<![CDATA[THE IRIS GROUP WOMEN ARTISTS' COLLECTIVE - The Secret Garden]]>Fri, 13 Mar 2026 23:18:10 -0400Weebly<![CDATA[Back to the Garden]]>Sun, 02 Aug 2015 12:54:56 GMThttp://www.theirisgroup.ca/the-secret-garden/back-to-the-garden

We dropped by to do a bit of weeding and found that things were pretty well looked after already. As well, someone has started another garden in the lower level where John and students cleared the way. A big deal for IRIS to see the Y residents take ownership of the space.

Our artsVest funds bought a few more plants etc and will also cover IRIS expenses for our workshops during Family Day this month. Rowena and Wendy are offering painting and clay projects while Jan will be doing face paintings. I will present Mary Ellen McQuay's photography piece showing some of the highlights from our Secret Garden project.

Pictures to follow.

]]><![CDATA[SPONSORSHIP]]>Mon, 19 Jan 2015 18:05:52 GMThttp://www.theirisgroup.ca/the-secret-garden/sponsorshipOUR WONDERFUL SPONSORS
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IRIS is thrilled to have been accepted into this one-time funding opportunity, that expires Feb 1 2015, and to have the support of both the Career Hairstyling school and John Weiss Salon.

·         Since we are a small group, we are under the umbrella of The Robert McLaughlin Gallery.
·         artsVest is a national sponsorship training and matching fund incentive program created by Business for the Arts and funded in Ontario by the Ontario Trillium Foundation, Canadian Heritage and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport .
·         artsVest provides matching incentive grants for new sponsorships raised by participating organizations to spark local business support of arts and heritage. Cash is matched 100% and in-kind sponsorships are matched at 50% of the retail value.

 Every year, selected municipalities across Canada partner with Business for the Arts to bring the artsVest program to their communities. To qualify for artsVest matching funds, your municipality or province must be a designated artsVest community. In Ontario, these communities and their respective matching funds are;

Huron County: $15,000
Kingston: $85,000
Kitchener-Waterloo: $75,000
Mississauga: $60,000
Oshawa: $43,000
For all municipalities, Matching Funds request range from $500 to $5,000 

For more information on artsVest, see Ontario Guidelines  

]]><![CDATA[November Visit to Career School of Hairdressing]]>Tue, 25 Nov 2014 19:24:59 GMThttp://www.theirisgroup.ca/the-secret-garden/november-visit-to-career-school-of-hairdressingStudents at work at Career School of Hairdressing
Women under the auspices of YWCA Durham and John Cooney's E.A. Lovell group attended last Thursday's mini-makeover session at the hairdressing school. With 12 women, the hairdressing students, and John snapping pictures, it was a busy place. Here are his photos and a few of mine.
]]><![CDATA[Getting Gorgeous with John Weiss Salon]]>Tue, 25 Nov 2014 18:30:56 GMThttp://www.theirisgroup.ca/the-secret-garden/getting-gorgeous-with-john-weiss-salonOur Wonderful SPONSORS 
We have been fundraising through an ArtsVest program the City of Oshawa has in place for this winter, The intention is to create links between business (i.e. sponsors) and art organizations (e.g. IRIS). All fall we have been getting mini makeovers by the students at the  Career School of Hairdressing for the women who are supported through YWCA programs, and the students who have been working on the grounds at the Y. (See earlier story)

THE GRAND FINALE of this project is that participants names went into a draw for two full monte makeovers at Oshawa's preeminent makeover place.

 John Weiss Hair Design is the long standing creme de la creme for bespoke makeovers, and they have offered to do a $300 value treatment for two lucky women. There is a before and after wall in their foyer that gives dramatic testimony to what can happen in their hands. And now we have two winners of the draw!

]]><![CDATA[Mini Makeovers at Career School of Hairdressing]]>Mon, 27 Oct 2014 18:51:11 GMThttp://www.theirisgroup.ca/the-secret-garden/mini-makeovers-at-career-school-of-hairdressingAngela
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Eleanor

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Breanna

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This is part of an ArtsVest sponsorship program,  See story below.
]]><![CDATA[FALL GARDEN WORK WITH E.A.LOVELL STUDENTS]]>Mon, 27 Oct 2014 14:36:59 GMThttp://www.theirisgroup.ca/the-secret-garden/fall-garden-work-with-ealovell-students

One Day in September

Sally and Margaret from IRIS met with John Cooney's students to do some maintenance on the garden as well as try to keep the lower level cleaned up. It has so much potential - we have talked about it as a little amphitheatre, or perhaps a sculpture garden. We tied up the tomato vines and dug a few weeds.  We were give such great soil compost and plants (thanks to Miller Compost, Kamstras and KOBE's) that it's a pretty healthy growing spot. Also, Y residents Eleanor and friends have been keeping the weeds away. And it has been such a bad year for tomatoes that although they are plentiful they are still mostly green. 

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES ANYONE?
]]><![CDATA[INTERVIEW ON ROGERS]]>Sat, 25 Oct 2014 18:46:19 GMThttp://www.theirisgroup.ca/the-secret-garden/interview-on-rogersI was invited to the Rogers Daytime show to talk about The Secret Garden. Here is the interview:
http://rogerstv.com/page.aspx?lid=237&rid=2&gid=216873
]]><![CDATA[The Y the women, the Garden, the students]]>Sat, 25 Oct 2014 17:53:49 GMThttp://www.theirisgroup.ca/the-secret-garden/the-y-the-women-the-garden-the-students
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"Susan" Photo Credit Mary Ellen McQuay

Getting Gorgeous

In advance of our Phase 2 Secret Garden project in 2015, we have been fundraising through an ArtsVest program the City of Oshawa has in place for this winter, The intention is to create links between business (i.e. sponsors) and art organizations (e.g. IRIS) . Our current sponsors are  the Career School of Hairdressing for monthly mini makeovers for the women residents and the students who are helping in the garden (see below). The salon students get fresh subjects to practice on and the women get free makeup and hair treatments. So far we have had two sessions, and everyone is having a ball. I can't say enough about the warm friendly atmosphere at the school, and also the way that each woman has had individual treatment from the cheerful talented students.
AND NEXT !!!
In Oshawa,  John Weiss Hair Design is the long standing creme de la creme for bespoke makeovers, and they have offered to do this $300 value treatment for two lucky women. There is a before and after wall in their foyer that gives dramatic testimony to what can happen in their hands. We look forward to seeing who will win the draw!

The partnership between IRIS and our sponsors will allow us to cover our costs for spring art and garden making at the YWCA with the residents there.
]]><![CDATA[Beyond Fences - Artmaking at the Y]]>Mon, 11 Aug 2014 16:28:46 GMThttp://www.theirisgroup.ca/the-secret-garden/beyond-fences-artmaking-at-the-yBeyond Fences
Saturday August 9 2014
Perfect weather for a perfect day. Photos by Mary Ellen McQuay.
]]><![CDATA[Some Thank yous]]>Wed, 06 Aug 2014 15:38:42 GMThttp://www.theirisgroup.ca/the-secret-garden/some-thank-yousThank you City of Oshawa Picture
We are extremely grateful for the city's support for our Secret Garden. In addition, through Oshawa IRIS has been approved for matching funding from ArtsVest in order to continue into Phase 2 with our activities. We are actively seeking sponsorship in order to access this financial support. Sponsors can provide cash or in-kind support for IRIS endeavours.

And from YWCA Durham

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