Daisy, Daisy. Photograph, 7 x 5 in. Copyright 2007, Tania Nault.
As someone who spends a lot of her time doing animal and wildlife art I think what I’m about to propose will sound like a belated April Fool’s joke, but it’s not: for the month of April I’ve imposed a fur/feathers/fins ban for my work. Well, with the exception of two pet portrait commissions I’ve agreed to complete, otherwise nothing furry, feathery or finned. No creatures, critters or crawlers.
Why? I think I need to challenge myself. I’m not talking about change for change’s sake (I actually don’t believe in that) but the honest need to stretch and grow as an artist. And this is the perfect time of year to do it: I have several months before the shows in the Fall - things are quiet right now. Besides which, it’s Spring, a natural time for new growth.
So how am I going to do this? I’m going to look at the work of other artists who catch my eye and examine what it is about their art that appeals to me. Some of these artists will be, as fellow blogger, Maggie Stiefvater puts it, “safely dead” but I think I might pick one or two who are “dangerously alive” as well. My list so far, in no particular order, and what draws my eye about their art is:
- André Kertész (1894 - 1985) photographer: composition, sense of light and shadow, simple scenes of daily life
- David Blackwood (1941 - ) printmaker: story, place and time, mystery and mythology
- Joseph Wright (1734 - 1797) painter: chiaroscuro and the engagement of his subjects with their world
Over the next few weeks I’ll look at each artist and create a scratchboard inspired by what I’ve learned from each.
We Will Remember Them. Scratchboard with acrylic ink, 7 x 5 in. Copyright 2007, Tania Nault.
Yesterday my daughter and I participated in the Remembrance Day ceremonies at the Cenotaph at Victoria Park. The Cenotaph is dedicated to the memory of soldiers from Regina who gave their lives during World War I, World War II and the Korean War. One of the speakers commented on how these memorial ceremonies seem to be better attended with each passing year - despite the loss of people who actually lived through those wars - younger Canadians seem committed to honouring the sacrifice of previous generations. He speculated there were three reasons for this: first, schools and teachers have made learning about the wars a priority; secondly, there is a current connection to the work of our armed forces as Canadian men and women serve abroad in Afghanistan and elsewhere; and finally, there are many new Canadians who have recently come from other countries directly affected by war.
One resource that Canada went through some trouble to obtain during the war, but that doesn’t get much attention, is in the form of thousands of sketches and paintings created by Canadian artists in the War Art Program. Although photography was used to document Canada’s involvement in WWI and WWII, there were those who thought it was important that painters and sculptors also record the war. A variety of reasons were given, from an unwillingness to trust the relatively new medium of photography, to the desire to have the artist to make his (there was only one woman commissioned to the program during the war, Molly Lamb, and she was only sent overseas after the war was over) own personal feelings part of the work. The artists were soldiers “embedded” with ground troops, naval and air forces. In WWI artists like A.Y. Jackson and Frederick Varley were asked to join the program and WWII saw over 30 artists like Alex Colville and Charles Comfort join. They would create some 13,000 drawings, paintings and sculptures that are now part of the collection of the Canadian War Museum. Unfortunately, because of the size of the collection, there is no permanent display, although occasional exhibitions are made. One of the better known of these is Canvas of War (2000) which combined the exhibition of paintings with a television documentary and virtual gallery of the work. The documentary and online galleries give Canadians a chance to see the work of these artists, as well as a chance for us all to reflect on war and the lives of the men and women who sacrificed so much.
Whatever souls are made of, his and mine are the same. - Emily Bronté
Centrepiece. Photograph, 4 x 6 in. Copyright 2007, Tania Nault.
I just got back from a weekend away at my sister-in-law’s wedding and it was lovely. I know, I know, everyone says that, but this one really was; tasteful, elegant and beautiful. I took tonnes of photos and now have some cds to burn before the weekend! Glenda and Danny, congratulations, and I wish you every happiness.
Happy Canada Day!
Today is the day we Canadians celebrate our nation’s becoming a country on July 1st, 1867. Known as “Dominion Day” until 1982, the holiday didn’t become popular until its centennial in 1967 (probably because many Canadians viewed themselves as British subjects until well after WWII). I think it took a hundred years to build enough hype to celebrate what was a rather circuitous and decidedly boring means of forming a country: negotiation. But, oh so very Canadian! And, no, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I’m spending this wonderful Canada Day long weekend in Nipawin with my husband’s family (for a reunion). This afternoon Kevin and I took a drive through the countryside to take some photographs and on the way to Tobin Lake, we came across this wonderful sight: the Western Red Lily.
I know the “prairie lily” is more an emblem of Saskatchewan than of Canada, but the shape was very reminiscent of the starburst pattern in fireworks and so I thought it appropriate to head today’s post.
Fellow Canadians: I wish you all a happy Canada Day, particularly to those of you who find yourselves far from home today.
