GEO Centre St. John’s NL
Ξ January 20th, 2010 | → | ∇ General |
Recently I was commissioned to create four panels for The Johnson GEO Centre, an interpretive Centre in St. John’s, NL. http://www.geocentre.ca/
The panels are all 30″ x 40″ and approximately 2.5″ in depth. Each one deals with a different angle of the formation of the features of the St. John’s harbour as we know it today. The creation of the panels was a challenge because they were to all be relief carved and the textures and colours all needed to be dealt with in a way that gave them scale and a level of reality. Each one posed it’s own unique challenges. One is a topographical shot of the entire island of Newfoundland and the surrounding ocean bottom and other recognizable features such as Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island to name a few.
The next and probably my favourite is the close up topographical view of St. John’s Harbour pre-settlement time. Creating the opening to the harbour complete with Signal Hill and Fort Amherst was a very interesting task. It has a great composition and looks interesting no matter how it is oriented.
Next is the panel that depicts the mountain range that once stood majestically where Signal Rock is now poised. The destruction of this range wouldn’t bode well with any of us that are avid skiers. What a force the glaciers unleashed on the Eastern Mountain ranges. I enjoyed creating this piece because of my time spent in the West and my appreciation for the mountains. I could see myself at times finding notches and chutes to race down while I was creating the snow fields and bowls.
The final panel is an interesting juxtaposition of textures. The crushing weight of the ice can be felt as it rides across the rock surface of what was ultimately left behind once the glaciers had receded. Not much of a ski hill left here. Carving the glacier structure was enjoyable. The strong verticals really lend an authentic feel to the idea of ice melting. The painting was equally interesting as the subtleties were important and the shading equally so.
An exciting outcome to this project is how the combination of sculpture and painting have let me explore these disciplines in an overlapping manner. I have done paintings in the past that combine three dimensional elements as well as painting sculptures. I am anxious to continue exploring this combination on my canvases to give the paintings a 3D effect. I am adding a couple of examples of paintings that have combined sculpture and painting.
This painting, “Bright Fish early return” is one example. The canvas is split into two separate heights. The waterfall is three dimensional as are the rocks that are flanking it. The lower pool is 1.25″ below the upper river and the water cascades over. Embedded in the waterfall near the rock on the right is a salmon partially exposed as it climbs the waterfall. The painting sold at auction in Toronto some years ago at an Atlantic Salmon Federation fund raising dinner. http://www.asf.ca/
This is one of the first examples of the sculptural element creeping into my work. It was done as an experiment and the result was interesting. I had a cut out of the kayak that I had been moving around on the surface of the painting, trying to decide where it would be best to add it. I happened to ask my son Jesse who couldn’t have been more that six at the time. He asked me if he could move the taped cut out and I encouraged him to do so. He placed it part way off of the canvas and said “I don’t know if that will cause you trouble Dad but I think it looks cool there.” “Brilliant” I thought. I decided to do the kayak two dimensionally but I would extend the canvas with a piece of high density carving foam topped with a piece of canvas. The frame itself is set back from the painting edge and the effect of water spilling from the painting and into the frame box was done with a polyester compound and painted. The painting now hangs in the home of a collector in Winnipeg, MB.
The final piece that I want to show you is one that I did a number of years ago as well. It came from an idea that I had pertaining to our depletion of the natural resources. The scene is a northern lake in MB. Not any one specifically but I had been to Norway House, a reserve in Northern Manitoba, with a good friend and he and his brother are shown crossing the lake. The painting is 8′ in length and about 18″ in height. The key and rolled sardine can lid are comprised of mahogany painted with aluminium paint and the can lid is sheet aluminium. They are attached through the canvas from behind. The metal frame adds a level of authenticity to the idea. The key is, in essence, chasing the two men in the boat across the lake as they set out to find their quarry or winter store as it were. The woman that purchased this painting saw it at the Manitoba Art Expo http://manitobaartexpo.ca/ in which I was involved for the first four years, 96-99. I was speaking with someone when I heard a hearty laugh arise from the gallery area. When I turned to see where it had come from a she looked at me and said “I’m buying this painting”. She GOT it! She bought it and it now hangs in a beautiful lake home at Lake of the Woods in Ontario. http://www.lakeofthewoods.com/
ENJOY!
on January 20th, 2010 at 6:32 pm
Very nice work on the reliefs. Its good to see you posting again.
Cheers.
on January 22nd, 2010 at 6:11 pm
Your work is stupendous. I Love it! I’m fascinated by the water scene with the kayak that your son helped you to place. I really like the way you have laid out your website too and the way you describe the genesis of your work. I enjoy your whimsical approach. Going through your website is like reading an eclectic book.
on April 21st, 2010 at 5:13 pm
Hi Andrew! Remember me? Keith’s friend from the states? Anyway - Love the work. I recently became friends with a couple from St. John’s Newfoundland while vacationing….I thought it sounded familiar. Are you living there or close to there now?