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Previous exhibit: February 9th to March 7th, 2010
February 9th to March 7th, 2010 (Olympics)
Winter Prints - figurative sports paintings
Maxie Von Schwerin
Artist Statement:
The first thing people ask me, when viewing my work, is whether or not I love the sports and whether I do any kind of sport myself. The answer is yes. I always liked to move my body and be active but the reason why I show sport-figures goes a bit further:
I chose the genre sport because it represents an achiever-mentality. It ranges from getting motivated to overachievement, from doubts to triumph and all the stages that lay in-between. My figures talk mostly about the permanent insistence to improve. They talk about the suffering that often reaches the edge of exhaustion, the break through and the very short moments of victory. I talk about the hero and the victim in one and the same person.
This mentality, or characteristic, is shown so clearly in the body language of athletes.
I have never done sports as a career or a full time job but believe that, as an artist, one can express only what one experiences oneself. I wish to share the experiences of having lived through a competitive twenty-year career and, reflected in these works, I possibly showcase my own particular personality.
I believe that these experiences are very common for a lot of people, especially in our western and North-American culture. Who has not experienced the feeling of being cornered, how it feels to find a way out, the experience of getting up at night to be the "Early Bird", or when reaching the goal one has always dreamt about while already focusing on a next target?
Through my prints, and the way I approach these media, I place importance on catching the spirit of a moment.
I work intensely and fast, if possible, and without larger breaks. This helps me to keep a certain momentum alive and avoid getting lost in details. I favor the resulting sharp edges of lines and shapes.
I love doing linocuts and woodcuts because of the material and the body impact while doing the cutting. The methodical and strategic organization of the printing process and the, oftentimes, surprising results suit my temperament.
I have also chosen the genre of figures in motion because "getting it right" and catching the moment is a big challenge for me. It is never boring and full of innumerable poses and possibilities... well, I agree: it may also reflect my own achiever-attitude.
Previous exhibit: January 19th to February 7th, 2010
Waiting
Amona Ra
Chief Leonard George
Editorial: Meghan Doyle - Gallery Coordinator
The Seymour Art Gallery is honored to be showing the photographic exhibition, "waiting" by Amona RA. This exhibition is in collaboration with and featuring images of, Leonard George and is curated by Vjeko Sager. The opening reception on January 19th proved to be a moving, spiritual experience with opening remarks by Sandra Semchuk. Visitors gathered around Semchuk and George to hear stories and memories of George and his experience with Amona RA during their two year collaboration. The walls of the gallery are sporadically, yet methodically covered in photographs of Leonard George, showcasing his personal life history and experiences. The deep, vibrant, yet simultaneously antique-like colours of the photographs help in achieving the historic, story-telling aspect while the medium and setting create a contemporary contrast. The exhibition is on at the Seymour Art Gallery from January 19 to February 7, 2010.
Previous exhibit: January 5th to January 17th, 2010
disCOVEry 2010
disCOVEry 2010 - theme is My Canada
Various Artists
Previous exhibit: December 1st to January 2nd, 2010
Winter Gift Gallery
Our entire gallery and gallery shop filled with unique gifts from over 75 local artists.
Previous exhibit: November 3rd to November 29th, 2009
Synergy
Sally Michener
Previous event: November 20th to November 23rd, 2009
5 Tibetan Monks Create A Sand Mandala
Tibetan Monks Visit Deep Cove as part of their 2009 Tibetan Sacred Art Tour
The Tsengdok Monastery is pleased to bring a unique cultural tour to Deep Cove, North Vancouver. Five monks from Tibet, all trained in sacred Buddhist art forms, will share their skills with people of all ages and abilities.
The creation of a traditional Sand Mandala - an ancient art form of Tibetan Buddhism will take place in the Seymour Art Gallery on November 20, 21, 22 and 23, 2009. The Monks will be working on the Mandala each day between about 10:30am and 4:30pm.
Mandalas are drawings in sand, of the world in its divine form and represent a map by which the ordinary human mind is transformed into the enlightened mind. The creation of the Sand Mandala takes place over three days, beginning with special prayers and chanting ceremonies. They work all day placing sand practically grain by grain as they create these incredibly rare forms of art and faith. Admission is by donation.
