The 2009 Headwaters Arts Festival is running until next Monday, October 12.

A panel of judges selected just 35 artists to participate. A few of those artists: Denis Hopkins - Orton, Doctor turned painter

"My life as a 'Sunday painter' changed radically in 1998 when retirement brought the opportunity to study drawing and painting in the studio of a master painter and teacher, Ted Seth Jacobs. The studio was located in a small village in rural France and attracted ten students each year from around the world for an eight month course of intense study.

"Each morning was devoted to drawing the figure. Afternoons were spent on still life drawing and painting. Ted provided demonstrations, critiques and mentoring, always emphasizing the importance of meticulous observation and drawing.

"Six years of this rigorous type of training (as long and as difficult as medical training!), immersion in another culture and interaction with serious art students from around the world were enriching experiences which have had a profound influence on my work. I continue to paint seriously every day in my studio at my home near Orton. I have gone to Vermont for the past two years for the month of June to paint the beautiful landscapes of that state." Rudolf Kurz, Orangeville

Rudolf is one of the few people left who practices the centuries old art of etching. He is a bit of a dinosaur in today's art scene. At the recent Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition over 500 artists exhibited their work; less than 10 were printmakers and Rudolf was the only etcher.

After an intricate design is scratched into the surface of a prepared copper plate, the plate is immersed in acid and the image is etched into the plate. No photographic transfer is taking place - everything is done by hand. Once the plate is etched it can be printed (in reverse) onto dampened printing paper. The artist uses his own hand cranked intaglio press for this; printing one etching takes about half an hour. Making the metal plate takes a week to ten days. Laurie McGaw, Shelburne

"When an artist paints directly from the model, the results are fresh and energetic. I have been working this way every Wednesday night for a number of years with a group of other artists and it has inspired me immensely. Also, in my commissioned portraiture, painting the subject in his or her own environment (or in the studio) makes for a lively painting.

"Recently, I was approached by PTV Productions to take part in a new television series called 'Star Portraits': the show combines the art of portraiture with celebrity biography and is hosted by Louise Pitre. I painted Elvis Stojko, a striking subject. While the cameras were rolling, I had to quickly establish, in oil on canvas, the essence of the pose. The portrait was then finished in my studio.

"It was such an exciting experience—fuelled by the immediacy of the situation, the interaction with the star and the cast, and the sense of accepting a challenge. This 13-episode series is one to watch! 'Star Portraits' airs this fall on BRAVO!" Chris Goodhand, Cheltenham

"I have always loved working with wood, especially on a lathe. Even at school, when the other boys considered the woodworking class, like gym, an easy lesson, it was, for me, the highlight of the week. I was always very careful in my approach to whatever I was making and, as such, never found myself on the receiving end of a lump of wood across the knuckles accompanied by the teacher's admonition, 'You stupid boy, do you think this stuff grows on trees??'.

"After finishing school, it was to be more than 20 years before I was able to get back onto a lathe, by which time I had also acquired 4 (beloved) ladies and was in desperate need of an oestrogen free environment for a few hours a week. We had all moved back to England towards the end of the 80's after many years in Canada and the US and while my wife, Carin, oversaw the renovations to our home, I concentrated on the building of a purposeful workshop for the lathe I had dreamt about owning for the past two decades.

"Our move back to Canada in 1998 required two large freight containers, one of which contained all our household possessions and the other, the contents of my workshop and all my stock (big pile of logs) of hard wood timbers (the movers were amused until they had to lift them!). Some of my current work is still being produced from this stock.

"So, in conclusion, for the past 17 years I have been enjoying my hobby and honing my skills with a view to one day creating the perfect piece before I die. I'm not in any particular hurry to achieve this goal, but hope you find that the journey so far is proving worthwhile." Peter Marshall, Grand Valley

Peter Marshall has worked in a variety media and styles over the years. Peter has his degree in fine art and has taught art for many years. In the summer at his Northern Ontario island, he has developed his nature works in acrylics, pastel, and other media, often "au plein air', often from his Algonquin canoe. Winter is studio work. Peter has also developed a pyrographic/ acrylic painting method on wood panels, trays, boxes and furniture. Peter Marshall's art works have been in galleries and stores in London, Toronto and the Near North.

"This raven series began with watching a flock of black birds organize themselves in my back yard. Each interaction brought out their characters and reminded me of their antics I had read about in many myths, legends and tales. These two aspects factored into the works that materialized in this series. Through burnt lines and layered acrylics, I depict a fixed moment that yet may hint of pending action. The wood grain itself is often incorporated into my overall design and influences the final image. I create a limited set of works around a theme or idea related to nature yet I do not rely on details as the overall image is my goal."