Saturday, November 28, 2009

Promo

Two invitationals to shows that I am participating in. Thought I would share them.  For more information, please visit the links on the right side.

Gallery 101's annual 101 frames - deadly sins show.  This year the theme is PRIDE.
I have one artwork up for silent auction (December 5th).


Holiday Fund-raising Art Sale in the Byward Market and the Shenkman Arts Centre in Orleans:


I have sold a piece so far at the OSA in the Byward and also at the Shenkman Arts Centre.  Thank-you very much to those who bought my artwork!  It really means a lot to me.

Replacement pieces are on the walls (3 artworks available for sale at each location), and many amazing pieces by local artists.  If you can, pay us a visit!

Sunday, November 22, 2009

November - art packed

Well, this month has been exciting in the arts community in Ottawa.  I have been back in the capital for almost 3 months now and happy to have seen and participated in exhibitions, here are the highlights thus far.
Last weekend, Ottawa's 2nd Timeraiser was held at the National Art Gallery of Canada.  An event which supports local volunteer organizations and artists simultaneously.  (To backtrack a bit, earlier this year I had applied to their jury to be a participating artist and was chosen.)   I thoroughly enjoyed the event. The atmosphere was quite the mix: music videos on a big screen, music blasting from speakers, islands of walls displaying artworks, many booths with great volunteering representatives, artists, organizers, guests, press, and not to mention it was a catered event;)

I must mention that just two days before Timeraiser my friend and local artist opened a beautiful show at the Lee Matasi Gallery called "Colourgraph" - a print making exhibit.  The show runs until Nov 24th.

In the next couple weeks I will be participationg in various art fund raising events:
  • Holiday Art Sale at the Ottawa school of Art in the Bytown Market and at the Shenkman Centre for the Arts in Orleans (Four four time and Three four time will be up for sale)
  • SKETCH at Saw Gallery
  • 101 Frames "Pride" at Gallery101.  
For more information, please refer to the links on the right.

In terms of new art making, I have recently finished a small series of watercolours - again musically inspired.   Abtract in a sense, but most are grounded in some notational reference.  I finished these works in Ottawa.  It is an adjustment from having a studio space (left) to working in the apartment.  Subsiquently my "studio" consists of a yoga mat from the dollar store next to a newspapered covered-carpeted section of the living room floor (parts of my computer desk fit into this master scheme as well).  In the end I am happy with the results, here are some samples: (I will post the rest on my website.)

The Breath Mark, 2009
The comma refers to singers to take a breath or to make a slight pause.







Piano Pedals, 2009
Ever notice how cool the release sustain pedal symbol is?

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Timeraiser!

Hello everyone,

This year I was picked to be a participating artist for Ottawa's 2nd Timeraiser!
For more information please read/forward the information below:
(Note: Due to the ongoing labour dispute at the Canadian War Museum, the 2nd Ottawa Timeraiser will now take place at the National Gallery of Canada, in the Great Hall.)

2nd Ottawa Timeraiser
Saturday November 14th
Doors open at 7:00pm
at the National Gallery of Canada, Great Hall


To view a short video about how the Timeraiser works, check out this You Tube video.
You can also get more information by joining the Timeraiser Facebook Fan Page and have your Facebook friends join too- www.facebook.com/timeraiser.

Timeraiser 101
"We know that getting involved in the community isn't always easy, so we've made it simple for you to find relevant and meaningful volunteer opportunities that fit your busy lifestyle.

The Timeraiser is part volunteer fair, part silent art auction and part night on the town. Throughout the evening meet with different agencies and match your skills to their needs. Once you have made your matches, you are eligible to bid on artwork. The big twist is rather than bid money, you bid volunteer hours. Once the auction is over we announce the hours raised and then celebrate our contribution to the community.

It is our hope that the evening is the beginning of a life-long journey for you and your friends. A journey that plants the seed to make your civic footprint - a contribution of your time and money to causes that are important to you - as big as possible."

At Timeraiser.ca, you can:
1. Preview agencies and search through volunteer opportunities
2. Preview all the cool artwork from emerging artists
3. Invite your friends and colleagues to attend
4. Get additional information about the Timeraiser

To buy tickets go to http://www.timeraiser.ca

Visit our FAQs if you have any more questions.

Contact Information
If you have any questions about the Timeraiser please email jgrebel@timeraiser.ca or 1 (800) 263-1178 x232.


Thursday, September 10, 2009

Current Show

Somebodies

Independent Residency Program Exhibition

(September 9th – 20th)


Toronto School of Art presents, Somebodies, a group exhibition featuring works by artists participating in the school’s Independent Residency Program. Participants share an interest in the human body in all it’s aspects from the visceral, to the poetic, from the social to the metaphorical and even the rhythmic. The body is depicted in some work, while merely implied in others. The pieces often acknowledge how encounters with artwork occur in a physical, bodily way as much as a visual way. The range of media includes drawing, painting, print making, collage and assemblage.

