the first day of winter and the shortest day of the year

Seeing what is close to me but not what is far away.

Collage by Eron Boyd

We realize that many or most of our blogs are somewhat mysterious in their meaning. We hope that this allows you the viewer to imbue it with your own interpretation. This particular image represents Sae's immanent departure for a one month visit to her home in Japan. We will continue to

work together on the blog and Sae will sometimes send photos from Japan that we can share here. 

"Itterasshai Sae."

When we put up a group of collages, all done together on the same day, we look to see what the

common denominator is. It is not usually apparent in the first quick view but as we sit with

the images we find something that is true. In these works we began by observing Eron's collage 

(the one in the middle). It appeared obvious that the characters were floating. That fact helped us to look at both Sae's and mine (deborah's) to see if that applied and it did. The first collage on the left has no reference to ground and seems to be floating in the larger white space. Sae's (on the far left) has a shadow beneath the bowl like form but that could easily be floating upon water.

Perhaps, the title  'Floating' invites us to see each piece differently.

Just use your imagination

                                         ... a beautiful surprise.

Wool Felt Dolls    by Peggy Mersereau

                                                                 ...a place to occupy

The question was:-  "What work wants to talk with Floyd?"

and the answer came; "Daniel"

Everyday we find yet another way that these two artists communicate through their work.

Daniel Hanequand's drawings are permanently on exhibition in the Drawing Room Gallery

on the third floor.

Rock Painting by Aveline Beauchamp

These drawings are by the late Daniel Hanequand and were donated to the gallery by his wife, who has also passed. They seem to have a natural affinity for this piece by Floyd Kuptana. It is always exciting to introduce different artists through their work, each one making something in the other more visible.

                                                         xo

...they are watching

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d and s

...or somebody spilled their smarties

        by Oto Kaneko-Jeans          Almost 3

...has music played by wind

We thought if we can show some of what is inside the gallery

outside of the gallery

it may inspire more of those walking by to come in.

or

they can simply enjoy it in the moment of passing.

Intersect:- To cut into or between; to pass across; to divide into parts by crossing or passing through,- To meet and cross each other

This idea has been percolating for some time and today we collected all the materials and constructed.

It is strong without screws or nails and provides shade and atmosphere in a busy part of the city.

All are welcome to come and sit.

This space has a very clear purpose but when you turn it around it becomes confused.

How easy is it to loose sight of purpose?

...the title of the new exhibition of works in the collage gallery,

trying to find the line that connects all of the different pieces

by Eron Boyd,  Sae Kimura,  deborah harris

unwinding a spool of thread and circling the room

gives the sensation of unity

Today's secret get-away treat!

...moves from upstairs, down into the main gallery.

All the better to be seen.

Today we received the third in the series of books we have published of Floyd's work.

This book is his paintings. All Three books will be available at the reception either to look at or to purchase. This prices for the books are just our cost with no mark up. In fact our cost is less than if you buy a single copy on blurb because we get a discount when we order more than twenty. The books are a good way to remember  and continue to enjoy Floyd's work.

Click on the link below to see in full.

https://www.blurb.ca/books/11158938-carved-with-a-brush

Today we assembled four black boxes (pedestals)

The first one took us a very long time

and seemed impossible.

The second was a little faster

And the third a little more

And the fourth was in five minutes.

We felt very proud.

Field in Flower in Odawara Japan. Photograph taken by Noriko Kimura

The surprise of a blue bag dancing in the wind

and Avey in her pink shoes dancing on the wall.

Photograph by Barbara Kellam

This collage, by Sara MacHin, was done as part of the 14th online collage workshop using a photocopied image of Picasso's  'Circus', a cutout from our latest invitation and the postage stamp from the mail out.

All have been placed in a room painted for their occupancy.

It seems to best represent our title for the day. 

I remembered the other day that the best thing about creating art is the process of creating art. The space that one creates in must be conducive to that process. Materials need to be visible and accessible otherwise you forget that you have them.The problem is that the more one creates the more the space becomes a storage space, crowded with unknowable and therefore unusable materials. The space

and the materials need to be seen as resources in order to support a creative process. For this reason we have weeded out the space, looked at everything in it and attempted to organize it so it can be a resource to all who enter. A very daunting but satisfying challenge.

Today one of our visitors was from Japan. Sae was able to introduce her to our gallery and she told us that her father has a gallery in Japan which our space reminded her of. After she left we looked up the gallery, 'Joy of Wind'. It was like travelling in a time capsule to a far off, very beautiful place. You might enjoy to visit as well.   http://rafu-urawa.com/

...is the model for the paintings by Vivian Felsen.

They can be seen on the 4th floor of the gallery.

Hanging new work requires the rearranging of everything in the space. The change wakes us up and invites renewed seeing.

We see ourselves most truly in the eyes of those who see us

and our eyes are mirrors for them.

(thank you Teresa)

Today at 6pm we completed the installation that we have be constructing

for the east genesis gallery. We will post images of the space tomorrow.

Collage alterations and additions

by deborah harris

Painting by Pablo Picasso

We have constructed a temporary workshop in the genesis

gallery where we are building the next installation exhibition.

It is a secret til we put it up sometime next week.

Photographs by Simeon Posen

Sae and I came upon this painting today by Eduardo Ettore Forti done in the late 19th century. One hour later we were still engaged and in awe. What was the process of this

painting, how could one execute this kind of detail from ones imagination? The characters

are so complex in their expressions and postures, the quality of their attention, speaking and

listening. The fabrics and the drapery on the bodies. The floor tiles, the metal brazier and the bronze sculptures all created from many many colours together.

We do not paint like this now, maybe because we have photography and film. It is

amazing to consider how this was possible and the motivation and commitment of the artist

to do such work.

   Today my daughter Ayokah spent the day with us at the gallery. We did many collages

together but this one somehow speaks to the mood of her being here.

...both so appealing but difficult to move from one to the other

When we close our eyes and our ears and our mouth

We do not see what we need to see

We do not hear what we need to hear

We do not speak what we need to speak

"to to toto  to toooo"

 Spectator or actor?

Maybe the question doesn't have an answer.

                A very beautiful collage by Eron Boyd

What is she looking at?

Something that we cannot see,

something that is not found on the page she occupies.

that lies outside the edge of the board.

The subject of a painting or collage points with their

gaze to somewhere or something that often remains a mystery.

Leonardo da Vinci drawings

Sae Kimura flying figure.

Today we had visitors. This is what we did together!!

                     These are our first collages done together in 2022