“I wanted it to be different and I think I have achieved that. It’s just a place where young artists that are breaking the scene are able to contact us and find out how they can display their artwork…
Read MoreNovember at Twist has been all about abstract art. Meet Cobie Cruz, one of the amazing artists in our group exhibition. Vibrant colours and bold strokes are just a taste of what you’ll get from this artist.
Q: What inspires your art?
A: For me I think it’s seeing a lot of colours around me. I love colours, I love textures, I like brush strokes. Most of the time before I start, I get inspirations from all sorts of media. For example, just a simple picture of a poster. Sometimes when I drive by a gas station, you see big posters there. Sometimes I see the particular image, the composition, whether there’s a person standing, or person promoting the poster. I see that composition and the colours in it like an abstract. That’s how I start.
Q: Can you talk about your process? What tools do you use to create?
A: I normally start applying modeling paste. Modelling paste allows me to add textures and details. I just apply without thinking of anything. I just apply on the white clean canvas and then sometimes I let it dry and add a little more later, a thin layer of the modelling paste. It gives me all sorts of textures. Sometimes I use a simple cleaning brush and once I apply the modelling paste, I scrape the cleaning brush onto it and it creates the vertical, diagonal strokes or whatever I want to do. It’s a stroke I freely apply.
After that, that’s when I apply the colours that I have seen around me. I start, in my mind, with three or four colours. I apply it and sometimes fill the canvas with 3 or 4 colours on it. That’s normally my first stage. I freely do my brush strokes without thinking of anything else. Nothing.
Stage 2 of the process is what I call the push and pull. When I say push, I add more colours that I think lack on the stage 1. The pull that I’m talking about is editing it, meaning that if I find that the colour red is too much, I’ll paint white over it to lessen the red. Sometimes if I find it lacks red, I’ll push it back. When I pull it that’s when I subtract or edit the colour.
Stage 3, that’s when I start to smile. When I feel that I am smiling already. Stage 3 is when I just do the final touches. That’s the process that I always apply to all of my paintings.
Q: When did you first discover art? Are you self-taught or did you go to school for it?
A: At an early age of I think 8 or 9. Seeing my dad work at an artist also, it runs in the family. I saw him working in an advertising agency and at the same time painting. He was a realist and I think I was exposed to his art that when I was 9 years old. I started doodling and I discovered that I can draw and paint. I remember my dad allowed me to use his leftover paints because art materials are really expensive.
I thought I had fun doing that when I was younger and then couple of years later, I clearly remember that I knew what I was going to take up in university and it was fine arts. I majored in advertising, but my dad encouraged me to take up painting as my major. But I said no, I think can learn painting on my own, just watching him, just loving the colours around me. I think that’s how it started. I didn’t feel bad that I didn’t follow his advice because right now I am painting.
I went to advertising industry after university, it was only until the late 90s I started painting. I used to paint realistic clouds. Then after that I remember I said in the late 90s, if I am going to be a visual artist, I’m not going to be like my dad who is a realist. He painted flowers, rocks, fields, he loves those earth tone feels where green is the guide. I even asked permission from my dad that if I’m going to be a visual artist, can I do abstract. “Absolutely” he said. “I just want you to paint, I don’t want you to let go of your talent. I believe you have the talent.”
I was able to have my first one man show in 2000 and a few years later my second one.
Q: What is your person goal as an artist?
A: Besides the money. I’m not going to lie to you, beside the finances that I can acquire from painting, on the human side, I want to see people smile, at least smile at my work. I think that one is already a real goal I have achieved. Hopefully they will like it and eventually go to the financial side, but the goal is to create art. It sounds cliché but every time I finish one piece for instance, like I said, on my own if I feel like there’s a smile on my face already, that’s a goal.
Q: How do you title your artworks?
A: When I title my artwork it’s not an individual thing, it’s a series. When I paint, I want to make sure I have a series, I’m not going to paint this colour scheme and then later on another colour scheme. It’s like having a theme.
Q: Do you have a particular piece that has a special connection to you?
A: Yeah, but you know what? That piece wasn’t sold. I have a lot of paintings that I really love that have stayed in my art studio. I remember one artist friend of mine said it’s natural that you have your favourite painting, but it doesn’t get sold. It’s like music, the melody flows and when the melody flows very well you tend to like it, you tend to keep it to yourself. It’s like your heart talking to you, that this is the kind of music you like. That goes for my paintings as well. The composition, the colours are flowing smoothly. It’s like my eye is flowing fluidly, it’s not jumping from one spot to another although sometimes there are paintings that I’ve done that my eyes wander. It’s like my eyes are exploring. That’s also a good indication for me that I love my creation.
Q: Who are some of your favourite artists?
A: Robert Motherwell is one. De Kooning is one. I have some influence from his drippings even though I don’t apply it. During my early stage when I was painting, I was influenced from De Kooning’s drippings and then later on I discovered Robert Motherwell. He had this stroke that’s very similar to my strokes. I thought of studying his strokes. If there’s an artist I’m influenced by I think it’s from those two artists. I think they’re the 50s artists.
