art archives

Escape from Planet Crazy: Make your own comic or movie.

If the world is getting you down, follow painter and aspiring filmmaker Jeff Maus's lead and research, create, draw and publish your own graphic-novel. It'll only take you 6 years or so. Maus, whose work was recently featured at Chez Lucien, devised the comic as an ameliorated movie treatment, titled "Escape from Planet Crazy." It follows the exploits of Todd Masterson a.k.a. Dirk Stanley, 50's and 60's era star of "Space Allegiance," and his descent into drug-fuelled lunacy. Locked up after killing an alien extra in an intoxicated delusion, Masteron must navigate the perils of "space." Nursatrons, Dr. Octacius Crab, and aliens of all shapes and sizes stand in the way of his daring escape from "intergalactic prison." The layout is completely of the artist's own devising and draws heavily from advertising. The pacing is brisk and action flows seamlessly from panel to panel in a manner reminiscent of a storyboard. This is due to the artist's extensive research and his illustrative, motion-themed, 2-dimensional style. Not to mention his lack of any particular love or respect for comics. With a small nod to Calvin and Hobbes, the Maus elucidates on the fact that even though he was referred to artists such as Frank Miller when he started researching, he wasn't able to find what he was looking for in any pre-existing graphic novels. He wanted each panel and page to stand alone. Drawing heavily from 1960's advertising, magazine layouts and filmmaking principles, he has created what he refers to as "not a very traditional comic book by any means."
Maus is an accomplished painter without formal training. He once sought out Alex Colville by dropping off a letter and some paintings at the artist's house. Colville invited him over, regaled him with stories of his life, told him how impossible it would be to become an artist, said it took him 30 years to earn a living, recommended that he get training, stated he didn't like work like Picasso's so likely would never enjoy Maus's and referred to Escape from Planet Crazy as his "pictographic-novel."
As a teenage believer of Beat philosophies, Maus was frustrated with painting in the beginning. "I believed all that hokum 'first thought best thought', God's voice to your ear to your hand. It was very frustrating. I thought I didn't have the knack." He didn't have a breakthrough until he applied the creative machinery of filmmaking. When conceiving a film about an art forger, he started to paint paintings as props. "I gave up on all that mumbo-jumbo of the beatniks and approached it like I would a film...drafts, sketches, designs…come up with the idea, work it out, you work through it and then you perfect it and then it's done and then it's as good as it can be". He has painted throughout the years as a means to keep his creative side sharp and the rest of his brain sane when the opportunity to make a film or a TV show hasn't been available.
Maus, who attended Confederation College for film and is currently finishing his M.A. in Library Science, is a great lover of research and allusion. Much of Escape from Planet Crazy deals with the issue of hollywood gossip. To research Todd Masterson's character, he drew from the lives of Frances Farmer, Bobby Driscoll, Robert Blake, Anna Nicole Smith, River Phoenix, Bob Crane, Marilyn Monroe, William Shatner and all the "craziness and orgies" that is hollywood's history. The artist's style enables us to laugh at the tragic end that too many stars have met. He feels the comic book form makes a better movie treatment than a script, as movies are meant to be visual and written and a script is only written. Not to mention, in a comic the dialogue, action, actors, background and costumes are all designed. Maus created full-size colour cover versions of the comic, pocket-sized and teeny-tiny candy sized ones to promote his movie idea. Most of these were bought up by the public, store owners, city libraries and universities.
In addition to producing, editing and directing a half-hour Cree-language television show for children called "Moose Factory", he also designed and built all the sets and puppets. Sculpture, printmaking and painting are all avenues toward filmmaking for Maus who feels it was what he was "born to do" and completely adores the process. His film "Transylvania 500: The Movie" will premiere this fall and his music-themed paintings, for which he has received appreciation from Sonny Rollins, will be on exhibit at the London Music Club for the fall.
Go to maus.ca for more.
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Painting:
Brought
back to life
with an Oil Spill
Gallerie SAW Gallery, located at 67 Nicholas Street, has hosted performance artists, djs, theatre, spoken word, sculpture, video art, bands, digital art and more. Now curator Stefan St-Laurent has some oil paintings he'd like you to see. Devised as an exhibit of new paintings by seven Ontario artists who are transgressing the modern notions of painting, "Oil Spill" will run from July 19th until the closing party on September 15th. Jeremy Bailey (Toronto / Syracuse), Jaclyn Conley (Essex / New York), Dave Cooper (Ottawa), Kim Dorland (Toronto), Petra Halkes (Ottawa), Michael Harrington (Ottawa) and Kent Monkman (Toronto) are the artists involved.
In an art community where commercial venues are prevalent and large institutions loom in the background, SAW offers a unique and important venue to contemporary artists. "Oil Spill" is a rare opportunity for many to see a collection of contemporary paintings in a critical setting. Often paintings are marginalized and relegated to strictly commercial venues. This can result in artists struggling between their vision and the push of a gallery to create more of what has sold successfully in the past. Stagnant art ensues. Artist-run, non-profit centres/galleries are a rarity and SAW prides itself on being a model for the rest of the country. The recent loss of Electric Gallery here in Ottawa showcases the difficulties involved and the value of SAW's long-standing status.
Due to the fact that some of the work is still drying, the smell of linseed oil was present on opening night. St.Laurent states, "I love the fragrance of oil in the gallery…[it] modifies the way you look at the work and transforms it into an olfactory experience." Transgression is evident throughout the gallery. Using ornate wallpaper, projections to display work, Harrington's sculpture activated by paint, Halkes's life-size tractor trailer on loose canvas (this drapes along the ceiling down a pillar and onto the floor) and of course the paintings, he has created a startling effect. Halkes, art critic turned artist, refers to it as being like someone's weird and wonderful house. When you follow her work around the corner and down the hall you encounter Bailey's video piece being projected in Club SAW. The piece is designed to be a demonstration of a software program which enables you to paint with your body. St.Laurent refers to it as "very do-it-yourself...it's certainly ironic".
St-Laurent, curator at SAW for the past 4 years, feels that this group represents a survey of what's new and hot in paint in Ontario. These seven artists are poised on the edge of recognition both nationally and internationally. He wants to draw on the province's rich history of painting and to showcase where painting will lead us in the future. An accomplished performance and video artist himself, St-Laurent embodies the ideals of SAW and enjoys his work as an advocate for contemporary art. Intent on maintaining a steady dialogue between SAW and the community, he is always concerned with engaging and receiving feedback from an audience. St-Laurent is "very concerned about outreach...how we can contribute to Ottawa's cultural life in a significant way." He is very interested in what artists are thinking and in the interplay between media. In his view, painting and other forms of art will become more multi-disciplinary in the future.
Most of the work has a very strong narrative element, and none of the work is abstract. Harrington, Conley, Monkman, Dorland and Cooper's works are all focused on the figure and many on a scene. This narrative element is something that Monkman feels is essential. During the artist talk on opening night, he discussed the difficulties of moving past the "modernist hangover" of working with a limited palette or vocabulary, and the importance of the possibility for narrative within paintings, especially in regards to history. He stated that "The Death of Painting" is as absurd a notion as the death of music.
In conversing with St-Laurent it is evident that he is passionate about his work. SAW's mandate states that contemporary art has the potential to change the world and you can see this in his eyes. He feels it is "so exciting to be born now, anything is possible." Every day technology becomes more accessible and thanks to SAW Video (SAW Gallery's separate sister organization) the equipment is accessible to the community.
SAW is an exceptional space and prides itself on being a "community gallery" that allows anyone access for a public event. SAW Video launched in 1981 and became a separate entity in 2001. Combined with SAW Gallery, Club SAW and the SAW outdoor courtyard, the interdisciplinary presentation space is unrivaled in Ottawa. SAW commits to paying artist fees above CARFAC recommendations, paying for all shipping costs (both directions) of artwork, covering artists' travel expenses, per diem and hotel accommodations, not to mention the cost of installation materials, flyers and multi-lingual brochures. For "Oil Spill," SAW is thankful to its sponsors for enabling them to put together a catalogue with colour plates that will be available at the closing party on September 15th.
SAW is intended to "be as inclusive a place as we can be" and not a boys’ club. St-Laurent is open and welcoming and encourages the community to check out SAW and get involved. With 6 to 8 major shows a year, 300 submissions, 30,000 visitors and thousands of artists and musicians performing at key moments in their careers, SAW can always use more support.