Upon completion of the Mandala the monks hold a dismantling ceremony whereby the Mandala is blessed a final time and the grains of sand are swept up into a pile - erasing the once beautiful work of art. Some of the sand is given to people present, as a small blessing for their home or gardens, and the remainder is poured into a moving body of water which carries the prayers and blessings throughout the earth.
The ceremonial dismantling of the Mandala will take place at around 3:00pm on Monday the 23rd of November
The touring monks will also perform in traditional clothes while playing Tibetan musical instruments Monday, November 23, 7-9pm.
Tickets are available for $15.00 Please contact the Seymour Art Gallery for further information.
Associated merchandise will be available for purchase in the gallery shop in conjunction with the Mandala creation
Previous Exhibit: October 6th to November 2nd, 2009
Teapots
Ping Kwong Wong
Artist Statement
Ping-Kwong Wong was born in China, moved to Hong Kong in 1956, and settled in Canada in 1994.
Wong studied art education at Sir Robert Black College of Education and Grantham College of Education from 1969 to 1972 in Hong Kong. He studied studio ceramics at Hong Kong Polytechnic from 1981 to 1983. He graduated from University of Wolverhampton, U.K. with B. Ed degree in 1992.
He was the recipient of the Hong Kong Urban Council Fine Arts Award for Ceramics in 1987 and he has accumulated over 35 years experience in teaching art and ceramics. Now he is a studio potter and pottery instructor.
Teapots and Reliefs
I have turned clay into ceramics for more than thirty years. Aside from making useful utensils, I have also done ceramic sculptures, and in recent years, ceramic reliefs.
Among the utensils I have made, my favourite is the teapot. It is not because of the fact that I am a tea lover, but rather, one who considers the process of creating teapots a challenge. The idea behind making them lies in their usefulness and their unlimited shapes and sizes, and they provide me with such an array of versatility and difficulties that they tickle my creative instinct. The exhibition is the end result of a small accumulation of my recent work and hopefully, it will present the audience with a fresh and distinctive outlook.
In my ceramic reliefs, the subject is "birds" immersed in "Teapot Fantasy". In a way, the combination of teapots and birds to create a surrealistic concept is my expression of concern for the relationship between nature and man, albeit in a fantasy form.
Previous Exhibit: September 15th to October 4th
Once Upon a Time...
Liane McLaren Varnam
lianevarnam.com
Artist Statement - Liane McLaren Varnam
The myth and story of Little Red Riding Hood has been told and reshaped for many years. I wondered what a Canadian version of Little Red Riding Hood would look like and who the characters would be.
While exploring the myth of how we look at history (feminist, revisionist, patriarchal) and who tells the story, an idea to represent my view of the relationship between aboriginal peoples and the Colonial Canadians, playing with Saul's fundamental idea that perhaps Canada is a Métis Nation, took shape
In reading Saul's version of history where he suggests that a more respectful, balanced relationship existed between First Nations People and the migrating Europeans for the first couple hundred years, before fear, greed and power started the First Nations Genocide; I have continued my own exploration of these ideas and who and what artistic and geographic influences me. The Wolf and Little Red, how would they interact in a new myth and a new telling of a Canadian children's story, which is meant for adults? Do we still fear the Wolf and kill the wolf?? Do we get in bed with the wolf? What would the wolf look like what would he represent? What would Red look like, what would she represent??
The Wolf is an artistic interpretation of Bill Reid's Black Canoe Wolf, representing First Nations People (as well as spiritual and animal natures) and Little Red Riding Hood has become the iconic European Mona Lisa (idealized white beauty and supposed innocence). This show explores Canadian identity, artistic Canadian Influences, feminism, Colonial history and ideas of relationships between the First Nation peoples and our ancestors... All from a white woman's perspective.
Previous Exhibit: August 11th to September 13th
Kw'ókw'eleqw
Previous Exhibit: July 7th to August 10th
Four Heathers, Four Mediums
When a group of North Shore artists get together and discover they each have the same name and each work in a medium starting with the letter "P" one would have to think they were destined to exhibit together. That is exactly what happened when the four Heathers: Aston, Cairns, Johnston and McAlpine got together some years ago after meeting at each other's exhibitions. Each well established in their chosen medium, they are "all influenced in some way by natural elements", says painter Heather McAlpine.
