Exhibition Celebrations, by Kim Blair

Kim & Ferdinand
(Opening Night Celebrations)

Thank you to everyone who attended the opening celebrations of my solo graduation exhibition on December 4, 2015.  Good friends, good food and lots of laughs... who could ask for more?

To peruse some candid photos of the evening click here.

To read my artist statement for this grad show click here.

To view all of the 38 paintings in the show click here.

The show has been extended by the University, it will stay up until January 6, 2016. 
* If you didn't get a chance to drop by for the opening and want to experience the art in person the gallery space is open: 7:00 am to 11:00 pm every day. 

U of A Faculty of Extension
Extension Gallery
 (Main Floor Atrium)
Enterprise Square
10230 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta


'Living Large,' A Preview of my upcoming exhibition, by Kim Blair


'Living Large'

*This photo was taken before it was floated on a white mat and framed... you will see the framed piece at the show.


With only a few days to go before Friday, December 4 and the opening reception for my solo grad show... I thought it might be fun to give you a preview of just one of the over 30 paintings in the exhibition.

(*Don't be fooled into thinking the show is all about sunflowers... because it isn't!)

See you on Friday... 

Opening Reception
Friday, December 4, 2015
6:00 pm to 9:00 pm


U of A Faculty of Extension
Extension Gallery
 (Main Floor Atrium)
Enterprise Square
10230 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta



Exhibition runs from November 27 to December 17, 2015
Enterprise Square Gallery hours are the same as the building hours:
*7:00 am to 11:00 pm

You are invited to my 'Solo Graduation Exhibition', by Kim Blair


Formative to Informative

Graduate Exhibition
By Kim Blair


Opening Reception
Friday, December 4, 2015
6:00 pm to 9:00 pm


Exhibition runs from November 27 to December 17, 2015


U of A Faculty of Extension
Extension Gallery
 (Main Floor Atrium)
Enterprise Square
10230 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta

kimblairartist.blogspot.com
780.474.6734




Five years of art classes has culminated in my graduation exhibition at the University of Alberta's Faculty of Extension Gallery in downtown Edmonton.  Please set aside the opening date of December 4, 2015 to drop by the Extension Gallery between 6:00 and 9:00 p.m. to view my expressionistic body of work, created specifically for this exhibition.

I look forward to catching up with you at the opening celebration for my solo exhibition.








Have you had a Rorschach today... Snippets by Kim Blair

 

(closeup sections from larger work on paper)


  The Rorschach was a psychological test developed in 1921 where the participants were shown a set of ten ink blot cards and asked to describe what they thought each looked like.

Instead of ten, I am offering two snippet/closeup sections taken from the same larger mixed media work on paper... what do you see?

Be creative.... there are no wrong answers.

(The larger work will be revealed at my exhibition in 2 months.)

 
 

Officially Fall Snippets by Kim Blair


 (close-up detail from larger work on canvas)


(close-up detail from larger work on canvas)

Autumn is officially here.  A thick carpet of golden yellow elm leaves has started to develop along our street and the aroma of freshly baked apple crisp has filled our house numerous times over the last few weeks.
  
But that is not the only thing that has been happening... I have been putting together the details for my grad exhibition that will take place in a few months.   Selecting which paintings will be hung and where all seemed so simple until I actually sat down with a scaled model of the gallery (that my husband designed for me.) 

 Yes, it's all fun and games until some hard decisions have to be made about your own work because not every piece I painted will fit in the gallery space.



What a line Snippet, by Kim Blair


(close-up detail from larger work on canvas)

A line has the capacity to draw the viewer into or out of a painting.  The thickness of a line along with the intensity of colour can create the illusion of strength or delicacy.  But what happens when the colour of a line is considered to be delicate while the thickness suggests strength?  Is that allowed... can something be delicate and strong at the same time?

I like to think of it as the 'yin yang effect.'

P.S.
My grad show has now been booked for the end of November 2015.  I will keep you posted as to exact dates, plus the date/time of the reception/party at the venue/gallery.

(*In this upcoming show I will be exhibiting the complete, larger paintings where all these smaller 'snippet' close-up sections originated from).  

Purple Passion Snippet, by Kim Blair

(close-up detail from larger work on canvas)

After my confession on my last post (about having a saturated palette... surprise, surprise) I thought it might be good to offer up a 'snippet' example of rich vibrant hues playing off some tints and shades... variations on a colour theme.
  
I didn't come completely clean with my confession... I should have added that I have a soft spot for using line work in my paintings, which makes my art a painting/drawing hybrid of sorts.

True Confessions Snippet, by Kim Blair

(close-up detail from larger work on canvas)

I have a confession to make... (but I have a feeling most of you know it already), I have a saturated palette.  There, I said it out loud for everyone to hear.  Rich vibrant colours make my heart sing and always put a smile on my face.  It has taken me a long time to admit this, but now that it is out in the open I feel a weight of paint falling off my shoulders.

