Although I would not consider my life as “unremarkable”, I need to challenge myself to do more than ever thought possible before.

I am setting on this journey today – going out of March like a lioness!

Blogging will help me along with the conviction by Ayn Rand,  “The question isn’t who is going to let me; it is who is going to stop me.”

Darlean Morris S.C.A. (Society of Canadian Artists)  darleanmorris.com

INSPIRATION

The Highlights of China trip, organized by the Art and Travel Committee from Museum London, London, Ontario, included the cities of Beijing, Xi’an, Guilin, Yangshuo, Shanghai and Hong Kong.   One site captured my heart.  Seeing the life-size Terra Cotta Warriors on-site at the incredible exhibition in Xi’an left me breathless.  These artifacts were associated to the Qin Dynasty (211 – 206 B.C.). This experience inspired me to capture my feelings on canvas when I returned to Canada.

MY DESIGN and WORK PROCESS

Being Rich is Glorious  and  IN Style, District 798 & Cashmere

40” x 30”, acrylic, mixed media, gold and sparkle dust, and ink, on canvas.  2010

China, being an ancient land of many contrasts and multi-layers of history inspired me to the method of using collage to create my paintings.  In both art works, Being Rich is Glorious and In Style, I used many varieties of paper – souvenir tickets, advertisements, rice paper, newspaper, wrapping paper, to build up the stratum of my experiences in China.  These repetitions of shapes enabled me to create a rhythm of movement by overlapping, just like the many layers of time.

In the centre of each of these two paintings, I used sparkle dust to enhance the focal point.  There is a partially exposed invitation card to an art exhibition called “Being Rich is Glorious”, which was added to the collage.  It seemed appropriate to the present day direction of the country along with a section of Cashmere store and a picture from a current brochure advertising the Warrior exhibition at Toronto’s Royal Ontario Museum.

The sister painting called IN Style is also a network of found objects from China. It too has a sparkle focal point; however, the centre square is flanked by two portraits of warriors who are looking elsewhere in time. The repetitions of shape, varieties of size, textures, earth tone colour along with iridescent blues give these abstract paintings a feeling of being both overwhelmed with history and dazzled by glamour.

Benevolent Warrior,

40” x 36”, oil, mixed media, gold and sparkle dust, and ink on canvas,  2010

In the painting called Benevolent Warrior, the same method of collage was used with the idea of again building up the concept of layers.  I wanted to focus on a representation of a Warrior – an Archer from the past, yet now very much in the present.  He needed to be bigger than life, yet life-like.  I also wanted to illustrate modern day China so the warrior was combined with modern day designer bags, illustrating the commercial life of present day China. Instead of holding a bow and arrow, this archer is reaching into a commercial shopping bag with the intention of sharing wealth.  There is an outline of gold around the Warrior, giving him a special glow as if life has been given to him.

BEAUTY

14” x 11”, acrylic, rice paper, ink on canvas.  2010

At the museum in Guilin, I was able to obtain some discarded brush stroke paintings.  Surprisingly, along with the beautiful brush strokes of the bamboo tree, this drawing of a female form was found.  I decided to use it in a separate painting by building it up on layers of rice papers.   To stay with my theme of layers of different experiences, I added a business card from a hotel embedded in translucent rice paper.  Also, the Chinese symbol of “beauty” was drawn on top of the card to give the viewer another point of interest.

My desire, in this Chinese series, was to give the viewer a sense of the complexity of present day China.  This land of contrasts, glitter, wealth and poverty is so intriguing that my art needed to reflect my feelings of being overwhelmed and very impressed.  In this series, more is more.

My own style of painting is called abstraction, perhaps abstract landscape.  Over the years, I have had a lot of experience explaining what abstract art is or isn’t.  Finally, I intend to use the “opportunity” to create my own handbook on:

Understanding Abstract Art

If any viewers which to contribute by writing their own experiences on:

1. Why do you dislike abstract art?

2. What would you like to know to make the viewing of abstraction more meaningful to you.

I invite you to comment on the 2 questions above for my research.

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”.

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.

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.

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.