We are very pleased to welcome in the New Year with new work from Akin King member, Jen Pilles! Forests & Lakes is an exhibition of plein air studies; each work created in nature using a combination of gouache, pencil, watercolour, and ink.

Jen Pilles has been developing her plein-air practice for many years, finding inspiration in the Ontario countryside, and joy in the act of studying the landscape. These works on wood and paper were created in the following locations between 2014 - 2018: Algonquin Park, Bobcaygeon, Bracebridge, Brechin, Dwight, Huntsville, Oastler Lake Provincial Park, Tamworth, Toronto Island, and Warsaw Caves Conservation Area.

Forests & Lakes begins its journey in the Akin Vitrine Galleries beginning at 1485 Dupont for the month of January and 1747 St. Clair Avenue West in February.

Jen Pilles is a freelance illustrator and plein-air artist from Welland, Ontario. She creates charming drawings and colourful illustrations using a combination of mediums including ink, gouache, watercolour and coloured pencil. She creates work for a variety of clients including publishers, public institutions, not-for-profit organizations, small businesses, and private clients. Jen holds a Bachelor of Applied Arts with Honours in Illustration from Sheridan College.

Jen has been practicing plein-air painting for over a decade and derives much of her inspiration from travelling and exploring the landscape. The work she creates out in nature informs and inspires her illustration practice. Feeling most at home out in the woods or floating in a lake, Jen is always on the lookout for new locations to draw and paint in the open air.

Forests & Lakes
Media: gouache, watercolour, pencil, ink
Dimensions variable
Dates: 2014 - 2018

To contact the artist:
Instagram: @jenpillestration
#Akinvitrine
www.jenpilles.com

Akin Collective + Akin Projects are excited to present our 2019 programming in two Vitrine Galleries located at Akin Dupont and Akin St. Clair. These miniature galleries feature the diverse talent of our members with travelling installations rotating each month. Each artist will be featured for the first month at Dupont and second month at St. Clair. For more information about our artists and our programming, join us on Instagram @akinvitrine.

Forests & Lakes will be on view for the month of January in our Dupont Akin Vitrine Gallery, located in the Clock Factory Building at 1485 Dupont Street (entrance on Campbell Avenue). Find Akin Studio 215 on the second floor and follow the sign into the hallway around the corner. The building is open from 9am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday.

The exhibition will then travel to the Akin St. Clair Vitrine Gallery and be on view for the month of February at 1747 St. Clair Avenue West. Gallery is street level and can be viewed at any time.

For more information about Jen and her work, follow our Instagram account @akinvitrine.

Jen will also be taking over the @akinprojects Instagram account on January 28-30th. Stay tuned for more of her beautiful work and some behind the scenes.

More about the artist here