Painting: Both Unsettling and Seductive

24" x 36"

2015

The Purgatory of My Art

Technically, my paintings don't go through any sort of holy judgement, but they do graduate to different spots in my house until they are either exhibited, brought to storage, rolled up, or painted over (sigh).

This is my latest art nook.

Half the time it takes to finish a piece is used painting, and the other half is spent looking. Natural light isn't very good for the pigment, but I can see the painting from the kitchen to allow double tasking. Drink a coffee and "work," ie. stare blankly at a canvas.

This morning, reflecting on the symbols referenced in the art, I realized my friend Rosa Quintana has been working on some paintings that directly discuss the use of birds in classical art. Sometimes you don't realize the connections being made in your unconscious brain until it is literally staring you in the face...

Her work can be seen here!

Painting: the Dreamer

The Dreamer, Oil on canvas, 36"x48"

Affectionately known as "Venus de Michael" in the studio.

My word of the day is contrapposto. It is used in the fine arts to describe the pose where all of the figure's weight is shifted onto one foot, so the shoulders twist opposite to the hips. Kind of like Venus in Botticelli's The Birth of Venus whose pose, by the way, looks remarkably like the Dreamer...

Painting: Flowers, Flowers, Fruit

Here's one of the first paintings completed in the new studio,

Flowers, Flowers, Fruit, 36"x36" oil on canvas

For a bit of a description, this painting was started with an interest in Moorcroft pottery, thinking of art in terms of function and decoration. Moorcroft (British, 1900's) produced a variety of hand-painted tableware items with art nouveau influences. Moorcroft's son eventually took over the business and the company's pottery started leaning toward the more simpler style of his time. They became high-end gift ware and collectors items.  The overlapping fruit and flowers in the piece are based on classical still-lives in the Rijks Museum.

Fun fact: Moorcroft had a "Florian Ware" line, which happens to be my brother's name.  See image below.

Step over to Victoria, British Columbia

After the artist residency ended in Harrison Hot Springs, I packed a truck (or three) and headed to Victoria! It has been fun moving into another space, and finding all sorts of useless and useful junk I hid away the previous years. It's already apparent that this is a city appreciative of the arts.

The cats have been keeping me company, the paint fumes are strong as ever. Stay posted.

TREES AND BRAMBLE: Annual Artist in Residence Exhibition

TREES AND BRAMBLE

By 2013-2014 Artist in Residence, ANOUK JONKER

June 1 - 30, 2014

Ranger Station Art Gallery

Painting: The Bud of the Bud

Oil on Canvas, 2013, 38"x34"

Artist Residency - Kent Harrison Arts Council

For one year, I can call Harrison Hot Springs my home! Located on Harrison Lake in beautiful British Columbia, I'll be spending my weeks working at the gallery (pictured below), painting, and exploring the wilderness. Though I hope to spend most of my time in my studio, this little town hosts sporadic festivals and concerts to keep me entertained. I've also adopted two furry monsters, Jesse and James, to make sure I won't get too lonely here in the woods.