Pre-Shrunk is a much loved annual group show hosted by Argyle Fine Art, which asks artists, both established and emerging, to create works on a surface measuring 4” x 5” in the medium of their choosing.
This is my second year participating in the show. I just love this show, personally it is such a great way for me to kick off a new year. The second Christmas had passed I was hard at work trying to out-do my previous miniature creations. I attempted to have a 3-D element in each of these pieces... I especially went all out with my mountain lion.
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| The kids trying to help mom decided where to go next with my pieces |
Next comes land and sea.... it's very rare that water doesn't make it into my work. Then I sit and stare at the pieces for a few days. All year long I've wanted to do a Tom Thompson inspired tree. In fact I started a few other pieces intending to add an old twisted pine, but the pieces all evolved into something else, so I said "no, not this time, I'm getting this tree out of my system."
However, once the tree was done I wasn't satisfied, the piece still wasn't about the tree, the tree was just background to something more important. What could be more important? Well how about the mysterious Nova Scotian mountain lion? Both my grandfather and partner Bryan have recollections of seeing this much denied creature deep in the woods of inland Nova Scotia and I myself have been intrigued by the beast since devoting a fourth grade project to the subject.
So now I knew what direction the piece was to take... I was going to add a noble feline front and center that would loom over her environment. Well, that was my intention. In the end she ended up as more of a cutesy cougar kit. I find it so funny how my feltscapes really take on a life of their own.
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| This piece is just a little three dimensional :) |
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| I fought the urge to add a sumac to this piece, sometimes you just need to let the work sit while you get to know it. |
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| I had started this piece back in the fall and had intended it to be in my show at the Bread Gallery, but I always felt something was missing. Turns out it was the stars! |
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| Everyone mistook my previous hayfield for cattails, so I thought I'd give it another go! |
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| I had many ideas for how this piece would turn out, eventually my jolly refugee polar boar emerged! |
The opening reception for Pre- Shrunk is Friday, January 23rd, at 7pm and the show continues until February 10th. All the works are priced at $175 and there will be at least 200 small works to choose from - including 5 by yours truly!
Argyle Fine Art
1559 Barrington Street, Unit 102
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3J 1Z7
902.425.9456
gallery@argylefa.com
www.argylefineart.com