jeremybailey.net
davegraphics.com.
jaclynconley.com.
kimdorland.com.
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From the Ground Up
Mix Media every Wednesday from 7 to 11 pm at the Mercury Lounge
The infectious hip hop beats spill out of second floor vaulted windows, as groups of sunglassed, brief-cased workers pass by on their way home from the office canoodling their Blackberries with spoken word and text. Although the daytime murmur of the Byward Market has quietened, and the stalls are now vacant on this early Wednesday evening, a small crowd is gathered outside of the Mercury Lounge watching Morgen Peers as he draws pictures and scribbles phrases with street chalk on the sidewalk. “Please, walk all over the art,” he writes, in attempt to encourage the random passer-by to stumble upon Mix Media, a new creative hot spot held every Wednesday evening at the Mercury Lounge organised by local artist collective Kwende Kefentse (Memetic), Stefan Thompson (Maki), and Morgen Peers (Mr. Peers).
The provocation and consequence of such a phrase encapsulates the ethos of Mix Media: a collaborative exploration into the intersection of multiple forms of urban art that, in itself, challenges the sanctity of what distinguishes artistic space from public space. Just as the mediums of audio and visual are mixed up at the club with Kwende on the decks, Stefan live painting, Morgen on projections, and all playing host to a different musical guest who free styles with them every week, so are the definitions of what art means in urban culture (Ottawa, specifically), where a position of politics begins within these artistic practices, and how this all fits in with the practices of everyday life.
“Ottawa stands in the shadows of its national institutions,” Kwende says, while mildly grooving to the alto vocals of Mix Media guest emcee, beat-boxer, and Canadian Idol finalist Kaleb Simmonds. The monolithic art institutions (National Gallery of Canada and the National Art Centre) located in Ottawa garner much attention for the arts both locally and nationally, yet Kwende feels that these institutions and their enthusiastic esprit de corps tend to overshadow the talent emerging from right under their noses. “There is a sense of urgency in recognizing new forms of local art – their way of production and the meanings they hold – as a necessary form of expression for our condition of urban living, as a natural product of this city,” Kwende claims. This philosophy is captured in the event’s freshly completed press package, a multi-media collage done both on, and sampled from, next season’s National Arts Centre Orchestra calendar. In it is Mix Media’s artistic statement, which focuses on the development of local talent by providing emerging artists an opportunity at gaining professional experience, and to grow as performers in a positive, community-based, self-sustaining collective.
The idea of fostering open-ended creativity through free-style and improv performance is not only an aesthetic experience, but can be viewed as political with a small ‘p’. When artists collaborate – as guests musicians do every week at Mix Media – they figuratively hold hands down an indeterminate path, together exploring novel sound and image. Every week is an emergence of a new version of collaborative art, just as everyday we confront a different configuration of the crowd in, or the soundscape of, urban spaces. Morgen adds, that “As city-dwellers, our physical and virtual pathways have multiple intersections, points allowing for potential collaborative solutions to expand regarding the ways in which we combat the problems that arise from urban living.” In other words, how we invent and share safe and sustainable ways of self-expression and creativity. As Kwende affirms, this shift is undoubtedly a turn away from the airy, spacious Modernist galleries that re-present art to a stream of viewers. Rather, these experiences encourage open-mindedness to change and harmony among differences.
Some elements of the performances are not entirely improv, as Kwende and Stefan room together and often times, along with Morgan, sync up their sound and images to work out certain themes, such as the birth of the industrial revolution (Morgen’s Edisonian images), or the impact of the automobile. Guests so far have been Kaleb Simmonds singing along with local saxophone players Patrick Denison and Ty Harris, as well as a visiting guest DJ from the Yukon, Galen Ashley from duo Raw Element.
In terms of carving out explicit political statements, a closer look at some of the mediums the artists use and refuse to use – particularly painter Stefan Thompson – sheds light on both a Do-it-Yourself ethic, and the possibility of practising environmentally sustainable art. This year, Stefan made the transition to non-toxic paints that he makes himself, and works only on second-hand or recyclable material. At a Mix Media event last month, Stefan painted live a large abstract piece on plywood using beet and black walnut juice (both of which he himself extracted) and diluted liquefied rust. The result is not only visually stunning, but represents Stefan’s dedication to pursue his passion with the smallest environmental footprint possible. All of the works Stefan finishes each week are for sale. In the mean time, some are on display in the “Cardboard Gallery” in the upper chambers of the ML. In addition, a reason why you might not encounter an abundance of flyers or posters for this event is because printing uses toxic chemicals, not to mention the waste of paper, both of which go against the foundational philosophy upon which Mix Media rests, environmental sustainability.
Stefan comments on how live painting feeds into his creative process. “The more people watch it, the more I get into it. It’s like showing a reflection of yourself right to those people as opposed to privately painting in your studio. It’s quite intimate.” Mix Media brings the creative process out of the bedrooms and studios and into the spaces of the viewing public.
Any musicians who would like to be involved by bringing their sounds to the collective stage, these guys are very open and approachable to discuss the possibilities of collaborating. As for the passer-by, this night is incredibly accessible given its early evening hour from 7 to 11 pm and its friendly faced fairway. Participation appropriately begins at the street level, where Morgen encourages people walking by to grab a piece of chalk and contribute to the sidewalk art. While sketching, he may not at all be hesitant to discuss the collapse of contemporary definitions of art into the practices of everyday life, the disintegration of the public and private sphere exemplified by the Stitch n’ Bitch circle his partner orchestrated upstairs at the ML, or new forms of connection and local communication by passing messages and objects in old Atari Space Invaders consoles. All of these discussions of mixing media at the ground level are welcomed and encouraged.
Mix Media is every Wednesday from 7 to 11 pm at the Mercury Lounge (56 Byward). For more information check out:
www.mixmediahq.com
http://www.stefanthompson.com.
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expensive, cumbersome and unconventional

