Hank Bos, Canadian painter

…a late March entry

March 29, 2010

It has been a while since my last entry.  Time flies when…

Actually, I have been busy exploring Les Automatistes in book format.  The art is currently on display at the Albright Knox in Buffalo (www.albrightknow.org) after a successful run at the Varley Art Gallery in Vaughan, ON (www.varleyartgallery.ca ).  This publication for the show is well worth it; a great overview of the period with wonderful reproductions.  I’ve been learning to give my ‘muse’ some “free-er” reign after reading the book and perusing the art reproduced in it.  It’s challenging to allow oneself the freedom to explore outside the safe and secure boundaries one is used to.  Thank goodness for artists who push themselves and extend themselves.  They provide incentives for people like me.

To prove I have been exploring and stretching, I’ve included three paper pieces in this blog.  Not that these are successful pieces, but they do demonstrate that a growth process is happening, even within a stick-to-the-tried-and-true painter like me.  Two of these explorations were done with inks, watercolour, gouache, and even some casein.   The last of the three is a single print completed with oil paint on a cut and carved rubber plate.  This one is an attempt to interpret a lake scene (Purdy Lake, ON) in a non-traditional manner.  I may decide to create another version of this in future, but as a painting rather than a print.

I have just completed two more paintings of Canada’s East Coast (a series which I had thought was completed).  Both are interpretive/abstract paintings of plant life and more in the style of two others already on my website.  I’m hoping my webmaster can add them to my website soon. One is called Plentiful and the other is called Veiled Beauty.  I will complete two more in that style as well.  The early stages of these two in the same series as they now appear in my studio are included below:

I’ve been encouraged to explore my artistic skills somewhat more fully recently.  My friend who introduced me to Les Automatistes was one.  Another person (“Thanks, Carl.”) told me, gently, that a series consists of multiple paintings in a similar style or genre.  Pretty obvious, really.  But I didn’t know what constituted a series.  So now, I’m working on a true series of paintings.  These paintings are connected by subject and style.  A selection of this series will be on display at ARTspace (Chatham, ON) from May 3 through June 6, 2010.  I am discovering new inspiration when I force myself to explore further within a limited form of expression.

Another person (whose exciting work is available for your viewing pleasure at www.jordanbroadworth.com) suggested I might consider having two or three paintings on the go at once.  For a painter who has spent most of his life squeezing painting time into a busy professional (not art) life, this was a radical idea.  I followed Jordan’s advice and discovered he was right.  If a problem or challenge arises in one painting, the solution can often be found through working in another piece.  Plus, the colour connections and compositional ideas are much easier to maintain throughout the series.  (“Thanks, Jordan.”)

Check in again.  Sometime within the next two weeks the two paintings currently on easels in my studio will be completed and added to my website.  Hope to see you at ARTspace in May.  You can tell me in person you read this blog.

Bye for now.

P.S. Did you turn off those lights for Earth Hour?  Check out wwf.ca/earthhour/.  Come to think of it, turn off your lights whenever you’re not in the room.

February 23, 2010

February 23, 2010

A blog entry in two parts:

FIRST ENTRY: It’s February 11 and, I am pleased to report, I have been painting!

I hinted I might be returning to an East Coast theme once more, and so I have, although getting to a satisfactory stage in the painting process has been, well, …a process.

My original intent was to create a series of three paintings of related subject matter which would be combined into a triptych.  Two of the panels are 24X26 and one is 48X12.  I created two realist paintings for the congruent panels to be placed atop the long one; one was a close-up of a large rock and several smaller rocks surrounded by water, the other was a shoreline scene of a wave splashing against a large rock with a distant shoreline in the background.  Both were slavishly completed and… incredibly boring!

I cleaned off the panels and started again.  This time I allowed my imagination free reign. I used two cropped seaweed close-up pics as my reference photographs.  The end result does not look like weeds at all, but both panels certainly show a lot more excitement and action.  Here is one of the nearly completed panels:

…………………………

SECOND ENTRY: It’s February 21, and how time flies.  I actually began writing this part of the entry on February 19 and much has changed even since then.

I spent several days of the past week in Toronto with two good friends visiting many galleries.  A good thing to do for a painter!

Here’s a link for a wonderful show at the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (www.mocca.ca).  The current show is Will Gorlitz: nowhere if not here.  Well worth seeing.

I came home and changed my mind once again.  I reviewed the panel above, plus the matching panel and decided to rework them with an emphasis on creating a floating effect; “floating” as on water.  I also wanted to work within a nearly monochromatic colour scheme.  My focus was on allowing myself as much freedom as possible.  I just wanted to explore monochromatic colour variations and simple flowing shapes.  My guides for each of the two panels were the previously established paintings which I had sanded down.

