EXPERIMENT IN DISTANCES

In 2020 I sent these pieces of a whole to a number of friends throughout the US and Canada. Each received a piece of a larger painting, framed. I have for many years been experiemting with the idea of: how far apart can a painting that comes in several pieces exist as a whole. Most of the time I did this with triptyches by separating the pieces with a greater and greater distance between them. 

This time I separated the pieces by many many many miles. Yet in my mind they remained a whole piece. Each standing on their own. united through origination.

of course, this was only for me ... the gift of the work itself was given ... however, unless an inquiry was made, no explanation was given. 

I love the simplicity of the pieces ...

 

 

STIX 2018

 

These pieces were inspired by a drive I took back through the Washington State's Methow Valley in 2014 after another in a series of devastating summer fires. Once I settled into my new studio in Saskatoon I returned to those photos and this was the result. These pieces were the first time I used primarily line and ink. each piece is on ragpaper 23"x30"   or 30"x23". 

Look closely to see the use of a variety of weights and thicknesses of ink.

DANCERS

                                         Playful images in ink and acrylic paint.  18"x12" 

                                                   

HOVERINGS

 HOVERINGS ... named for the posture I took when painting them: hovered over the piece of ragpaper infused with acrylic    24"x18"   that laid on the floor. This began my path toward artwork that had more line and less colour.    sumi ink brushwork. acrylic paint   2018  

 

Sunrise?: sunset?

 Inspired by a beautiful photo of a sunset from Bruce's deck and then, from my own window, by yesterday's sunrise.

Unfortunately, once done I found the stretcher boards to have a warp ... sadly ... still for sale tho' ... 

                                                          new stretcher boards found!

                                                             16"x40"

 

NEW WORK

                                                                         24" x 30"

                                                                   acrylic on canvas

                                                                 

Inspired by the little yellow cut flower on my studio's windowsill ... the day after Saskatoon's  biggest snowfall since 2007. 

NEW PAINTINGS: TRIPTYCH

SOLD 

COLLECTION: JO-ANN AND STEVE   

The following group of three are a return to the brushwork and colours of my earlier years. 

There is no particular message or physical inspiration. The work emerged out of my body as it moved with the brush. A delightful dance. 

                                          

                                24"x 48"   

                        acrylic on canvas

                                 24" x 18"  

                        acrylic on canvas

                                  24" x 18"   

                         acrylic on canvas

New painting

 

                  36"x36"      acrylic on canvas

                      

Inspired by stanzas in a poem by Pablo Neruda: 

                        Keeping Quiet

" For once on the face of the earth,

   Let's not speak in any language;

   Let's stop for one second,

   and not move our arms so much.

   It would be an exotic moment

   Without rush, without engines.

   We would all be together

    in a sudden strangeness."

         

EXhibit up! FRANCIS MORRISON LIBRARY GALLERY

 After 2 days and with the assistance of betty and ken, ALWAYS COMING HOME is up. I 'snapped' the few photos below with my less than stellar photog skills and cell phone. Next week the professionals get in to begin the development of the virtual tour, later to be loaded onto the SILS site. (Link will appear in this blog once provided)

The installation will be up until November 13. Individual or bubble-viewing by appointment is planned. 

This will be SILS first virtual gallery exhibition and very exciting for all of us involved. I would like to thank Stevie Horn and library management for agreeing to my proposal to create an actual walking & talking tour of the exhibit. 

To get a preview of some of the artwork return to home page and scroll down to an entry from september 2019. 

The exhibit was up for 2 months during covid-induced lockdown. During that time the Saskatoon Central Library Systems 

(SLS ) agreed to create a virtual exhibit so that the work could be seen.  It took 2 months to get it up and running. Check out the SLS site to see the exhibit, an audio of me reading the text on the pieces and a Q&A between gallery coordinator and artist ... moi!

QUIETLY

       This group of brushwork drawings were inspired by my love of the Daoist and Buddhist teachings AND my practice of mindfulness. 

An ink stroke is completely of the moment. There is no correcting. And on paper the ink expands as it will. The outcome is always unforeseeable.

(To see a portrait done in this manner go to early website entries and look for 'LADY OF THE FLOATING WORLD')

I am also exploring the unity in perceived division. Through the use of blocks of colour that could be seen as seperate; however are unified by the brushstroke. 

                     ALL paintings SOLD.  

Collection of roxanne and dean anderson.

              23"x30"    sumi ink on acrylic painted                              background on arches paper. 

 

INK PLAY

          Each of these and many more were sent as postcards during the Covid induced lockdown ... intriguing and delighting both recipients and the postal carriers who handled them. All arrived as pristine as when mailed. Thanku postal services  

REFLECTIONS

                          REFLECTIONS:
                       16X20   36X36   24X30
                    Acrylic on canvas or board

            

Inspired by the prairie skies. A purely abstract expression of blues and whites. 

 

JANUARY 2020

22x30  acrylic, sumi ink on arches paper

30 x30 acrylic

                                                                 COLLECTION OF Jo-Ann and Steve