Darren Grainger talks candidly and effortlessly about his artwork, and almost every taboo subject, whilst doorway-lounging in a red shirt emblazoned with the words "Kill Lincoln". The charming 32 year old, whose work is known for its shocking content, will be exhibiting at Galerie La Petite Mort on Friday June 29th.
This will not be his first show at GLPM but it will be a departure from the work he's known for; rather than working with acrylic, glass and reproduced images, he will be making his first foray into oils. Grainger wants to maintain a strong pop mixed-media look, even though the work will be more traditional, figurative and created mostly with "my hand" as he puts it. Used to the immediacy of other mediums, the slow drying time of oils means that Grainger will have to modify his working methods.
It's a challenge he faces with a cocky and confident grin. Darren has been making art for a long time and states that even as a child he "did a fair bit" and "was always liked by art teachers". He sums it up by saying, "My rocket maybe didn't look as good as Johnny's rocket but it had a little more passion to it." He has created regularly since the age of 20 and although, or maybe because, process is so important to him, he hasn't picked one in particular. As his current foray into a new medium illustrates, each show has its own process.
The shock-intellectual pop-artist is fortunate and driven enough to have an aesthetically pleasing apartment-house/studio in the new Dalhousie DYI fashion district at his disposal. A recent piece of his, which uses ejaculate as a medium, was housed at GLPM for less than two days before being sold at auction to a business owner from this same district. Grainger has considered opening his studio up to the public. He comments that "Darren Grainger: Slaughterhouse" is both the best and worst name he has come up with so far. The studio itself is sparse, organized and thrilling. Once used to teach piano, the workspace is one with appeals. His tools, including industrial sprayers and raw pigment, are well organized and at his disposal. Multiple work surfaces, good lighting and most importantly the evidence of work, create an environment conducive to creativity.The area is primarily white with faint pink handprints and smears over almost every surface. For the most part, he works in series and several of these are organized around the space. The work is shocking. The backgrounds are flat, the colours are bright, and the images are graphic. Grainger has drawn heavily on pornography in the formation of his acrylic, image and glass work. Two similar pieces show an image repeated in triplicate. One shows a woman with open mouth, ejaculate on her face and a black bar over her eyes. The second shows the same woman with a satisfied smile. Mounted on the wall are several miniatures of a woman's body from the waist down, legs spread over a blood-red splattered background with a gash of black paint across her crotch. Underneath these are several medium-large reproductions of cherries over completely matte black background behind glass, in a heavy black frame.
The last show at GLPM was held in September of 2006. Entitled "One Night Stand with Darren Grainger: An Exploration of Anxiety and Promiscuity," it included 25 pieces that dealt with the issue of what turns us on sexually turning us off morally. The artist gave away 500 black condoms in clear wrappers printed with "One Night Stand with Darren Grainger" and a lipstick kiss. The ultimate in self-promotion à la guerrilla marketing. The show drew on Grainger's experience as one of many boys who grew up in the 80's and learned about sex from porn. He is quick to state that he isn't opposed to pornography, which he considers "inevitable recreation," but states that it is a "bizarre misrepresentation of real life".
With no professional training he is, in his own words, "not corrupted". He acknowledges the values of academic training, such as the discipline it takes to work in a structured time frame, but he doubts that time management can stimulate the inner desire to create. Grainger has the desire, the passion and the vision it takes to be an artist. His ideas are big. His past includes a debaucherous rock and roll lifestyle, which assists him in conceiving and creating great ambitious projects. He aspires to a Warholesque pinnacle of stardom. Although he claims that he would enjoy simply having a nice car to drive around town, it's the freedom that such celebrity brings that draws Grainger. His ideas are expensive, cumbersome and unconventional. His eyes gleam at the mention of a future that would enable him to create the art he envisions without thought of cost, transportation or a potential market. Past undertakings have gained him a considerable amount of notoriety. At the 2005 Spring Party, Social, a popular restaurant and lounge in the Byward Market, unveiled his infamous "Kids with Hose," also known as the painting with the million dollar price tag. Measuring eight feet by six feet and weighing 400 pounds, the acrylic on glass piece was a mammoth undertaking that involved huge investments of time and money, custom cut glass and frame, a 5 tonne truck to move it, scaffolding and a dozen people to hang it.
