Bob and Gail unveil Flowercat & Friends Rug Hooking

Gail is Always Hunting for Angels

The Children's Seed Project Group

Gail is a Canadian Poet and Writer and has developed into a Doodle Artist. She resides in St. Thomas with her husband, Bob and two cats “Walley” and “Casey-Clare” after relocating here from Toronto 12 years ago. She is co-owner of Dog & Pony Productions Inc. which is a corporate video production company helping companies “tell their story to get noticed”.

She has written 5 books and one book in particular, “To Have A Cup Of Tea With A Cat & Other Cat Tails” shows illustrations of her doodle art. She has created a series of cartoon characters with the primary one being Flowercat ™ and has fifteen characters that she calls family who each have individual names. The latest are Chocó-Cat, Lava-Loo and Mommy Millie Bear.

As a doodle artist she doodles on a daily and weekly basis and has been doing so since 2004. She has built up a collection of artwork some of which has been coloured using magic markers.

In 2007 some were compiled in a Flowercat ™ colouring book, sponsored by local business, friends and family and went to the Dominican Republic for children to enjoy. Gail has a love of bright, primary colours so her doodle artwork is bold and playful. The cartoon characters all have congenial, loving personalities and interact to help heal the world in the midst of hearts, flowers, and other symbols.

Gail is divinely inspired to create and her cartoon characters came to her in many dreams including the Angel-Woman “Angelica”. Gail discovered that by putting a heart behind any figure they become angels because when viewed from the front, the heart appears to be wings. Her doodle artwork was shown at the St. Thomas Library and her photo art greeting cards of her work are available to the public for sale.

Of special mention, Gail enlarges and laminates her artwork so that it can be hung on art poles and fridge doors or framed. Her Mother had a pole floor lamp in her long-term care facility room and Gail hung her artwork there with two magnets so her Mom could enjoy it. This came about because of her Mom’s keen interest in her doodle art and failing eyesight. Gail's mom passed away in 2008.

The doodle art has also found its way to mouse pads, bookmarks, buttons and T-shirts. One was specifically designed to commemorate Bob and Gail’s home being part of the local Tour of Gardens show in 2006.

Gail’s other passion is antique rug hooking whereby she creates her own designs, most recently of Flowercat ™ doodle artwork. With antique rug hooking she uses a variety of wool fabrics and interprets colour for the pattern that she has created using texture and the melding of wools to visually tell a story. Her rug hookings have been on display locally and at the Trent University Rug Hooking School.

Gail has always been a photographer and takes photos in and around St. Thomas, Elgin County, at the cottage, and around the world. She specializes in angels, statues, flowers, gardens, animals, still-life and sunrises. Under the logo of, “The Photographic Heart”, which is a division of Dog & Pony Productions Inc., she sells photo art greeting cards to retailers, previously at the Horton Farmer’s Market to the public, at the cottage and out of her home. She has also produced two postcards of Jumbo, “The Fantasy” series # 1 (“Pink Jumbo” and #2 “Jumbo Visits Alma College”) and these came about after she initiated the theory that since Jumbo was painted pink for one weekend, as a primer, before the gray paint that he would eventually be painted in was done, he became “magical” and could therefore travel around Elgin County at whim. You know what they say about “pink elephants”!

Gail’s intention was also to bring historical memories to St. Thomas & Elgin County residents and tourists and in a joint effort with the Elgin County Archives, she has created reproductions of old photos for art cards from the Scott-Sefton, Alma College, Hugh Sims, and Evans archival collections. Postcard reproductions have also been done from Don Cosen’s and Ken Tuff’s postcard collections. Additionally, Gail has reproduced greeting cards of several artists’ work including Tom Spatafore, Canadian Wildlife artist; Paul Schleusner of Port Stanley; and Teresa Marie of Grand Bend.

Gail managed an art wall for local MPP Joe Preston’s constituency office allowing a variety of artists, on a monthly basis, to showcase their artwork. Dear to Gail’s heart was, “The Children’s Seed Project" in 2004 whereby she utilized $100.00 given to her at The Women’s Conference in London to do something positive in her community and set up “The Children’s Seed Project". Ten young artists were selected, they had a day with a famous painter, Paul Schleusner and their artwork was displayed in the St. Thomas – Elgin Public Art Centre. A video was made of the event and Gail presented it at the next season’s Women’s Conference. Of special mention as well was her participation in the St. Thomas – Elgin Public Art Centre’s “Banner Art” program where her banner “Spring Thing” was hung downtown St. Thomas during the summer of 2005.

In 2008 Gail initiated another project, "Walk The Chalk" whereby chalk art was done on Talbot Street, the main downtown street, in St. Thomas as part of the annual Iron Horse Festival. This was a first for the Festival and the City of St. Thomas. Sponsorships were sold to companies and individuals and they were matched up with not-for-profit organizations who did the chalk art utilizing the manpower of friends, family, staff and volunteers. It was a glorious scene to watch the art work magically unfold on the street over two days. First place went to the Alzheimer Society of Elgin-St. Thomas sponsored by Yurek Pharmacy Ltd, second went to The Association for Community Living, sponsored by RBC Royal Bank – East & West End Branches and third went to the VON sponsored by Evelyn McNaughton. Honourable mention went to Elgin County Area Youth For Christ sponsored by Faith Baptist Church, Life Group.

Gail is a member of the St. Thomas – Elgin Public Art Centre, Memories In Wool Rug Hooking Club, HRPAO, Elgin Business Women’s Network and St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce, and the Photographic Society of America.

Doodle Art
Baby Grapeathia

Walley, a Maine Coon cat adopted from a Toronto Family

Alma College, 1881

Memories In Wool Display on Joe Preston's (M.P.) Art Wall

VON Group photo with Evelyn McNaughton sponsor of VON for 2008 Walk the Chalk Project Event, St.Thamas