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Art Show and Sale: Oct. 16-30, 2013

10/20/2013

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This past week on a beautiful fall evening Thursday night my wife and I went to the Grand Opening of the "Winnipeg Artists Incorporated" Annual Exhibition at the Frame Arts Warehouse. (See poster information below) It was an awesome event from beginning to end.

We walked into the front door and stood astonished at the overwhelming sight of all the art displayed so dramatically before us. There was a little bit of everything. Paintings of many styles, monochromatic art, sculptures in several mediums and so on.

We delighted in meeting both artists and guests. The live music was flowing and mysterious. It was a "jewel" of an evening, art wise and literally as we each got a blue stone upon arrival.

My favorite was the sculpture you see pictured below entitled "Aurora." It speaks to me of things I hold in my hands, things I am responsible for. What am I doing those things?

Below, I have highlighted some of the art and artists. I would recommend going to see the show which will go on to the end of the month. You will be inspired.
WINNIPEG ARTISTS INCORPORATED
ANNUAL EXIBITION
50 LOCAL CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS
OCTOBER 16 - 30, 2013
DAILY 2:00-8:00PM
ADMISSION:  $3.00

ART AUCTION:  30 OCT 7-10PM
     ANDY KEY AUCTIONEER
  GUEST ARTIST from CHICAGO
FRAME ARTS WAREHOUSE
318 ROSS AVENUE 
204.887.6623
Picture
George Tanner
www.medeagallery.ca

My paintings continue to progress along different and varied paths at
least in terms of subject matter. The goal in all work is the same though – to produce an artwork that captures the attention of the viewer and communicates something, perhaps only a feeling or memory, on a non-verbal level. 

I have organized my work into three categories; landscape, figure and invention.

 Biography
 George Tanner was born in Winnipeg and has lived there nearly all his life. He has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Manitoba where he majored in Graphic Design. He has worked for many years in this field, notably for the Department of National Defence and for Winnipeg Transit. He continues to do some graphic design through his own company, Tanner Graphics
Inc. although his time is increasingly taken up with painting, drawing and the business of being a visual artist, which is his preference.

He is a long time member of the Winnipeg Sketch Club and has held every position on the club's executive, including president. He is also a member of CARFAC Manitoba and held the positon of vice-chair with that artists' advocacy organization for two years.

His subject matter comes from two distinct sources. One is nature,
particularly the landscapes and settings of the south Whiteshell Provincial Park where he has spent considerable time and maintains a residence at Falcon Lake. The other source is imagination. He has composed a number of striking and
memorable paintings and drawings by creating characters and placing them in scenes based on dreams, memories and possibilities.

George has held a number of solo exhibitions of his work as well as regularly participating in groups shows. His entries have won several awards at the Winnipeg Sketch Club's Annual Juried Exhibitions and his painting "Artifacts" was chosen Best of Painting at the 2010 Red River Exhibition. His artwork is
included in several corporate and individual collections. His work can be seen at the Medea Gallery at 132 Osborne Street,Winnipeg, Manitoba or on the website above.

Picture
Naomi Gerrard
http://naomi-gerrard.artistwebsites.com/

Art is a search for the visual voice, the light, the spirit, the sounds or the aromas, the tensions of the moment.   I search for a way to make a social statement, a way to challenge the viewer through my art.

Art for me is a language, a visual narrative challenging the viewer with the visual experience. Subjects explored include family matters, moral philosophies, cultural and social issues.

I enjoy working with mixed media using a large variety of
materials such as sand, grains, cloth, threads, lace, paper fibers, tissue paper, natural products and paint.  Texture and colour, contrasts, elements of surprise, humor and pleasures are important to me.

Picture
 Connie Chappel
http://www.connie-chappel.com/index.aspx

My works often reference nature.  Found objects, and discarded materials provide entry into ideas that I am attempting to communicate.  My current works encompass sculpture,
assemblage, and installation - at times viewer inviting participation.  My aim is to                              "Aurora"
investigate an existing source and build upon it to develop a visual narrative that ponders adversity in life's complex cycle - beginning, evolving, and ending. 

Picture
Margaret Switala
http://margaretswitala.com/bio
Margaret was born in Regina, Canada and lives in Winnipeg,
Manitoba.

She has attended Red River College for Advertising Arts and also has taken advanced
oil painting lessons at the Winnipeg Art Gallery under renowned Canadian artist Wanda Koop.