Q: What is it like to be an artist in today’s world?
A: To be honest, there’s a lot of artists in the past fifteen years. Maybe because I am already exposed to it in the community, there’s artist from young to old generations. Again, another cliché, it’s passion. In the morning, I wake up and after doing my responsibilities, because I have another job, if only I can make this painting my full-time job, I would be the happiest visual artist in the world. I love to paint. I get inspired from painting as well. Especially if I’m in the zone, I feel so light. It’s like I want to forget the other responsibilities and I want to paint the whole day. Although sometimes it’s tiring because your mind keeps working.
I have a lot of friends who are not artists and they say “wow, I think you’re the happiest person in the world.” I say why? They said because you’re doing what you want and you’re happy with it. My answer to them is yes, I’m very happy but at the same time it’s tiring, my mind keeps thinking. Am I complaining? I say no. It’s not that I simply sit down or stand up. I let my hands do the strokes with the help of the brush right, but it’s tiring as well. But at the end of the day, sometimes after two hours, three hours, when I feel like I have this smile on my face I feel like it’s okay.
Q: Do you find it financially challenging?
A: Right now, honestly no because I’m selling. Thank god I’m selling. People appreciate my work and because of that I can sustain my painting because obviously I have to sustain it with art supplies. The challenge there is not just the money. I want to make sure people will smile when they see my paintings. That’s my biggest challenge. To be honest, money will come later on, but I have to take care of the people who will like, who will love, and will buy my paintings. That’s the challenge.
September at Twist was all about abstract art. We sat down with artist Gabriele Craig, featured in the gallery this month, and got to know more about her background, process and more.
Read MoreHow truly special it is when a beautiful couple share their vows right here at Twist Gallery.
We felt blessed to have had this event take place here. Just imagine all the joy and laughter that was shared! We wish a life time of happiness to the couple, Sasha & Illian.
Check out the amazing photos taken of the wedding by Oleh Bozhyk. Click through the gallery and the sheer amount of happiness captured will surely put a smile on your face.
Twist Gallery is known for organizing monthly group exhibits. Each month we welcome a new set of artists to decorate our gallery walls with their work! If you have ever wondered how we choose each theme, how we find local artists to showcase, or what exactly goes into planning such an exhibit, here is an inside scoop to how we do it:
1: Monthly Schedule
A lot of planning goes into organizing a group exhibit, so we often start this process months in advance. Twist Gallery does sometimes rent out the space for solo shows and other events, so the first thing we do is choose a month that is yet to be booked and we go from there!
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2: Choosing a Theme
Choosing a theme for the month we are organizing a show for seems like an easy task, but there is a lot of details we need to think about. Firstly, Twist Gallery is also an event venue, meaning we host many weddings, receptions, and business parties. We always try to choose a theme that would be unique and intriguing, but also one that is fairly versatile (we tend to stay away from portraiture, and nudism as that style of art is not everyone’s first choice decor in their wedding photos). Secondly, we have to choose themes that will be somewhat easy to book. If we choose a specific theme that not many artists work with, the chances of filling our gallery walls for that particular month are not as high (sometimes we have to change the theme a few times before thinking of one that works).
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3: Scouting Artists
Once a theme has been chosen, it’s time to look for local Canadian artists that create works of art that would fit the theme (and that can be hung on the wall). Everyone has their own way of searching for artists. Looking for artists online, contacting art schools and various artist collectives, following other organized art shows, and via social media are all great ways we find artists to feature. Sometimes, we will create a post online calling for artists for a specific month, which is also a great way to reach out to our followers who are artists themselves, or who may know someone who they think would be interested in having their work showcased.
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4: Emails, Emails, Emails..
When we find an artist that creates pieces that would fit the theme and is based in the GTA, we give them a shout. We explain our vision for the group exhibit, and see if the opportunity interests them. We email as many artists as we can, and stop searching for artists once all the wall space has been booked!
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5: Autograph Please
To finalize the exhibit, interested artists are required to sign a contract, and pay the fee for their chosen wall size. Artists can choose from purchasing either 10ft of wall space for $150 or 20ft of wall space for $400. Their art is up for the duration of the month, and is available for purchase!
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6: Floor Plan
We plan out where each artists will hang their art prior to them arriving on set up day. We like to find a perfect spot for each artists work to stand out and compliment the works of the other artists!
7: Set Up Day (Yay!)
Each artist is responsible for hanging up their artwork the way they want it!
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8: Advertising
To generate buzz about the new exhibits we print flyers to give out, and we regularly update our website and all our social media outlets! We also send out reminders and invitations to our subscribed mailing list!
