Artistic Community

I have been pretty isolated artistically for the last few months, save for whom I connect with over the internet (and a huge thank you to all my artistic friends and community members online - you're all so inspiring!). This week, I connected in real life with two fantastic artists.

Jill Elhert, whom we met through the Bamfield retreat last year (see Day 1, Day 2, and Days 3 & 4, plus our exhibition). Jill's work is very expressive and beautiful, very abstracted. She's currently working on some personal discovery projects, as well as looking forward to an intensive workshop this May with Steven Amoine. We had a lovely visit (with tea and fab home-made chocolate chip cookies, yum!!) and studio tour, thanks Jill.

Nikkie Wilson, a printmaker in Victoria, contacted me via email (through discovering my work on the Federation of Canadian Artist's website, as she's a recent member to the Victoria chapter thereof). She's very keen to connect with printmakers, especially locally. We happened to be down at her neck of the woods today, so she graciously invited us for a studio visit. It was very inspiring to see her colourful, vivacious work, lately woodcuts, utilizing great tool marks in her printmaking. It was wonderful to meet with such an enthusiastic printmaker, I look forward to continuing our creative dialogue in future, thanks Nikkie.

So, my isolation broken for the meantime, I'm feeling somewhat energized again, and reminded that I am part of a greater whole, which is always a good thing to be reminded of.

Thanks Lori!

Lori Dean Dyment at So I Was Thinking... posted about the Open Print Show (still on until this Sunday) at the Federation Gallery, and had very lovely things to say about me. Thanks Lori!

Yes, I've been web-silent for quite some time. Mostly income work, also garden work, and no art work!!

Hope everyone's well... will be checking in again at the very least when I go to the Nanaimo Art Gallery later this month for the opening of the Oceans of Art Exhibition. Come on by to the opening, June 11 from 7 - 9 pm, if you're in Nanaimo and say hi!

Blog 10,000!

Thank you, ladies & gentlemen, for the 10,000th visit this week, to this blog!

I'm just back from a weekend camping trip and have a pantload of non-art work to catch up with, but I am going to the opening of the Open Print Exhibition this Thursday, May 21, from 6-8 pm at the Federation Gallery on Granville Island - I shall post about that after; both Mom & I have work accepted, and this is Mom's first second (sorry!) juried show acceptance:

Stable Mates
reduction block print
Daniel Smith water soluble inks
© Betty A. Cavin

Pays d'Hiver
linocut print
Daniel Smith water soluble inks on grey Rising Stonehenge paper
© Amie Roman

Hope to see you at the opening!

Figure Show - Federation of Canadian Artists

March 2 - 15, 2009 at the Federation Gallery, 1241 Cartwright Street, Granville Island, Vancouver. My two submitted pieces were accepted:

Being Shod, by Amie Roman, AFCA

Technique: reduction cut relief print
Media: Daniel Smith w/s relief ink
(yellow ochre, burnt umber, phthalo blue, Mars black) on cream Rising Stonehenge
Dimensions: approximately 9"x7"
Edition: 6
Year: 2009

Vantage Point by Amie Roman, AFCA

Technique: relief print
Media: Daniel Smith w/s relief ink
(mix of Mars black and phthalo blue) on white Rising Stonehenge
Dimensions: approximately 6"x4"
Edition: 10
Year: 2009

Oceans of Art - Days 3 & 4

The weather was absolutely spectacular on the morning of our third day in Bamfield. I spent the first part of the morning working on more sketches in the Whale Lab:

Then our group headed out on one of the Marine Station's research vessels to do a little sight-seeing, and to do a bottom drag. We used a small basket that was pulled along the bottom for a short distance, then pulled up and washed the contents into a viewing tray. The Station uses the same, disturbed location for their drags, and it seems to be constantly re-colonizing, because there is amazing variety of critters each time they come out.

The weather turned decidedly less congenial: the wind picked up, the sun went into hiding, and we even got a few flakes of snow. The group braved the elements to have a wee wander along Pachena Bay, sketching and photographing, and a bonfire and schmooze with some local Bamfield artists.


There was time for a little more sketching before dinner:

Then off to an evening of entertainment! Many of the artists collected in the fireplace lounge and Mark Hobson brought out his guitar, and we all had a wonderful time singing and laughing, and sampling some beautiful blackberry wine. We also had a final lab where we all trouped over to the Rix Centre to look at plankton under the microscope. We all found that absolutely fascinating, and many stayed longer than we were meant to.

