Pre-Shrunk 2016

Protector

 It's time again for my most favourite new year's tradition - Argyle Fine Art's annual Pre-Shrunk group show. Each year artists compete to be a part of this collection of 200+ miniature works of art.

As usual I had to out-do my creations from last year and add even more detail to each piece.

Let's just say that the 3-D petals on the front row of these sunflowers took over 3 hours alone.

Fields of Gold

I made sure to include a 3-D element with each of these tiny pieces, but I think my favourite is the sneaky little squirrels enjoying the snow.

Interception

As usual I'm really looking forward to the opening, it looks like a girls night in the big city might be forming. Look out Halifax - here we come!

Looking for Lunch

All are welcome to join us for the opening reception on Friday, January 22^nd at 7pm. If you can't make it to the opening the show will continue until February 13^th.  The entire exhibit will also be online on their website, after the show has officially opened at www.argylefineart.com

Argyle Fine Art
1559 Barrington Street
Halifax, NS
B3J 1Z7
 
 

Cape'n'sand

Pre-Shrunk 2015!

 

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.



The kids trying to help mom decided where to go next with my pieces

It's funny, I usually start my feltscapes with very little idea as to what I'm creating. Since you have no choice but to work in layers and slowly build up colours and texture, the sky is usually my first step.


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.

 

This piece is just a little three dimensional :)

 



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.

 

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!



Everyone mistook my previous hayfield for cattails, so I thought I'd give it another go!



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