Peace and Blessings Everyone
Today, I had “brainy adventures” at LAC Art Gallery. They have amazing material on display this time. I am going to mention some work that particularly caught my attention.
1-”Fleeting” by Karen Darling.
This painting was one of my favourites. I see an outline of a woman sitting on a seat. Almost half of her body and face is painted in white, the rest is in orange and brown. She is sitting there so demurely; and there is this strong sense of passing of time and age. The background also added to this sense of passage. The picture draws you in for some reason. Great work Karen.
2-”Into the Distance” by Karen Darling.
Another acrylic painting. I see the back of a lady sitting on a beach. I do not see her face and I get this strong sense that she is waiting for someone/something, looking into the distance. Perhaps, it was the way she was reclining, the angle of her neck and her hand, maybe it was the way the rest of the images were drawn around her, that produced that effect of “looking into the distance”. Marvelous.
3-There were different kinds of round stones made via pottery. I did not catch the name of the artist. But these were so awesome. Different colors and different textures and designs. Oh, these were just sitting in a row of three, which did not strike me as particular. I wonder if a proper spatial arrangement would have added a stronger concept to this work of art?
4-Oh this one was amazing. Again did not catch the name of the artist. There were four black and white pictures of women from Brazil,China, India and Ireland. The concept was to represent women as a tribe. So beautiful!
5-Then the metal wire man/woman. There is this figure constructed out of metal wires. It is holding a huge round ball made out of metal wire and on that ball, right next to this figure’s hand, sits a smaller figure. Perhaps this smaller figure is a replica of this bigger figure. I think the concept was to think outside the box, to think big and to think creatively. But the artist wrote that the concept was to realize that every action has a consequence. I guess each art may have multiple interpretations.
6-”Roads not Taken”. I so should have jotted down the name of this artist. This artwork comprised of a hand-woven fabric made up of vibrant shades of red, maroon and blue. There were distinct lines of fabric running through it, almost like roads. The artist had written that it was a tribute to one’s choices and decisions. Splendidly delightful!
7-”Regeneration”. One of my favouites but I was too lazy to jot down the name of the artist. My bad! This artwork comprised of a bark of the cedar tree into which the artist had carved a glass staircase and some glass cones containing a bit of copper inside them. These glass cones looked like flowers. I think the staircase represented evolution. The artist wrote that the concept was interaction between organic and synthesis. I think he/she is trying to exhibit how mankind has evolved over the ages and how organic and synthetic material are so tightly intervowen nowadays. To me, this piece also said how harmony can be established in nature despite differences. Just like glass and cedar tree are together, human beings from different cultures, religions, races etc. can work together in harmony as well. It was so beautiful. <starry eyes>
8-The last artwork that I loved was done by Grade 5 students. It was comprised of four peculiar paper-mache masks. Each had a distinct name, distinct features and very vibrant colours. I was so taken by how queer-looking the masks were that my brain stopped functioning properly and I did not understand the concept behind it.
9-So, I moved on from the masks. I mean “who needs masks when one can be oneself”. As I looked at another piece of art, I thought of sitting at this yellow stool. Sigh! I need some rest. Seconds before casually seating myself on the stool, like a princess and taking that well-deserved 3 minute break, I realized that it was yet another artwork. Hahahaha! It had three important colors of the rainbow-red, blue and yellow. I think it represented concreteness, the concept of being rooted, immersed. I guess that’s what it means.
I must comment that out of all these pieces, Karen’s work was most intriguing. She somehow adds that strong atmosphere to her paintings so that the viewer is not just just looking but is being part of the actual painting. I so had this feeling of being transported into the picture, into some other dimension. Amazing!
This exhibition, “Figuratively Speaking” lasts till Nov-02-08. Its open Tuesday thru Saturdays, 10 am till 4 pm. Then on Sundays, 1 till 4 pm and closed on Mondays.
If you have time, do visit.
Lastly, I must mention a wonderful quote by Robin Hollingdrake.
Talent is given, and there’s not a moment to waste, to believe it. to accept it and to make something of this life. Art doesn’t care where you begin, and it’s a series of new beginnings, that can have surprise endings.
Later days
Take care
Kind Regards
will feel less frustration and less anger welling up inside if their parents treated them “as an intelligent individual with a sound mind who is capable of making responsible decisions” instead of “a man/woman who is still a child no matter how old he/she becomes”.