Prairie Scene - Playing with Dimensions

from Saskatchewan 
33 artists
1 musician
your chance to party

wednesday, april 27, 5pm - 8.30pm

As part of the N.A.C. celebration of the cultural life of Saskatchewan and Manitoba - "Prairie Scene" we are proud to host the show "Playing with Dimensions".
We are lucky to have these artists fly in for the opening:

Paula Cooley
Barb Goretsky
Michael Hosaluk
Arthur Perlett
and the amazing guitar player, Jack Semple.

There will be a few, short V.I.P. remarks at 5.30pm;  to kick things off and make it all official! Then a catered party, wonderful works of creativity and the sensitive, six string stylings of Jack Semple.

              

                   Michael Hosaluk, Saskatoon "Changes" 2008

"It is always interesting to turn wood when wet and see what dimensional changes occur in the drying process. I chose to turn wood that is known for its unpredictable movement. The three objects play off each others' dimensions; reflecting each form more dramatically."

Arthur Perlett, Asquith. "We Need to Tock", 2009

"In the furniture making tradition there has always been an anthropomorphic interplay - the "leg" of a table, the "back" of a chair, a "chest" of drawers. In this case, the "faces" of the clocks! I wanted to use that interplay as well as the playful nature and the varying physical dimensions to make a statement on the importance of good communication at all times.

Paula Cooley, Saskatoon. "Pleien" 2009

"Pleien reflects an archaic definition of play; 'to act or move energetically...to strut, to dance.' My sculpture reflects my interest in capturing movement and animation. I find moving bodies, whether plant, animal or human to be fascinating. I find it challenging to take an inert material and transform it, to suggest dynamic movement. Pleien was hand built, then altered to suggest undulating forms such as hips, tentacles or branches. This ambiguity is somewhat unsettling and evocative yet I trust, still sensual, dynamic and playful."

Barbara Goretzky, Lumsden. "Winter Goes to Bed" 2008

 "I decided to play with time, the fourth dimension. As winter raged on, I longed for the coming of spring. I created this piece with the thought of time going forward at a different rate. For my purpose, it is handy to call time a fourth dimension."

"Little Ones" mixed media by Lynette Deir (and Mike)

OPENING: FRIDAY, APRIL 8TH 6PM -9PM

runs Saturday, April 9th to Saturday, April 23rd

Here are some pics to give an idea. I will post more writing shortly. This all started as a collaborative effort between Lynette Deir and her partner, Mike, on Sunday afternoons.

 

"Frozen Charlottes": New and Close-up

Not much text to put in here, simply lots of new shots of this
part of the show that relates to the "Frozen Charlottes".
For background, read the previous entry.
Show includes large abstract canvases in acrylic and
Marylee Laing's art glass mosaics. Runs until 3rd April 2011.
 

marylee laing "frozen charlottes" friday, 6 - 9pm

marylee laing opens her new show this friday, march 11
6 - 9 pm with new work in three different media

19C. Ceramic on glass mosaics
Absract acrylics on canvas
Contemporary art glass mosaics

Artist talk at 7.30 pm 

First medium: the 19C. ceramic on glass is the reason behind
the name of the show, "frozen charlottes". Here is the story
(are you sitting comfortably?)...

Tiny 19C. porcelain dolls from Thuringia, Germany were
inspired by an American folk ballad that itself sprang from
a poem, "Young Charlotte" written by Seba Smith after he
read a true story in the New York Observer "A young woman
was frozen to death while riding to a ball on Jan 1, 1840"

The ballad tells the tale of a beautiful young woman who set
out in a sleigh with her lover, Charles, on a bitterly cold night 
to attend a ball fifteen miles (24 kms) away. Charlotte's mother
warned her to wrap herself in a blanket to keep warm, but...


"No, no, no" fair Charlotte said
And she laughed like a gypsy queen
"To ride in blankets muffled up,
I never can be seen."


Charlotte froze to death that night.


From the mid-19th century, toy manufacturers in Thuringia, Germany produced ceramic dolls' heads and parts (as well as dolls' clothes) that became popular - they were more lifelike than wooden dolls and were cheaper than wax dolls. Although porcelain dolls were also made in France, Denmark and Sweden, the rich clay deposits in Thuringia ensured 
that this region remained the centre of European doll making until the Second World War.


Marylee incorporates these petite, fragile remains as a three dimensional component, amongst other historic fragments that are set on glass in a steel frame.

Second medium: abstract acrylics on canvas. Although the word "abstract" is correct, inside this non-representational artist is an avid gardener, a lover of the outdoors, a year-round walker in the woods. See what you see. There are layers upon layers of paint, medium,  wash and more paint in a quest to find out how this organic experiment will evolve.

Third medium: contemporary art glass mosaics. Best known for this last group, Ms. Laing brings new work in new shapes and sizes. Some are so thick as to be almost sculptural.

Show continues until Sunday, April 3rd 2011



   

Brandon McVittie; New Works Opening Feb.3rd from 6-9 pm

Artist will present a talk at 7.00 pm, Thursday 3rd February

Show continues until Sunday, 27th February
All works are oil on canvas and are framed 

Brandon McVittie is a painter with a love of a traditional approach to portraying landscape composition. He employs a later 19th century sensibility to his work and is inspired by the dramatic lighting found in European and North American painting of an older period. He mixes colours from a largely restricted palette of earth tone pigments when striving to impart atmospheric effect and ambient glow when emulating the spirit of older era works.

Click for short video preview of show

Brandon is a graduate of Montreal’s McGill University, where he studied Art History and traditional methods and approaches to painting under Meyers and studio drawing under Tondino. Post graduate time was spent in London England in Queen’s Park Studio at Bravington. He currently resides in Ottawa Canada where he co founded and operated Artguise Fine Art Supplier and Gallery from 1997 to 2010. He currently paints composition and commissioned work in his Ottawa studio full time.