recent shows
Sopa Art Gallery / Kelowna BC / November 4 2010 / solo exhibit / Bark
 artist statement
about my still life and floral paintings:
I like to think artists paint to record or document our existence.
That would make our jobs invaluable and worthy of time spent getting it right. For me that means, the right color, the right shape, the right amount of paint on my palette knife. In choosing to concentrate largely on fruit or floral still life as my subject matter; it meant that for years I worked towards perfecting light and dark, and balance in each arrangement; giving form and composition dominant roles. Minimalists may find my work too ornamental because every knife stroke works several areas of color at once, detailing even the most uneventful vase or fruit, while keeping a flatter perspective on the painting as a whole. By allowing myself freedom from perspective and accuracy, it gave me endless possibilities for layering colors, textures and shapes. My thoughts about art in general is if an artist was told to document human life, would he or she choose to create the same art they are doing right now? On one hand, I want to make my work as easy to read as a hieroglyph or simple symbolism, but on the other hand, I feel compelled to embellish it with my own individual style. I make no attempt at realism or to invent the unknown, but focus instead on celebrating beauty in familiarity. Still life paintings will always be relevant to our existence. While the vessels and bowls may change slightly, we will always eat fruit. We will always appreciate flowers in vases. We always appreciate beauty in color and patterns …and find comfort in familiarity.
about my dog series:
For me, the biggest challenge with this series is not to overwork the painting. I've been gradually steering away from still life as a subject matter, incorporating more open spaces into my work and offering less of an ornamental feel overall. This includes my gradual attempt to give up some control, allowing the under painting to show through in more areas and not being as exact with knife strokes. While still not entirely comfortable with abstraction, I prefer to carefully treat my ‘living’ subjects like a still life… placing them deliberately surrounded by an abstracted field that allows the dog itself to be the sole attraction, almost suspended on the background. The newest 'Bark' series is a good example of balancing content and abstraction. Sometimes I find myself wanting to go back and rework areas on my dogs, taking the painting to a highly detailed painterly style which I'm more comfortable with. Giving up control and working through the transition to a looser, less refined approach has allowed me to discover new strengths in my work. It’s also allowed the base colors to pull through in unexpected ways and encourages the use of larger open spaces in the paintings, which create more tension and focus on the character of my subjects. Oddly enough, choosing dogs was a natural evolution from my still life depictions. In this world, our humanity is closely linked with our interaction and respect for other living creatures; and much like the earliest cave paintings that depict horses and cows, they also recorded dogs. I want to keep exploring the connection between my subject and the viewer; and to subtly remind us to celebrate the role that man’s best friend plays in our lives. In this way, I’ve attempted to convey compassion and emotion in the dog series, hinting at unique characteristics, and in some, adding a quirky accessory that clearly reveals more of the subject’s personality. These bits of character inform us that these subjects aren't wild, untamed animals but lovable, dependable friends.
born
February 1963 / Kelowna, BC Canada
education
Okanagan College, Fine Arts program / Kelowna BC / 1982
Langara College, Fine Arts program / Vancouver BC / 1983-84
exhibitions
Artym Gallery / Invermere BC / March 2011 / two person show
SOPA Fine Arts / Kelowna BC / November 2010 / bark - solo exhibit
Stephen Lowe Art Gallery / Calgary AB / 30 th Anniversary Show / 2010 / group show
Stephen Lowe Art gallery / Calgary AB / 2007-2009 / winter exhibition, group show
Assiniboia Gallery / Regina SK / 2008-2009 / winter exhibition, group show
Stephen Lowe Art Gallery / Calgary AB / 2008 / two person show
Assiniboia Gallery / Regina SK / 2008 / group exhibit
Artym gallery / Invermere BC / 2007-2009 / winter exhibition, group show
Artym Gallery / Invermere BC / 2006 / two person show
Hambleton Gallery / Kelowna BC / 2005 / two person show
Hambleton Gallery / Kelowna BC / 2004-2009 / winter exhibition, group show
Hambleton Gallery / Kelowna BC / 2003 / group show
White Rock Gallery / White Rock BC / 2003-2009 / winter exhibit, group show
Stephen Lowe Art Gallery / Calgary AB / winter exhibition / 2002 / group show
Simon Patrich Gallery / Vancouver BC / 2002 / two person show
Tutt St Gallery / Kelowna BC / Winter Exhibition / 2001/ group show
Tutt St Gallery / Kelowna BC / 2001 / group show
Stephen Lowe Art Gallery / Calgary AB / 2001 / two person show
Tutt St Gallery / Kelowna BC / new works / 2000 / two person show
Stephen Lowe Art Gallery / Calgary AB / new paintings / 2000 / two person show
Tutt St Gallery / Kelowna BC / selected works / 1999 / group exhibit
Stephen Lowe Art Gallery / Calgary AB / 1999
Hampton Gallery / Kamloops BC / 1998 / winter exhibition / group show
Hampton Gallery / Kamloops BC / 1997 / group exhibit
Tutt St Gallery / Kelowna BC / 1997 / group exhibit
Pure Art Gallery / Grand Caymen Island / 1996
Sarah Dobbs Gallery / Vancouver BC / Faces We Know / 1995 / solo show
Shepard Gallery / Chateau Whistler, Whistler BC / 1994
Sarah Dobbs Gallery / Vancouver BC / summer 1994 / group show
publications
Northwest Design and Living Magazine / 1993
Women’s Television Network ‘Women in the Arts’ Series / Vancouver BC / 1995
Entertainment, the Daily Courier / Kelowna BC / 2000
Movies / A Trace of Danger, 2010 / The Boy Next Door, 2008 / Christmas Crash, 2009
Fatal Kiss, 2002 / Auntie Claus, 2010
Movie / Lullaby for Pi / painting ‘Little Frenchie’ / 2010
charitable donations
United Way / Kelowna BC / 2003
Point Grey Academy / Vancouver BC / 2004
Vancouver Symphony VSO / Vancouver BC / 2005
Kelowna Art Gallery / Kelowna BC / Seeing Red and White Event / 2006
Okanagan Symphony Society / Kelowna BC / Midsummer Magic, Music and Wine / 2008
Aberdeen Hall Preparatory School / Spring Gala / Kelowna BC / April 2009 and 2010
NOCLS / Vernon BC / Wine Art Gala / March 2009 and 2010
collections
Ronald McDonald House / Vancouver BC
Kelowna Infiniti Nissan
Kelowna Hospice House
San Marc Custom Homes
Sutton Place Hotel, Vancouver BC
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