For the past ten years I have used non-traditional print-making methods (hand cut stencils and a Japanese screen printing toy called a Gocco printer) as a starting point for original mixed media pieces. I work primarily with spray paint (coupled with the stencils), acrylics, gouache, and inks. I print on antique papers preferring handwritten love letters, envelopes, journal pages, sheet music and maps.  My surfaces have also included 100 year old cedar shingles, barn boards, rusty metal, wooden and metal boxes of various origins, and discarded cabinet doors. I am most satisfied when I can make a tangible or visceral connection between the materials used and the image rendered. My work is deeply layered, often both literally and figuratively.

My imagery, nostalgic and wistful, is largely biographical and reflective of my pensive nature. I draw inspiration from childhood memories growing up on a Midwestern farm, the urban community in which I live now, bicycles, street art, gardening, random found objects, collective endeavours that challenge hierarchy, acts of compassion, downright silliness and things with wings.

The following are some of the paintings which will be shown in the exhibition “Balance” which opens on March 12th.

Dave Barnes lives in BC and his work is shown nationally and internationally.

Artist`s Statement

Born in Burnaby, British Columbia in 1974, my adolescence was spent growing up in the suburbs of Coquitlam. Much of my childhood was spent building forts in the nearby woods, catching frogs and tadpoles up at the local ponds, or hanging out in my father’s workshop. During these years, my exposure to contemporary art was obsolete to say the least; however, my love for modern /contemporary work was born when I started to attend art school.

I spent 2 years at Langara College where I focused my attention on etching and welded steel sculpture, and discovered artists like Claes Oldenburg, Cy Twombly, Philip Guston and Basquiat. In 1998 I finished my BFA at Emily Carr Institute of Art & Design where I majored in sculpture and drawing.

Since my graduation from Emily Carr, much of my time has been spent working in Western Canada and traveling: backpacking through the Andean regions of South America, trekking through Ireland and Scotland and exploring major art capitals such as LA, New York and London. During this time my art making practice has changed from sculpture based work to mixed media drawings on paper and board as well as large scale oil based paintings on wood box frames.

My work is an experiment in contradictions for me. Many of the works contain elements of intentional randomness in terms of subject matter. These unique relationships of chance and absurdity juxtapose the flow of connectivity of the body of work as a whole, which is tied together with basic design principles. An implied narrative runs throughout much of the work.

EXHIBITION HISTORY:

Deluge Gallery: RPM: Foundraiser Show, Victoria, B.C. April 10- 2, 5 2009

XChanges Artists Gallery: Parade: Solo Show, Victoria, B.C. Sept. 5-28 2009

Deluge Gallery: Lost Art Of The LP: Foundraiser ShowVictoria, B.C., March 2008

Gallery At The Mac: A Boy’s Life, Main Gallery Victoria, B.C. Oct 30 – Dec 11, 2006

Eciad : Graduation Show: South Building Vancouver, B.C. 1998

Eciad: Hybrid Show: Concourse Gallery Vancouver, B.C. 1997

Langara College: Graduation Show: Main Level Vancouver, B.C. 1995

UPCOMING SHOW:

Evergreen Cultural Centre: Solo Show Coquitlam, B.C. April 30 – May 22 2010

EDUCATION:

Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design, Vancouver, B.C. – 1995-1998 – Sculpture & Drawing Majors

Langara College, Vancouver, B.C. – 1993 – 95 – Diploma: Fine Arts Program

Biography

Ronan Boyle was born in Derry, Northern Ireland and came to Canada as a child in 1974.

Drawing and painting since childhood, he is a self-taught artist; his main inspirations stem from the Pop movement of the 60’s and the Do-It-Yourself movement of New York’s punk scene in the late 70’s and early 80’s.

As well as being a trained decorative artist, Ronan works with a number of interior designers, creating abstract paintings for high-end real estate.

In his contemporary work, the combination of these two seemingly opposing forces results in an edgy street aesthetic with a clean sophistication.

Ronan currently lives and paints in Vancouver.

Randy’s work has been shown in a number of venues on Vancouver Island and his fans are legion!

Commissions can be arranged.

Ann Zielinski is the first of only two Canadian women to achieve signature status in the New York based American Watercolour Society, a signature member of Federation of Canadian Artists and the National Watercolour Society. Honours include the Bronze Medal of Honor at AWS Annual in NY, two awards at the Knickerbocker National Show in Washington D.C., the Jules Kulburg Award at the NWWS International Show, Seattle, WA, 1st at the FCA Oil and Acrylic Show, Vancouver and 2nd at the International Napa Valley Store Open Competition, CA. She was mentored by Jack Shadbolt.

His interdisciplinary art practice combines performance, mixed media drawing, sound recording, installation and video – often simultaneously playing with notions of chance, spontaneity and humor, exploring the relationships between order and chaos, and the unity of opposites. He summarizes his art and life by “paying attention to systematic confusion”.

Christian Nicolay has been the recipient of several visual and media arts awards, artistic director, and curator of various projects, includes collaborations with artists from various fields in video, performance, sound and installation. He has given several lectures about his work, and has exhibited and performed in numerous spaces worldwide including Public, Commercial, and Artist Run Art galleries.

He graduated from the Okanagan University College – (UBC Okanagan) with his BFA at the top of his class receiving the Helen Pitt Award in 2000. He has worked as a mixed media, painting and drawing instructor for Arts Umbrella since 2004.

View Art Gallery is hosting a joint exhibition with Christian Nicolay and Yuri Arajs “Point Of Reference” April 9 – May 8, 2010. See Exhibition images below.