OF A FALL HARVEST

Most artists lock themselves away in their studios throughout the winter months to work away on various projects.  However, this year many of my friends stayed indoors all spring and summer to prepare for fall/winter exhibitions.  October, and November looks the same, has been event after event and celebration after celebration. I want to share with you their fruits of hard work and dedication. I've included event info for these Toronto exhibitions - please visit the galleries if you are in the area and get a chance -  there is so much great work to see! 

Reprise

A Solo Exhibition of sculpture by Christy Langer

Christopher Cutts Gallery  21 Morrow Avenue 

Exhibition runs from October 17 - November 14 2009

The Invisible College

Narwhal Art Projects 680 Queen Street West

Exhibitions runs from October 29 - November 29 2009

Combining exemplary skills in classical oil painting with an inventive collection of characters, Stephen Appleby-Barr explores the surreal inner workings of a fictitious community based on brotherhood, heritage and tradition.  Continuing with the imagined legacies first constructed in the esoteric Nortammag Archives, allegoric images depicting varsity, academia, the occult and couture give lineage to an arcane society. 

The Fire and the Knife   

Katherine Mulherin Contemporary Art Projects 1082 Queen Street West

Exhibition runs from October 23 - November 22 2009

Heather Goodchild, through illustration and symbolism, explores ideas around organized religions and societies with a keen interest in the rituals and literature of  Christianity and its codified expressions.  Her work primarily focuses on craft based techniques in textiles {rag rugs, felt portraits, soft sculpture, and dioramas}.  The medium of traditional women's handicraft lends itself to illuminate female experience and perspective on matters of organized religious societies which are historically patriarchal.  Heather has materialized her own sisterhood titled The Anna Ward Brouse Society pulling inspiration from the Shakers, Freemasons and Girl Guides. The Fire and the Knife continues her practice of storytelling through textiles, this time exploring themes of sacrifice and rebirth. 

Sitting Pretty : The Enduring Roll of Portraiture in Contemporary Art 

Red Bull 381 Projects  381 Queen Street West, Suite 200

Exhibition runs from November 5 - December 5 2009

Opening reception Thursday November 5th from 6-9pm

A group exhibition that explores the central task that portraiture plays in revealing individual and collective subjectivities.  Notions of power, prestige, history and the quest for eternity are invoked by a diverse arrangement of photography, painting, collage and sculpture by Stephen Appleby-Barr, Paul Butler, The Collecting Collective, Tibi Tibi Neuspiel, and Kara Uzelman.  Hope to see you there!  

Artist Talks:

Paul Butler and members of the Collecting Collective, with exhibition co-curator Nicholas Brown
Thursday November 12, 7pm

Stephen Appleby-Barr and Tibi Tibi Neuspiel, with exhibition co-curator Julia Lum
Thursday November 19, 7pm

Le Géranium : Exhibition & Book Launch

Magic Pony Gallery 694 Queen Street West 

Exhibition runs from November 7 - 16 2009

Book launch and signing will take place Saturday November 7th from 2-5 pm. 

Written and Published by Montreal-based Bourgeon, Le Géranium is a heartwarming love tale illustrated by Melinda Josie and contains over 30 original paintings.  Before the book went to print I had the privilege of viewing the beautiful watercolour/gouache pieces up close and they are stunning!  This even will host all the original artwork and you will be able to pick up a copy of this darling book.  It will be a lovely afternoon, please come!

I've been spending most of my hours assisting Evan at his studio and have had little time in the past month to work on my own projects. We've been working away on a new 10' sculpture of a stretched female bust which is set to debut at Art Basel Miami on December 3rd. Exciting! We have only 2 weeks to get this piece completed - it's crunch time.

I'm currently working on a project for a holiday group exhibition Little Crowns at Narwhal Art Projects happening early December, as well as, a collaborative room installation for Come Up To My Room at the Gladstone Hotel scheduled to open mid-January.  I will try harder to keep this blog more up-to-date!

