst to you, and walk right past incredible sculptures and fountains," Walker-Ing recalls. " You just live and breath art and you feel that history so much."

Without that history and day to day feeling of art here in Canada, Walker-Ing admits that it was an adjustment coming back home. Eighteen years, three children and numerous awards in watercolour, acrylics and pencil categories have passed and have helped to make that adjustment a little bit easier.

Walker-Ing is the founder of Aurora's Creative Connection. She served as president of the cooperative for local artists until three years ago. She is still a big part of the organization but is working full-time as a registrar at the York Region courthouse.

"I've found working here at the courthouse, I have such captive characters all the time," she explains. "I'll go home and sketch a lot of the lawyers and crowns." It's not hard to imagine that the variety of different cases that land on her desk are also a means of inspiration and creative thought.

Discussing the humble beginning of Creative Connection seven years ago suddenly lights up Walker-Ing's face. "It's my baby," she explains. "It's near and dear to me and it's a great place."

The whole concept began when Walker-Ing was upset that a lot of great artists in Aurora had nowhere to show their work. She decided to approach the manager of St. Andrew's Plaza because it was, according to her, the perfect place to set up shop. They were offered three months of free rent and the opportunity to start something great for local art in Aurora.

"When we started we didn't even have a chair," Walker-Ing recalls of their start-up budget. Members were asked to bring lawn chairs to group meetings and most of the necessities (a cash desk, clothing racks and a table were all provided to them courtesy of other people's leftovers.

"We were living on a wing and a prayer." By the time they got themselves up and running, they eventually had 65 members and were giving money away to art organizations and the local high school.

"At our highest we were awesome," Walker-Ing says, "and we still are awesome. But we went through a big transition where people weren't coming out as much." According to Walker-Ing, Creative Connection is such a great stepping stone for artists that many of them start selling really well. As they start getting involved in more shows, they begin to travel. Keeping up with the demands of the co-op become difficult.

She admits that she used to ask then mayor John West for recognition or donations to Creative Connection. One day, to her surprise, approximately 50 bright orange '70s style chairs were delivered to the co-op, courtesy of the town.

"I couldn't really complain about the colour," Walker-Ing admits. "At least we got something."

With her president's position behind her, Walker-Ing has a bit more time to devote to her painting.

Most of her work is commissioned and she does a lot of that work for people at the courthouse. She was recently asked to paint something for a woman who was retiring after decades of work with the York Region courthouse. She is also responsible for three paintings that will go to three retiring court constables.

In terms of successes, Walker-Ing feels that her work with Totally Tropical Interiors is one of the highlights of her career. The president of this home decorating company based in Calgary received one of Walker-Ing's paintings as a gift from a sibling who had purchased it at a craft show in Thornhill. She immediately called the artist and commissioned work to be sold as prints in the spring/summer catalogue.

"I kept pinching myself," Walker-Ing laughs. "It's just been awesome for me because they treat me like an artist. They make me feel special for what I can do."

Anyone interested in viewing Walker-Ing's work, or in purchasing or commissioning a painting, should visit Creative Connection at their new location, 155 Wellington Street East. You can contact Walker-Ing by phone at (905) 727-3272 or (905) 841-7474.