Although I do have a weakness for monochromatic black and white work (some examples will be included in my grad show later this fall) my brush tends to be attracted to saturated colours, along with a variety of tints, tones and shades of various hues for added depth and interest.

I'll sleep better tonight now that my secret is out...

What do you see Snippet, by Kim Blair



(close-up sections from larger work on canvas)

These two snippets (like the previous two from June 12) are from larger abstract works on canvas.  Although I will not reveal the inspiration for the abstract paintings these sections are from... I will say that these two particular snippets seem to evoke landscapes, but your eyes and imagination might see something different.

Tell me what you see...


Orange is the new Snippet Colour, by Kim Blair







(close-up sections from larger work on canvas)

Orange is back in vogue.  You'll find it in book and movie titles, accent pillows, hand bags and napkins... even a line of high end cast iron cookware comes in a vibrant shade of orange.

From pumpkins to poppies you can find a multitude of tints, tones and shades of this warm earthy hue... it can even be found in a snippet or two...



Sea Treasures Snippet, by Kim Blair


(close-up section from larger work on paper)

The long red streaks of paint in this snippet seem to suggest strands of red coral (Corallium rubrum) floating amongst green seaweed, rocks and various plant life found in the sea.  In antiquity the Romans would hang branches of red coral around their children's neck to protect them from evil spirits.
Red coral, like many aquatic treasures harvested from the sea is now on the endangered species list. 

Snippet Diptych, by Kim Blair



(close-up sections from larger work on 300 lb watercolour paper)

When photographing these close-up sections (snippets) from the larger paintings I created for my graduate show, I use the camera view finder like a mini frame, selecting passages where the paint application, colour combination and brush work create mini abstract paintings.

These 'snippets' are little paintings within larger paintings.

Both of these snippets are taken from the same larger mixed media painting.



Three Peas Snippet, by Kim Blair

(close-up section taken from larger work on 300 lb watercolour paper)

This snippet almost looks like three peas in a pod... or should I say, three peas on a blog.
Okay, Okay I can hear everyone groaning!

Galactic Battle Snippet, by Kim Blair

(close-up section from larger work on 300 lb watercolour paper)

The original Star Wars movie was created just over 30 years ago... where does the time go?

This snippet section feels action packed with mega watts of light saber action, sonic blasts and whirling galaxies.  Special effects gone wild!  Or at least my imagination has...


 Snippet #1


Snippet #2

(close-up sections from larger work on 300 lb watercolour paper)

Both of these snippets are obviously from the same painting, but each snippet is slightly different... snippet #2 has been rotated to create a different perspective.  Even though they 'feel' similar, the slight differences between the two along with the variation of orientation allow the viewer to interpret them as completely different.

Like most things in life... even with all things being 'almost' equal, our interpretation really depends on our perspective.   

Pink Glow Snippet, by Kim Blair


(close-up section of larger work on 300 lb watercolour paper)

The hot pink line in this snippet has the look of a partially working neon sign.  We've all seen those old store front signs where only a portion of the name is lit up, sometimes creating a different word than the store intended.
Which by the way, is supposedly how the singer/actor Bobby Darin (1936- 1973, famous for singing 'Mac the Knife') got his name.   One evening while walking past a Chinese restaurant where a neon sign was supposed to say "Mandarin" Bobby noticed the first three letters were burned out, spelling 'darin' and he decided to take that as his stage name... instead of his birth name, Cassotto.

Candy Floss Snippet, by Kim Blair




(close-up section taken from a larger painting on 300 lb watercolour paper)

 Many of these snippets have texture... areas with lines and ridges where the next layer of paint glides over the top allowing the underneath paint to peek through.  Sometimes the viscosity and hue of the paint resembles cotton candy...  frothy dollops of spun sugar in sickly sweet pastel tones smeared on the pavement waiting for some unsuspecting running shoe to step in it.

Lime Twist Snippet, by Kim Blair

(close-up section from larger work on 300 lb watercolour paper)

Sometimes everything seems to be about food... or cake.
While contemplating this snippet I received an email from Johanne Lamarche a fellow blogger who whips up delicious recipes and shares them on her cooking blog, 'French Gardener Dishes.'  Today her blog showcases 'Triple Lime-Yogurt Mini Bundt Cakes' with scrumptious looking photos of the work in progress... along with the final shot of the moist, yummy little cakes.

Johanne asked if she could use one of my Lime paintings with her posting today... you can see it at the end of her posting.

Thanks Johanne.

Have Your Cake and Eat it Too, by Kim Blair

(close-up section of larger work on 300 lb. watercolour paper)

The main attraction at childhood birthday parties (next to the gifts of course) is the cake.  Dense rich chocolate cake decorated with thick gobs and swirls of brightly coloured icing... the kind of icing that often makes your teeth ache just looking at it.  Electric blue lines spelling out the lucky child's name... the same bright blue coating every tongue, staining all the napkins, and most of the party clothes.

