Exhibitions

Robert Marchessault, Pupuri, acrylic and oil on panel, 60 x 48 inches

DAVID ALEXANDER
Second Time Around the Coastline
July 6 - 26, 2021

Painter Robert Marchessault has long been inspired by the resilience of trees, but in 2020, their fortitude took on a new level of meaning. As we globally faced the rise of one of the most devastating pandemics of modern time, Marchessault turned to subjects that represent adaptation in the face of struggle, growth amid challenge, and longevity against all odds. The trees he has painted for his new exhibition Grow / Re-grow are striking reminders of the perseverance not only of the living things which he so poetically renders, but our own.

Created based on a combination of memories and experiences, Marchessault begins by creating drawings. His trees are not based on photographs or actual trees; instead, the artist orchestrates each tree symbolically. Gnarled trunks and windblown branches are the eloquent results of environmental affects; the beauty of these trees is not in spite of their perseverance, but because of it. The soft greens of new growth and vibrant hues of blooms act as celebratory evidence of the tenacity of these living things, who have weathered the storm and find Spring in sight.

Robert Marchessault, Arcs, oil and acrylic on panel, 52 x 40 inches

Robert Marchessault received a Visual Arts Diploma from Dawson College, Montreal, QC, a BFA from Concordia University, Montreal, QC and an MA from Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON. His work has been shown internationally including at Gotland Museum, Visby, Sweden, and many galleries across North America. He’s been the recipient of dozens of awards including a Canada Council Travel Grant. Marchessault’s paintings are in dozens of art collections including 20th Century Fox, Bank of Montreal, Rothschilds Inc, and Royal Bank, among many others.

David Alexander, When They Fall Rock Island Remains and History Becomes Mystery,
acrylic on canvas, 56.5 x 66 inches

DAVID ALEXANDER
Second Time Around the Coastline
June 6 - 26, 2021 

Water is a recurring character in the artwork of painter David Alexander. Often mirroring his abstracted landscapes with reflections, Alexander invites us to keep our eyes on the surface of the water he depicts. Some paintings feel like he has completely shortened his depth of field until we are right upon the organic moment he is sharing. Finding nuance and contrast in light and landscape, Alexander’s emotive renderings of natural places fill the two dimensional surfaces of each canvas with intrigue; marks made not only tell a story of place, but also capture the hand of the artist.

This exhibition includes paintings that range from abstract reflections, wide landscapes, and bright, lyrical explorations with attractively amorphous natural forms. Says Alexander, "I pay attention to the impermanence, transience and vulnerability of land, how it is used and/or abused. Many viewers have commented on how abstract my paintings are. I don’t disagree, but I feel they have the amount of representation in them that allows me to work more experimentally and freely within the genre of landscape."

David Alexander

Alexander studied at the Vancouver Art School and Langara College, both in Vancouver, BC, and holds a BFA from Notre Dame University, Notre Dame, Indiana. He also received an MFA from the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK. He has been a visiting artist and instructor across the globe, and participated in residencies including being a guest artist in residence at the Morris Graves Foundation and the Grand Canyon’s Artist in Residence Program.  Alexander’s work is part of numerous museum and gallery collections including the Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver BC; Notre Dame University, Indiana, and Museum London, London ON. In addition, his work is in Embassies in Berlin, Beijing and Krakow. Corporate and private collections include works in major cities in North America as well as in Dubai, Seoul, New York, Mumbai and Nice, among others.

Mark Rediske, Lumen I, mixed media on panel, 42 x 42 inches

MARK REDISKE

levi tenente
May 6 - 22, 2021 

Mark Rediske's artwork is uniquely born of a complex process. It exudes a powerful yet quiet presence, a timelessness and organic quality. Often referencing mythical or ancient civilizations and geographic points, Rediske highlights our collective narrative and shared connection to the natural world. In this body of work Rediske explores a return to light, both figuratively and literally.

Says the artist "The last year has been an ordeal and a test of resolve to sustain hope, empathy and a reverence for beauty. [...]These paintings have a heightened sensibility of light and dark with the aspiration of light emanating through."

Rediske achieves an effect that gives his pieces a feeling of timelessness. Richly saturated hues are tempered by warm neutrals, rich blues and greens give way to  soft golds. A master of his craft, Rediske’s panels are flawlessly executed. There is a relief  in sharing space with his artwork; a calm, meditative quality extends from the pieces themselves, quietly inviting reflection and introspection.

Mark Rediske, Lumen V, mixed media on panel, 42 x 42 inches

Mark Rediske holds a BFA and an MA from St. Cloud University, St Cloud, MN. He has shown his work across the United States, including Frye Art Museum, Seattle, WA, and began showing at Foster/White Gallery in 1991. He was an instructor at St. Cloud University, St. Cloud, MN; Pratt Fine Arts Center, Seattle, WA; and Oregon College of Arts & Crafts, Portland, OR. Rediske’s artwork is held in dozens of collections including American Airlines, Seattle, WA; The Ritz-Carlton, Washington, DC; Prudential Insurance Company of America, Newark, NJ; Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA; and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Chicago, IL. 

Casey McGlynn, Ex Bird, 2021, mixed media on canvas, 96 x 96 in.

CASEY MCGLYNN | LANDING IN THE CROW'S NEST

April 1 - 24, 2021

Casey McGlynn creates layered multi-media pieces with a focus on painting and collage. His honest creations pull from ongoing personal narratives and delve into intimate realities of his life and internal dialogue. Approaching sadness through humor and with penchant for all things punk, McGlynn's visual language is full of symbolism. Colors tend towards highly saturated, bright, and varied, with figurative elements outlined in black paint. In Landing in the Crow's Nest we see deep greens and blues offsetting neon oranges and pinks. Whales, turtles, horses and birds coalesce, a riot of forms and colors filling space.

These pieces teeter on the edge between distressed  and reflective; meandering through a collection of thoughts before ultimately returning to their starting point.

In this body of work, Landing in the Crow's Nest, McGlynn's starting point was the idea of returning to or finding home, landing in a place of healing. In this case, The Crow's Nest refers to McGlynn's new studio in Sault Ste. Marie, Canada. The title piece, imaged above, depicts the artist's mother's house, and above the compartmentalized structure, perches a bird. There is a sense that from its vantage point, the bird has landed, calmly, in a place of its choosing. 

Casey McGlynn, Sentimental Journey, 2021, mixed media on canvas, 71 x 128 in.

Casey McGlynn holds a Diploma from Ontario College of Art & Design, Toronto, ON. He has shown his work across North America, most recently with his 2019 solo exhibition at Foster/White Gallery, and at Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, Boulder, CO; by invitation at the Alabama State Council of the Arts, Montgomery, AL; at the Outsider Art Fair, New York, NY; and as a featured artist at the SOFA Exhibition in Chicaco, IL. He has been the recipient of multiple awards, has been a guest lecturer at several universities including at Brock University, St. Catherines, ON. His work is part of collections across North America.