Bringing art to the community and finding a springboard for Mapleton’s creative voice has been not only a goal but also an accomplishment for Donna Hirtle of Studio Factor.
In only four and a half years, Hirtle has established a creative niche in the community, offering “artsy” and “not-so-artsy” locals an opportunity to explore and develop the inner artist that resides, in some form or another, in all of us. Not only is her home base a studio, it is what she considers, “a safe place for messy ideas.”
Studio Factor offers a variety of art classes for young and old alike. Currently being offered are: Water Colour on Tuesdays, Acrylic on Wednesdays and Clay on Saturdays. After School art classes are on Wednesdays (4 to 5pm) as well as Home Schooling art afternoons on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
A unique aspect of Hirtle’s studio is rooted in graphic design. She offers professional graphic designs for promotional and print material including logo design.
“The messiest of ideas is a branding of an identity and a look that packs a ‘story’ into a visual and a design that sells that story,” states Hirtle. “It’s important to develop an image that embodies your business or enterprise in to a concise, recognizable visual that quite often only gets a two second glance by your intended market.”
Hirtle observes that, more often than not, businesses leave branding/imaging until the last minute. A look is slapped on with no forethought or budget. As an example she references the success of Coca-Cola, a company that has made one of the biggest investments in advertising history.
Coca-Cola, she says, has grown their brand whether we like it or not and the consumer can easily trace memorable icons throughout their own life time – hence the importance of developing an effective brand identity.
Brand growing has taken up more of Hirtle’s headspace, for more decades than she’d like to admit. Formerly with World Vision Canada, she was stimulated by the challenges faced in fundraising for international development.
Closer to home, clients she has served have included Bank of Montreal, Wilfrid Laurier University and local firms such as Copernicus Educational Products Inc. and Barefoot Creative Inc.
Throughout the months of November and December the Studio will be home to a 5×7 Mini Art Show. Artists are invited to submit a 5×7 creation of any medium, framed no larger that an 8×10. Artist will have until Nov. 1 to submit their work; with a maximum of six entries per artist and 100% of the sales will go to the artists themselves, or to the charity of their choice. A minimum $20 reserve bid will apply.
The artwork will be on display at the studio until the end of December, however there will be an Open House/Silent Auction on Nov. 29, at which the public will be invited to place bids on their favourite piece of work and take it home that very evening.
The People’s Choice Award winner will receive a Gary Moon/Moonlighting Photography frame. Remaining artwork will continue to be open for bidding until the end of December. Everyone is welcome to come in and bid on their favourite piece of work. Call the Studio for more details.
Drop by the Studio at 24a Wood Street, Drayton, Ontario 519-638-0888 or email:studio.factor@bellnet.ca.
It’s a safe place for messy ideas.
