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Gallery in the Garden: Beginnings/Endings
Paintings by Peter Cserhati, Kinga Székely Flynn,
Nandor Horthy, Rita Makai, Gabor Schultz and Kati Siklos
at Sherway Gardens until May 28, 2011

Sherway Gardens current Gallery in the Garden exhibit entitled Beginnings/Endings showcases six Toronto artists who share two cultures and the experience of travelling between them. All are members of the Hungarian Visual Artists of Canada (HuVAC), an association that believes that art builds bridges between people, generations and nationalities and that it opens people’s minds to new possibilities. The exhibit is on display until Saturday, May 28 in the corridor at door 3.

Peter Cserhati graduated in 1958 from the Fine and Applied Arts School in Budapest with a diploma in decorative wood sculpture. Privately, he worked in painting and sculpting in clay as a member of the Guttenberg and Derkovits art groups. In 1969 he was granted the distinction of Master Woodcarver and in the same year escaped with his wife from communist Hungary. They settled in Toronto where he established his own company designing and carving residential, institutional, and church interiors. Peter’s paintings can be found in collections in North America, Europe, and in the Canadian Embassy permanent collection in Budapest. To see more of his work, visit www.petercserhati.com.

Kinga Székely Flynn was born in Szatmár, Transylvania, grew up in communist-era Romania and left when the revolution started to live in Budapest for three years. In Canada, Kinga trained at the University of Waterloo and completed a studio specialization with a focus on printmaking. She has travelled widely, immersing herself in various cultures and actively researched traditions, mythology, music and the folklore of several cultures. Her roots, as a Hungarian, brought her back to the rich world of Eastern European folktales, folksongs and fairytales. Her creative imagery is based on Hungarian folklore. Her work is characterized by strong outlines and wonderfully vivid colours. She works primarily with oil on canvas, but also likes to transfer some of the imagery to lino-cuts. Currently, she is the Principal of the Arany János Hungarian School at the Hungarian Canadian Cultural Centre as well as a Mathematics, Science and Visual Arts Teacher.

Nandor Horthy is an elected member of the Society of Canadian Artists and is currently president of the Hungarian Visual Artists of Canada. Nandor describes painting as “his pleasure…his life”. His approach to painting is traditional but not always purely representational, often combining realistic elements with an abstracted view of reality. He loves to create quiet paintings, compelling subject matter and concise, elegant compositions. Nandor has won numerous prizes for his paintings in Canada and in the USA and has achieved recognition for his work. Visit www.nandorhorthy.com to see his portfolio.

Rita Makai is attracted to leaves and feels that each leaf’s unique rhythm and the dance among its lines in the curvature of its spine is what moves and excites her imagination. As each delicate flower, plant and leaf vibrates with its distinct energy, she is energized and inspired to capture their vitality with her brush. Rita’s encounters with her newly adopted Canadian landscape have given birth to a profound appreciation of the harmony and mystery that lies within nature. Rita’s work has been exhibited regularly in Canada and Hungary, to see more of her work visit www.huvac.ca/member_rita_makai.htm. Born in Budapest, Hungary and now living in Toronto, artist

Gabor Schultz works primarily in acrylic on canvas. Landscape is his main area of specialty. Gabor's strong sense of colour is evident in all his art and especially in his modern impressionist style paintings. He finds inspiration and colour in Canadian landscapes and has a passion for the beauty Canada offers in its forested landscapes, rocky shorelines, sweeping valleys and enchanting communities. Visit www.gaborschultz.webs.com to see more of his landscapes.

Kati Siklos completed her studies at the Budapest Art School. She left during the 1956 revolution and immigrated to Canada. Her professional career started in Montreal as a lithographer while keeping up her art studies and taking part in exhibitions. In 1973 Kati moved to Toronto with her family. With her family grown, she has found more time for painting and exhibiting her work across the city. She loves to spend time at her Muskoka cottage where she finds inspiration in the vivid Canadian colours. Visit www.katisiklos.com to see more of her vibrant paintings. About Sherway Gardens’ Gallery in the Garden: Sherway Gardens’ Gallery in the Garden was established to showcase local artists. The Gallery in the Garden operates all year round and each exhibit is on display for approximately 6 weeks. The Gallery in the Garden is located at Sherway Gardens’ door 3 entrance.

For more information call 416-621-1070 or visit www.sherwaygardens.ca or www.huvac.ca.