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2009 - 2010 SEASON
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October 5 - November 1
Thom Watchorn - Painter
Artist Statement:
In my work I focus on paint as a material which I present as both medium and subject matter. I am a process based artist in that for me, my creative process is the primary focus in the creation of my art. Although I have a fundamental concept, the outcome of is never predetermined because during this process the medium, personality, intuition and spontaneity take over.
In order to give tangible form to my concept, I work with large scale canvases, using mounds of thick, tar-like paint which I layer over thinly stained canvas. I then incorporate a reductive technique scraping away thick paint in a gestural manner thereby revealing the thin underpainting. During this process, while creating a vortex or focal point, I am also aware of the importance of activating the edges. There is a sculptural element to my art which I create by varying the thickness of the paint.
My process and techniques are inspired by my background as a graffiti artist as well as being an academic artist. Using illumination, line, colour, scale and layering gives the work a sense of suggestion character and eternity. |
www.thomhorns.wordpress.com |
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November 11 - December 7
Soleil Martine Johnson - Photographer
Artist Statement
A couple of years ago, I discovered a photo album belonging to my grandmother Albina Rafalska, a first-generation American, the daughter of Polish immigrants who escaped their country just before the fall of the last Russian czar. I was immediately captivated by these images from another time, another place. I wanted to know more about them and asked my grandfather, but he could only name a few. They were once people important to Grandma: friends, former lovers or extended family. With her passing, they were left a mystery.
The aesthetic of these images emerged from an intuitive system in which the scratches and brush strokes possible in traditional process photography, inform the viewer’s impression of each individual’s characteristics in a way that physiognomy alone could never do. At a time when high-resolution imagery and digital shortcuts abound everywhere, this hands-on connection allows for an intimacy that bridges time by depicting memory in a way that is not only visual, but is also embodied by these reincarnations.
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The Elegant and Macabre
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The material ministrations that evolve out of craft-based methodologies recall the spirit of the séance, as relics become doorways through which lost identities are beckoned by the living, with only the blind sensations of a ghost to guide them. The images in The Elegant and Macabre Show will include pieces inspired by my grandmother’s rich but mysterious family history as well as creations stemming from my own original photographic work.
A native New Englander born on the Atlantic coast of Newport, Rhode Island she left home in 2004 for Vancouver,BC to pursue art school. She found a love for those photographs that are hidden or discarded in basements, antique stores, and yard sales, while also learning to create her own images that attempt to captivate in an ephemeral, painterly and sometimes sinister way. After a long break she is back in the studio working with more amalgamation techniques to support the collective nostalgia of the human spirit. She will have completed her BFA in Photography from Emily Carr University this coming winter. |
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December 8 - 24 January 2 - 10
Mary Downe - Painter
Artist Statement
I have a degree in fine arts from the University of Western Ontario and a diploma in interdisciplinary studies from Emily Carr College of Art and Design. I lived in Paris for many years, teaching drawing and colour at several industrial design schools, and now live in Vancouver.
Colour, whether bright and joyful or subdued and peaceful, is the most important element in my work. I am interested in exploring the complexities and interplay of colours, patterns and textures. My oil paintings are an attempt to embody a quiet celebration of nature and its powers to renew and bestow peace. Landscapes, formal gardens, plant forms, decorative patterns of fabrics, stylized images from the baroque era and images of women are my sources of inspiration.
Each of my fabric creatures is unique, made with various materials I discover on my travels, including fabric, wool, buttons, embroidery thread, feathers and beads. I am fascinated by the way the fabrics, buttons and other elements take on a life of their own. I start out with an idea in mind but am often surprised and excited by how the creatures evolve in their own way. “Give me a blue arm or pink lips” they seem to ask. I am inspired by the amazing presence of spirit embodied in the Hopi Kachina dolls. As my creatures develop each of them takes on a distinct personality and energy evoking the humour and playfulness that went into their creation.
I have exhibited and am collected both nationally and internationally. Currently some of my fabric creatures are on display at Circle Craft on Granville Island.
www.marydowne.com |
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January 20 - February 15
Barb Bowlsby - Painter
Artist Statement
I am a passionate experimenter. My recent body of work embraces the use of metal leaf, patinas and washes. My landscapes begin on curved wood panels, designed by myself, which have now become my trademark. Inspired by the westcoast, these soft and ephemeral landscapes are anchored by a hint of realism, creating beautiful land formations and atmospheric effects. The paintings are finished with thick coatings of glass-like resin. Viewers standing before them become part of the scenery itself as their reflections appear superimposed.
My artistic journey has led to a body of unique works that have been included in the PNE Prize Home and used as corporate logos, they have been recognized by several juried artistic awards. I have done solo and an extensive number of group exhibits, and am now an Active Member of the Federation of Canadian Artists.
My pieces can be found in corporate and private collections around the world. |
www.members.shaw.ca/bbowlsby |
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February 16 - March 21
Alan Sirulnikoff - Photographer
Artist Statement
In this era of digital alteration, I am still drawn to a style of photography that allows me to be an observer of a moment or scene. I don’t direct or manipulate the subject but I do appreciate the juxtaposition of events as they unfold. As with many subjects I am attracted to the play of light, the textures, colours and patterns. But beyond these elements it is also a glimpse, possibly an insight, into other lives. Like much art, it can be a point of departure where the viewer, if engaged by the compositional elements and the subject, will bring their own stories, their memories, to the image.
Of late I have even discovered an energy conservation message in this series. Given the fact that our clothes dryers consume copious amounts of energy, I hope I am, in my small way, making it progressive and even desirable to hang one’s clothes On the Line.
Born in the depth of a Winnipeg winter (I remain traumatized to this day) I have lived on the Sunshine Coast for over 9 years following lengthy stays in Toronto and Vancouver. My photos have appeared in numerous books and magazines both nationally and internationally. I have also exhibited a selection of my various long-term projects.
www.sirulnikoff.ca |
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March 31 - April 26
Roz Maclean - Painter
Artist Statement
In my work I like to take an investigative and inquiring approach to concepts that interest me. For example, I enjoy exploring ideas around human nature, behavior, and motivations. Questions around why we treat others the way we do, where we get our ideas of worthiness and self from, and the degree to which we can control negative streams of thought, recur throughout different pieces. Ultimately, I am interested in the ties between what we do and the place within our selves that it is coming from. Are we motivated by fear of our own insufficiency, and ideas of ego and competition? Or are we coming from a place of trust and connectedness to others and to nature? Do we choose to believe that well being is limited and elusive, or abundant and accessible? This dichotomy is something I have focused on through asking literal questions of the viewer, which I hope will stimulate their own curiosity. Also, through producing images that reflect my own awe of nature, I hope to portray the sense of security that the natural world gives me. In nature I find a reassurance that with the existence of so much beauty and perfection, there is no reason that humans should be an exception. I use images of animals, plants and the elements to draw parallels between what we see in the natural world and what we see in our own behavior. More importantly, I draw from nature a reminder that we are part of an energy that is greater than our selves and that we can put our trust in. |
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