August art exhibition “Outgrowth”

“Outgrowth” is my new exhibition of art currently on display at Vesuvio Pizzeria & Spaghetti House until September 2, 2017. Please join me for the reception on Sunday August 13, 3–5pm. I invite you to leave your comment on this blog, or write in the exhibition comment book at the show.

I decided in recent years that it’s a bad idea to have an art exhibition in the summer because it lures me to the solitude of my studio when I should be outside enjoying the weather. Well, somehow I convinced myself that I could finish the artwork for my current show in the spring, which didn’t happen exactly as planned. I’m not a procrastinator in the typical way, but I do tend to cram in as many “final touches” in the very last minutes before hanging an art exhibition. If someone had forced me to hang this show an hour earlier, there would have been one less artwork!

This series of art is completely different from anything else I’ve done. It has been an indulgence for me to immerse myself in trees, examining rugged ridges in minute detail. With this show, “Outgrowth”, I am inviting you to explore every bark fold, crack, burl and crevice in the stark contrast of black ink. A close inspection uncovers my sincere and earnest reverence to the smallest features that reveal a tree’s individuality and history that may span several lifetimes. Step back, and the tiny ink lines soften and blend to form a naturalistic depiction.

The trees I studied for these pieces are all real and live near Lake Ontario’s shore in Oakville.