Our final night was just delightful, and we were all reluctant to depart on our final day. We woke up to a dusting of snow, and we trudged through the slush to breakfast, then back again to load up our gear for transfer to the docks. Some took the time waiting for the return of the MV Frances Barkley with art, some with networking, and some of us with just being lazy. We loaded up onto the ship when she arrived, and had a lovely, friendship-filled trip back to Port Alberni.

We all await with great anticipation the Oceans of Art exhibition to be held at the Nanaimo Art Gallery, 150 Commercial Street, from June 11 - 29, 2009, opening reception on Thursday, June 11 (time to be announced, but likely in the evening). Work will be for sale during that exhibition, and proceeds will go towards the Public Education Program at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre.

Oceans of Art - Day 2

After a hearty breakfast, we all piled into, in 12-body groups, two of the station's skiffs to make our way over to West Bamfield. Bamfield is split by Bamfield Inlet: some of the community is on the east bank, some on the west bank. On the other side of the peninsula on which West Bamfield sits lies the open Pacific Ocean. We trudged across the peninsula to arrive at Brady's Beach, a spectacular and well-known sandy beach with rocky sea stacks, perfect for landscape artists! And, at the right time of day, it is perfect for tide pool puddlers. Unfortunately, we arrived late on the incoming tide, so no fantastic tide pools to puddle in. But there were plenty of neat things to sketch and photograph that had washed up on the beach, not to mention the stacks themselves.

We spent the morning on the beach, walking, sketching, snapping shots, and just watching the surf roll in. The hike back was interesting: it's quite hilly crossing the peninsula, and the first hill from the beach is huge! Some of us took the scenic route, and walked the beautiful boardwalk along the shoreline of West Bamfield. Even met some of the residents:

In the afternoon, we split up into our respective groups, and went on different excursions. Our group took a boat up Grappler Inlet. The sun decided to bless us with its presence and made the lighting spectacular for our trip. The water was crystal clear, and we could see way down to the bottom, strewn with pink stars and huge clam shells. At the head of the Inlet was a freshwater lens that had frozen, so we did a little ice breaking (kind of entertaining). And we got to witness nature at work: a couple of raccoons picking up nibblies from the exposed foreshore, rafts of ducks, a cormorant drying off on a piling after a dive, and the ultimate wildlife experience of a bald eagle catching a juvenile gull, then taking it to a rock to pluck and devour while we watched.

A little time was left before dinner for a visit to the Whale Lab, and I took the opportunity to work on some sketches.



After dinner, we were treated to "Life at the Edge of the Sea", a documentary filmed on location in Bamfield and off the coast by the BBC. It's a great film, I've seen it before, but I was so tired from the day's events that I just had to crash. Off to bed to rest up for another jam-packed day.

Oceans of Art - Day 1

I just returned from Bamfield where I attended the Oceans of Art event (a bit more about that shortly) with a number of other Federation of Canadian Artists members. It was a fantastic weekend of action-packed days where we experienced the marine environment of the far West Coast in all its glory.


View Larger Map
Our trip began at Port Alberni early in the morning when we met at the Lady Rose Marine Services docks to board the MV Frances Barkley. Just over 30 artists and some non-painting partners lugged bags and boxes of art equipment and camera gear on board, then got settled in for the 3 hour trip out to Bamfield.

We spent our time getting to know each other, reconnecting with friends, and putting faces to names that many of us recognized, whose art we'd seen in one show or another. We also met some of the locals, who rely on boats to get around. We stopped for freight and passenger delivery at Kildonan, a tiny community just at the mouth of Alberni Inlet, as it opens out into Barkley Sound. Eventually we made our way into Bamfield Inlet, and pulled up at the Marine Station's dock.

Our first trip of many up the hill from the docks to the station buildings took us to our rather luxurious dormitory accommodation at Buchanan Lodge. We had a group meeting and then a tour of the facilities: many labs, a library, the Whale Lab with tanks and touch pool full of amazing living organisms, the unique scallop-shaped architecture of the Rix Centre (with lecture and conference halls, as well as laboratory facilities, and a beautiful cold-water aquarium full of wonderful fish and invertebrates).


We wandered around, taking photos, sketching, and getting a feel for the facilities, then met again for dinner. The food at Bamfield is plentiful, great tasting, and well received.

To wrap up the day, we were treated to a painting demonstration by naturalist and coastal artist, Mark Hobson. He started with a slide show of his work, and where he works: his floating studio just outside of Tofino. Mark strives to capture the feel and experience of a diver underwater amongst the kelp forests and their inhabitants. He is a master of the play of light passing through kelp fronds, filtering down from the surface, reflecting off the backs and sides of his subjects as they swim through the image.

