Art Articles & Reviews for 2004

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  Posted: 14 Dec 2004

  Masterworks of Nineteenth Century French Realism

  European art had, until the 19th century, been a commodity purchased by churches and governments, to decorate their halls and propagate their myths and messages. During those times, artists of promise were trained up in guilds and, later, in schools... more...

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  Posted: 29 Nov 2004

  Phyllis Serota: Memory, Prayer, Celebration

  In this age when the definition of art embraces out-of-focus video loops created for a institutional audiences, Phyllis Serota finds satisfaction in an old strategy. She paints narrative pictures for an audience which knows her personally. more...

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  Posted: 22 Nov 2004

  Jim Swain: Paintings

  Jim Swain’s painting titled “Alcohol can take me there” was stridently coloured and had a dipsomaniac tilt to it. I noticed it about ten years ago at a fund-raising auction at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria... more...

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  Posted: 08 Nov 2004

  Sarah Amos - Painter

  Sarah Amos is, in the usual sense of the term, self-taught. She has no “formal” training as a painter, but that’s not to say she hasn’t learned a great deal by long experience with both fine paintings and excellent painters. more...

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  Posted: 02 Nov 2004

  Ron Parker - Sea to Sky

  Ron Parker’s large paintings are suffused with a radiant calm. The broad landscapes of our west coast which he paints are stripped to the essentials The remaining elements are presented with a bold simple stylization... more...

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  Posted: 28 Oct 2004

  Wendy Skog “A Kind of Poetry”

  Wendy Skog was painting pictures of children when I first met her in 1984. One day soon after, a revelation came to her in the library. “This book literally fell off the shelf at my feet,” she recalled. “I’m the kind of person who investigates unusual... more...

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  Posted: 25 Oct 2004

  Printmaking Series - Part 21 of 21 - Reversals with waterless lithography

  Reversals of images have been part of lithography from the early days working on stone. There are a number of techniques practiced by experienced printmakers on traditional gum plates, but these are not available for waterless litho. more...

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  Posted: 18 Oct 2004

  Printmaking Series - Part 20 of 21 - Recycling Aluminium Plates

  For most art lithographic printers, the use of a plate was a one-shot deal. Regraining the surface for traditional lithography so it would hold a film of water was not practical for them. The cost of plates became a major factor in the price... more...

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  Posted: 12 Oct 2004

  Printmaking (Series 19 of 21) - Converting traditional plates to waterless litho

  A printer may have problems printing an edition done with grease and gum etch as the image starts to darken. At other times the artist may like the look of grease tusche washes or grease crayons. It is possible to convert such surfaces to easier printing more...

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  Posted: 04 Oct 2004

  Printmaking (Series 18 of 21) - Using Positive plates in the waterless process

  The use of photographic techniques has become common amongst printmaking today. The simplest approach is the use of positive plates exposed to positives created photographically or drawn with opaque material. Collaborative printers prefer this method... more...

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  Posted: 01 Oct 2004

  Hiroshi Sugimoto

  Hiroshi Sugimoto is an artist of considerable talent. In Japan he has made a career as a painter of murals and ceilings in temples, creating works of powerful effect on a monumental scale. With the assistance of the Japanese government... more...

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  Posted: 27 Sep 2004

  Printmaking (Series 17 of 21) - Toner transfer from newsprint

  One of the interesting techniques possible with toner chalks is drawing on newsprint and transferring the image unto several plates. After each transfer, there is enough of a ghost image left on the paper so you can place the next color in registration... more...

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  Posted: 19 Sep 2004

  Printmaking (Series 16 of 21) - Mylar Toner transfers from Mylar

  One of the exciting techniques allowed with toner is transferring unto plates an image drawn on Mylar. On a sheet of Mylar registered to a key image, you can apply toner washes with solvent or water. Of course any transfer system will mirror the image... more...

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  Posted: 16 Sep 2004

  Sepik River - New Voices of the Tambaran

  There has been a tendency among western collectors to resist the evolution of Sepik art this century, to label works by living artists as less valuable than those placed in museums at the turn of the cntury. On the contary... more...

