My “Perceptions” Experience

The “Perceptions” shows in Blyth and in St. Marys (I opened St. M last night )have given me a push for a new direction   These solo shows were viewed by two small communities, mostly consisting of rural people who for Blyth, were seeing some theatre at the Blyth Festival and for my community where I live in St. Marys.  I actually opened my own gallery in St. Marys so I’m sure that many of the people who came to the opening last night were friends who were here to support me.

I gave a tour to people who came in – I have my studio next door to my gallery.  When I explained my work, there definitely was an appreciation.  Abstract is not viewed as being very interesting here in rural Ontario.  However, I do believe that I converted a few who can now look at abstract art with a fresh openness.  I also had the opportunity to give a lesson using my art work to my assistant so that she can talk about my work to others when I’m not in the gallery.

My new direction – write my book on abstract art appreciation.  I believe the legacy I can leave is knowledge.  A quote that I enjoy defining abstraction is ” Abstract art uses a visual language of form, color and line to create a compostion which may exist with a degree of independence from visual references in the world”.

Readiness

It’s happened again. Readiness to create! I’ve had a dry spell – not any more. I’m working on a ceremonial object encaustic painting using a wood panel and an aluminum insert. Should be interesting.

Solo Show in Blyth

One of my best shows! Still on view in Blyth, Ontario at the Blyth Festival Theatre until August 5th.

Morris ART Gallery in St. Marys will be open in September.  This show, called Perceptions:  Abstracts on Aluminum, will open this new venture for me.  Location is 14 Water Street South, in the Opera Building.

Check it out.

What do artists want?

Here are some questions I’ve been asked this year (2008).

How do we influence the public to accept something new and different?

My answer:

When you look at art – words like computer-generated, installation, performance and virtual reality have also become part of our vocabulary. The “public” has been exposed to these words through the media. Comfort level? Acceptance? Well, depending on how it relates to the individual, or how it answers the question, “what’s in it for me?”
I find personally, that when I take the role of instructor or teacher of a new or as you say ‘pushes forward’ the subject matter, the fear factor goes away. I have created “questions to ask yourself when seeing an art show” for people who have come in to see my work.
Of course, there is a certain stratum of the public that will be open to new techniques, etc.; for the rest, it takes a lot of education and work.

I’m curious though as to how you educate folks in how to evaluate art.

My answer:

I educate my viewer by having them critique the art work in 4 stages:
1. Description (just the facts – what do you see without judgements or feelings)
2. Formal Analysis (describe the qualities of line shape colour, etc.)
3. Interpretation (relevance to our lives and to the human situation)
4. Evaluation or Judgment (a rank in relation to other works in its class)
(These stages were modified from an art education book)
I talk the viewer through the stages without being very formal about it – just casual conversation. The viewer usually goes away feeling better about themselves and their knowledge of art.

Interesting questions – can you add other answers?

Happy New Year.

CHOICE Art Show

CHOICE

The WHIRL or main art selection of this show depicts the feeling of overwhelm when presented with many “choices” to make. I thought it an appropriate title for the many choices that breast cancer diagnosis presents.

This is an art exhibition and a fundraiser for the Weekend to End Breast Cancer. I will be donating 25% of all sales to this very worthy event. Again, I will be joining 5000+ people on this 60km or 36 mile walk which takes place in September, 2008. The fundraising benefits the Princess Margaret Hospital for breast cancer research.

Many of these aluminum pieces are representations of charged messages brought out by inner feelings. As with WHIRL, other paintings such as Pampas Breeze or After Glow Horizon enable me to express emotions within.

This show takes place in Toronto for one week only – Opening June 20th at the Visual Arts Ontario Gallery at 1153A Queen St. W. It closes June 28th, at 4pm. I will be present at the opening, the closing and Saturday, June 21 from 2 – 4pm.

I also have note cards, and a limited edition print of the “Naked Appeal” nude at very reasonable prices.