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9: Opening Night
We organize an opening reception to introduce the exhibit to the community! This event is open to the public; people love meeting the faces behind their favourite works of art! We send out invitations to our subscribed mailing list and always encourage everyone to spread the word of this fun night! ...and yes, refreshments are provided!
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Written by: Aleksandra Kaliszuk
This month, Twist Gallery is pleased to be featuring artwork created by students from the Visual Arts Claude Watson program at Earl Haig; a high school located in North York. The program gives talented students professional training in their field and experiential learning opportunities that help them develop their art and individualism. The school prioritizes their talent as much as their academic careers, shaping their minds and letting them express themselves through dance, drama, film arts, music, and of course, visual arts.
Works included in the exhibit are created by students from grades nine to twelve, and feature a variety of mediums, such as watercolour, graphite, acrylic and photography. The students were actively involved in aspects of exhibit curation and the set up process.
The exceptional work and attention to detail is truly inspiring. It is no wonder that the exhibit has received great feedback from the public so far.
Encouraging individualism, creativity, and self expression at a young age, allows youth to develop their talents and reach their true potential. Gaining exposure and gallery presence as an emerging artist is exciting and beneficial. Such opportunities allow the students to gain experience and exposure, which can lead to great successes in the future.
Come visit Twist Gallery to see the refreshing perspectives of Toronto youth. The exhibit is up for the entire month of March!
Written by: Aleksandra Kaliszuk
Picture yourself on your wedding day, surrounded by loved ones, good food, even better music, and.. art! Twist Gallery, a charming, loft-style art gallery located in the heart of downtown Toronto, is the ideal venue for your wedding and/or wedding reception. Our staff are here to help you make your special day, and all the planning leading up to it, seem effortless.
This elegant venue can accommodate both your wedding and the reception, without any additional setup required. Whether you would like a buffet or seated meal reception, Twist Gallery staff will take care of all the set up and clean up necessary to make the evening run smoothly.
We partner with local vendors to create the wedding you have been imagining. We will help you take care of details such as finding the perfect DJ to curate the soundtrack of your night, to choosing a florist that will put together flawless floral ensembles to decorate the space.
In hopes of helping you check those details off of your wedding checklist, here are some of our favourite vendors:
Sarah Bunnet Gibson
www.sarahbunnett-gibson.com
Retrieved from sarahbunnett-gibson.com
Gusto Catering
www.gusto54.com
Retrieved from Instagram @gusto54cateringto
Fusion River Photography
www.fusionriverphotography.com
Retrieved from fusionriverphotography.com
Leonardo Films Photography
www.leonardofilms.ca
Retrieved from leonardofilms.ca
Niv Shimson
www.nivshimson.com
Retrieved from nivshimson.com
Christine Lim
www.christinelim.com
Retrieved from christinelim.com
DJ Danny Floh Back
www.flohback.com
Retrieved from Instagram @twistgallery
Scarlets Table
www.scarletstable.com
Retrieved from Instagram @scarletstable
June Bloom Events
www.junebloomevents.com
Retrieved from Instagram @junebloomevents
Flora & Forage
www.floraandforage.com
Retrieved from Instagram @floraandforage
Petals & Stems
www.petalsandstems.ca
Retrieved from Instagram @petalsnstems
Coriander Girl
www.coriandergirl.com
Retrieved from Instagram @coriandergirl
DeLight Floral Design
www.delightfloraldesign.com
Retrieved from Instagram@delightfloraldesign
Anthi
www.anthi.com
Retrieved from Instagram @anthifloral
Together with your chosen vendors, we guarantee that your special day will be no less than perfect.
For more information on renting our venue, click on the ‘EVENTS’ tab or contact us at 416-588-2222.
Written by: Aleksandra Kaliszuk
Step One: Contact Us!
If you are interested in showcasing your work at Twist Gallery, send us an email or stop by to show us your work! There are twelve months in a year, meaning twelve new and unique exhibits hosted at the gallery and twelve months of opportunity. We love showcasing all local artists, no matter if you are well established, emerging, or a student!
@twistgallery
Step Two: Be Picky
Once we determine that your artwork is a perfect fit for an upcoming exhibit, we ask that you show us samples of your work that you would like to feature. This helps us visualize the show and select wall space in the gallery which would best compliment your work.
@twistgallery
Step Three: Wall Space
Depending on how many pieces of your collection you would like to showcase, and how you envision them to be hung up during the show, let us know how much wall space you would like to purchase for the month.
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Step Four: Getting Down to Business
Now that we know what pieces you are interested in showcasing at Twist, and how much wall space you would like, we send you a contract illustrating all the details of the show! Signing it and sending the payment confirms your interest and secures your spot in the exhibition.
@twistgallery
Step Five: Let Us Get to Know You
It’s time to start putting together advertisements. We ask that you send us samples of your work, and any information about yourself that you would like to include in the flyers. We'll take it from here. Our subscribed mailing list will receive exhibition alerts and reminders as the time approaches as well as an invitation to the opening reception when the time comes. All of Twist Gallery’s social media outlets will be updated with information about you, and the exhibit in the upcoming weeks and during the month of the exhibit!