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  Posted: 13 Sep 2004

  Printmaking (Series 15 of 21) - Making Toner Chalks

  I early discovered in my work with toner that it can be made into charcoal like sticks for drawing on grained plates or paper. At first I bonded the particles with a weak solution of adhesive, but later built a complex hydraulic press and special forms... more...

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  Posted: 07 Sep 2004

  Printmaking (Series 14 of 21) - Dry copier toner techniques

  Laser printers and copiers use pigments imbedded in various plastic materials according to the need of the machine and patent rights. Most are 90% plastic with carbon pigment as the coloring agent. We are interested mainly in the black toner... more...

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  Posted: 30 Aug 2004

  Printmaking (Series 13 of 21) - Waterless lithography: toner images

  Combining two of my developments, lithography is now easier to use than traditional methods. The most direct approach is to apply the toner to the plate using water or solvent washes. One of the greatest advantages is the possibility of... more...

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  Posted: 23 Aug 2004

  Printmaking (Series 12 of 21) - Waterless lithography: waterbased images

  In traditional grease/water lithography, the use of water has been a problem to the commercial printing industry. Known as the fountain solution, it contained other chemicals to ensure the best balance of grease and water to produce best quality work... more...

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  Posted: 19 Aug 2004

  World Tea Party

  The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (1040 Moss Street), in conjunction with the Community-University Research Alliance of the University of Victoria and the Asia Arts Society, is hosting a summer-long World Tea Party. more...

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  Posted: 16 Aug 2004

  Printmaking (Series 11 of 21) - Using a subplate for rolling up a plate

  When rolling up a plate in traditional lithography, it is done on the press bed. The roller covers the plate, going over the edges and unto the press bed. This leaves ink all around the plate, which has to be cleaned up at the end of the session. more...

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  Posted: 12 Aug 2004

  Eternal Egypt

  The British Museum has the finest collection of Egyptian antiquities outside Egypt. Back in London they are in the midst of a building renovation and, rather than put their entire Egyptian collection in storage, they decided to send 144 of the finest... more...

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  Posted: 09 Aug 2004

  Printmaking (Series 10 of 21) - Safer cleanup

  After trying a number of water based inks for lithography, I am convinced at this time that oil based ink produce a much better print. The big problem is the use of solvents normally required by printmakers. Hydrocarbons can be toxic if... more...

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  Posted: 05 Aug 2004

  Jessie Homer French: New Paintings at Winchester Galleries

  Let’s start with a picture called Country Road, which shows a wayside cross. Not an antique cross outside a quaint Britanny village, but one of those humble ones which now dot our highways. Jessie Homer French painted this, with a straightforwardness... more...

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  Posted: 02 Aug 2004

  Printmaking Series (9 of 21) - Making a printers chop

  Since printers chops are expensive, most printers don't have one. On a recent collaboration in Hong Kong I had not taken mine as weight was a concern. After finishing an edition, I sorely wanted to affix my chop in the corner as usual... more...

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  Posted: 26 Jul 2004

  Printmaking Series (8 of 21) - Using pin registration for accuracy

  T-bar and needle are some of the more used methods of registration in hand lithography. Amongst all the systems I have tried, the punched hole and registration pin is by far the most accurate. In North America the standard pins are ¼ inch and the punches more...

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  Posted: 19 Jul 2004

  Printmaking Series (7 of 21) - Computers in printmaking

  Digital art can cause much discussion amongst dedicated printmakers who are absorbed in any of the four major print media. I have my own opinions, but it matters more about the image than the process. I am concerned with archival quality of today's inks. more...

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  Posted: 12 Jul 2004

  Printmaking Series (6 of 21) - Screen printing with simple pastes

  For years screen printers had to put up with the solvents in ink made for commercial sign painters. Because editions released a large amount of the toxic material, studios were a dangerous place to work. Add to this the cleanup solvents... more...

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  Posted: 05 Jul 2004

  Printmaking Series (5 of 21) - Hand pulled prints

  In today's mass produced society, handmade objects have become a much appreciated commodity for some people. To separate oneself from the "maddening crowd", collectors seek out rare objects that are prized for their creativity. more...

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  Posted: 02 Jul 2004

  Wayne Ngan

  An exhibition of about 120 pieces by Wayne Ngan, of Hornby Island, is presented at the gallery in shiny new plexi cases under fine halogen lights. The ceramics are breathtaking, and so are the prices... more...