Photographer, Heather Johnston, loves working with light and was hooked when she first watched images develop in front of her in the high school darkroom. Working mostly in a digital format now, Johnston sates "it's still about light, but it is also about translating the beauty of the natural world."
Printmaker, Heather Aston, "loves the process of printmaking, the smell of the ink, the plate mark from the pressure of the press, the element of surprise that printmaking always provides. You can control it only to a point, the rest is some kind of magic."
The process of painting never tires Heather McAlpine. "In my work the painterly marks serve as a metaphor for energy. It's about trusting your inner vision and intuition and developing a purely visual language," she states.
Since 1986, Heather Cairns has enjoyed the freedom, exploration, and expression pottery offers. "I love the messiness of combining clay with water, starting with a lump of clay and forming it into a thing of beauty. I will never be done with clay"
Previous Exhibit: June 2nd to July 5th
Seymour Festival of the Arts
The 1st exhibit of the festival - Wild Women, was proudly sponsored by:
Previous Exhibit: May 5th to June 1st
Capilano University Textile Arts Graduating Students
Previous Exhibit: April 28th to May 4rd
School District #44 Art Academy Students
Previous Exhibit: April 21st to April 27th
Start With Art: Various Artists
Start With Art provides a gallery full of art for children to explore and enjoy. For many, this is the first step in art education, art appreciation and purchasing. Start With Art is a great opportunity to educate young buyers and help them find art that will bring them years of pleasure. The purchasing and appreciation of art can be a very fulfilling experience, and this event provides the opportunity for children to feel a sense of wonder and empowerment. All work is available for sale to children 16 years of age and under and is priced for their pocket book.
Previous Exhibit: March 31st to April 19th
Icons - Alexander Koutsenko and Leonard Brett
Artist Statement - Alexander Koutsenko
Referencing figures from tradional Russian iconography and employing a continuous narrative structure, Alexander Koutsenko depicts humorous aphorisms and the duality of human emotion that manifest in our interactions with each other. Kousenko's artistic practice explores the black and white that exists in all of us, representing in his work the physical expression of this dichotomy of emotions. The figures evoke a style similar to the elongated figures of gothic sculptures. They are human and grotesque, in a way that both allow us to recognize ourselves in their expression and repel our sympathy through their disfiguration.
Artist Statement - Leonard Brett
The departure point for my journey into the psychic automatism is to stockpile a plethora of images, symbols and decorative forms. The photographic images are taken from the media, advertising, as well as a personal file of photographs and drawings. These images are cut from the everyday, a panorama of our reckless psyche, they combine the grip of a dream with the documentary truth of photography. "A subject awakens our love just because it seems to be the bearer of powers that are greater than itself", quote Jean Bazine. I am looking for archetypal patterns which produce dynamic background activity so one can decipher in them the message of some purpose, a evolutionary tendency of the unconciones. "The unconscious cannot be directed - none of the choices when taken constitute any expressions form. Hence automatism is actually very little a question of the unconsciousness. It is much more a plastic weapon with which to invent new forms" Quote, Robert Motherwell.
March 3rd to March 29th
Parvis Djamtorki
Artist Statement
Parvis Djamtorki studied at the Lerchenfeld Academy in Hamburg, Germany, under Hans Thiemann, a former student of Kandinski and Klee.
In 1981 he immigrated to Canada and showed his work in several group and solo exhibitions across Canada.
His themes are landscapes, still life, figurative and large scale abstract paintings
His main media: oil on egg tempera.
Egg tempera, an ancients Master's technique, which he learnt back in Europe at the Art Academy.
This technique enables him to work in many layers, as it dries fast enough for him to paint spontaneously at all times, using free brush strokes and after the composition of a painting appears he continues using oil to complete the painting.
This year Djamtorki is donating a part of the proceeds made from each of his exhibitions to a different charity. Proceeds from Landscapes will be donated to Ronald McDonald House.
Previous Exhibit: February 3rd to March 1st, 2009
Common Elements - Maeva Collins and Vicky Paradice
Collage work, Wood and salt-fired pottery