Grainger cracks jokes about his own insincerity, but they are just that...jokes. His work is strong, personal, passionate and shocking. He is comfortable saying that a lot of his work is intended as a big "fuck you," although to whom it’s directed is left open to interpretation. The son of an ex-cop and ex-CSIS father, he is open about the loss of his mother in a car accident on his tenth birthday and the event's consequential effect on the development of his personality and, ultimately, his art. He confidently discusses the ensuing Compulsive Obsessive Disorder, his treatment and his triumphs over the disease. Just as the loss has become integral to who he is as a person, so has it become inextricably linked to his work.
His being is driven and compelled to create art that makes people reassess themselves and their ideas. Even those who would consider themselves open-minded individuals with a healthy grasp of sexuality cannot help but be shocked by some of his work. Grainger strives to be "continually experimenting". He says that he goes through extended down times where he creates next to nothing. But these are easily followed by a 3 am call to arms.
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A Royal Dixon Tango
with Juan Carlos Noria
By:MorganCook
Dixon doesn't even live in Ottawa anymore, and he's still got more shows here this year than you do.
The artist, known as Royal or Dixon, was originally named Juan Carlos Noria. Although he was born in Caracas, Venezuela and has lived in Barcelona, Spain for the past couple of years, he's still a very well-known Ottawa artist.
Driven out of Canada by North American culture and minus 40 winters, he has been enjoying himself immensely in Barcelona and feels it is the best fit for him and his aspirations right now. On his website, Kirk Finken describes Dixon's journey as a search for "tranquilo": an escape from modern CNN culture. With an engaging personality and a positive and determined outlook, it is hard to imagine that Dixon would do anything but succeed anywhere, and he has. Still, Europe is warmer and has offered the graffiti/pop artist a wide array of opportunities, including this year's BAC! Festival. The International Contemporary Art Festival of Barcelona is an exciting opportunity for Dixon as he will be "sharing mural space with my friends and mentors, Derek Mahafey and Pat Thompson". Quick to praise his contemporaries, Dixon is fortunate enough to count Mark Marsters and Dave Cooper amongst them.
As a teenager, Juan Carlos Noria was involved in figure skating and at one point toured with Disney on Ice. Meanwhile, he was also a skateboarding graffiti artist known to the police as Tango. In order to evade detection, he switched to Royal and began postering and stickering, still two of his favourite mediums. In the beginning, he used garbage as a support and then reintroduced it to the neighbourhood. Noria describes Royal's style as "basic illustrative" and this is reflected in his choice of mediums and subject matter. Royal's hand-drawn work has "something to say about all the things that affect me on a daily basis. Things like high rent, world issues and general social decay." If you haven't already seen his disembodied hands floating around Ottawa you should keep your eyes open. Or, just take a leap across the pond where they are taking over Europe like the plague.
On the other hand, the Dixon work is "pure pop art". These are the artist's words and they are undeniably true. Taking the name from a brand of permanent marker, he draws from all sorts of popular images, mashing and molding them together, painting with bright high-gloss enamel to create a stunning and all too familiar image that causes a strong reaction in the viewer. A feeling of having to own up and take responsibility for the modern world. An eye-prying sense of awareness wrought by visual candy.
Dixon will be exhibiting his work at Norml Clothing from June 28th to July 28th. Proprietor Yann Darevic has worked with him multiple times in the past, including shows at Norml and a San Francisco group show two years ago where Darevic hosted several Canadian artists. This time, he has paired him with Toronto photographer Claudio Bianchi's travelling show of photographs from Mexico. Darevic and Dixon are both excited about the accessibility to a different audience that this venue offers. As the artist says, "I've made work for a potentially different group of younger, appreciative art lovers that are keen on the current cultures. People that are well versed in all the latest advertising trends and strategies, and popular visual language. People that share my visual interests." All twenty-two works are small, between 10 x 15 cm and 24 x 28 cm, which means the prices are lower. Also he was able to "practice different ways to lay out, experiment with formats and ideas I've set aside... focus on creating a slightly different visual language."
In September, Dixon's work will be on display at Artguise and Jason Vaughn's excitement over the already arriving work is evident. The two good friends have worked together successfully in the past and there is no reason why this show should be an exception. Dixon's work is provocative and will easily catch the eye of those strolling down Bank Street.