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Step Six: Time to Celebrate!!
The month of the exhibit has finally arrived. Once you hung up your artwork on the wall and took a selfie with it for your own Instagram, all that is left to do is attend the opening reception, meet the other artists taking part in the show, and the people who came to admire you and your art!
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Written by: Aleksandra Kaliszuk
This month, Twist Gallery is hosting an encaustic art exhibit. For those less familiar with the term, encaustic paintings are created by layering pigmented hot wax onto various mediums and manipulated to illustrate the artists’ vision. This unique technique results in beautiful textured artworks.
Each artist featured in this month’s exhibit creates encaustic work that is mesmerizing and unique.
Sandy Middleton
Sandy Middleton is a Canadian photographer and artist; she combines both passions to create her pieces. Photographs are often the main element in her works, while using beeswax and other materials to enhance the image and how it is perceived.
Dania Al-Obaidi
Dania Al- Obaidi is a local artist, living and teaching art in Toronto. Throughout the years, her love for abstract painting has developed into a passion for encaustic art. She believes that art should come from within a person, and is a reflection of their lifetime, skills and experiences.
Anastessia Bettas
Anastessia’s encaustic abstract pieces connect the urban developing world with the world of art. She uses grid to portray urban sprawl, loss of open space and imaginary territories. Her work can be admired in various commercial and public galleries throughout Canada and the USA.
Retreived from anastessiabettas.com
Susan Fisher
Susan Fisher combines her interests in printmaking and photography with encaustic techniques to create beautiful art pieces. Susan shares her talents and expertise through private workshops, and is part of various solo and group shows throughout Canada and the USA.
Claudia Mandler McKnight
Claudia Mandler McKnight uses encaustic painting to express landscape and its reflective presence of place. Her work and its imagery is often inspired by the physical painting surface, its imperfections, and the overall process of creating the work. She is a visual arts teacher and maintains a private practise as an art therapist.
Maggie Doswell
Maggie creates work that combines geometric shape and pixilation using wax and ink compositions, describing the transition from reality to abstraction, inviting the viewer to look more closely at the compositions and its meanings. She believes that visual art is a connection of material and artist through a process.
Joya Paul
Joya Paul is a mixed media visual artist, often including a combination of collage, photography, found objects, drawings, pastel and oil paint in her work. She opened up Second Door Studio in 2015 and continues to work on her art and exhibiting, while also teaching workshops. She hopes to inspire others to discover art as an outlet to express emotions.
Ann Sheir
Ann Sheir’s background in fine art, pottery and graphic design influences her work as an encaustic artist. Ann’s work can also be admires at her gallery/studio in the Distillery District and at Second Door Studio; she teaches workshops at both locations.
Carolanne MacLean
Carolanne is a local Toronto artist. She creates work that is figurative and abstract, seeking to illustrate the absolute point of beauty through colour, form and texture.
Kato Wake
Kato is a graphic designer and painting instructor in Prince Edward County. Kato believes that the creative process of painting is playful dialogue in which the conversation between the canvas, materials and the artist. It is a symbolic and physical experience in which colour plays a significant underlying role. Once the dialogue stops, the painting is finished.
Ian Varney
Ian Varney is a local artist, using bright colours and linear motions to create encaustic works of natural scenery. Ian’s goal is to integrate unrelated images to create new places that are not found in reality.
Written by: Aleksandra Kaliszuk
Local art galleries, like Twist Gallery, are a significant part of Toronto’s art and design culture. Such institutions support local artists’ passions and assist them by providing additional exposure and opportunities. Toronto is developing as a city, and there are more and more local art galleries and ‘artsy’ spaces in Toronto. Local art galleries continue to open up in various neighbourhoods, graffiti is adding colour to the city, coffee shops and restaurants feature local artists’ paintings on their walls, and craft shows are hosted almost every weekend! Supporting the artistic and cultural sprawl is becoming the norm of the city, and it creates a new sense of community and cultural development. This artistic switch changes the way we as a society interact with one another, and with the city.
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Museums and galleries are a communication medium, projecting knowledge and different perspectives upon visitors through artwork and installations. The larger institutions, funded by the government, are infamous for their well known art pieces and exhibits. Although supported by many, these galleries do not allow exposure on a local scale. Unfortunately, sometimes larger institutions may also have an unapproachable look or reputation, discouraging some individuals or groups to explore the space. Although such places are a great way to spend an afternoon, they are often filled with regular membership visitors and class field trips.