I changed the composition of the triptych as well.  I replaced the long bottom panel with a diamond-shaped panel; on that panel I created a close-up view of water weeds just barely visible under the water’s surface.   This was the only one of the three panels painted in a recognizably realist style.

Once all three panels were completed, I tried a variety of layouts for the triptych.  I’m fortunate in that I have a balcony view into my livingroom.  The livingroom floor became my display wall as I viewed various compositions from the balcony above.  My final choice was assembled into the triptych now on my website in the SEAland series under the title Above and Below.  I may yet design an aluminum edged frame for the joined panels, but, for now, this painting is completed.

I think the Canadian East Coast is out of my system for a while.  I will be back in PEI and Nova Scotia this summer, 2010.   Perhaps another series after that visit?  Who knows?

Until next time,

To China…and back

January 30, 2010

Things don’t always go as planned.

I thought by now, since my last entry,  I’d have several new paintings on the go about our fall trip to South Korea and China; perhaps a watercolour or two or at least one oil painting.  Not the case.  Instead I’ve been dawdling and playing in my studio, and sitting at my computer looking at pictures of our trip.

I found I was drawn to a series of pictures I took at the Shanghai Museum.  This is a large, modern-looking structure filled with ancient artifacts such as scrolls, paintings, furniture, and so much more.  Here’s the link:  http://www.shanghaimuseum.net/en/index.jsp

I was particularly attracted to the pottery gallery where the display focused on ancient Chinese bowls and vases as well as figurines and animal sculptures.  Each item was placed on a clear acrylic pedestal in glass cases. You can just see the top of the pedestal in this picture I took there:

I like black and white photography so I worked some Picasa magic and created a series of small black and white prints on photographic printer paper with my printer.  Each picture is about 1.5 to 2 inches on every side.  I liked them so much I decided to make a book for them.  I have leaves of (imitation) gold leaf and thought that would suit these precious artifacts well.  Besides that, gold is valuable in every culture that has found it; no less so in China.  And so, I made a gold leaf book.

When that was completed I was reminded of a biblical reference about us (humans) as vessels.  That led me to think of Rumi and, consequently, I did an online search for his references to vessels as a metaphor for the human being.  Eventually I found a wonderful quote.  Here it is:

The earthy forms which here surround us are, as it were, vessels fraught with spiritual wine, only visible to those who have learnt to discern the deep things of the Spirit.” (…from The Masnavi, Story VIII, Mahmud and Ayaz, by Rumi)

I included the quote above (for more on Rumi, check out this website:  http://www.rumi.net/ ) into the new book.  You will soon be able to see the book in my website under Other Media.  It’s called Vessels.  I have used my own images from the museum in Shanghai.  The pictures are mine, but the museum owns the copyright; I do not claim it.

Now after all that, I ended up exploring the wonderful shape of the bowl you see on the front cover of the book.  It’s such a simple shape, …about a quarter or a third of a circle or a sphere but it suggests so much more!  That’s when I started to sketch various extensions for the shape of the bowl and its base.  I thought of Mondrian and his use of lines and the way his lines could continue far beyond the edges of the canvas, yet effectively live within the confines of the canvas.  And his colours, …so bold and powerful!  On the other hand, he developed a dislike for green.  Here’s a great introduction to Mondrian which could lead to a worthwhile search online: http://www.artchive.com/artchive/M/mondrian.html

My modest knowledge of Chinese culture tells me that red is a powerful good luck colour.  Blue and yellow also have their place in their “lucky” colours schema.  I also know that things in pairs are lucky.

As I mentioned earlier, the Shanghai Museum is bright and bold and modern.  The pottery is old and handcrafted.  Each piece rests on one of the most modern of materials, a clear acrylic base.   Here’s how I explored those connections on newsprint:

and on gessoed watercolour paper with painter’s tape:

The end-result will soon be up on my website in the section called Other Media.  It’s called “Two Bowls, Shanghai Museum”.  It looks like a lino print because I used newsprint as a blotter on the wet painting.

I’m not sure where I’ll end up next, as far as “art” is concerned, but I invite you to check in again and see. I’m actually considering returning to the Canadian East coast series once more for a triptych, but who knows?  I’ll be as surprised as you when I next submit another blog entry in mid-February.

Jan.14, 2010 … and a (re)created website!

January 15, 2010

THANK YOU! …and again, THANK YOU,  ADRIAN, for all the great work on my revamped website.  You’ve worked hard during the recent holidays and beyond (including some late evenings) to (re)create a website that inspires me.  It is easy to navigate through the site because your careful organization and layout works wonders.  You make me look good.  I’ll do my best to work towards your level of excellence.  You have skills your Dad can’t even imagine.

