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My Earliest Inspiration
My earliest, clearest memories are images captured in my mind's eye, and the emotions they define. I relive those emotions by conjuring up those images, and I share those emotions through my art. Understand; these are not vague impressions of things seen or felt. These are images so complete, so detailed, that I explore them, immerse myself in them. I could always see things others cannot. I paint to reveal what I see, and what I feel.
Walking along a dirt road after the first snowfall of a northern Canadian winter, the snow hung heavy on the trees, and as dusk fell, the darkness collected behind and between the stark white clumps piled on branches. As I watched the forest disappear in darkness, leaving only amorphous shapes revealed by the contrast of light and dark, I experienced a heart wrenching feeling of loneliness and loss. I was four years old.
Why I Share My Art
As a child, everything was new, different and exciting. Grown now, and with a wife and two daughters of my own, nothing detracts from the wonder of life I knew then. I still catch glimpses of things, places and people that take my breath away. I find inspiration in unconventional slices of life, a whimsical moment or an odd take on a familiar subject. Knowing I see what others cannot, I want to reveal the beauty of the world that surrounds us. I add drama to the mundane, emphasizing the unobtrusive beauty, strength, joy, power or humor surrounding us. My paintings become more than a thing to see. They are a place to go. They are an experience to be lived.
Art is communication. I put brush to canvas to express an idea, an emotion. A strange combination of hunter, constantly scanning for the unseen, the unnoticed, and the poet, in search of just the right recipe of colors, shapes and textures that express an image in a composition that resonates with the viewer, I wait for that feeling, that stirring in my soul that signals the beginning of the magic. It stirs my soul, and I must recreate what is so clear in mind on canvas. If I am successful, it will provoke a reaction in you.
We share the same image. Will we share the same emotion? Doubtful... and irrelevant. Our different interpretation sparks a conversation and furthers the communication.
How I Became an Artist
Born in 1962 in New Brunswick, Canada, I was but a baby when my mother and I began following my father to construction sites throughout the world. Though I traveled extensively with my family, I spent most of my childhood living in construction sites in the Rocky Mountains and foothills of Alberta and on Canada's eastern coast, in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. At 17, I left home, having already lived in 23 different places. I eventually settled in Montreal, Quebec where I now live.
In my family, I was alone in my artistic talent. My mother, however, was a passionate reader and instilled in me the same love of words. I was only 10 years old when I read Irving Stone's, The Agony and the Ecstasy. Michelangelo's life captured my imagination, but I still hadn't seen his art. There was no Internet in 1972, and deep in the Rocky Mountains, there was no library, museum or gallery. I pestered everyone for odd jobs and saved my pennies until our next trip to Calgary. I was so proud when I bought a book so big I could hardly carry it myself. That book, The Complete Works of Michelangelo, and through it, Michelangelo, became my art teacher.
Sketching Michelangelo's drawings, paintings and sculpture taught me much, but did not capture my heart. It is the commonplace that attracts me, that which surrounds us daily and goes largely unnoticed by most, until revealed through new eyes, the eyes of the artist. In this, I am like Van Gogh or the Impressionists, capturing the beauty of the everyday and making it exotic.
What Inspires Me Now
Though the sights I've experienced throughout the world inspire me, my painting style reflects my Canadian heritage. Canadian artists such as Group of Seven artists, Lawren Harris and Frank Carmichael, as well as Emily Carr, Alex Coleville and Christopher Pratt inspire me. Of course, the works of Edward Hopper and Georgia O'Keefe are also influencers on the "interpretive realism" of my stylized land and seascapes.
I've wanted to be an artist as long as I can remember. Following high school, my parents, with only my best interests at heart, insisted I "get a haircut and get a real job." After six years in the Canadian Navy and a 20-year career in high-technology, I'm taking back my life. I've been drawing since I could hold a pencil, but I only began painting recently. Primarily self-taught, I was almost 40 and had never worked with color. I was afraid.
To me, color meant paint-by-number kits and coloring books. It meant staying inside the lines, surrendering my freedom of expression and stifling my creativity. However, frustration with the limitations of pencil and paper became more severe even than my fear of color. I had to face this fear and unleash my muse. A beginners' course at the local community center provided the initiative, and since then, a trickle of paintings has become a flood.