Twist Gallery’s role is the community is to bring all local artists and community members together in a completely welcoming, relaxed, social environment. This type of social setting allows anyone and everyone to simply walk in and admire art! Showcasing only local and Canadian artists, of all levels, the gallery blurs the lines between emerging and established artists. An opening reception is organized at the beginning of each month to start off each new show, this type of event allows visitors to mingle with one another and meet the artists behind the works featured that month! Twist Gallery often encourages art students to feature their projects in group exhibits and share their talents, and works closely with various art collectives, always searching for new talent to expose to the constantly changing Toronto art scene.
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In addition to showcasing local art to the public throughout the week, Twist Gallery prides itself in organizing various community engaging events, such as the annual Holiday Market, and existing as a charming event venue, perfect for wedding receptions or corporate events! Events such as these further provide the featured artists with additional exposure to professionals and various community members.
Toronto’s Art and Design District would not exist without the many local art galleries and shops supported by the community. As Toronto develops further, as a city and cultural hub, we encourage everyone to continue to explore these spaces and support our local artists.
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Written by: Aleksandra Kaliszuk
Soooo you said YES!!! Now it’s time to find the perfect dress, the perfect cake, and of course, the perfect venue. There are so many details to think of when planning your dream wedding, but Twist Gallery is here to take one of those details off of your hands - the perfect venue.
@twistgallery
Twist Gallery is an art gallery and event space located in the heart of Toronto’s infamous Queen West. The 5,000 square foot New York- style loft is truly the perfect venue to say “I do” in. This cozy space can accommodate up to 250 guests for a standing reception or 140 seated guests. It’s loft inspired, rustic aesthetic looks beautiful decorated with floral arrangements and lights. You and your guests can dance until dawn by the French Arch windows overlooking the city streets, or catch up with loved ones while admiring art made by local artists!
@twistgallery
Specializing in wedding receptions and a variety of social events, our gallery is known for its incredible space and personalized care. Each detail will be attended to, and your special day will be as unique as you are.
@twistgallery
Written by: Aleksandra Kaliszuk
It’s no secret that purchasing a piece of artwork for your business or home will improve the aesthetic of the area. It is where and from whom you purchase the work of art that makes all the difference though. Supporting local artists by visiting local art galleries or purchasing their work creates a relationship between culture and community. One’s form of expression can be another’s inspiration.
Visiting local art galleries and art shows to admire local art empowers the artists’s freedom of expression, while potentially allowing the visitor to gain a new perspective or to be inspired. You don't have to be an artist to like art. Plus, the artworks displayed in shows are often available to be purchased!
@twistgallery
Purchasing art from a local artist, is not only supportive to the local artists community, but leaves you with a unique work of art! Buying pieces of art or prints from larger corporate stores means that you and thousands of other people have the same piece. So if you're thinking of purchasing a new work of art, shop locally and support your local artist community.
@twistgallery
Twist Gallery prides itself in supporting local artists and always looking for new talent to feature their art in a group show. Each month there is a new exhibit organized, always featuring local Canadian artists!!
Written by Aleksandra Kaliszuk
What: Twist Gallery’s Annual Holiday Market
Where: 1100 Queen St W
When: November 25, 2017 from 1-9pm
Who: Everyone!! This event is FREE to the public!
The weather is getting colder, meaning the holiday season is fast approaching! Tis’ the season for various gatherings and festive activities. We all know that there are more than twelve days of Christmas, and they start on November 25, 2017 at the Holiday Market hosted by Twist Gallery!
@theholidaymrkt
Come see Twist Gallery transform into a Holiday Market; the perfect setting to welcome the holiday season and to enjoy with your family and friends! The artistically decorated gallery will be free to the public from 1-9 pm. The market will have interactive entertainment, such as a DIY Christmas tree (which guests will help decorate) and a holiday photoshoot (where you can make your own props), which will definitely get you in the Christmas spirit! It’s a great place to find unique stocking stuffers and gifts for your loved ones from our local vendors. Sip on hot chocolate and shop while enjoying live entertainment.
The holidays are also a time for giving, so we will be accepting food and toy donations for the local food bank!
The Queen Street West Holiday Market is definitely a place to visit, so save the date and help spread the holiday spirit!
For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/theholidaymrkt/.
Written by Aleksandra Kaliszuk
Art is good for you! Yes, you read that right. The process of creating or experiencing art, whether it be a painting, music, writing, you name it, has positive benefits on one’s psychological well being! Engaging in a creative activity will result in ample health benefits.
Distraction From Everyday Life
Art is a great way to get distracted from that crazy daily routine. We are all constantly bombarded with information and notifications. Taking a moment (or two) to slow down and create something is a great way to unwind and get distracted from all those responsibilities and tasks you've been thinking about all day.
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Stress Relief
Its no secret as to why art and creativity are used as a form of therapy. Research has shown that the right kind of art can affect a hospital patients’ well being by stimulating their brain, taking their mind off their worries and decreasing their stress levels! Art is a form of meditation, and is used to nonverbally express emotions. So yes, go buy yourself that adult colouring book you were eyeing!