Tiger Rockfish - Mark Hobson

Now, more about Oceans of Art. In return for our fantastic weekend of wonder and inspiration, each artist will be donating at least one piece of art worth a minimum amount for an exhibition to be held from June 11 - 29, 2009 at the Nanaimo Art Gallery. The proceeds from the sale of the artwork go towards sponsoring the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre's Public Education Program:

Our National Award-Winning Public Education Program provides multi-day immersion field trips for school, college and adult learners. While our focus is on marine and coastal sciences, we encourage custom programs that make use of the incredible environments and people of Vancouver Island's West Coast. As part of our commitment to community we are involved in stewardship and conservation projects as well as facilitating innovative and extremely successful volunteer work experiences for young scientists.

from the BMSC Public Education Program

So the funds go to support the program, and to help schools to afford to attend the program, as there's not much help coming from government.

Vantage Point

Dave & I went to Saltspring Island last summer, and wandered around for a day. Dave took me to a private warf on Fulford Harbour, from which you can look at some of the best marine life right off the dock. We had a great time looking there, then went for a bit of a hoof around Ruckle Provincial Park. Dave stood at the edge of one of the bluffs at Ruckle, looking out over the seascape, and I had to take a photo. The photo has been sitting in the back of my mind since then, and I picked up my sketchbook and rendered it in graphite (I'll have to edit this post later and add the sketch; I've not got my computer hooked up to the scanner, and I don't have a digital version of the photo).

I decided that I wanted to do the image in black and white only. This print was done with MDF and the Dremel; carving the fine lines was a bit of a trick. I had to use my v-gouge to define them a little better at the end, but overall, the Dremel worked beautifully. I'm planning on entering this and "Being Shod" in the Federation of Canadian Artists' Human Figure exhibition. As the deadline for submission is the end of January, and I won't be here in my studio until after the deadline, I stayed up late last night getting the first part carved, then finished it off this morning and printed this afternoon. I found that it was really a challenge to print this; it's just one colour (a mix of phthalo blue and Mars black), so building up the ink layer was a little trickier than with a reduction. And I kept smudging things, or the block would slip as I lay it down; all sorts of irritating little things. I finally managed an edition of 10, so that's great. The extras will be given as gifts to various family members, I reckon.


One of the things that I'm really excited about is that I've been doing more drawing and sketching. Up until now, I've been relying a lot directly on photographs; most of my prints are traced from my photos. I don't really like drawing human figures, yet I actually managed to do the sketch and capture the proportions and look really well. I suppose that might not surprise everyone, but it sure surprised me!

Connections

I always love meeting artists that I've met online in person. Last week was the Federation Christmas party, and I met a fellow Wet Canvas artist, Tracey Costescu, who is also a Federation member. She had recently contacted me about painting a watercolour from one of my images that I'd posted onto the Wet Canvas Reference Image Library. The RIL is a great resource for artists; members post photos that they don't mind other people using as reference material for whatever art purposes, for sale or not. The restrictions are that the owner of the photograph retains copyright and ownership to that photograph, and no-one can else claim that the photograph is theirs. What a great place to look for ideas! One of the drawbacks, however, is that a lot of people use the RIL and recognize the photos thereon, and that can sometimes prejudice a jury against the resultant work, but usually only with the really popular images.

Anyway, she's finished her painting and will soon post to her blog the process to arrive the finished product. I've seen it, but you'll just have to check back on Tracey's blog to get the full scoop! Nice job, Tracey, and thanks for sharing.

Spilsbury Medal Show

Tonight was the opening and awards reception for the Spilsbury Medal Show at the Federation of Canadian Artists. I am eligible (first year was last year and I did get accepted with Crossroads), but have done no work this year that's worthy of submission. Well, not entirely true; my print "Returning to the Land" would have been worthy of submission, but as I produced it at Pal Press with Pat's help, it doesn't qualify for a juried Federation show. Printmaking can involve the master printmaker and the artist/printmaker, and still be considered the artist's work, but the Federation has rules against entering work that's not entirely by the hand of the artist, fair enough. Anyway, the Spilsbury show is the annual signature member only show, and the awards are quite prestigious. I have a loooong way to go before I'd ever get an award, but I would definitely like to try to get in again next year; it's a big deal to be accepted.

