Summer Shows

He is enigmatic. He is misunderstood. He is benevolent. He is a primeval archetype. His origins are shrouded in the mists of time...

The Green Man is an ancient motif representing the cycle of the seasons, transformation and the rebirth of spring after a long winter. Most often found carved in wood and stone in European gothic cathedrals, he is represented by the face of a man made up of foliage or spewing leaves.

On July 4, the Nook Collective (hosted by Julia Breckenreid and Steve Wilson) in Toronto are featuring the work of over 40 artists. Should be a killer show. I am thrilled to be a part of this and will be hanging several pieces. I am working with Dimitri Levanov to produce the work in the show.

 

I let loose on these, using a skull as a template and working with collaged ornamental foliage, giving the work a gothic feel while retaining a sense of fun and playfulness.

This one's a bit sinister and sophisticated. I thought each had its own personality. They both look a bit like the tangles of weeds sprouting in my garden this year. All this rain and I am fighting a loosing battle. So while our American friends are celebrating red, white & blue, we will be lighting it up green. Really looking forward to the show. Thanks to Julia for putting this together!

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I also have another show opening at Oeno Gallery. A  plant-themed group show called 'When the Bough Breaks: Re-imagining the Tree'. Oeno is a lovely venue, where I had my Mecanismos and Birdhouse City shows.

Mecanismos Launch

The Oeno Gallery is a beautiful spot. Owner Carlyn Moulton has been fantastic to work with in launching this show. Mecanismos opened on the weekend, and I took a bit of time to recover from the tension and excitement of launching a solo show.

The show runs through the holidays and will be up until January 3. There was a lot of work involved in getting it together and I am very thankful for all of the friends and folks who showed up at the opening, and to those who bought pieces as well.

I stopped by the gallery this afternoon, when things were quiet to take some photos of the space and the work in place.

Oeno Gallery

I worked with Oeno Gallery to produce a book, including all 100 prints. It includes an introduction by Gary Taxali and I also talk about the process of creating Mecanismos, influences and ideas that went into the work.

$60, contact me if you would like to get your hands on one.

Show Ready

I am very excited about getting the upcoming Mecanismos show together. It opens November 26, at Oeno Gallery. Part of the challenge in launching a show like this is finding a way to get one hundred pieces framed and ready to hang. I worked with Carlyn Moulton at Oeno and we decided to handle the framing on site.

I have been working with Ivan Tanzer, matting the pieces and then assembling the frames. It is meticulous and demanding work, but anything this repetitive has a certain zen-like quality to it. I think that all artists get lost in process at times. Sit back and enjoy the ride.

I also appreciate getting everything together well ahead of schedule. A luxury for someone who works to short deadlines on a regular basis.

If you are in Prince Edward County or passing through, please join me at the opening or drop by to see the show. It runs from November 26 through the holidays until January 3.