…and Protect / VCA (Very Creative Art)

December 15, 2011 - January 31, 2012

LOCAL SELF-TAUGHT ARTISTS MAKE GLOBAL STATEMENTS THROUGH THEIR ART

Self-expression and understanding the power of art is not for formally trained artists alone. Local self-taught artists, Derek Davidson and Reilly, are paired together in an exhibition at the Charlotte Street Arts Centre that creatively addresses global crises.

Visual art asks something participatory of the viewer. An active participant in the local arts scene, Davidson explains about painting, “Each stage involves an interpretation… the viewer interprets the released image.” With regards to his work, Davidson says, “This show casts allegories on some problems that have scaled between local and global.” Davidson has created acrylic and oil paintings for a body of work entitled, “…and Protect” that provide his understanding of events such as the G8 summits and the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. He asks us to consider, “Who protects what?”

Reilly describes her creative process as one of “creating environmentally sustainable art that conveys a sense of usefulness, evoking thought. Part of the journey is seeking out trash that is polluting our environment and remaking it into something that can be valued. Each piece is unique and has its own story to tell.”

Davidson and Reilly do more than make a political statement with their work, though. Each artist derives joy from exploring what their materials can do, and the aesthetics of those materials. Reilly, who has been influenced by artists such as Dali and Van Gogh, as well as Dr Seuss, says, “My favorite materials include rusted metal along with the natural complimentary beauty of wood.” Her at times whimsical sculptural objects, such as one called “Bone Wagon” draw in the viewer with their sense of playfulness. Davidson enjoys experimenting with catching motion in his imagery, and incorporating the element of time into his paintings, in what he calls, “a moving graphic display of intensity, heat and wonder.”

The exhibition opens in the Charlotte Glencross Gallery, at the Charlotte Street Arts Centre, on Friday, December 16th at 5pm. All are welcome to attend, and to enjoy beer tastings by our gracious sponsor, Picaroons. The exhibition runs until January 31, 2012.