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Sense of Accomplishment
Creating something, anything, will trigger an individual’s sense of accomplishment. Feeling accomplished, could result in an increase in self esteem and happiness. Be proud of what you create!
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Problem Solving
By creating art, you challenge your imagination and ability to continue working on a project, making mistakes and facing potential obstacles. This can promote personal growth and problem solving skills which can be reflected in various situations in your life.
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Critical Thinking
Creating and experiencing art can help develop critical thinking skills that can be applied in all areas of one’s life. A recent study at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Northwest Arkansas found that students that were taken to the museum improved their ability to think critically! Other benefits of visiting the museum included historical empathy and a sparked interest in art museums.
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There is evidently a relationship between creativity, individual development and healing. So create something beautiful or visit a gallery… Art is for everyone!
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Written By Simran Birk
This month's exhibition at Twist Gallery, Inner Landscapes, Arisings from the Space of Being, features the extraordinary work of Kim Puil. Half way into the show, Kim’s work has met many positive reviews. Each piece is a big, bold and colorful collage that has its own backstory. We sat down with Kim to gain some perspective on how she was able to create such magnificent pieces.
I understand that you started off as a dancer, was art something you’ve always been interested in? or did you find it as another medium that you could express yourself?
I have always been interested in art and cannot imagine a world without it. I had the privilege of being a young artist in a very exciting time in the art world. The 70’s were bristling with artists breaking boundaries and rules- and the independent art scene was thriving. The dance form that I trained in was technically very hard to do requiring discipline and commitment yet it was full of emotion, intensity and included the shadow side of the psyche. I have been drawing and creating alongside my dance since the beginning.
I understand Bon-Buddhism and yoga are important influences to this exhibition. Could you elaborate on this? Could you describe what Bon Buddhism is?
The dancer and yoga have always walked hand-in-hand so from a very young age I have practiced yoga and continue to do so. They are very complimentary to one another- i.e. movement and stillness etc. As a seeker in life, meditation was the next natural step and I even paused from my life to enter an ashram for a number of months to deepen my experience.
For me, meditation is not about “exiting” the reality of one’s life here on this planet, but it is to understand and work with the realities on all levels, of what it is to be a human. This includes all parts of us whether they are labelled “good” or “bad”, “pleasant” or “unpleasant”. I feel blessed that I was fortunate in my life to have an art form whose purpose of expression and content was to transmit these realities to the audience.
Buddhism has always peaked my curiosity because the teachings are about how to navigate the waters of this life. There is acknowledgement that suffering does exist but at the same time the idea is that we are responsible for and can mitigate how we cope with and react to the challenges that we come across.
Bon buddhism has its roots in the ancient shamans of Tibet and its culminates in the advanced meditative practices of Dzogchen- “The Great Perfection”. The Bon practices encompass the “whole” - our external world as seen in nature and the universe, and the internal world of our mind, emotions and thoughts.
I enrolled in a self-transformational program in the United States called The 3 Doors Academy that was started by my Bon teacher Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche . Over a period of 2 1/2 years one had to practice various meditation techniques, do group and personal retreats and reflect on challenges, resistance or blockages (a.k.a.”pain”) in three areas of our life: personal self, family and work/community. This culminated in 63 written “transformations” where over a period of time by working with formal and informal mediation practices we “dissolved” or experienced a “shift” in the nature of our “pain”.
Kim Puil and In the Midist of It All
Could you also explain the processes behind these collages? They’ve must have taken hours and hours of work! Could you elaborate on the type of mediums you used?
The first step in my process is meditation practice either with or without a purposeful intention. My subject is my experience of “how things are living in me” at a particular moment in time and my working relationship with the meditation practices in any given moment. It’s funny that my work space is very, very tiny and yet the collages are big! I am choreographing in a new way - and at times I am moving my body all over the place as I cut and try to reproduce the kinesthetic sense of what it is that I have felt. I like to use handmade papers from around the world, discarded and found objects as well as the recycled cardboard that is the “canvas.” It takes usually 3-4 weeks to lay down the layers of paper and objects. The job I hate the most is the gluing as I do not usually glue as I go along. I have to make sure that I am well-centered and not tired as this is an arduous process that requires concentration and great patience - a practice of its own!
Inner Landscapes, Arisings from the space of being. Why this title?
“Inner Landscapes” refers to me, the traveler, and my reactions and feelings travelling through the different terrains of my life. “Arisings From The Space Of Being” alludes to what they refer to in Dzogchen as the base of all or on the elemental level - the element of space where everything in existence arises from and dissolves back into. These collages are my arisings- past, present and future and an expression of what it is to be alive.
Finally, what is your favorite piece in this work? Why?
I don't have a favourite piece. I know all of them very intimately as they are all “me” and are a visual, kinetic experience from a very real moment of time in my life. My connection to them is much like that of 2 lovers…we shared, we loved, we travelled the heart and corners of ourselves and now it is time to part, to continue the journey of exploration and share the love with others.