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  Posted: 28 Jun 2004

  Printmaking Series (4 of 21) - Lithographic methods

  Since its' invention in 1798 by Alois Senefelder, lithography has replaced most of the commercial printing methods practiced all over the world. Relying on unseen chemical reactions, the printing surface is made to selectively reject... more...

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  Posted: 24 Jun 2004

  Robert Bateman - Part 2 of 2

  It had been an hour since I arrived, and Alex interrupted to confirm some events on Bateman’s calendar. Thirty visitors were due to arrive from a tiny ocean liner which would soon drop anchor in Fulford Harbour... more...

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  Posted: 21 Jun 2004

  Printmaking Series (3 of 21) - Copper sulfate for etching both zinc and aluminium

  Nitric acid is a dangerous chemical, but has been the main mordant used by etchers for centuries. There are many mordants with acids being the main ingredient. Recently, ferric chloride has become more common for copper as this chemical is used in... more...

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  Posted: 17 Jun 2004

  Robert Bateman - Part 1 of 2

  There was no mistaking him. With sandy hair and piercing blue eyes, he looked much younger than his 74 years. On an overcast Saltspring Island morning, he met me outside his studio door with hand extended: “Bob Bateman,” he said by way of introduction... more...

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  Posted: 14 Jun 2004

  Printmaking Series (2 of 21) - Electro-etching for intaglio

  Electric current has been used for both depositing and removing metal. Plating is a common industrial procedure used on household and many other articles we use daily. By reversing the polarity of the metal on the power output, it can be etched... more...

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  Posted: 07 Jun 2004

  Printmaking Series (1 of 21) - Why do Printmaking?

  Unlike painting and drawing, printmaking can be considered a long dragged out method of producing artists images. It usually requires expensive equipment and materials, as well as technical knowledge and meticulous adherence to processes... more...

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  Posted: 31 May 2004

  Webster Galleries presents local art of international stature

  Originally Posted Oct 2002
  Selling fine art is John Webster’s business but it doesn’t take long to discover that there’s more on John’s mind than money when it comes to art. more...

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  Posted: 24 May 2004

  Gary Bolt

  Bolt is an accomplished glass blower and he sand-casts glass as well. Simplistically, his creations could be called “glass castings with paperweights floating inside them.” He creates many-layered objects at the end of his blowpipe and then adds them as.. more...

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  Posted: 17 May 2004

  Toni Onley

  Until his recent death in an airplane mishap, Toni Onley was perhaps the most public artist in this province. Everyone here recognizes his name and most people know at least part of his story. His career was long and his output prolific. more...

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  Posted: 10 May 2004

  Keith Campbell: Figure Emerging (New Work in Clay)

  Originally posted 2002-12-20
  Ontario-based ceramist Keith Campbell has staked his career on a thorough exploration of the possibilities of porcelain. more...

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  Posted: 03 May 2004

  Jim Gordaneer

  “I see the painting and the subject matter as a sort of dance,” Gordaneer continues. “I work back and forth.” Every painterly element is at work in his paintings - rich colour, matt and gloss finish, spatial illusions, energetic surface treatments and... more...

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  Posted: 26 Apr 2004

  E. J. Hughes

  There is a gentleman who is 91 years of age living quietly outside Duncan. He paints picturesque landscapes of places one can easily drive to, around the southern shores of Vancouve Island. Would it surprise you to learn that he is one of Canada’s... more...

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  Posted: 19 Apr 2004

  Tracy Archinuk - Review

  The most contrived and meaningless part of an artist’s career is the artist’s statement. It is antithetical to creativity and is often used like the Emperor’s clothing, duping the public with esoteric words and lofty ideas which rarely... more...

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  Posted: 12 Apr 2004

  Leier and Barton - Review

  Grant Leier and Nixie Barton are married, and each is a popular and successful artist. They have turned their acreage near Yellow Point into a wonderland of gardening and and creative play... more...

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  Posted: 05 Apr 2004

  Trading Places

  Here's the scenario. You take an established gallery in Saskatoon, the Darrell Bell Gallery, and they invite the Susan Whitney Gallery from Regina to exhibit in their space for 2 weeks. Yes, and sell their work - a complete gallery takeover... more...

