RESIDENT ARTIST STUDIOS
The east side studio
ARTISTS: JOLENE AARBO, SILVINA LANUSSE, SHERRON FAIRBAIRN
The East Side Studio is a shared working studio at TOSH, home to resident artists Jolene Aarbo, Silvina Lanusse and Sherron Fairbairn. Through painting and mixed media, each brings a distinct perspective to the animals, places and natural environments that inspire their work.
Visitors are welcome to stop in, meet the artists and see creativity at work.
JOLENE AARBO
Based in Parksville, BC, Jolene Aarbo creates bold Impressionist paintings in pastel, acrylic and oil that bring a burst of colour and energy to any space. After studying business management at the University of Calgary, she followed her creative path to a Degree in Design from the Alberta College of Art in 2002. She went on to work as a production manager and art director, founded her own design and marketing company, and in 2009 launched a Vancouver Island-wide magazine. She also works as a real estate agent with Pemberton Holmes Ltd. in Parksville.
Inspired by artist friends, Jolene returned to painting in 2012. Having grown up surrounded by horses, she is best known for her vibrant equine paintings, which capture the energy and grace of these animals, often set against Vancouver Island's landscapes. She also paints custom pet portraits; contact Jolene directly to discuss commissions and pricing.
SILVINA LANUSSE
Silvina is a painter and intuitive mixed-media artist known for her PaperScapes, layered torn-paper landscapes built slowly by hand. Using torn paper the way a painter uses brushstrokes, she creates texture, movement and depth in works inspired by memory, place and emotional connection.
Originally from Argentina and now rooted on Canada's West Coast, Silvina draws on both worlds: turquoise waters that recall distant shores, and the forests and coastlines she walks today. Her landscapes are less exact places than felt ones, reflecting longing, belonging and the experience of carrying many homes at once. She creates for anyone who has lived between cultures, loved across distances or started over, offering a quiet place to pause and land.
SHERRON FAIRBAIRN
Growing up in Ontario, Sharron spent her childhood exploring the nearby woods, captivated by nature and by the colour and artistry of classic animated films. She moved to British Columbia in the 1970s, where life by the ocean expanded her visual world. In the 1980s she earned a diploma in Commercial Art, later adding studies in digital print and web publishing. Now based in Qualicum Beach, she is largely self-taught, continually learning from the artists she admires.
Her current passion is painting outdoors, or plein air, in an expressive style influenced by Monet. Working in watercolour, acrylic and oil, she blends the discipline of commercial art with the freedom of fine art, using colour and movement to capture the essence of a subject. For Sharron, nature is her true studio, and painting is a matter of the heart.
VISIT THE STUDIO
THE East side studio:
Located Downstairs at TOSH, At least one of the studio’s resident artists is typically working in the studio during TOSH opening hours.
HOURS:
10am-4pm, Tue - Sat
LOCATION:
The Old School House Arts Centre - Downstairs Gallery
Admission is free:
As a non-profit charity, we rely on the generosity of our visitors. Please consider a donation of $10 per person (or any amount you’re able to give) to help keep art thriving in our community.
Donate online here, or tap the
terminal at the front desk.