Who is behind the Markham Art Collective?
Franklin Beecham, Founder and Visual Artist
Franklin emigrated to Canada in the early 70’s from England and enrolled at Seneca College in the Design Arts program. A professional graphic designer, he co-owns a Toronto graphic design firm, in operation for the past 25 years. Returning to painting after a lengthy absence Franklin has created a growing catalogue of work at his home studio. He is currently listed at several online art galleries with fine art paintings that are now in private collections across Canada, the USA and Asia. Franklin’s art has recently shown at the Varley Gallery Art Auction, the McKay Art Centre and at many other local art events.
He has donated several paintings to help raise funds benefiting such causes as the Breast Health Centre at the Markham-Stouffville Hospital, the Kidney Foundation of Canada, Habitat for Humanity Canada, the Markham Arts Council and the Varley Art Gallery Foundation. Franklin designed the brand and marketing materials for the York Region Arts Council’s, “Arts Exposed” 2011 Conference. He volunteered with the Markham Arts Council and sat on the Board of Directors, creating and producing marketing and brand communications materials, helping to organize fund raising events, art shows and mentoring the Markham Teen Arts Council. He writes a regular blog on the yorkscene.com website and his own Markhamartist.com.
Realizing a need for a local visual artists’ resource, Franklin developed the markhamartcollective.com website. Franklin’s paintings and graphic designs can be seen on his website at www.beecham.ca
Robyn Craig, Project Consultant
Robyn brings with her a wealth of experience when it comes to the management and implementation of activities pertaining to the arts. Her gift of communication has made her a valuable resource in the textbook publishing industry where her skills involve photo research and editing plus literary permissions.
Coming from a creative background also helps Robyn to understand the nuances of arts management and activities. As Arts Administer for a local group, her roles included liaising with artists and the corporate world, social media lead, website and e-news updates, event planning and more on behalf of the group and its members. Robyn oversaw the content development of the local Arts newsletter, creating articles and managing the production with the writers, graphic artists, post production and distribution.
An avid supporter of the arts, Robyn’s skill-set is an important asset to sustaining the growth of the Markham Art Collective.
Vera Walton, Visual Artist
Vera was born in Czechoslovakia and immigrated to Canada as a young teenager with her parents. Her love of drawing and her “nostalgic” love of beautiful buildings led her to a choice of career in architecture. She spent 2 years at the School of Architecture U of T and while there was exposed to various forms of art like photography, colour and coordination design study, silk screening, drawing.
Vera has had her paintings in many exhibitions, with successful sales including the Markham Studio Tour, the Heintzman House Invitational and other local art events. She is an avid supporter of the arts and has volunteered her time in the pursuit of continued awareness of her art form.
Vera has proven her commitment to the visual art sector many times over, and realizes the importance and usefulness of the markhamartcollective.com website as a valuable entity for local visual artists.
Vera is a member of the Markham Arts Council, the Markham Group of Artists and the Richmond Hill Group of Artists. You can see Vera’s artwork on her website at www.verawalton.com.
Ana Jurpik, Visual Artist
Ana hails from Argentina. She discovered the ability to render at a very young age. By pulling images from her mind, she was able to recreate visually through paints, pencil, ink or back then, crayons.
She was one of the 25 selected Canadian artists who voyaged to paint Greenland and the High Arctic in the summer of 2006, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the first explorer to complete this journey. Her work is located in private and corporate collections in Canada and the United States, and in the Permanent Collection at the Vancouver Maritime Museum and the City of Spoleto, Italy.
Ana’s skills with website and graphic design are an asset to the Markham Art Collective as is her devotion to community art groups. You can see Ana’s work on her website at www.jurpikdesign.com
We thank the many artists, visitors, contributors and supporters that make this web initiative possible.
OUR MISSION: The markhamartcollective.com website provides supplemental information and resources for visual artists, including online discussions in order to enhance the visual art experience.