juancarlosnoria.ca
dixon.them.ca
royal.them.ca
allthingsfat.org

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I really want to be
a logger
July 20th, ARTGUISE Gallery in Ottawa shall host a series of works by Toronto transplant Mike Vandenberg

In a time when self indulgent cynics utter that: 'art is dead', 'the scenic landscape is dead' and 'there is no art', do not succumb to the acceptance of such utterances in vacant despair. Beauty is and will always be in the eye of the beholder. It is after all the artist who first must interpret what has been sought out as sublime and then put to canvas the inspiration with brush.
This July 20th, ARTGUISE Gallery in Ottawa shall host a series of works by Toronto transplant Mike Vandenberg. His interpretations of the drama that unfolds in our skies with the setting sun beckon viewing. His large vibrant compositions are an embodiment of the breathtaking sunsets which we oft take for granted in the summer months. The skies are the limit so to speak. Sometimes it takes the efforts of the artist to open our eyes and minds to what splendours surround us.
Recently I had the opportunity to chew the fat with painter Mike Vandenberg and set to picking his brain with a gnat comb to get to the core of what makes him see red... violet...yellow, orange or blue for that matter.

upfront: What is it that keeps you painting scenics when so many people poo-poo the whole genre?
Mike Vandenberg: Well sometimes you just have to stop and smell the pooh-pooh, I mean everything has been done before so it becomes easy to criticize. The only thing that truly matters to me is how I can transfer my passion to the viewer.
UP: Is the whole notion of scenic and landscape painting a real 'Canadian' thing in your opinion?
MV: No not at all. There have always been great landscape painters throughout history. Canada just claims it for ourselves like hockey and the beaver.
UP: From an Art History stand point name three paintings that influence you in what you do presently?
MV: Oh boy, just three paintings? Ok lets go with the grandfather of abstract expressionism Clyfford Still's 1950- A #2: Man, you've just got to dig his rips. Stormy Weather by Fred Varley: If you press your face up against the painting you can feel the wind. Wheatfield with crows by Vincent Van Gogh: Not so much the image but the way he loved his paint.
UP: What kind of painting really annoys you as an artist?
MV: I've once seen a show in Toronto where this artist painted a series of about thirty paintings composed of crumpled up paper. What bugged me was the grand Hellenistic titles he gave them (Laocoon and his sons). To me that was like the artist was naming his farts! Also, I might've been on the drink that day.
UP: As an aspiring professional where is the 'it' place to be in Canada as a painter or do you feel that choice of residence really has no bearing on turning out good work?
MV: I don't think there's an 'it' place per say: There are fantastic galleries right across Canada, and it's to the artist's advantage to seek them out, like Artguise.
UP: How do you handle criticism as painter?
MV: I would love to say I'm mature enough to handle it, but I probably go through the seven stages of hell.
UP: Do you feel that legitimate painters; and I don't mean the Holly Hobby water colourists in the church basement on Wednesday evenings, get a raw deal in Canadian society? Okay maybe I do mean to lump those hacks in too; your feelings:
MV: Man that's a very good loaded question, a short answer to that is go out on the street and ask anyone who is not in the arts to name 5 Canadian artists. Also, to make it more difficult, they can't use the group of seven in their answer.
UP: What do you feel constitutes your best work, sir?
MV: My very first serious painting I did at OCA. It's called the man and it's about the weird perspective of poverty in Toronto.
UP: If you were overpowered by fiends who wrestled you into a sack and stole you away to a secluded fortressed island called: the Island of Woe, and were forced to paint the worst composition that you could conceive of for your own ransom, what would it be? Describe.
MV: Crumpled up paper with Hellenistic titles.
UP: If you could choose to pursue any other end apart from that of painter what would that profession be? Don't be afraid to say pirate test pilot or wizard.
MV: I really want to be a logger. I know that doesn't sound exciting to some, but growing up beside the Gatineau river and watching the loggers at work! Or maybe it had something to do with Beachcombers. Ah that crazy Relic still gets my goat.

