running thots

Running seems a useful metaphor for many things I believe about the nature of the physical world and our relationship to it.

First existence is wrapped up with movement, of planets, of air, of atoms etc. With this movement also comes the exchange of molecules; for example, from our skin and when we breathe. This exchange interweaves us with our surroundings, our element.

Every simple or complex collection of molecules shares and is affected by movement through time. The phrase "slipping  glimpser ", coined from painter William de Kooning, comes to mind. As observers slipping and glimpsing, seeing as we move and moving as we see, sliding through time and space as everything else slips and slides past and through our semi-permeable membranes and minds.

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Current exhibition: Galerie Lilian Andree, Reihen Switzerland / May 6 - July 1

This series of "runby" paintings developed as a result of combining two of my passions, painting and running...

'runby' cut-out on the wall

Fun to see one of the 'runby' cut-outs in a home setting, this time without any of the 'runby' glimpses hanging around it. I think the warm grey wall excites the colour of the wood and adds a richness to the piece that is quite different than on a white wall..

So many Prince's Gates...

I enjoy painting the Prince's Gates, have for years... the drama the colour, the structure... the sky and the city mixing into the architecture. The pale structure changes so much with available lighting and weather... finally the colour play. It is often a  focal point on the long lake runs....

meanwhile, ongoing in the background...

Continue in work on the 'Molecular Suite', knowing that all the elements that create our physical world were born in dying stars and that as we move through the air the air moves through us is an inspiring thought.

ex guardian

Shoot for exhibition poster in Alliston

Hoping to find my invite image among the series of pictures Michael Lin took, weather was warm, but overcast....So I will need to work on contrast in Photo shop to massage the invite into shape... at this point it will be a single image for the invite and a multiple for the poster.

Big bright skies

Running affords the chance to just get out and look at the sky. There is a school yard close to our place that I run past often and I appreciate the scope of the western sky over that space offering a perfect sunset view.

Swiss group show at Galerie Lilian Andre in Basel

An image from The gallery including 7 of my Runby oil sketches, some from Toronto some from Basel. March 2017

A Drawing...

Thinking of moments and time, the movement of it , how we define it and it defines us.

"moment3:37 pm." charcoal, graphite, ink, on vellum

Finding an urban language

nature and urban infrastructure...

I am naturally drawn to organic shapes, clouds, trees, water ... so working on paintings in these very urban environments of Toronto and Basel is challenging and interesting... seems like I am always looking for ways to subvert the integrity of those very straight and proper structures. Light is my friend, together we dissolve and distort buildings, cars and pretty much anything under the sun so to speak. Light also has a way of giving license to extravagant colour if necessary, candy coloured cities for example.

Swiss 'run-bys' begin

 Ran the Basel Marathon 2016 and was a stunningly beautiful day ... now onto my paintings from the experience of that day my time exploring Basel and environs. I am so inspired by the light, reflections, shapes and colours dancing though the Rhine river, it will be a certainly recurring theme. When I display the paintings here the blog template sets them out in such an orderly way, but while working on them I imagine them be in a random array at uneven intervals, interrupted by cut out figurative pieces.

Down by the waterfront, can't stay away....

In these 'dog days' of summer a breeze off the water offers some relief from the city heat. Marathon training in humid summer weather can be challenging but looking at the lake and the expanse of sky is relaxing and recharging none the less... the way scenes change so drastically over a year or a day is constantly engaging. The lake has moods too ... ruffled and opaque or glassy and transparent or reflective, in so many colours so many possibilities....These paintings from my "run-by" series are from Humber bridge to the beaches... in no particular order.

CORE SHOW , some images for the exhibition, Feb 19/2016 - April 8 /2016

'Having some fun running by some pieces from my series of 'run-bys' at CORE Gallery/realty

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Tara and Annabelle came to the gallery on the last day of the show and took some pictures of me running by the 'run-bys' . These paintings are based on my experiences running through the city, marathon training in Toronto.

Exhibition prep...

Working towards an exhibition coming up in a couple weeks and it always seems to be the case that the momentum builds as the date draws near. Unlike training for a marathon there is no reason to "taper" my activity, except of course the oil paintings will be wet! So the tunneled-vision-frenzy of wanting to work through ideas just builds.... The house falls apart around me, meals are forgotten, it's a mess and after I catch my breath all will return to normal.

Painting is a messy business, physically and mentally, not to mention the coagulating paint medium, hot cotton gloves inside hotter vinyl ones, punctured oozing paint tubes, solvents... and then the brushes... Yep, a lot of time spent wrestling the physical world when you paint, and not to complain 'cause it's nice work when you can get to it, it's just surprisingly draining. The set-up and clean-up and the struggle in between to make something you like. .... Playing with colour and ideas seem to make it all worth the effort, it can be satisfying and there are no guarantees.

Working title...

 This is a piece based on a painting I did called "Helix", and it twists the original notion I had  in another direction and works as a variant. Painted purposefully ambiguous while thinking about ; matter, stars, lovers, flux, spirals, flowers, molecules racing around, turning.... Like language I find myself often painting in signs and metaphors.

"Turn" oil on Linen, approx 3'x4'

decisions and choices

There have been some big decisions and choices that have been occupying me, I took that as a theme for this self portrait. Blue is such an infinite colour for me, like the sky , the colour of depth, and so many possibilities. So an introspective portrait searching inside for answers. I haven't been doing much work in oil paint lately so I enjoyed working with the the resistance and viscosity of the oil paint in this piece. "Consider"  approx 3x4ft, oil paint.

"Consider" oil on linen, approx. 3x4 feet.

Renew

A new piece almost completed on the idea of renewal.

Studio update...

painting

south_interior_studio

Now the work begins... I have done started in on a commissioned piece while still finding my materials and figuring out where to put everything to try to organize this iteration of the studio more effectively. The space is naturally larger and light is very good l, a beautiful place to work.  Now to find that old 'habit of art', always thinking about it, but now to get into the habit of carrying out the ideas, and not just carrying them around.

How has the new space changed things so far?

I can actually extend my easel so I can stand as I work, the daylight spectrum helps with colour mixing, practical, concrete things. Psychologically the commitment is heavier, this space represents an endorsement of value and a serious challenge to meet. Time is the last element and that will be more available soon as well.