The Independent Residency Program is a 13 week self-directed summer residency program at the Toronto School of Art. The program is designed for practicing professional artists who have completed their formal training. Participants have access to a semi-private studio with five other artists, group meetings, critiques, a workshop and an artist talk. This year’s participating faculty artists were Gretchen Sankey, Luke Painter and the guest artist was Ginette LegarĂ© . Meetings with program co-coordinator Lyla Rye included visits with Mary Sue Rankin, Edward Day Gallery; David Liss, MOCCA; and visits to Olga Korper Gallery, Peak Gallery and Christopher Cutts Gallery.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

LISTEN exhibit: That's a wrap ... for now.



It seems my solo show went without any troubles.

Thank-you to friends and family that came. Here are some pictures I took the night before the show opened (click to enlarge). Also, a thanks to unfamiliar faces that visited (although I have a suspicion the free food and drinks may have contributed to this select crowd...)


Before I sign out, I want to mention that a portion of the works in the "LISTEN" show will be presented at a group show at Launch Projects:

Title: "Somebodies" (title created by yours truly...there was a vote and apparently mine was picked)
When: September 9th - 20th
Opening Reception: September 12, 2-5 pm

Location: 410 Adalaide St. W (northwest corner of Spadina and Adalaide St, beside Century Graphics.)





Thursday, July 9, 2009

LISTEN

2009 International Juried Print Exhibition

Opening Night:
July 9, 2009, from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Free to the public – Everyone welcome!

Works will be on display from:
July 9 – August 30, 2009

OSA, Orléans Campus Gallery, Shenkman Arts Centre: 245 Centrum Blvd, Ottawa, Ontario

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(One of my woodcut prints got into this show)

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Pictures from the show

I just came back from the student art show/open house at Artbarn School. There was a good mix of artwork from watercolour to encaustic work. So, if you are interested in taking some art lessons in Toronto, this is a nice place to start. They are very friendly!

I submitted a quick drawing I did in one of their drop-in life drawing classes.
Here are some pictures:

Mine is the bottom one in the light brown frame:


Photos of other artist's work:



Sunday, May 31, 2009

Website facelift

Fyi, my website has changed its look a bit. Hope you like:)

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Motivation, confidence...it's a struggle on all possible aspects

Title speaks for itself...rough week to say the least. critiques, critiques, critiques....sigh
This is what I've accomplished so far... (click photo to get a larger picture)
I needed a break from the above drawing so I started on the other one:

Then I needed a break from that and thus, a new drawing starts.

It all still needs a lot of work. To be continued....

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Progress...


Tone done on legs!....still needs detailing but I will get to that once I finish with the rest.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

prep work



"Cornered" each image is about 3 x 5 feet.

Working title: Figurative Imagery Evoking Sound

Here's some ideas I have been working on so far:

Title: Listen
Drawing attention to those moments when listening is crucial, heart breaking, or even euphoric...I wish to draw attention to these instances. Those moments in time when we open our ears.

Execution/materials: life size graphite drawings on Mylar

Work in detail:
1) To the ground: woman laying horizontally, ear to the floor
2) Cornered: woman huddled in corner, head bowed with hands over her ears
3) Distance: Man/Woman listening intently on a telephone

Notes/thoughts:
- abstract visual component?
- colour introduced on select portions of the drawings?
- projected light/image and/or project abstract video (colour)

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Pictures from cell phone

Here are some photographs of the studio I'll be using during the next few months.

West wall: with cute easel East Wall: (forgot this wall in the original post)


South wall: Natural light! North wall:


Artist sink (why "artist" b/c it's gross -haha)

(Sorry about the bad photo quality - I forgot my camera on move day, so I used my camera phone - but you get the idea. I got some nice natural lighting. The ceiling fans and open windows made for a nice breeze t00!)

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Artist Residency!

Update: I've been accepted into a Independent Summer Artist Residency program in Toronto.

As for what I am doing exactly? I still don't really know. I will be moving my limited art junk into my downtown studio at the end of this week. So hopefully I can post some pictures soon. One of my goals is to start using this blog again to hash out ideas and project proposals. Currently I'm thinking:
  • life size 2d art work on mylar with projected abstract animation.....
  • lumia inspired video project
  • life size drawings of individuals, interconnected in scroll fashion
  • visual/music scroll....

Who knows?!

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Updates



International Ox print exhibit update:

The ox print exhibit has traveled to Ottawa. Apparently it is to be shown at the Ontario College of Art and Design this month...although no information on exact dates/locations have been published.

The next stop will be at the Muskoka Place Gallery (in Port Carling) if anyone is in the neighborhood in April check it out! For more information visit: http://www.muskokaplace.ca/

Website Updates:

Nothing new on the website other than a few more works in the Life Drawing section, take a peek if your not offended by naked people (they're rough sketches - it's OK ;)

Monday, February 9, 2009

Website updating....

Hello all,

I am slowly adding new content to the "Visuals" section of my website, if interested check it out!

Comments welcome!