On Thursday, October 1st, 6.00pm to 9.00pm we are hosting the opening for John Benn's ambitious project: "A Year in the Woods". I met John in the mid seventies, when he was best known for his beautiful (and masterful) etchings. In fact, I remember spending the entire take of my 1975 show and going to find John in Toronto and making my first (for me major) purchase!
Here we all are in 2009 and this is a great show. John Benn will be giving a talk with question and answer at 7.30pm. I will let the artist explain:
"On the 27th July 2008 I sat down in the woods to paint, deliberately choosing an unprepossessing area so as to challenge and hone my abilities and not mask my deficiencies with mere content.
My plan was to continue, weather permitting, for one full year.
N.B. At minus 17 Celsius, oil paint becomes exceedingly stiff and difficult to work.
The year is over, but I find myself still going there to paint.
The more I look, the more I see and what I see in these simple woods is so beautiful, so very beautiful and staggeringly difficult to paint.
From that year's work, 36 paintings were chosen for this exhibition."