I still love to travel, and find it a constant source of new subjects, although a walk around the neighborhood or a stroll through my own backyard will yield myriad opportunities for a quick sketch or a photo. Last year, I got my first digital camera and it has been invaluable. My camera supplements my memory, allowing me to revisit places or things that inspire me, allowing more time to select subjects worthy of sharing.
My Painting Process
I am older now, and grudgingly acknowledge I may not live forever. I must be more selective. For some artists, their finished art comes as a surprise. It is a process. For me, the process occurs in my head, in my heart. I cannot begin until the end is clear. Painting is simply a struggle to duplicate on canvas what is so clear in my imagination.
In my mind, I work through the process and I recognize the picture because I know the feeling. I browse photos, revisit locations and sketch potential combinations until the image resonates in my heart. Once I have composed the vision, I "interpret," simplifying, emphasizing, until finally, I see the finished image in my mind's eye. Then I am compelled to get it out and share it with the world. I am successful when the canvas pulls you in and you get as lost in this world as I do.
My medium is oil on canvas. I sketch the outline of the subject in charcoal and create a quick under-painting using thinned oils to lay out the color composition. To achieve the dream-like quality of my paintings, I use bold, vivid colors to lay strong shapes on soft gradients. Realism is optional though never entirely abandoned. Emphasizing depth and drama captures you and mutes the outside world, and the interplay of dimension, texture and color awakens your senses and pulls you in.
If you find my work of interest, I would be pleased to provide additional visual material or background information. I would also be happy to arrange a studio visit. I welcome you to subscribe to my mailing list to receive notification of new works or upcoming exhibitions.
EXHIBITIONS
2007 - Cactus Gallery, 5276 Avenue Notre Dame de Grace
Montreal, Quebec
2007 - Group Exhibit - CGI'S "Showcasing My Hidden Talents" Exhibition
Montreal, Quebec
2007 - Group Exhibit - The Arts Club - Juried Spring Show
Montreal, Quebec
2007 - Group Exhibit - St. Laurent Centre de Loisirs,
Montreal, Quebec
2006 - "Les bruits de la cite" - Maison de la culture Notre-Dame-de-Grâce,
Montreal, Quebec
2005 - Group Exhibit - St. Laurent Centre de Loisirs,
Montreal, Quebec
1998 - "In Colour and Black and White" Group Exhibit - Arts and Culture Centre,
Corner Brook, Newfoundland
COLLECTIONS
Canola Fields - 2002 - Private Collection
The Red Door - 2001 - Private Collection
Dark Skies - 2001 - Private Collection
TRAINING
I've been drawing since I could hold a pencil, but I only began painting in 2000. Though primarily self-taught, I have attended drawing and painting classes and workshops in Alberta, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Quebec.
2003 - 2006 Oil Painting Workshops with Maurice D'Amour,
Montreal, Quebec
2002 - Advanced Oil Painting - Centre Loisirs,
Montreal, Quebec
2001 - Intermediate Oil Painting - Centre Loisirs,
Montreal, Quebec
2000 - Beginner's Oil Painting - Centre Loisirs,
Montreal, Quebec
1998 - Drawing - Sir Wilfred Grenfell College,
Corner Brook, Newfoundland
1995 - Multimedia - Group M,
Hot Springs, Arkansas
1994 - Desktop Publishing - Academy Canada,
Corner Brook, Newfoundland
MEMBERSHIPS
9 Artistes 9 Artists Co-op
Montreal, Quebec
Montreal Painter Meetup Group,
Montreal, Quebec
The Arts Club,
Montreal, Quebec
EDUCATION
1998 - Computer Programmer Diploma - Academy Canada,
Corner Brook, Newfoundland
1984 - Business Administration - College Militaire Royal,
St. Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec
If you find my work of interest, I would be pleased to provide additional visual material or background information. I would also be happy to arrange a studio visit. I welcome you to subscribe to my mailing list to receive notification of new works or upcoming exhibitions.
Note: Dealers or agents, please contact artist. |
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