Exhibition Photos!

Sanctuary: Resonance (detail)

I have just spent some time going through photos of the last exhibition, courtesy of Kyle McKeown, and am please to see that all of the new work looks better than my last memory of it.  It is always a funny thing to look back at recent creations - sometimes I am pleased and other times I am not.  I guess that goes with the territory of being an artist - self doubt and self-criticism.  Let's just call it reflective practice and be done.  Here are a few of my favourite photos:

Microcosm: Nest 2011
mixed media 7 x 12 x 5.5"

Microcosm: Aquas 2011
mixed media 7 x 11.5 x 7"

It is the smallest details that are so important in the work I am doing right now - in the Microcosm series, I am trying to create miniature worlds or specimens under glass - and I love the way the photos capture them.  The first piece (Nest) contains the smallest birds nest I have seen.  Amazingly, it was carefully lined with soft white fur from one of my dogs.  He had a haircut a few days before I found it, and I had left the white fur on the grass in the yard.  It was so precious and delicate, and I've been saving it for two years waiting for the right place to use it.

In these two, I like the photos more than the actual pieces. As with many works in the past, these are currently 'in process' and will continue to develop for a while. My task now is to keep up the initial creative impulse, and develop the ideas that have started. I'll share more images as that happens!

Under Glass: Rose 2011
mixed media 13.5 x 13.5 x 4"

Under Glass: Stone 2011
mixed media 13.5 x 13.5 x 4"

Inspiration



Jane Adeney
A Small Garden

I am excited to share the work and new website of one of my favourite artists: Jane Adeney.  I met Jane through her work early in my career as an artist and was instantly inspired and in awe.  Later, I was fortunate enough to get to know her better and have seen her fascinating work develop over the last 10 years.  There is a resonance that is shared with many artists who work with found objects that I first felt in seeing Jane's boxes, but her work is so mush more than just that.  Dark and mysterious with secrets hidden deep inside each creation, these sculptures whisper of desires and impulses that are felt but rarely vocalized.  They appeal on a visceral level, and are beautiful to behold.  This particular piece is one of the most treasured items in my own art collection, and I enjoy it everyday.  Jane's website is a treat, and offers a great look at some of her wonderful creations.  Please take a look!