So here's a little history of Jim Spilsbury, for whom the show was named, and who originally sponsored the prize medals, from my article in the recent Art Avenue (the FCA publication):

Most members of the Federation recognize the name Spilsbury from the eponymous award show, an annual event open only to Signature members. I had no idea whom this show was named after, nor what kind of significance that name held for all British Columbians, especially on the coast. I was intrigued when I recognized the name gracing the spine of a book on my father-in-law’s shelf, so I borrowed the volume to satisfy my curiosity. What a treasure I had uncovered!

Spilsbury’s Coast, by Howard White and Jim Spilsbury, is an account of the incredible life of one of B.C.’s most remarkable pioneers, Aston James Spilsbury (1905 – 2003), 1993 recipient of the Order of British Columbia. Within a single lifetime, Jim Spilsbury was an active participant in the technological revolution of radio communication and aviation transportation on the West Coast of B.C. Due to a fateful lack of aptitude for working on the open ocean, Jim’s career as a merchant mariner was cut short by constant sea- and home-sickness. But while he was aboard the S.S. Melville Dollar, he was introduced to what would become a life-long passion: radio communication. Jim was an innovator in the radio communication industry, plying the waters of the Strait of Georgia and Johnstone Strait to attend to his isolated customer’s needs. He developed, serviced and jury-rigged radios, from the original tubes to radiotelephones, with ingenuity and spare parts, to keep communications open with remote outposts of logging camps and fishing villages to the outside world. His various radio communication enterprises were evolved through the efforts of improving sporadic communication along this rugged coastline. In 1943, Jim bought a seaplane, one of the first on this coast, to improve services for his radio communication business. While no longer in business, Jim’s Queen Charlotte Airlines grew to Canada’s third largest airline in 1955. Spilsbury Communications Ltd. expanded to become recognized internationally and Canada’s largest radio-telephone exporter.

Beyond all of these accomplishments, Jim Spilsbury was a talented storyteller, an enthusiastic teacher, and an accomplished artist, representing his beloved coast in pastels and pen-and-ink. While there has been an annual Signature members’ exhibition held at the Federation for decades, Jim Spilsbury was persuaded to fund the original medals created, through Jeanne Duffey’s suggestion and Stafford Plant’s encouragement, in 1992. The first gold medal winner was Alan Wylie (who has achieved this award now four times, once again this year, since its inception). This annual event represents the culmination of work for each Signature member involved, and the gold medal award is arguably the most prestigious available within the Federation. This year’s show runs from December 9 to 24, and the opening is during our annual Christmas party, on Thursday, December 11 from 4-6 pm in the gallery. Please join us for this spectacular exhibition, showcasing work by some of the best artists in the Federation, and be sure to catch the exciting medal presentation at the opening.

Thanks to FCA historian, Ellen Poole, for her gracious assistance with details regarding the Spilsbury award show.

Free Advertising

I am participating inMalaspina Printmakers semi-annual members' exhibition "Hot Off the Press", and the image mosaic that they use to advertise the event, at least on their website, includes two of the three pieces that I dropped off to have hang in the show! Took me long enough to discover it - the show's only been up since mid-June! If you happen to be wandering around on Granville Island before August 31, make sure to pop into Malaspina to see what's up. There is quite a selection of delightful prints from local (and international) printmakers who are also members of Malaspina.

Another show that's coming up is the Federation of Canadian Artists' international Painting on the Edge event. I didn't submit this year, but apparently over 700 others did, fifty of whom were finally accepted by the three-member jury. I'm planning on attending the opening on Thursday, August 21 from 6-9pm. This is an annual, open exhibition where anyone can enter; usually, the exhibitions at the Federation are open only to Federation members (and generally only Active or Signature members, at that). So, like BIMPE this year, this is a fabulous opportunity to view work of contemporary artists from around the world in our own back yard.

Also, my website has reached over 5,000 visitors in less than a year since I started recording such things. I thought that was just pretty darned cool.

BIMPE V

For those of you who have no idea what BIMPE is, it stands for "Biennial International Miniature Print Exhibition", and it is a fabulous showcase of printmaking artists from around the world, currently on at the Federation Gallery on Granville Island in Vancouver until June 22 (then it moves to Dundarave Print Workshop from July 8 - August 3). If you are in the area, please go see these prints in person. The styles, techniques and world-class skills are overwhelming, and require quite a lengthy visit to truly appreciate these delicate miniature works of art.


