Exterior Paint August 8th – September 4th, 2018
The TOSH Art Gallery in Qualicum Vancouver Island, BC is hosting an exhibition of my ‘en plein air’ work created over the last few years. There will be some large studio canvas on display as shown below. The landscapes studies were painted on location from southern Vancouver Island to Cape Scott plus a few Rocky Mountain studies.
Exterior Paint, – Most of the paintings in this exhibition were painted on location. The larger canvases were not. Their beginnings were inspired by the smaller ‘en plein air’ sketches, or studies (En plein air is the art-speak term for field studies and direct painting in the outdoors) I love being outside and get out of the studio every chance I get. I was always interested in life drawing, introduced to me in first year art school, and the natural extension of that is plein air painting.
Over the last ten years one of my favourite places to visit is Alert Bay. The beautiful Cormorant island and the Namgis first nations people were introduced to me by a friend, Terry Shepherd who had family there. Al West, hereditary chief and carver is an elder of the Namgis and the family. I painted his portrait a few times as seen here on his front porch. The large portrait painting was composed around his carving shed.
Beau Dick, (1954-2017) is one of the best known carvers on the west coast. Sadly he passed away last year. He was a leader of the community, wonderful story teller and a great looking character. This portrait was done four years ago. I was blown away by his powerful transformative masks. His art and the artist are inseparable and so it is in this portrait. I never guessed that a few years after this portrait was done he would not be with us.
St. Josef Bay, Cape Scott – last year my son and I made a trip into Cape Scott and we were not disappointed. It is a strange and wonderful corner of the world.
‘Carver’s Shed’ Al West 36in X 60in. oil on canvas
Beau Dick, Carver of Monsters 24in X 36in oil on canvas
‘Raven Signs’ 24in X 48in oil on canvas
‘Shack Islands’ Nanaimo 12in X 16in. (field study) oil on prepared board
St Josef Bay (field study) 12in X 12in oil on prepared board
‘Stack in Rain’ 48in X 48in oil on canvas
‘Sandstone Beach’ Tribune Bay, Hornby Island (field study)18 X 24in oil on canvas
Beside a Mountain Stream’ 36 X 48 in oil on canvas
‘Chesterman’s Totem’ (field study) 16 X 20in. oil on canvas