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  Posted: 29 Mar 2004

  Art Therapy

  My neighbour works at a care home, a long term care residence for seniors and others. He asked if I would consider meeting with some of the residents to do some painting. more...

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  Posted: 22 Mar 2004

  Canadians at the Biennale Internazionale dell'Arte Contemporanea,Part III of III

  In this final part, I will try to provide information for anyone interested in participating in the 2005, Florence Biennale. As a reminder, participation is by invitation... more...

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  Posted: 15 Mar 2004

  Canadians at the Biennale Internazionale dell'Arte Contemporanea, Part II of III

  So, what is it like to exhibit in an international art show? As with all very large productions, there are pros and there are cons. more...

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  Posted: 08 Mar 2004

  Canadians at the Biennale Internazionale dell'Arte Contemporanea, Part I of III

  The Florence Biennale is just one amongst this proliferation of biennales for art, poetry, stamps, engraving, architecture, film, music, etc. The word biennale is becoming common with happenings occurring in places like Beijing, Bunsan, Chengdu, Dakar... more...

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  Posted: 01 Mar 2004

  Gary Spearin: Name Paintings

  The childhood game of laying on the ground and looking for the shapes of familiar things (animals, people, etc.) in cloud formations comes in adult sizes. We are, after all, the species best able to hear the signal amidst the noise, to discern pattern... more...

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  Posted: 23 Feb 2004

  Captain Marvel

  I was invited to Legends Comics (636 Johnson Street, 388-3696) to see the current show of original ink drawings by UVic visual arts student Amy Cheng. Cheng’s work is amusing, though slight. Yet Legends Comics itself is anything but slight... more...

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  Posted: 16 Feb 2004

  Romantic Views: 20th Century Chinese Landscapes

  The principle reason I started collecting Chinese 20th century watercolour paintings was that it seemed to me that a great flowering was taking place in this media in China, in contrast to the ever more outrageous and ugly flowerings of so-called art in.. more...

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  Posted: 09 Feb 2004

  David Blackwood: A Survey

  As one of Canada’s most popular artists, Blackwood has found his Newfoundland heritage to be an inexhaustible mine of inspiration. Born in 1941 , he grew up in Wesleyville on the north east shore of The Rock. He is heir to generations of seafaring lore... more...

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  Posted: 04 Feb 2004

  Infinite Proof - an Asian/North American Printmakers Collaboration

  Canadian Printmaker Goes to China
  In late 2003, six printmakers met in Hong Kong to exchange ideas and methods of working. The collaboration was to be in three stages with the first being communication amongst the artists... more...

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  Posted: 02 Feb 2004

  Ken Campbell - Canoe: Images of a Mystic Journey

  Ken Campbell is known as a top illustator and graphic designer here in Victoria. His book covers for Kids Can Press, Orca Books and Stoddard Publishers are memorable. At the moment he’s making a change in his life. more...

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  Posted: 19 Jan 2004

  Silver: Dreams, Screens and Theories

  Silver is the title, and it relates to the “silver screen”, the field upon which a new modern reality is played out. Or is it a fantasy? However we interpret the parallel world of film, it is created by artificial means... more...

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  Posted: 12 Jan 2004

  Making a Fine Art Reproduction of your Work - Part 2

  If you are thinking of having a print made of your original work hope this article helps clear up the differences in these two processes. These two methods are not to be confused with other traditional methods... more...

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  Posted: 05 Jan 2004

  Making a Fine Art Reproduction of your Work - Part 1

  Recently, I was contacted by Tom Evert, the son of Silvia Evert, a fine watercolourist from Toronto. He like many others over the past year, have asked how to go about making a fine art print from their work.
  Part 2 on Jan 12 more...

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  Posted: 29 Dec 2003

  Who Is Andre Bieler?

  Originally posted 2002-09-23 I met him while I was a student at Queen¹s University in Kingston, Ontario. Bieler (1896-1989) was the founder of the Art Centre there and was the grand old man of Kingston¹s art world. more...

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  Posted: 22 Dec 2003

  George Littlechild Interview

  Originally posted August 2002 After 10 years in Vancouver, George Littlechild found the only time he could paint was at night, when he could reclaim some psychic space for himself... more...