Dave & I attended the opening, which was from 6-8 pm on Friday, June 6. It was packed. I have never seen that many people at an opening at the Federation before; it was absolutely incredible. At one point, people were lined out the door to come in. And not only was it packed with admiring viewers, but people were actually pulling out their wallets and putting money down for their favourites. Other than the fact that these are all incredible pieces of art, they're also extremely portable, charming, and very affordable (many for less than $100, most between $100 - $150), and as they're not framed, they're easy to take home on the airplane!

My friends Kathy and Katka came down to see the show, and another printmaker (Beth Sobel) from Wet Canvas made the trip up from Bellingham with her husband & in-laws. I found the work of one other printmaker (Lynn Macintyre) from Wet Canvas, but as there are just so many pieces, and the labels were pretty tiny, that if I didn't know to look for you, I am sorry if I missed your work! Please write a comment - I'll be going back on Wednesday (June 9) to volunteer at the gallery, so I'll be able to look again more closely.

I had the honour of being introduced to Jim Westergard, winner again of a BIMPE Honourable Mention, and one of my wood engraving idols. His work is full of whimsy and charm, and he is very passionate about his chosen medium. I was so happy that he made it to the opening - he lives in Red Deer, Alberta, and drove (via Nelson, to pick up his wood engraver buddy, Gene Leavitt, who was also represented at BIMPE this year) all the way out here basically just for the opening. Jim also introduced me to Karen Kunc, a woodblock printmaker from Nebraska, who is in town at Malaspina Printmakers as their artist in residence for June. Although she did not apply to BIMPE, you can see her solo exhibition "Visualizing the Urban/Rural Divide" at Malaspina until June 15.

After the opening, the die-hards of the lot wandered over to New Leaf Editions, the hosts, coordinators and masterminds of BIMPE, for a barbeque and feast, accompanied by Dead Frog brew: a wonderful and generous spread put on by Peter & Katie of NLE. Thanks guys!!

Collaborative Beginnings

oceans ten
Originally uploaded by Andrea Pratt

Andrea Pratt, AFCA, is an accomplished acrylic painter whom I met through the Federation of Canadian Artists, but also through this blog. She commented on one of my posts, and as a result of her comment, I thought I'd get in touch with her to see if we could do a skills trade, a collaboration of techniques and knowledge, so that we could each learn something new. I greatly admire her work; she has a very distinctive style, and I love her use of symbology and theme to develop her imagery. We met on Friday to have a brain-storming session to see where we could take our interests in each others' work. I'm very excited because I feel that I can utilize some elements of her methodology and incorporate them into my printmaking. I agreed to be a test subject for her regarding the development of a teaching module so I'll be working on an acrylic painting based on her techniques, but I'm definitely going to be working on prints, too!! Its quite ironic - Andrea indicated recently in her blog that she's stuck inspirationally; I have been too, but I think this collaborative effort will help to unglue my inertia.

Opening Night, Mark II

Thursday, November 8 marked the opening for the Place des Arts Positively Petite exhibition, which coincided with the solo exhibition opening, Solitude, paintings by my friend, Alice Rabinowitz. As my relief printmaking class at Port Moody Arts Centre got canceled (only one person signed up, sigh), I was able to make the opening.

Alice's show is a collection of paintings and haiku, from florals to life models to en plein air, including watercolours, monotypes and mixed media work. The work was beautifully hung in a spacious room at Place des Arts, and there were many people in attendance admiring Alice's work, including a number of friends that drove all the way out from the west side of Vancouver, White Rock and North Vancouver on a weekday evening!

Alice Rabinowitz with her monotype "Sun Shower" at "Solitude"

At the Positively Petite opening, I met a fellow Wet Canvas! addict, Madelaine Fedorowich. She hangs out usually in the acrylics, oils and miniature forums, so I don't cross paths online with her too often. Anyway, it was very exciting to put a face to a web presence, and to her art - it was nice to meet her there. This was Madelaine's first exhibition, with a delightful selection of tiny, cheerful little birds (and other subjects), so congratulations Madelaine!

Work of Madelaine Fedorowich at "Positively Petite"

Madelaine and myself in front of my works at "Positively Petite"

Also in attendance was another fellow Federation (and Wet Canvas!) artist, James Koll, who had absolutely exquisite watercolours, two of which (both of sunflowers) sold and left the building that night. Great work James!

I actually ran into quite a few people that I knew and didn't expect to see, so it was really a fun evening. If you are in Coquitlam, Alice's Solitude exhibition is on until December 8, and the Positively Petite exhibition until December 21.