'Day is Done'...all is well

The music of Peter, Paul and Mary (folk group from the last century) stirred something in me in my teens. One of their songs have stayed with me, and when I was thinking of a title for this piece, ‘Day is Done’ just popped into my head. This piece taken at sunset driving home on a late winter’s evening between Paris and Ayr, ON caught my eye and I took the picture out the window of the car while stopping on the shoulder. The soft fading light created a haunting stark silhouette that somehow also felt soothing and warm. The power lines in the mid ground echoed the lines of snow in the foreground framing the line of naked trees in the background. The barren frozen ground was beginning to thaw and the promise of regeneration and hope of new life has sprung!

“Tell me why you’re crying…I know you’re frightened like everyone…

And if you take my hand, all will be well when the day is done.”

Peter Yarrow (Peter, Paul & Mary)

'Nature' (Uptown Gallery Waterloo) - Part 2

Here are other pieces available at Uptown Gallery Waterloo in our new show ‘Nature’, on now till May 15

‘Day is Done’, Limited edition of 5, 17”x25” framed

Waterloo county landscape while the land is slumbering, awaiting reawakening

‘Into the Woods’, Limited edition of 5, 12”x27”

Late winter sunset outside Ayr, Ontario, near Kitchener

'Nature' at Uptown Gallery Waterloo

Welcoming Spring with a beautiful new exhibition at Uptown Gallery Waterloo featuring 5 artists:

Assem Hamdi (colour pencils), Adrienne Zoe (photography), Teresa Walker (photography), Laurier Spieker (glass), Eekta Trienekens (pottery)

Spring is one of my favourites times of the year, watching the renewal of the natural world, and awakening new life in me. I love to capture some of the subtle and phenomenal signs of Spring. For example, the intricate blooms of hellebore in our garden, popping up as soon as the snow disappears, with its semi-evergreen leathery leaves, a bit tattered at first but within weeks replaced by fresh growth. Available now as part of ‘Nature’ at Uptown Gallery Waterloo.

‘Renewal of Promise’

Artist Statement for Unmasking, Breathing, Moving Forward

ART ON THE WALL

Martin Luther
University College Located at the corner of Bricker Ave. and Albert St.

Waterloo, Ontario

T 519.884.0710 x3241
luther.wlu.ca

Exploring spirituality and justice through visual art

fibre art • painting • photography mixed-media • poetry

Hours: weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and some weekday evenings, excluding statutory holidays.

I find inspiration in the natural world, especially our gardens at home, Edenwilde, in historic Olde Berlin Town, Kitchener, ON. In the past 2 years when there’s been so much uncertainty, fear and anxiety, loss and change, in our world and my world, I found solace in being “grounded”; literally, connected to the earth, getting dirty, becoming one… Whenever I could, I played in dirt, till the very last day before the snow covered us.

The 2 pieces I have created for this exhibition (so thoughtfully and well chosen) speak of my faith in nature’s resilience, ability to adapt and persist, to unmask, to breathe, to move forward; that is, all of nature, humans included.

Metaphorical; art; real life!

Change is difficult but possible with clarity and resolve. In Chinese folklore and art as early as the 6th century of the Common Era, the peony is symbol of the transforming power of love, courage and kindness.

Peony bursting open and proclaiming: “All is possible with love, courage and kindness!”

The erythronium is a native ephemeral that appears for a brief time in spring, so often ignored or unnoticed and under-appreciated. Moving forward, as we emerge from the pandemic, I hope to become even more appreciative of the impermanence, fragility and preciousness of life.

Erythronium looking at its shadow saying: “We are better together!”

Minimalism

I’ve always been drawn to the power of minimalism in art and I am devoting more energy and practice to this approach. In December, I entered an international photographic contest from The Motif Collective with that theme and today received notice of the winners. Alas, while feeling bolstered to be shortlisted—twice, I am resolved to refine and master my craft with greater conviction. There is so much fabulous work exhibited on their website and you can see them all here. My entries are near the end of those shortlisted: “All In” and “Oak Merge”.

‘All In’ garnered a great deal of interest at a recent local art exhibition (ArtsPay Annual, Kitchener, ON) hearing from many visitors fascinating memories and stories the piece engendered. It was also included in the Homer Watson exhibition, ‘Liminal’.

‘Oak Merge’ is a composite rendered as a negative that highlights the fragile, fading beauty of nature, so commonplace it is often taken for granted.

'All In' shortlisted by The Motif Collective in contest Minimalism

‘All In’ shortlisted by The Motif Collective international contest Minimalism, Dec 2021

‘Oak merge’ shortlisted in Minimlism international contest by The Motif Collective, Dec 2021