wild places at parallel exhibition
By the time this painting was finished I’d lived in this imagined landscape for days. It became a self-imposed search for the soul of a place, not meant to be a traditional landscape but to paint how it felt to be deep within the vibrations of a location. For me colour plays a huge roll in defining the mood in a painting while line and shape give flow, direction, energy. After spending time in the forest, unpredictable vegetal forms often express themselves as part of a painting’s story, each completely rooted in nature. As I watch forests disappear because of human and climate factors I continue to try to capture their deep beauty and our connection with them.
"Love words, agonize over sentences. And pay attention
to the world."
Susan Sontag
This quote has been sitting on my desk for ages. After a while you stop noticing what’s in front of you but recently, I stopped and read Sontag’s words again. I’d just finished writing artist statements for three paintings including this one above for an upcoming show. Although writing about my paintings can be a slow process (especially when it has a maximum word count!) it helps me clarify what and why I’m painting. I’ve since gone back in and clarified the statement wording but it was past deadline so what was written then is what will accompany the work.
That’s alright because ongoing writing helps remind yourself why you’re passionate about what you do. Hopefully the words will offer the person standing in front of the painting a way in to its story, then add their own perspective to the picture.
I’m excited 'Listening to Wild Places' was chosen for the juried Parallel Art Show (PAS) which runs concurrently with the Salt Spring National Art Prize (SSNAP) exhibition this next month. This National show with it's enthusiastic and hardworking team has focused on building wider exposure for National Canadian Contemporary Art over the past few years. That's fantastic for Canadian artists so I'm thrilled to support and participate in Parallel.
(artworks are available for purchase in person or on line if you're unable to visit the show.)
With two exhibitions there's a lot of information on schedules, tickets etc. ~ here are links for both exhibitions!
P a r a l l e l A r t S h o w 2023-24 (PAS)
ArtSpring Galleries, 100 Jackson Ave on Salt Spring
https://saltspringartprize.ca/about/the-parallel-art-show/
Saturday September 23 - Sunday October 22 (10 - 5 pm daily)
Artist's Opening : Sunday September 24 (6 pm - 8 pm)
https://saltspringartprize.ca/events/pas-2023-24-exhibition-opening-reception/
Insta @parallelartshow
T h e S a l t S p r i n g N a t i o n a l A r t P r i z e (SSNAP)
Mahon Hall, on Salt Spring
Saturday September 23 - Sunday October 22 (10 - 5 pm daily)
Opening : Saturday September 23 (6 pm - 8 pm)
https://saltspringartprize.ca/events/ssnap2023-exhibition/
Insta @ssartprize
One of my favourite reads lately has been Art is Life by New York art critic and Pulitzer Prize winner Jerry Saltz. The essays are wonderfully written, I'm reading some a second time to make them last! Jerry's writing style is his alone, intelligent, witty with a blunt honestly on how the art world has changed. Whether you're familiar with the artists, their art or the galleries he discusses, his stories and knowledge give so much to think about our in culture today. Jerry's book is here
CBC recently had a short interview with Saltz that you can listen to here. (start at about 20:00 to listen to his interview only)
I came away from this summer's camping on Denman and Hornby Islands in BC with sketches and reference photos which should influence work this year. Loose studies or a wash of watercolour bring back enough memories of a place to inspire the smallest flicker of beginnings for new paintings.
Now to stand before the blank canvas...
Words by Canadian songwriter and musician Bahamas whose music is often playing in my studio, comments in this Tom Power interview,
"You have to get ruthless with your time...in terms of my own creativity it benefits from having space and ultimately being bored."
Bahamas
Listen to his thoughts on creating here (start at 17:20)
If you're able to take in the SSNAP exhibitions, it's a unique opportunity to view contemporary art from across Canada including work by many regional artists. It would be terrific to see you there over the next month.
It's great to connect with friends again, we've all experienced distant times. Whether your'e writing, painting, making music, baking or obsessed with anything creative, I hope you allow yourself to be bored so your best ideas can surface.
(Thanks for that thought Bahamas!)
Barbra 🌿