Thanks for your time and candour Mike. It has been most informative and dare I say... right on.

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Art: it's all fun and games
until someone goes blind.
By:MorganCook
Stefan Thompson has become Ottawa's first completely environmentally friendly artist. A background in environmental science, a love of animals and a highly developed social consciousness combine to make him the ideal poster boy for eco-friendly art.

This year, Thompson will be a part of several group shows both locally and abroad. He will be participating in Mixmedia at Mercury Lounge on Wednesdays throughout the summer. In August, he'll take part in exhibitions in Vienna and Los Angeles, and February 2008 will see him, Juan Carlos Noria and Patrick Thompson as part of a show in Barcelona. Thompson won't claim excitement over these events and says he tries to focus on the immediate. On the other hand, he is evidently excited when discussing his exhibition at Wurm Gallery this fall. The "Earth-Paint:an educational art sale" will feature all recycled, fully non-toxic work. This means that Thompson is completely aware of the ingredients in all of his paints and materials. Everything is plant-derived or recycled. Half of the proceeds from this work will go to the World Wildlife Fund. Although his earlier "toxic" work won't be on display at Wurm Gallery, if you wish to purchase one of these, he will donate all the money to the WWF.
Thompson started his career as a graffiti artist. "It might be rebellious kid's stuff but it's not in a gallery, it's not for sale. It's rawer." At 27, he has been a professional artist for 6 years. He's been aware of the personal health risks of painting for a long time. In the past he wore gloves, a mask and goggles after a scare with a reversed spray can and states that it is relatively easy to "be careful" and reduce your exposure especially if you aren't working with airborne paint. In 2003, when he was exhibiting work done almost completely in spray paint at Artguise, he thought he would never give it up. Now it's out of the question, primarily because of its effect on the environment. His primary concern with his work now is its eco-friendliness. "I think about it and I think other artists should think about it as well. Artists take the time to contemplate and think 'What am I doing?' They should think about 'what am I using?'”
The palette he uses now is more subdued and he has yet to find a completely natural permanent bright red or yellow. The finished product is more organic in tone which pleases Thompson. He enjoys animal forms and their expressions because he feels they are more genuine and less complicated than human ones. He enjoys creating large washes of colour and finding the forms within them. He finds the eye or the face in the colour and works from there. More and more, his initial drawings are seen in the finished product. The process of switching over to an environmentally friendly studio took two years and there are still kinks to work out. Egg-based tempera offers a great solution, but Thompson will need to experiment with pine resin to see if he can make the tempera waterproof. The process of creating and learning about eco-friendly art is time consuming and Thompson is thankful that he is "not a perfectionist". It doesn't show; he has definitely covered every angle. "To have a truly earth friendly paint you must make sure that its pigment, medium and solvent are all safe." To quote his website "I know it's difficult, especially because there are very few sources of information on this topic. But you can do it."
In the future Thompson hopes to work three dimensionally. He talks about creating sculptures and dolls and mentions 3-D monsters. His mother, a soft-sculpture doll-maker, is someone he would like to do a show with. She is interested in working from his designs. Constantly working with new mediums, Thompson is currently experimenting with vegetable-derived acrylics, oils, as well as egg tempera. The latter is the ideal for those artists determined to work in an "Old Masters" style, part of a phenomenon Thompson refers to as "so much ridiculousness". Many artists are concerned with the nostalgia of finding the authentic supplies in order to recreate the look of the past. It's important to consider that the Old Masters were a few select individuals with patronage and access to costly ingredients who had to make their paints themselves. In our modern North American culture, there are very few households that don't have a hobby set of paints. Those of us who consider ourselves professional artists should be contemplative enough about what we are doing to know that recreating Van Gogh's bedroom is not as helpful to the world today as keeping heavy metals out of the ground water table.
Stefanthompson.com is a great source of information with a link to a list of paint pigments and their toxicity specifics, a section headed "What can I do?" and, most exciting of all to any artist wanting to make the change, a list of readily available permanent, non-toxic pigments. Making your own paint, adding pigment to a vehicle, is a great option because it enables you to have complete awareness of what is going into your supplies. Many of the toxic chemicals used in the production of paint are included in such small quantities that manufacturers need not legally list them as ingredients. Thompson earnestly states that people should know it's more important to our environment to buy non-toxic house paint than it is to buy organic food. Common house paint is responsible for 50% of VOC's (Volatile Organic Compounds) in our atmosphere, many of which are harmful to the ozone. Thompson is hoping to initiate change, and he feels it is up to every individual to think for themselves. "If everyone buys non-toxic then eventually there is no market for toxic supplies...It's the only way we can live better and in peace: if we evaluate our own life, the things [we] do and the effect we have."
Now that the change has been made, there is no going back. Thompson refuses to buy any more metal pigments as he only feels right about using organic ones. "I like for the activities I do to be positive. Life is short and I'm always struggling if what I'm doing isn't positive for the environment." Thompson points out that we shouldn't make a living off the destruction of the environment, which unfortunately is where most of us stand right now. The artist/activist is more than happy to answer any questions and has a studio he opens to the public. He is intent on educating others and even though he's switched over, he says he is still not finished and that he is learning more all the time. He hopes that people will try to follow the steps he has laid out on his website and to do their part.
In Ottawa, Thompson recommends visiting Artguise where Brandon McVittie and his education in Art Science are a good source of information when it comes to what is in your paint. For house paint try Healthiest Home or order from earthpaint.net, an ideal source that provides a wide variety of environmentally friendly, non-toxic paints and building supplies.

