News

Bau-Xi Gallery is pleased to announce representation of Canadian abstract painter Vicky Christou.

Vicky Christou explores the illusionary play between colour, proportion and pattern to construct a dimensional surface within the pure form of the grid. Her abstract paintings and pastels are her way of encoding a series of personal experiences in time. 

The metaphor of the shield and veil inform the poetic interplay of her most recent work, which is composed of multiple layers of thick impasto that resemble paint-constructed bas-relief works, working together to form a grid with incredible depth. 

The application of the paint in repetitive patterns in various orders and consistency becomes an industrial system for Christou, constructing surfaces that appear both sculptural and painterly. A grid of acrylic impasto, suggestive of an architectural tapestry, thread throughout the top surface offering varying glimpses into the layers of colour that form the composition. A record of accumulated paint lines are seemingly cast out for a thematic search of the netted form, inviting an optical play between the pigments solidity and illusionary characteristics.

Born in Melbourne, Australia, Christou immigrated to Canada in 1969 and is a graduate of the Emily Carr College of Art and Design.

Richly textured abstract paintings and geometric pastels on paper will debut at Bau-Xi Vancouver as part of the annual Holiday Exhibition (December 3 - 28).

VIEW VICKY CHRISTOU WORK HERE

'The Intimates' On display at Bau-Xi Gallery Toronto, December 3-18, 2016

The Intimates (window sill), 54 x 40 in. oil on canvas, 2016

We recently sat down with artist Darlene Cole for a conversation about her upcoming exhibition, 'The Intimates'.

How do you approach creating a new series?

 a) A new playlist!

 b) I find that working on a small scale in the beginning gets me to the gritty raw bits of what I want to say and feel... I immediately know if it has the push and pull that I want.

 c) I draw from what is around me, human to human, relationships, pathways, landscapes, visits to antique shops in Old Ontario, my artist retreat, etc.

For 'The Intimates' I bought a new Moleskine sketchbook and some yummy chalk that feels like I'm on a boat when I work with it. It is a green/grey blue...like a wild lake colour. I've been drawing (rather habitual) while standing at an old table that came from a historical building in Belleville, Ontario. The table is painted in an 'as found' glossy blue/grey colour that I can see the shadow of my hand in as I draw. Although I'm a bit of a nighthawk, I draw only during the day under natural light. It is an intimate experience with the music, daylight, the soft chalk on cream paper on the old table.

How do you know when you've chosen the perfect 'theme' for the show?

I keep bits of green masking tape on my walls in the studio...words or phrases that often have dual meanings. I might hear words in songs as I'm working, or often they just come to me at odd times...unloading the dishwasher or drying my hair. My work is truly on my mind all the time...like fine webbing that joins one thought to another as I move from space to space. The title for the show has to feel right in my space as I walk around this old house. It has to feel right with the ceiling height, the light filtering in...it is like part of the plot somehow or a hint of the setting...it has to 'fit' into my world...and make your cheeks blush a bit when you think of it.

What element of your work do you visualize first?

The feeling...the atmosphere of the painting.

How long will you work on paintings for 'The Intimates'? 

I never know the answer to this question...but with 'The Intimates', the small scale paintings may continue perhaps for a museum show... 

Which elements of your familiar imagery will turn up in this show?

The white rabbit, the dress, the boat, the fawn, the horse, the curtain, roses and peonies...

Do you have any surprises for us?

Palm trees, perhaps a violin, some leopard print and a honey container from WWII...

CLICK TO VIEW ARTWORK BY DARLENE COLE

SEA-Tac Delta Sky lounge welcomes an exciting new installation by sculptor Paul Vexler

A fluid dance of bentwood and laminate hangs suspended from Delta's newly renovated Sky Lounge at Seattle's Sea-Tac airport. Created by sculptor Paul Vexler, the commission work cleverly speaks to the flight patterns, excitement and the optimism of travel. 

View more work by Paul Vexler

IMAGE DETAILS: Cori Creed, 'Waste Land,' 60 X 180 inches, oil, spray paint and wood on board 

CORI CREED AND TRACEY TARLING PARTICIPATE IN THE ENVIRONMENTALLY FOCUSED EXHIBITION, 'REVERSING THE TIDE' RUNNING SEPTEMBER 20 TO OCTOBER 16 AT THE FERRY BUILDING GALLERY

The ongoing threat to our precious oceans and waterways is the subject of the latest group exhibition at the Ferry Building Gallery. Bringing together environmentally charged works by Cori Creed, Tracey Tarling, Esther Rausenberg and Richard Tetrault, 'Reversing the Tide' endeavors to illuminate the destruction effacing Canadian waters. 

'Waste Land,' a triptych by Creed, brings attention to conscious and unconscious destruction of the environment by humans.

"The act of deliberate destruction upon an item of perceived value (like a painting) seems repugnant, while the thoughtless, daily choices that collectively erode the health of our oceans are individually viewed as acceptable. On a literal level, “Waste Land” describes the conversion of our coast to a wasteland. The cliche of torched earth, the “growths” of charred driftwood adhered to the canvas. This small sacrifice made in the hopes that the viewer will find the effect jarring enough to question their relationship to the personal possessions that they invest considerable effort into keeping pristine as opposed to the natural assets that deserve more care and attention than they receive."

IMAGE DETAILS (LEFT TO RIGHT): Detail of charred wood used in Cori Creed's 'Waste Land'; Detail of tar used in Tracey Tarling's 'Reversing the Tide'

'Reversing the Tide,' a large scale mixed media and tar on board work by Tarling, seeks to question the responsibility that we have to water and it's necessity to life.

"All life moves through the perpetual cycle of water to air, land to sea and then back again. We pull it from the depths of the earth and walk great distances to draw it to us. All people create rituals and celebration around it. We continue to fight wars over it. Water is the thread that binds and sustains us all. Can we learn to become better stewards of this precious resource?

Look out for new works by both artists featured in our upcoming November exhibition, 'Through Forest, Sea and Sky' opening November 5 at Bau-Xi Vancouver. 

IMAGE DETAILS: Tracey Tarling, 'Reversing the Tide,' 72 X 96 inches, mixed media/tar on wood

'Reversing the Tide' runs September 20 to October 16 at The Ferry Building Gallery

View work by Tracey Tarling

View work by Cori Creed

Ferry Building Gallery webpage