With many great reviews, Inner Landscapes, Arisings from the Space of Being is not to be missed. Come on down to Twist Gallery before June 30th, to see the work before it is gone!
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Who knew so much went into planning an exhibition when making the artwork was hard enough in itself? Unfortunately putting on exhibition is more than simply printing photographs and framing them onto the wall but never fear, we have complied a small list of things for you to consider before displaying your lovely work!
1. THE LIGHTING
It is important to consider the type of the lighting your work will be placed under. If you have fairly warm tones in your photograph and it is placed under tungsten or natural lighting, this could create an overall warm tone to your photograph that you may not want. It is key to view the space beforehand and colour balance your work to fit the lighting accordingly or bring in additional lighting as needed. Windows will also affect lighting and mixing different colour temperatures can cause an odd colour balance. Remember, the photographs will appear darker and less vibrant once printed than on your computer screen so it is always good to make multiple test prints!
2. HOW TO DISPLAY IT
There is more than one way to exhibit your work than simply hanging it on a wall. You can use magnets to create a seamless and borderless look or use frames for a geometric structure but be sure to consider the reflection on top of the glass! The artwork could be tethered to wire and suspended from the ceiling or at the top of a wall to appear as if floating. Depending on what surface you choose to print or paint onto such as a fabric, it can then be folded and draped across a wall. Light boxes are also a unique and innovative way to display photographs that further illuminate and intensify the details of the images.
3. TYPES OF SURFACES
Depending on the type of surface your work is printed or painted on, the texture could create an unwanted appearance. Glossy paper is going to be highly reflective once a light is shone on it, however it makes coloured images look more vibrant and lively. Matte paper can appear quite flat and cause photographs to loose depth. It is always good to print on multiple surfaces and bring them into the gallery space to see how the look under the lighting. You could also print on: metal, wood, fabrics or glass; the possibilities are endless.
4. SEQUENCING
If you’ve created a body of work that all flows and connects with one another, consider how they will be placed and sequenced on the wall. You can place the images chronologically as if to tell a story or if the images do not necessary belong together, they can be grouped by colour or content. Sequencing is important to keep in the back of your mind when arranging the images. Try to think as a viewer walking into the gallery and where their eyes will travel first and carry through onto the next image. How do you want the work to be observed? Be sure to leave space between each piece to allow it to be observed solely on its own or keep them together if you wish to create a different affect.
We hope these tips and tricks have given you some things to consider when planning your next exhibition! You can always draw inspiration from other galleries to see how they display their work or call on other artists for assistance and opinions. Best of luck!
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Written by Leah Concepcion-Vanderbyl.
It’s 11 PM and your deadline’s tomorrow morning. You’ve had a whole month to get your act together and create something, but that “lightbulb moment” just never came and now you’re left staring at a blank canvas/document/page. Pencil in hand, you pray for inspiration to strike, but to your dismay, nothing comes out.
We’ve all been there: a creative rut. Whether you’ve been feeling blocked for a week, month, or year, most artists can relate to the dreaded sensation of drawing a creative blank. Luckily, there are also countless ways to stimulate your imagination and, to learn a few, we asked the experts: young artists. Specifically, the students from the Claude Watson arts program at Earl Haig.
This month at Twist, we’re proud to be showcasing the work of these incredibly talented art students. Featuring work from grades nine through twelve, the exhibition is not only a celebration of the dedication and talent they’ve demonstrated over the past school year, but also a testament to the remarkable level of creativity coming from these young creative minds. Figuring that we could stand to learn a thing or two from them, we spoke to a few of the participating artists during their opening night about how they tap into their creative selves and got some truly sound advice.
TIP #1: INPUT BEFORE OUTPUT
One of the most popular tips we received was to prepare for any project by looking outside of yourself for inspiration; in other words, input before output.
“I feel like a growing trend right now is honestly just going on Instagram and following artists—it’s really helpful,” said grade 12 student Vera Wang. For her piece—an ode to her favourite pen brand, Muji—she looked to the heritage and urban landscapes of Japan for inspiration and created a pen drawing that depicts five different locations where Mujis are found.
Sofie Kreidstein, also in grade 12, agreed: “I go on a sort of art binge — I don’t do that much planning ahead of time, so when I start it’s mostly just these ideas and then problem solving using other ideas, and building on top of them from there. The key is to set aside a certain amount of time in the beginning to get your materials together.”
TIP #2: JUST DO IT (PRODUCE, PRODUCE, PRODUCE)
When it comes to stimulating your creativity, a common theme among the practices of the Claude Watson students seems to be just that: practice. Levana Katz, a grade 12 student at Earl Haig, recommends just putting pen to paper as a start.
“I get blocked a lot, and I can’t always produce,” she said, “so I just try to do observational sketches and then from there—from the forms that I draw and that I like—I’ll keep developing off of that.
