Meadow With Poplars
acrylic on panel
40" x 16"
2014
Collector's Gallery of Art, Calgary Alberta
When one is starting an art collection, it is good to remember that the images we choose to surround ourselves with are important because every piece serves a function in a space. A piece can be mood changing, thought-provoking or esthetically satisfying just because of the technique or approach. Usually, I collect works by fellow artists that are different from my own because it makes me reflect on how I see. After a few hours of rummaging through the studio, I have found that my own approach has changed over the years. Sometimes I have worked in series and sometimes I have just done "one-offs." I relate this shift in perception to aging. As I age, I realize that I have different things to say or I want to experiment more.
Come with me and take a little art tour of what I found.....On this studio walk what we find will be in no particular order..
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| Blue Forest 2004 Acrylic on canvas 12" x 12"
The pieces above and below, for example, were completed some time ago and reflect the technique and style of one of my instructors at the University of Manitoba named, Ivan Eyre. He was an amazing teacher who really helped me to see that drawing is a reflective process. Having explored the pointillist landscape style which he is so widely known for, I wanted to move on to something that was my own. As I began to travel, I recorded what I saw and worked up images in the studio after getting a general idea. Sometimes I photographed and sometimes I just worked outside, depending on the time constraints, the weather and limits of location. Looking at my work now, I realize that I was really socialized to the role of the artist as being that of the observer/recorder.
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Passage
acrylic on canvas
12" x 12"
2004
Reflected Palazzo
Acrylic on panel
8" x 11 3/8"
2010
This one, Reflected Palazzo, was a panel I carried in my knapsack while on a trip to Venice to explore the reflective qualities of water. It lead to a series in the studio. Work done au plein air often has evidence of the elements, dirt particles, grass, mosquitos or other insects find their way into the paint. While painting in Ireland, I even had a section of a painting washed away in an afternoon downpour. Some how it seemed to add to its authenticity.
Southwest Ireland
acrylic on panel
12" x 8"
2005
Bonfire in The Peak District, England
Acrylic on panel
6" x 8"
2008
In Canada, the seasonal changes bring on new challenges for painting outside. I found this riverbank with its blue shadows in Fish Creek Park a compelling composition on a cold and sunny winter's day.
Riverbank, Fish Creek Park, Calgary
Acrylic on panel
7" x 8"
2012
Here, the horizon on the Mediterranean creates a very formal structure to the sparse vegetation on the Spanish coast where I stayed at an artist residence called Fundaçion Valparaiso, Almeria, Spain.
Mediterranean Landscape
acrylic on panel
8" x 8"
2011
Mojacar Landscape
acrylic on panel
8" x 8"
2011
House in the Clouds, Mojacar
acrylic on panel
8" x 8"
2011
Of course, while painting on location one encounters a sense of place. Sometimes the energy is visceral and one imagines people that have gone there before.
Landscape for Saints, Isle of Skye
acrylic on canvas
16" x 24"
2004
Some locations entice me to capture the figure in the landscape such as this piazza in Florence.
Conversation in the Piazza Di San Marco
Acrylic on panel
7.75" x 6.25"
2008
Some locations like Tuscany, create a challenge because of the warm climate which makes it difficult to paint in the afternoon unless you are inside.
Afternoon Heat, Tuscany
acrylic on panel
8" x 6"
2006
Citrus and Rooster
acrylic on panel
7" x 5"
2006
Italian Column #3
acrylic on panel
7" x 2"
2006
Although we've come to the end of today's studio visit if you would like to see more or if you have questions about the work you have seen, you can email me at: blhirst@hotmail.com to find out more.