stefanthompson.com | earthpaint.net
eggtempera.com

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Derek Mehaffey interview
In Ottawa on any given Friday, it would seem as of late, that there are a myriad of art gallery openings that one could choose to attend. On the night of Friday November 17th the hip and happening venue was inarguably the "Other" show at Artguise.

The show was a jazzy affair accompanied by the beats of DJs Cappo and George. The enthralling collection of work was admired by the many and purchases were brisk as pieces were snatched up by collectors and enthusiasts alike. What made the affair unusual was that the man of the hour was curiously not at any point in the room.Moreover, the intrepid Derek Mehaffey was not even in the country.
When later reached for comment about the success of this his second solo show at Artguise, this is what the painter had to say in response to some rapid Q and A.

UP: Derek, you have a new show of works at Artguise Gallery in Ottawa which opened this past Friday evening and was a rave success. As you weren't in attendance, and there was great fascination with the series, I'm hoping that you can help to nail down a few of the finer points about you and your whole art thing. Where are you presently residing and painting?
Derek: I reside in Berlin Germany right now....but I have been working all over Europe in the last few months... France Spain Belgium Ireland Germany and soon Romania
UP: What is your history with Artguise Gallery Ottawa?
D: Well I have had a previous solo show and also been involved with various group shows for a couple of years now...

UP: Do you feel that the Gallery is a good fit for your work?
D: Yes...I like the brick walls and height of the space...plus those two dudes that work there are so good looking...

UP: Can you tell us where your work has taken you since last showing in Ottawa and what far flung places your work has been featured?
D: Well, so far I have painted pieces and had art shows in... Taipei...Tokyo...Paris...Dublin...SF...LA....Austin...Detroit...Montreal...
Toronto...Dublin....Barcelona... Lima... and many more cities....

UP: Can you speak of where it is that your work is coming from insofar as possible influences or inspirations?
D: My work is a mixture of extremely personal experiences... patterns...writing...and inspiration from the many different cultures I have visited and explored

UP: Do you feel that your pieces cater more to the appreciation of a younger set, or are there no limitations to whom your buyers are?
D: I would say that most of my buyers are around my age...mid-thirties....I mean it varies somewhat... but my art is not adult contemporary yet...a bit more youthful.. I hope

UP: Where do you see your work taking you in five years hence?
D: My art will take me everywhere in the world I want to visit...
I measure success in terms of exploration of this planet...as long as I can step on every continent and as many countries as I can before I die I have succeeded

UP: With so many critics saying that 'painting is dead', As a modern painter where do you personally see painting going?
D: There will always be people who love painting... everything in this world is saturated and over exposed and full ...video is dead... movies are dead... music is dead...painting is dead ...this planet has so much empty shit art....but what you like is alive to you.... one person might think a big purple blob of plastic in a park is wonderful one person might like paintings.... there are billions of people in the world...I am sure some of them still like painting...

UP: Has it been difficult for you pursuing your passion to be a painter and have you any regrets?
D: i regret not starting earlier... i mean i started painting really at about 21...and missed out on art school and all those cute girls ...of course it has been difficult ...it was years of eating ramen and being months late on the rent and painting 14 hours a day...insane and hungry....and some months it is still like that...i feel like i have given up a lot to be the person i have become...i am sort of no frills...painting all day really pushes you inside yourself and somedays it is hard to come back out after staring at a tiny little piece of wood all day.....but it is all meant to be...

UP: On a planet where everything is opposite of here, what would you be doing and under what circumstances would you be living, if your name were, for argument's sake: Elroy Cupboardhat?
D: hahaha...i would be doing something just as ridiculous as being a painter... if i wasn't a painter i would be a writer or a criminal or a obsessive compulsive collector of pittsburg penguin's paraphernalia....elroy cupboardhat is just one of my many lives...