Moving Toward Abstraction – the Lecture

Today is the day that I give my talk to Museum London. I thought that I would summarize this hour presentation:

INTRODUCTION – Who am I? Give a background of my development as an artist BIO

I have been working as a professional artist since 2001.  Artist member of Gallery 96 in Stratford, elected member of the Society of Canadian Artists,  former visual art department head and teacher in secondary schools in both Peel and the Thames Valley Board.  Ph.D in arts and educational administration, former director of the Peel School for the Arts.   Exhibited in several juried shows in in Toronto.  Launched my abstract art direction at a one person show called “Into the Heart of Abstraction”.

Mentors:  Wm Ronald and Harold Klunder.  Picasso!

10 second introduction of my art: My abstract landscapes capture the elemental forms inherent in the natural countryside. The substratum for these works is sheet aluminum which is revealed as an integral shining part of the design ideas.

LET’S TALK ABOUT ABSTRACTION  – reducing, reshaping the natural world for expressive purpose.  An example is tonal vs. atonal music.  Atonal music does not have a tonal centre.

Spacial and visually demanding confrontations that challenge the viewer to respond.  Question constructs and interventions.

SAMPLE PAINTINGS:   A critique of the 2 paintings – Description, Formal Analysis, Interpretation, Evaluation or Judgment, Rank according to others.

Painting #1 – Afterimage Horizon (image left behind after exposure to bright light)

Painting #2 – Whisk (incorporating air into a mixture)

Conclusion:  Don’t forget why I am there – as an expert in Abstract art.  In order to assist my audience,  what are their needs?  Ask questions of the audience and involve them.  Thanks!

Post Painterly Abstraction

More research for my lecture:

Post Painterly Abstraction. Post Painterly Abstraction, or Colour-field/Colorfield Painting. Phrase first used by the critic Clement Greenberg to distinguish the abstract painting of the 1960s from works associated with the abstract expressionist movement of the 1950s (see abstract expressionism). The production of the abstract expressionists involved a strong personal emotionalism, a painterly quality, and occasionally, as in the works of Willem de Kooning, elements of cubism. The artists working in the various styles of post-painterly abstraction moved toward a more impersonal and austerely intellectual aesthetic. In their works they dealt with what they considered to be the fundamental formal elements of abstract painting: pure, unmodulated areas of color; flat, two-dimensional space; monumental scale; and the varying shape of the canvas itself. Among the specific trends encompassed by the term post-painterly abstraction are minimalism and colour-field painting. Painters associated with the movement include Ellsworth Kelly, Jules Olitski, Kenneth Noland, Frank Stella, and Morris Louis. Typical COLORFIELD PAINTING artists are: Rothko, Newman and Still.

The above definition defines my work for me. My work is a combination of abstract expressionism and post painterly abstraction! This insight is quite important for me because I can now justify some of the constructs . The combination of the two kinds of abstraction enable me to move in and out of emotionalism and intellectualism.

Moving Toward Abstraction 3.

The union of Earth, Air, and Space, are depicted by the flowing energy of Shape in this painting called Whisk. The whisking of ingredients holds things together to show the intrinsic character of nourishing life. This shape reaches out and embodies Life from the smallest form to our own humanity.

Moving Toward Abstraction 2.

Many viewers, when faced with abstraction are placed in spacial and visually demanding confrontations that challenge the viewers to respond. My work enables the viewer to question my constructs and interventions. Many of my works show the Earth as being a solid foundation showing strength and majestic nature. Space is an emptiness which is limitless. The fleeting of clouds disperse without a trace. In the following painting called Horizon, the exaggeration of the separation between Earth and Space makes the viewer aware of the separation between the solid foundation of the Earth to the boundless Sky.

Moving Toward Abstraction

It has been awhile since I have last posted. I will be giving a talk to Museum London’s Art Rental called Moving Toward Abstraction on January 17th, 2008.

This topic intrigues me because of my search for expression through my artwork which is becoming more and more abstract. Resplendent (dawn) which is reworked from an earlier piece, gives me the opportunity to show my perception of the outer world. I am conjuring up an independent world in which my memories intermingle.  I will publish the two other pieces that I am working on.