Welcome to Spirit of the Hills
Members’ Creative Gallery
A sample of our members’ creativity. New images posted regularly.
Click on any image to find out more about that artist or writer.
Events & Workshops
Upcoming events and workshops our members are participating in
Saturday March 7th, 1 to 3 pm ARTIST ROUND TABLE at Phyliss Hammerstrom Wright’s home: Unit 3401, 300 Croft Street, Port Hope
Susan Statham will do a presentation on color and we will think about its importance for composition and for creating an emotional response, as well as a review of how to mix your colours.
Public Exhibitions
Current public displays of our members work
Till April 14th - Ken Solilo Art at The Cobourg Library
March 31 to June 9 - Pat Annaert at Caper's Tap House
March 28th - October 3rd - Warkworth Library
March 15 to May 3, 2026 - Foot by Foot Show at The Colborne Art Gallery
March 4 – April 5 - ECCO Gallery is proud to present an exhibition by multi-award-winning mixed media artist Lynda Todd
ECCO Gallery is proud to present an exhibition by multi-award-winning mixed media artist Lynda Todd, running March 4 through April 5, 2026.
Touch is encouraged.
ECCO Gallery
46 Queen Street, Lakefield, ON
This captivating show continues Todd’s powerful Migration Series, featuring richly textured portrayals of polar bears, penguins, and whales, created using mixed media techniques. Each piece captures the movement, resilience, and beauty of migratory wildlife across land, air and sea.
Calls for Artists
Calls for our members to participate in
Feb 25 – March 15, 2026 – Artists, this one’s for you! Stony Steps Artsfest, Newburgh, Saturday June 20, 2026
Applications are now open for Stoney Steps ArtFest 2026, taking place on Saturday, June 20, 2026, Newburgh, Ontario.
This popular outdoor artisan festival draws a large, enthusiastic crowd and celebrates original, handmade art across a wide range of mediums. It’s a wonderful opportunity to showcase your work, connect with collectors, and be part of a vibrant creative community.
Event Date: Saturday, June 20, 2026
Location: Just outside Newburgh, ON
Application Deadline: March 15, 2026
To apply, email stoneystepsartfest@
with your name, a brief bio, your medium, and attach 2–3 photos of your work.
Space is limited and demand is high — be sure to submit your application before March 15, 2026!
Our 25th Anniversary! Let’s Celebrate! We Want To Hear From You!
In 2000, Spirit of the Hills welcomed artists of many disciplines. What followed were countless exhibits, art in local venues, workshops, and juried shows. Writers joined the group in 2009 and in 2012 they produced the first of what is now six Hill Spirits Anthologies. Our members have won awards, received exceptional commissions, performed in plays and musical events and mounted two arts festivals.
Help us celebrate by revealing your Spirit of the Hills experience through the visual arts (cartoons, drawings, paintings), stories, poetry, articles (max. 1000 words) and music (as an MP3), to be featured right here on our website.
Send in your experience to:
president@spiritofthehills.org
In The Spotlight
Highlighting member accomplishments and creativity
February 27 - Kat Kinch at the Bankside Gallery, London, England
I’ve had the very good luck to have a painting selected to be part of the Royal Watercolour Society’s Open 2026 exhibition at the Bankside Gallery in London, England beginning February 27. I have a attached a JPEG of the painting with the title below, and the full gallery of selected works for this international juried exhibition is at the following link: https://www.
Our Members Speak
August 13, 2025 – “SOTH advanced my art career” – Jennifer Anne Burke
Jennifer Anne Burke.
July 3rd, 2025 - "I look forward to attending another SOTH workshop" - Heather Tyson
This was my first workshop experience, and the first one SOTH has offered after a hiatus of a number of years. In the past, SOTH has had several workshops feeding the artist members, and this one did the same for me.
Steve Rose added a lot to my enjoyment of the day. He did a great job of sharing his knowledge and expertise with the group, and he left plenty of room for our comments and questions. I was also impressed by his ability to “switch gears” as he circulated around the room, helping us one-on-one.
The venue and caliber of facilitator were excellent, and I look forward to attending another SOTH workshop.
Heather Tyson
May 31, 2025 - "Spirit of the Hills Ignited My Confidence" - Lynda Todd
By Lynda Todd
As a legally blind artist navigating the vibrant, complex world of visual expression, I have come to appreciate not only the creative process but the vital role that community and opportunity play in shaping a career in the arts. Spirit of the Hills Art Association (SOTH) has been a cornerstone in my development as an artist, providing encouragement, inspiration and space to grow.
When I joined SOTH, I did not yet realize how this collective of artists, writers, and supporters would influence my path. What I found was a welcoming, inclusive, and dynamic environment—one that did not see my disability as a barrier but as a unique lens through which I could create and share my story
In 2019, I was honoured to receive the Fine Art Award from Spirit of the Hills Association, a recognition that validated my work and gave me the confidence to pursue bolder ideas and more ambitious exhibitions. This award was more than just an accolade; it was a signal that my art mattered, and that my voice through texture, colour, and layered storytelling was being heard.
Since then, SOTH has continued to open doors for me. Through its support and curated opportunities, I have exhibited my tactile, accessibility-focused art in an array of welcoming and professional venues, including the Campbellford Library, Cobourg Hospital, Capers Tap & Grill, and the John M. Parrott Gallery in Belleville. These opportunities have allowed me to engage with the public, especially as I champion inclusivity and accessibility in the arts.
Exhibiting in professional and public spaces has expanded the reach of my work, giving visibility to both my art and the causes I care about, advocating for the blind and low-vision community, and making the arts more accessible for all. With each show, I have been able to refine not only my technique but also the message behind my art, often sparking dialogue around disability, migration, and the natural world.
Much of this would not have been possible without the quiet guidance of Rosanne Dolan. Her support and words of encouragement have helped me shape my artistic narrative and navigate the sometimes intimidating world of solo exhibitions and juried shows.
Roseanne explains, “Lynda creates works that are filtered through her mind’s eye and the tactile manipulations of media. She is not only passionate about the art she creates but by the processes she uses which do not rely on vision. This has led her to reach out in many different capacities to help blind people and those who struggle with other disabilities. Her artwork and methods encourage people of all exceptionalities to delve into their own hopes and dreams and most particularly, into the world of perhaps even creating their own art”.
Most recently, I was humbled to receive the 2025 Peterborough Arts Award for Outstanding Emerging Artist, along with the People’s Choice Award from the Peterborough Artisan Centre
May 31, 2025 – “The time has come to create art again.” – Karen Walker
Then, when I joined SOTH, I saw the work of the many visual artists in the group and thought yes, the time has come to create art again. “
Karen Walker
May 31, 2025 - “A vital link to so many writers like myself” – Linda Hutsell-Manning
Now, in 2025, my published books number fifteen and, if I include short fiction and poetry in literary magazines, the number increases to fifty-one. I was amazed when I added them up! I still receive rejections, two just recently but they don’t bother me anymore. I do know my determination and my late husband’s support played a large part in my success but so have all you members of the SOH Writers Group.
Most recently, we writers were given the opportunity to choose Cobourg Art Club paintings that spoke to us and write a poem in response. I was fortunate to have two of these ekphrastic poems displayed with two paintings in the annual art show held at the Cobourg Public Library in April.
Hearty congratulations Spirit of the Hills!