So…

I recorded the start on my latest painting in my East Coast series.  Sometimes things go smoothly and easily; other times it’s a struggle.  I read or heard somewhere that a truly dedicated worker (Yes! … art is work!) perseveres despite the occasional lack of inspiration or apparent success.  Here’s an early-stage snapshot of how I was struggling to develop the composition in my latest seashore close-up painting.

Abundance (early stages)

At this point it was still somewhat discordant; there were too many unrelated elements.  Then again, I was only able to work on it for a couple of hours each of two evenings.  A more concentrated period of time was needed.  I began to sketch some (un)related ideas while making cards.  Some of these are here:

Just in these last two days I finally began to connect to my original vision for this painting.  As I developed the strong areas in the upper right corner and then the generous purples on the upper left corner I began to realize this painting needed to be about “abundance”.

It’s as if a door opens when I become aware.  The painting progresses much more easily when I am truly in touch with the canvas and the paints.  I explore more freely and readily, and am willing to take more risks.

Anyway, the completed painting is on my website at www.hankbos.com in the Paintings section under the SEAland Series.  It’s the last entry.  It’s called Abundance.

I remain eager to develop this series of “response” paintings.  Although my trip to Canada’s East Coast was almost two years ago, it is an important memory for me.  So much to see and do.  So much to touch and hear.  So many friendly people and beautiful villages.  Above all, that ever-present sea pushing and pulling at the shore.

I may do so again in future, but I think I’m ready to work on another series…

This series will be about a further East; the East I visited for the first time just three months ago when we travelled to South Korea and China.  I have several paintings in mind and will certainly share them on this blog as I develop them over the next months.  Meanwhile, I’ve selected just one of my many photographs and include it here:

That laughing market vendor reminds me of one of the most wonderful trips of my life.

I’ll be looking at many pics over the next few days.  Perhaps some sketches and small watercolours will be done as well.  Check back in two weeks or so and see how things are progressing.

My First Entry

December 27, 2009

How to begin?  Where to begin?  … and for whom?

Might as well begin with my latest series of paintings since that’s what my blog should be about… painting and my explorations in techniques, and also my search for the ideas and thoughts about painting in the works and words of others.  If I find someone whose work strikes a responsive chord in me, I’ll link it here, and perhaps you, my unknown (to me) reader, will be inspired to explore with me.

Currently I’ve been working on a series of paintings based on a trip to Canada’s east coast.  I travelled there during the summer of 2008 with my wife, my sister, and my brother-in-law.  We visited some of the latter’s old haunts and explored many new places as well.  For a land-locked person like me, this was an incredible experience.  The coastal waters in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and, above all, Newfoundland were a wonder to behold.  Newfoundland all the more so because this marked the first trip there for three of us.

We are all willing campers and hikers.  This made the trip all that much more rewarding.  Our sights were not set on luxurious overnight accommodations, instead we looked for wonderful and enticing venues to walk through and visit during each day without the limitation of having to get into a hotel for the night.  This approach allowed us more latitude to travel at will.  We stayed in great campgrounds, very inviting “bed and breakfasts”, and several hotels.  We enjoyed each and every place we visited.

Why paint my response to the East coast?

I live in the southern-most part of Canada, less than two hours drive from Point Pelee.  Check a map and you’ll see that’s about as far south as one can live in Canada.  We have lots of “great” lakes very close by, but we don’t have oceans.  We don’t have that sense of an almost limitless expanse of water hitting our shores.  And that’s what I found so inspiring!

Looking down at the ground at my feet as I stood on several shores in the Atlantic provinces, I saw the power of the water and its waves, gentle or rough, constantly working to mold and change and interact with the land.  We saw rocks tumbled and shaped by water over thousands of years, seaweeds of all kinds blanketing the land’s edges, and sea creatures in many stages of decay resting and bobbing with the ebb and flow of the ocean’s constant actions.

There was a sense, not based on extensive knowledge and experience, but profound nevertheless, that life began here; here in that watery world and here where the water touches the land that makes up such a small portion of our planet.

My most recent paintings are my attempt to relay that sense of wonder to my viewers.  I hope to extend my technique with touches of (for lack of a better expression) “abstract realism”; the exploration of shapes and colours found in extreme close-ups of the organic shapes and forms found in the eddies and rock-pools and marshes and more on Canada’s eastern shores.

I’m enjoying my excursion all over again as I view my jpegs from our trip.  I manipulate the images, explore the options for potential compositions and patterns, and enhance and crop to my heart’s content.

I hope you’ll enjoy some of my exploration so far.  It’s been a healthy departure from safer painting havens in my past, and I hope it’ll be the beginning of more adventurous endeavours in paintings yet to come.  Check in every so often and see how I’m doing.

By the way, my next series will be based on an other East.  More about that later.