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Below is the Artist Statement that will accompany my show at Latitude 53; it provides good context and summary for what these images are about:
At a recent Latitude 53 Fundraiser event, I had a conversation
with a man working “up North”. We didn’t have this conversation face to face, as
this man was still in Fort McMurray at the time of our chat. His friends were
in attendance and were sharing his texts with me. Through these texts he
informed me that he would like to commission a portrait of himself, in the
grand style of ‘old school’ paintings, and that he wanted himself pictured with
a wolf and a bottle of vodka as props.
Price didn’t seem to be an object, but time was.
Turns out he wanted a mural, painted on the wall of his mobile home and he
thought it shouldn’t take too long.
I have not painted this mural yet, but I did get to
thinking…
Are there others who work ‘up North’ who would want
their portrait painted? And if so, what kind of objects/props would they want
to include in these pictures? How
would they want to be immortalized? I
was starting to form an entire project in my head that revolved around the
concepts of identity, industry and the interdependency we all share in Alberta
with the ‘bubbling crude’ that comes out of the ground.
My thoughts on this subject were also bubbling, so I
thought I would start with simple portraits for now.
The paintings in this “Incubator” exhibit are
studies - a chance to engage with those who work ‘up North’. Through these
unsolicited portraits I had a chance to visit remote work sites where every
day, 24/7, oil and gas is extracted from the ground by men and women. I have
never been to an actual rig, and was humbled to find out that it’s not easy to
gain access to these sites. I also visited a training workshop, where tech
operators were learning to use specific equipment that pumps oil out of the
ground.
I quickly noticed that most people I met seldom let
the top of their head show. Whether hardhat, or baseball hat, heads were
covered.
The faces seen on these
walls are just some of the people I met. Everyone was incredibly open and
willing to participate in these ‘unsolicited’ portraits, and I am very grateful
to them.
Eventually, I would like to take this series further
– to arrange time for those who work ‘up North’ to sit for a portrait. My hope
is to have each person tell me how they want to be portrayed, what ‘props’ they
would want to have in the portrait with them and let the painting process
unfold as a conversation between us. The human face is magic, and tells a
story. As an artist I feel it is a true honour to be in communion with that
magic, and the responsibility that comes with such story telling is a
privilege.
The story of oil, Earth’s ancient resource is a
global story. However, brining it home I hope to explore the impact ‘oil’ has
on present-day Alberta; I would like to tell this story through the faces of
those people whose livelihood depends on what the Great White North has coursing
through its earthly veins.
Ultimately, I hope to create a moment of dialogue between
the face looking at a portrait and the portrayed face looking back, pausing to
think about the legacy we all leave behind.
Here's a sneak peak at the work that's on view:
"Harley Davidson", 9 x 12" oil on linen
"I've Been Doing This For A Long Time", 20x30" oil on birch panel
"Let Me Get My Welding Helmet", 20x30", oil on birch panel
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