If the birthday cake was chocolate and lovingly iced by Mom it probably looked at bit like this 'snippet section' as the spatula started to run out of icing while trying to cover up the broken sections where it stuck to the pan.

Is It Really the End of the Road... Snippet, by Kim Blair

(close-up section of larger work on 300 lb watercolour paper)

It all depends on the interpretation... the grey line could be considered the end of the road or the beginning of the road.  There are lots of endings and beginnings... losses and opportunities when painting.  Upon reflection (usually by the light of day the next morning) I can see a small glimpse of where I thought I was going with the work in progress, only to discover the brush had a vision of its own.
My brush often works independently from my brain...

By The Dark of Night Snippet, by Kim Blair

(close-up section of larger work on 300 lb watercolour paper)

A velvety black background conjures up images of a night sky with the moon looking rather battered and torn, but the lavender pinkish hues in the foreground are usually associated with beauty and prettiness...

Juxtapositions can offer contrasting illusions.

Marbled Snippets, by Kim Blair

(close-up section of a larger work on 300 lb watercolour paper)

How many of you played with marbles as a kid?

Another term for those round glass balls with bits of  coloured glass trapped within is 'alleys'.  Multicoloured orbs of glass, usually carried in a little draw-string bag... each marble treasured but often traded.  The tactile pleasure of reaching into the bag to scoop up the contents, hearing them clink together as they cascaded through your fingers...worry beads for kids.

Soothing, yet exciting at the same time.

Abstract Snippet Thoughts, by Kim Blair

(close-up snippet of larger work on 300 lb watercolour paper)

Some of these close-up photos of sections from my larger works have given me a knew perspective, making me think that I should consider creating larger abstracts works inspired by these smaller snippets.

Part of me wishes I could just wave my magic (brush) wand and the works would magically appear because as all artists know, if you tried to recreate a painting just like this snippet it would look forced and contrived.  The snippet can only be a jumping off point for something else to emerge...a totally new creation inspired by the original.

Purple Haze Snippet, by Kim Blair

(close-up section of a larger work on 300 lb watercolour paper)

The sections where colours meet, overlap and mingle are rich with mystery... is that yellow over or under the adjacent hue... is that scratchy purple line continuing under the black section...what do those shapes represent?
Any ideas?

Snippet Texture, by Kim Blair

(close-up section of a larger work on 300 lb watercolour paper)

Texture can be a visual treat besides a tactile pleasure.  We can appreciate the look of the undulations of the paint rippling across the canvas or paper, but if we are given permission to delicately touch the surface in order to enjoy the folds and marks in the thick paint we satisfy a very basic need... the pleasure of touch.
  
I often day dream about running my hand across a Van Gogh painting... the mere thought sends shivers down my spine.

Snippet Geography, by Kim Blair


(close-up section of a larger work on 300 lb watercolour paper)

A few blue lines meandering across a small snippet photographed from a much larger painting plays with our sense of perspective... aerial topography or ?

A Universe in a Snippet, by Kim Blair

(close-up snippet of larger work on 300 lb watercolour paper)

Even though I, as the artist, know what the subject/inspiration was for the painting that this snippet came from I can't help thinking that this tiny little section suggests something much larger.

Snippet with Blue Lines, by Kim Blair

(close-up snippet of larger work on 300 lb watercolour paper)

A small snippet of a larger work can have a life of its own... it may suggest an image of something entirely different from the painting as a whole.  This snippet evokes a feeling of spring for me... what does it evoke for you?

Snippets of gray, by Kim Blair

(close-up snippet of larger work on 300 lb watercolour paper)

Making marks on thick textured watercolour paper is a sensual experience.  The paint skips and dances across the embossed surface of the absorbent paper leaving a trail of colour... blue, black, brown and white mingling together to create more than 50 shades of gray.


Snippets can be miniature works of art, by Kim Blair


(close-up snippet of larger work on 300 lb watercolour paper)

While composing these close-up sectional shots of my larger mixed media paintings I discovered numerous miniature abstracted works... some could stand alone as tiny paintings, while others offer only a glimpse into a much more complicated composition.

Snippet Philosophy, by Kim Blair

(close-up section of larger mixed media)

Have you ever tried wearing your hair a different way... changed the colour, style... tried on a wig?  I bet you received mixed reactions from friends and family... some loved your new direction and some questioned it.  But in the end it is only yourself that you need to please.

It's the same with art...

Another snippet, by Kim Blair


(close-up section from larger work on paper)

Creating this new body of work has been exhilarating... my painting style has changed in many ways.
Some aspects of the work are familiar, but my creative boundaries have started to dissolve and I am very excited about the new direction my work is taking.

Sometimes we need to take risks...


Snippets of things to come, by Kim Blair


(close-up section from larger work on paper)

I have been creating a new body of work for my upcoming show at the Faculty of Extension.

No date for the show at this time, but it should be sometime this year... and since I do not want to post any photos of the new work that will be in the show I thought it might be fun to post a snippet now and then of one of the pieces... mixed media on 300 lb. watercolour paper. 

More to come...