Thank You Derek.
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Brookstreet Pictures

Ottawa is blessed to have an up-and-coming production company that is destined for big things in the very near future. Brook Street Pictures, based out of Kanata, is just wrapping up shooting of their first feature length film. Founders, Patrick White, Trevor Mathews and Jon Knautz are adamant that their film, Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer, is sure to scare you, gross you out and make you laugh, all in one sitting.
     The horror genre is both a fun and profitable one. From Dawn of the Dead to Shawn of the Dead the genre is as popular as ever and Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer promises to be a valuable contribution. The movie features company co-founder Trevor Mathews and the undisputed King of modern horror Robert Englund. Directed by John Knautz and employing fun, shocker schtick, the integrity of the film can not be questioned. How else could you attract the unparalleled presence of Englund? The film's producer, Pat White, the man who brought Freddy Kruger to life, admits that "it was a dream, we never thought we'd get him". But Englund saw something special in the script, and in the efforts of the young triumvirate. Englund was immediately impressed by the script and he deemed it a "real movie", one that should gain theatrical release status across North America. The film employs "old school" special effects, with costumes, make-up and gags done with a meticulous attention to detail that makes even the world of trolls and ghouls believable.
     The three founders work closely together in all facets of the film. "John and Trevor" says White, "are great collaborators. All suggestions (between the three) are heard and respected." The passion of the three is palpable on set. Everyone involved was encouraged to read the script in an effort to make all contributors, from grips to stars addicted to the project. "They can see it in our eyes" says White of the passion the three bring, "we think it can be big".
     They have reason to believe in their talents, as they did not arrive in their current position through dumb luck. White and Knautz both attended the very prestigious Vancouver Film School, where White was its inaugural scholarship student. Together, residing at the top of the class for the entire year the two were constantly split up for film projects. For their final project though, they worked together. Jon put together a script and they shot a short film in Pat's Vancouver apartment, the results "surprised a lot of people". Their final project ended up playing thirteen festivals and was sold to a distribution company in the United States, thus started a very impressive partnership.
     Trevor Mathews, meanwhile, was working on films of his own, in and around Ottawa. For one of his projects he used Knautz as a camera man, the two saw great potential in each other and a partnership was formed. At the same time White and Knautz had just finished shooting the short film The Other Celia, but before going into post production on the short, Mathews joined the team and the trio was complete. The three immediately began shooting "Still Life" with help from venture capitalists and both films went to the cutting room at the same time.
     “There was a lot of doubt around Still Life” recollects White, “doubts that turned out to be unfounded.” Still Life blew up, it was played at the Toronto International Film Festival along with the largest short film festival in the world, France's Clermont Ferrand. Rights for the film were picked up by five broadcasters. The Other Celia didn't fare to badly either, it played ten international festivals and on October 29 it will be aired on the CBC on Canadian Reflections.
     There is no release date for the film as of yet, but stay tuned to Upfront and we'll be sure to alert you, it should be ready in time for Cannes or Toronto next year. This is a film that should receive a tremendous amount of support from both the city and its art community, and what the hell? You can't help but love a winner, and these guys are convinced that that is exactly what they have in their hands. You can see the passion in White's eyes as he vows "we will do anything it takes to get it made." Well, Brook Street, the making it part is over, now it is just a matter of how big.
For more on Brook Street Pictures check out their web site www.brookstreetpictures.com DR
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Shannon Craig
at Art Guise

Shannon Craig will be exhibiting her latest work at Art Guise, with the opening taking place Friday September 15th from 7:30 until 10:30 both in the very human PM hours. Craig, 28, has taken the Toronto arts scene by storm having done solo shows at both the Loch and Prime Gallerys and now she has come home to roost. Craig has sold a plethora of pieces over the last five years and the British High Commissioner is among her biggest fans having already accrued a collection of her work.
     Shannon's works with oil paint, ink and canvas are an exquisite journey. Her landscapes are inspired by her trips throughout Canada and Great Britain. One is immediately struck by the turbulence of the skies in her paintings which help to augment the very rugged nature of the scenes. Her use of colour adds a vividness which allows one to transport their selves to the location depicted. Sounds, odors and texture bring the canvas to life. But this time Craig is offering far more than her signature view of nature.
     Inanimate and formerly animate objects will make an appearance for this show. A chair, a steer skull, a pair of boots, decoys and boats may seem very boring or over done subject matter, but somehow Craig inflicts even these objects with an intangible passion and emotion. Barns are also a favorite for Shannon, she believes they are not stagnant "or stoic but they have a lot of character".
Craig is excited about showing both landscapes and stills in the same venue. "I'm trying to push my boundaries with this show, the nice thing about Art Guise is they let me do what I want".
     Shannon is the daughter of Nationally renowned artist Philip Craig, and while their styles differ dramatically one can't help but recognize an independent colossal talent. They do have their battles about "colour and paint". Shannon employs a style which sees "one strand of colour that stands out more than the rest". This is a very powerful technique and it compliments nicely all of her subject matter.
     A brilliant young artist is in our midst, so catch her now before she is off to bigger and more expensive venues. DR