Opening Reception

We had a wonderful time at the opening reception last night. What a fantastic turnout! It's great to see so many art enthusiasts, especially on such a chilly night. Thanks to everyone that was able to make it. 

Who knew? Carolers like art, too!

The participating artists were Jacques Albert, Andre Kan, Melissa Espina, Brenda Clews, Judy McKenna, Donna Gordon, Musa Musa, Choi Ka-Eun Jane Hur, David Cumming, Earl Elowsky, Gail Gregory, Nola McConnan, Nazli Nahidi, Vashty Hawkins, Kathy Vatcher, Carol Steinberg, David Brandy, Felicity Somerset, Anthony Smerek, Reuben Looyenga, Ann Somers, Shyla Tibando, Jennifer Hosein, Amy Siegel, Lisa Fox, Michaela Nessim, Colin Asuncion, Reuben Looyenga, Norman Allan

And, here is my work. 

Marathon Road Trip

Howdy, All!

A few days ago, Steph and I took on the challenge of a Toronto-to-Montreal-to-Toronto drive in one day. Despite the fact that my husband and I are two of the most entertaining and humorous people I know, eleven or so hours in a car requires a variety of diversions to maintain the sanity of the journeyers. Fear not! We emerged from this vehicular madness unscathed and on good terms. The images in this post are the photographic results of our trip.

Also, while I have your attention, I'd like to remind everyone that the opening reception for the Yellow House Gallery December Salon Show & Sale is a week away. It'd be great to see you there!

Enjoy.

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Upcoming Art Salon Show & Sale

Hello, Dear Readers and Art Appreciators.

I just wanted to send out a quick little announcement about the upcoming December Art Salon and Sale at the Yellow House Gallery.

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This exhibition will feature the works of over 20 artists - local, international, and me!

So, come on down to the opening reception if you can on Friday December 5th to support the artists, mingle, and enjoy art with a glass of wine. 

I look forward to seeing you there!

You can find all the details below.

December Art Salon and Holiday Sale

runs from December 5th until the 20th, 2014

OPENING RECEPTION
Friday December 5th, 6:30-9:30

Artists will be in attendance.

participating artists: Jacques Albert, Andre Kan, Melissa Espina, Brenda Clews, Judy McKenna, Donna Gordon, Musa Musa, Choi Ka-Eun Jane Hur, David Cumming, Earl Elowsky, Gail Gregory, Nola McConnan, Nazli Nahidi, Vashty Hawkins, Kathy Vatcher, Carol Steinberg, David Brandy, Felicity Somerset, Anthony Smerek, Reuben Looyenga, Ann Somers, Shyla Tibando, Jennifer Hosein, Amy Siegel, Lisa Fox, Michaela Nessim, Colin Asuncion, Reuben Looyenga, Norman Allan

The Yellow House Gallery, 921 Kingston Road, Toronto Ontario, M4E 1S6.  Phone 416-792-8460.

The opening reception will coincide with Tis the Season on Kingston Road. So, there will be all sorts of Christmas time events and businesses will be open late.

Larry Towell - Talk and Book Signing

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending a talk by Canadian photojournalist Larry Towell at the Stephen Bulger Gallery. Over the course of his career, Towell has focused on issues of unrest, "landlessness," and how they affect identity for the people of conflict zones around the world. One's land is integral to one's identity. Many of his subjects have been forced from their rural homes wounded, with nothing and displaced into new, unfamiliar cities. Towell's career covering these conflicts has taken him to Central America, the United States, Mexico and Palestine and has resulted in thirteen books and hundreds of exhibitions and publications around the world. In 1993, he became the first Canadian member of Magnum Photos.

Magnum Photos approached Towell in 2008 offering a project covering the conflict in Afghanistan and embedding with the British military. Having never been in country, Towell decided to go there on his own, free from the restrictions that can be imposed on journalists when embedded with military forces in this way. Between 2008 and 2011, Towell made several trips to Afghanistan looking into the effects of war there. His approach was not just from military and political perspectives, but included social and cultural insights that humanized a conflict that has more often been depicted with statistics and propaganda. The resulting body of work includes videos, still photographs that have been exhibited worldwide, and a limited edition book.

During this weekend's presentation, Towell shared three videos from Afghanistan compiling still photographs, video footage and audio samples from the field.  Towell is also an accomplished poet and talented folk musician. So, some original compositions, written and performed by him were layered over the imagery. The first video was a stream of black and white stills of Afghan victims of conflict, many of them amputees, often overlapped with night-vision footage and field recordings from his self-embedded time with American soldiers. The second was a continuous video from a Kandahar Medevac attempting in vain to save the life of a wounded soldier. The last piece was of night-vision footage during preparations for a raid by the American troops. We listened to them roll call the names and joke around prior to the mission. Each video was an intimate and moving view into a conflict through the people it affects.

After screening the videos, Towell discussed his interest in pursuing the subject of conflict resolution as opposed to conflict itself. He touched upon the often overlooked war on the media and the effects of restricting or silencing journalists. Propaganda and censorship are winning this war over human rights reportage in many places around the world today.

The discussion ended with a book signing by Towell of his latest publication, Afghanistan. The book contains over 350 images from his trips to Afghanistan, including his handwritten notes and collages.

Kabul, Afghanistan, 2010 © Larry Towell / Magnum Photos

I would like to thank Larry Towell for sharing his work and insights and the Stephen Bulger Gallery for hosting this event and their assistance with this post.

The exhibition Larry Towell: Afghanistan continues at the gallery until November 22nd.

lf

Duane Michals - an Exhibition

This week I ventured to the Stephen Bulger Gallery on Queen West to see the photography of Duane Michals. If you're not familiar with Duane Michals and his work, I highly recommend getting to the gallery before the show closes or get yourself on Google and look him up. I am a big fan of both his work and his creative approach to image making.

"I am an expressionist, and by that I mean I'm not a photographer or a writer or a painter or a tap dancer, but rather someone who expresses himself according to his needs." - Duane Michals

Michals (b.1932) has been a remarkable innovator in the field of photography. His work tends to focus more on feeling than on looking a certain way. He began making a name for himself when pushed the limits of still photography in the 60s by creating multiple exposures and image sequences, often with handwritten text on them. This provided a narrative, cinematic aspect to his work when photographers at the time were hellbent on producing photojournalistic imagery.

In his early 80s, Michals is not mellowing out. He continues to produce art that is experimental and challenging. His most recent pieces are found tintypes that he paints over with geometric, colorful forms. It is a fresh approach to his ongoing quest to break free from the limits of still photography as a form.

The exhibition includes a selection of works that span the almost 50 year career of the artist. The earlier pieces are examples of Michals' cinematic series of images, some with himself as subject. The rest of the gallery showcases works from the last couple of years, including some hand painted tintypes. The show will remain up until the 18th of October. For more information, click on the link below. And, keep your eyes peeled for my next post on Nuit Blanche.

lf