BEAUTIFUL RENCONTRE------------------------

PATRICK SWAYZE,

Thank-you for this -

TOWER BLOCK

-----------------------> click to enlarge publication<------------------------------------------------------------

Red Bull 381 Projects is currently featuring a commissioned installation titled TOWER BLOCK by Vancouver based artist Cedric Bomford.   Bomford collects forgotten building materials from areas local to the installation site and constructs new sculptural forms that reflect recognizable structural surrounds.  To accompany the exhibition the gallery produced a great looking newsprint publication with an essay written by curator Nicholas Brown.  To read more about the exhibition please visit their website, but also visit the gallery at 381 Queen Street West Suite 200.  The exhibition continues until October 10th 2009.
A small edition of porcelain nails were produced for the event and I was given the opportunity to help with this project.  The replicas are of nails pulled from demolition materials.  There is a handful of artists and designers who investigate ideas around found and/or unwanted objects by reproducing them in a contrasting material such as porcelain.  Some of my favourites include Kerri Reid, Rob Brandt, Maxim Velcousky, Alex Estadieu, and Liz Magor. Below is an image of the nails in a greenware state {before firing} and a finished piece packaged together in a keepsake box.  Available for $50 only at Red Bull 381 Projects.

With the nail project I had the pleasure of meeting James Hopkins. Having a background in ceramics as a potter and being interested in industrial practices, he is now the go-to-guy for having moulds made. He was recommended to me by ceramic artist Joni Moriyama, and while my mould making skills are sufficient, I needed an excuse to get a mould made by a professional.  Using a industry  standard mould, whether it be made by a production factory or by someone with an understanding of industrial processes, is incredibly beneficial. Experiencing how a good mould should work {in terms of how easily the cast pulls from the plaster, achieving minimal seam lines, and avoiding having the cast crack within the mould} sets the goal for when learning the process of successful mould making.  Mould making should ease the production of multiples with it being, theoretically, a most efficient method. However, this process may not always be the most efficient way of creating multiples, especially if the mould is unsuccessful.  Thank-you James for your generosity in sharing your knowledge of mould making with me!

SPRIG

I have begun to build a stock of sprig motifs to adorn different thrown and mould made forms I make.  Sprigs are decorative accents, in a relief format, that are produced as multiples from a one piece mould. Sprig is also used to describe a small shoot or specimen.  I've been sculpting these pieces from Chavant, an oil based sculpting clay available in soft - medium - hard.  The decorative face is set up in a wet clay blanket and hydrocal, a denser stronger plaster, is poured over top.  I meant to shoot the 'lay up' process and what the pieces look like pre-plaster pour - but while laying up these moulds I became engrossed listening to the The Half Blood Prince and forgot - next time!

Above are the  sculpted pieces after the plaster moulds have been pulled away.  The smaller pieces survived much better than the larger pieces - too much textured detail I think - they got stuck!  I also poured the hydrocal into a cookie tin lid and was unable to separate them without the assistance of a bandsaw.  I hope the moulds work well enough - I've yet to test them. 

Once my mould making panic subsided I took a break to enjoy some rhubarb crumble - mmmm!  The beautiful bowl and cup are studio pieces by Coe & Waito. 

PERE LACHAISE

The Toronto Craft Alert http://torontocraftalert.ca/ keeps me updated on upcoming craft events, workshops, and the work being produced by the crafting community.  I receive the news feed in my email and mostly subscribe to this because of the 'intern's top 10 picks'.  An intern at the TCA will post their favourite ten websites, blogs, flickr sites, etc. One intern published fashionforestry.blogspot.com and I was most interested in her visit to the largest cemetery in Paris, Pere Lachaise.  Included are a couple photos from her post, as well as some images I was able to find.

Ceramic gravestone flowers!?  I'm really into to the material contrast of the poured concrete and the hand painted ceramic.  I especially love the plant matter and moss growing within the artificial arrangements. I've been very interested in funerary urns depicted by late 18th century folk painters and their beautiful calligraphy epitaphs.  I may strongly reference both of these sources for a future series.  That material combination is just too appealing not to investigate further.    

500 KEELE STREET WEST, UNIT #201 M6N 3C9

I recently moved into a beautiful new studio!  Alissa and Carly of Coe & Waito set up this incredible space and are now handing over the reins.  I've spent most of this month settling in and there's still some organizing to be done.  Coe & Waito are slowing down production to focus primarily on design consulting and special projects.  We're currently sharing the space and I LOVE being around their creative processes.  However, they will be leaving the space indefinitely and we need 2 new people to share with:  

Ceramic studio available for August 1^st . To share with 2 people who primarily work in porcelain, equipped with 3 kilns {large oval - digital, medium round - manual, small test - digital}.  Studio is furnished and includes kitchenette and washroom.  BRIGHT!!!! Located at 500 Keele Street {at Dundas W.} $224/month. 

If you are looking for a studio, work in white clay and would enjoy working in a calm and harmonious environment within a rich community of artists, designers and craftspeople - or if you know anyone that fits this description, please contact me at: naomiaikoyasui@gmail.com to discuss.