She has received past awards and honorariums and her work has been exhibited in solo/group shows locally, nationally and internationally. Her work can be found in private and public collections in Canada, USA, Europe and Brazil.

Picture
Gloria De Neve

Gloria's work reveals a personal exploration of the human condition at all levels: the  physical, psychological, social and spiritual.

All of Gloria's work is hand-sculpted, smoke fired and Raku fired, a method which dates back to 16th century Japan.


Clifton  Studios 587 Clifton St., Winnipeg, MB
(2nd. floor / 1/2 block north of Portage Ave.)
Phone: (204) 489-9795
E-mail: g.de_nevestudio@mts.net

Picture
English Garden, Winnipeg MB
Photo by: Cliff Derksen
September, 2013
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Wolf-Man Appears!

7/13/2013

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Picture





















                                            Look's like he's choking...
                                            I wonder if he'll Survive...!


Every once in a while, an artist has a niggling feeling that things are not going in the direction they should be going. That the project is just a bit off. But, until it goes beyond the "niggle" one just has to keep going. You keep going because often the feeling goes away as the work comes to completion. It's only then that you realize it turned out better than you thought it would. You were just concerned and worried as you'd never done this before. Self doubt and all that.

But, what if the niggle at some point confirms that there is defiantly a problem. Meaning that, as you progress on the sculpture, you begin to see more clearly how it will actually turn out, if you keep going in the present direction. This clarity then removes the niggle and is replaced by an unavoidable decision that has to be made. That the present course will not result in what it was you wished to say or achieve when you began with the piece. So you have to stop and re-evaluate the situation.

Now the problem turns on the question of resolution, this be what's involved in getting this resolved? If, in fact, one continues on the present course, what is this new thing the piece is really saying and will say when it's done? Can I go with that? Will the impact be the same? Do I agree with or feel good about the new message? If not, Can I still use the existing piece to make the changes necessary so the original intent and message is restored? Or, must I start again from scratch? 

This is exactly what happened to me with this project. After I'd placed the wolfs head on this figure who is supposed to personify evil, I began to experience the "niggle" moving... and stopped my work.  I then decided I had to do some research on wolves and particularly the alpha wolf style of leadership. 

I know, I know, it was kind of silly to make the head, place it on the figure, and do the research later! That was the mistake. I had made some assumptions about wolves which in the end proved to be wrong for my purposes. The wolf head was to illustrate pure and unadorned evil leadership. The worst of the worst, sitting on the magnificent throne of evil, the throne of swords. Did I ever get a wake-up call!

Do you know that there are organisations working with street kids who use the alpha wolf leadership style as their model in teaching and mentoring kids in leadership skills? They also use these principles in running the whole program itself. That was not a good beginning and was not what I had expected to discover! 

And that's only the beginning of it. Many businesses and other groups do versions of the same thing.

Then I researched the wolf's themselves, doubts now crowding my mind regarding my decision to use a wolf head on my evil guy. Bottom line, the alpha wolf' sleadership decisions are all made on the bases of what's best for the pack. He leads on the decision to hunt, and is point wolf on the hunt itself. He leads when they travel as a pack. He hunts and provides for his mate and the cubs when she's nursing. Also providing food for the older cubs as they grow up, so his mate can hunt and eat to strengthen herself again. His whole existence is to keep the pack fed, healthy and protected. Even his getting to eat first on the kill, is for the good of the pack, making sure their leader  always has the strength and health to lead the pack. Every decision is for the good of the pack! I had no idea he was such
a "good" guy!

 It became very clear that the wolf-head for this evil guy was not the answer for my purposes. Notice, under the photo above how I wondered if he'd survive the choking. Well, he didn't! 

I have to go another route. My research continues. 

Welcome to the "reality show" of an artist's life!

Next week I will let you know where this "let's get evil" research takes me.

 
"...So the Priest shall make atonement for him regarding
his ignorance in which he erred and did not know it, and it shall be forgiven him." 
    Lev. 5:18

Picture
English Garden, Winnipeg MB
Photo by Cliff  Derksen
Taken in June 2013
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    Cliff's Creations...

    Hi, my name is Cliff, welcome to my website where I share my life as an art teacher, ceramic artist, photographer, father, businessman, leader and disciple. Basically I'm just trying to keep up with an exciting creative life. Thank you for coming along for the ride. You know, that your reading my blogs will make me a better artist so thank you in advance.
    Later, Cliff

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