Polly Stringle

Polly (DeCarlo) Stringle is an artist and educator whose colourful acrylic paintings are inspired by personal experiences and observations of the visual world around her. Colour, light, pattern and texture are all dominant in her work. Polly loves painting all things vintage, often telling stories through her images. In January, 2024, Polly began painting in soft pastels and is currently enjoying the medium immensely. The buttery nature of the medium and the possibility of creating almost limitless layers is allowing her to express herself in a totally different way. The new pastel work is posted on the Landscape Page. Polly has taught Art in classrooms from grades one to university. Her teaching has informed her work and life in many ways. From elementary classrooms she learned the sheer joy of creativity and experimentation. With high school students, as she helped them build portfolios, collect and develop new ideas, and acquire skills and techniques, Polly expanded her own artistic repertoire. At the university level, she guided students as they translated their knowledge of art and art history into meaningful experiences for their own students and gained an abundance of ideas and approaches herself. The work she did with Thames Valley Teachers in her role as Arts Coordinator was truly inspiring as she got to work with the most creative minds in the entire board. Her “Lifers” (seniors she teaches in a private residence) demonstrate skill, perseverance and enthusiasm as they tackle each new piece and have taught her what it truly means to be lifelong learners. Polly has been inspired with each new teaching experience and has been amazed and humbled by her colleagues’ and students’ collective abilities. She lives in London Ontario with her equally creative husband Gary, and their golden retriever Vinnie, who rules their lives.