At the Arts Centre:THE VISITING ARTISTS SERIES presented by C.F. Crozier & Associates
ROOTS : Cesan d’Ornellas Levine (Toronto) Elly MacKay (Owen Sound)
March 2 - 31, 2011
Free Artists’ Talk: March 15, 7 – 9 pm
Music Performance: Nastasha Procenko
Curated by Lenore Burton
Cesan d'Ornellas Levine
Cesan d’Ornellas Levine is a visual artist whose work is inspired by the marriage between art and spirit, portrayed through large, bold, semi-abstract acrylic paintings. These paintings make reference to childhood encounters with ancient schematic rock carvings known as petroglyphs that show the relationship of the present to the past. As a person of diverse heritage, raised with an open source philosophy, her work is naturally an engagement with the global melting pot which virtually defines what is contemporary about contemporary culture.
“My work references revelatory childhood encounters with petroglyphs (ancient shamanic rock carvings). I use transtheistic iconography - simple, familiar, universal symbols about the journeys of the stars and planets, the rhythms of nature, the pulse of life itself, the subtle passage of spirit through time and space. Haptic Perception, recognition through touch, is incorporated. I work flat and apply and sculpt acrylic media in significant textural layers to reference the incising, pecking, carving, and abrading techniques of the original stone carvers. Relationships to the past and the present are explored. As a person of diverse heritage, raised with an open-source philosophy, my work is naturally an engagement with the global melting pot which, for me, defines the 'contemporary' in contemporary culture."
 Elly MacKay
Elly MacKay is in artist, illustrator, and an educator. In the past, Elly spent a great deal of time making tunnel books, but has now been exploring an early love of hers which is 3-D images. Her current works incorporate layers of drawings, on a small scale, like very tiny stage sets or installations. She has a fluid process with layers to create the effect – individual characters, lighting, filters, camera height, and settings. Her inspiration is taken from Victorian curiosities, vintage book illustrations, children’s drawings, and set designs.
"I have a fluid process. Working with layers, I add individual characters, lighting and filters, differing camera heights and settings; there is a lot of play prior to getting the shot I am looking for and there are many surprises. I begin making my works with thumbnails and concept drawings, and I write a few words down about the atmosphere I am hoping to create. I then begin to build my layers. I use Yupo paper, a plastic paper. It has strength, allowing it to bend without creasing, and it stands up easily. It also catches the light quite beautifully and takes ink well. I have found that some interesting effects can be achieved with it if you spray it and roll over inked areas with other colours, etc. Once I have some layers, I begin to install them in my 'theatre'. The theatre is open on all sides allowing me to light things from any angle. I use parchment for skies and often place coloured tissue behind it to create distant landscape or clouds. Due to the open sides and bottom, it can be tricky to have everything stay in place. The frame of the theatre has holes to string wire to hold everything in place. I use lights and filters of coloured tissue to create the atmosphere."
Opening night for Talking Pictures: review by Ron MacRae
Opening night for the first of the BMFA's Visiting Artists Series was well attended. Christopher Crozier of C.F. Crozier & Associates attended as presenting sponsor and a good number of friends and family of the artists came to show their support. Curator Ron MacRae and the artists talked a bit about their work. The artists are very appreciative to the BMFA for offering them this opportunity to show their work and commented at how knocked out they were by the space and the professionalism and dedication of our volunteers who made it happen. Thanks to all those many volunteers who were part of the month-long show.
It's great to help young artists who are working hard to launch their creative careers. For the BMFA, it's important that we try stretching the boundaries of our exhibition mix. It helps engage those who are outside of our current audience base and makes the Arts Centre more of a draw for visitors. These initiatives, of course, match up extremely well with our Strategic Plan objectives.
Jazz at the Arts Centre
.jpg) The Jazz & Blues Society were back at the Arts Centre in February with the second of this season's four Jazz concerts. This month featured a terrific duo – Chris Whitely and Diana Braithwaite. Chris and Diana have developed a very evocative niche resurrecting and emulating the old-time acoustic blues of the Delta. Diana's rich, soulful voice meets Chris' virtuoso guitar work with a sprinkling of trumpet and harmonica. They have toured around the globe, and we were very fortunate to grab a slice here in Collingwood. Interestingly too, the duo spent the week touring local schools delivering Diana's family history in the Underground Railway in story and song. Thanks to Frank McNulty and the venerable Jazz & Blues Society for presenting. All of the artists have commented on how much they like the laid-back, artsy feel of performing at the Arts Centre - and the acoustics are just right. Check out the Harrison Kennedy Trio on March 17th. Tickets are available from the Arts Centre.
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