“I feel like the most important thing is to actually produce art,” added Ruby Zheng. “As long as you put something on paper or produce something, you will continue to improve and get some results.”
TIP #3: BE SUBJECTIVE
After speaking with Brennan Lu about his conceptual piece, featuring a series of pen lines that illustrate the depletion of his own pen’s ink over time, it became apparent just how important it is to trust in your own subjectivity while starting any creative work.
“I was given only a blue pen to use for this project, so I decided to do a more conceptual work and focus on the pen itself and the ideas that it brought to my mind,” said Brennan. “The main idea that it brought up for me was manufacturing, because blue pens are so common in office jobs. Creating the piece was just drawing a lot of lines… a lot of lines. It was supposed to mirror that monotonous, manufacturing process.”
His advice? Though it’s helpful to try and think objectively in the revision period, one of the best ways to find inspiration for a project is to consider your own unique point of view.
“I think it’s best to look towards what you personally associate with in any sort of project,” Lu said. “I try to look for what I personally feel attached to. Sometimes people think that they want to give a big idea and they want to force their way into working with a particular concept, but when you try to focus on what you see in a certain project, it makes your art a bit more authentic.”
TIP #4: LIGHTEN UP
Their fourth tip for getting out of a creative rut is perhaps the simplest, yet also the easiest to forget: try to lighten up! If you’re under too much pressure, you’ll never be able to produce anything, whereas it’s easy to be imaginative when taking a more playful approach. Kreidstein described her creative process as a sort of give and take between her imagination and her materials.
“We were given the guidelines of having to do a painting on cardboard, so we took the visual data that was already on the surface and found ways to incorporate that in the piece,” she explained. “I saw that my cardboard piece had all these ‘fragile’ stickers on it, so I decided to depict fragile objects in motion, as if they’re falling.” The result is a playful comment on the fragility of these objects which could, in theory, have been protected by the cardboard box they were painted onto.
Her best advice for tapping into your creative self?
“Take the time to listen to music and view art, and just enjoy yourself, so that it’s not necessarily a chore. It shouldn’t be a chore!”
While any artist will tell you that they’ve gone through creative low periods, it’s helpful to remember that these moments will pass. Speaking with the students from Claude Watson, it became clear that when you unburden yourself from expectations and trust in your ability to produce, new ideas and creative impulses will always come… eventually. And, of course, getting inspired by their brilliant works here at Twist could be a great way to get started.
“Following [us on Instagram] at @c.w.art is also super helpful!” Wang added with a laugh.
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Thank you to all the Claude Watson art students who were interviewed and contributed to this month’s exhibition at Twist. To view their work, stop by Twist Gallery at 1100 Queen Street West before March 28th.
October 1st, 2016 marked a day in history for 94-year-old Joseph Connolly. It was on this day that an effervescent smile brushed his face while watching twenty-eight of his large-scaled paintings being installed before his eyes. It is now, several years later, that Connolly is reunited with a few of his beloved paintings, which were concealed in a Montréal storage. That Montréal storage was a time capsule of over a hundred pieces of Connolly’s artwork. A selection of his paintings are now being featured for the first time ever and Toronto’s Twist Art Gallery is playing host.
Before paintbrushes and stretched out canvas, Connolly was formally trained as a businessman; the owner of a women’s clothing company. By the time he was 50, he had sold the successful company to explore the road untraveled.
Connolly swapped his commerce way of thinking for an abstract way of looking at the world. He originally wanted to dip his toes in the arts by participating is a class or two to learn the various painting techniques. After being informed that he wasn’t allowed to take one class, and that he had to be a registered student, he took the plunge and enrolled at Concordia University, in Montréal, Québec. It was during the 1970’s that Concordia University embraced the young-at-heart artist and reconnected Connolly with an artistic passion that would consume him in his Montréal studio for 35 years.
Connolly’s current solo exhibition reflects the influences of his generation. His artwork varies from bold geometric abstraction to passionate brush strokes that paint the flower beds that resemble the fervor techniques of French Impressionist painter, Claude Monet.
It is now - because now is a better time than any – that the wisdom passed on from businessman and artist is being told with the support of his family. Connolly embodies the true meaning of art, what it means, and why we value it. At 94, Connolly is living proof that a person’s creative ambition is the patient warrior guiding us to our triumphant accomplishments.
Joseph Connolly. Photo Taken by Amie Lovan
Joseph Connolly and his family. Photo taken by Amie Lovan
Joseph Connolly’s solo exhibition is being held at Twist Gallery, located at 1100 Queen St. West, Toronto. It is open to the public from Tuesday – Saturday: 11am – 6pm, October 1st to October 29th, 2016.
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Kino Space is currently on at Twist for the month of September. The show consists of several artists who work in the film industry with a diverse background in photography, painting and mixed media works. KINOSPACE began as a way for artists working in the film industry to get out of their working studio environments and create and collaborate together.
This week we’d like to take a closer look at Shari Lee Hollis’s work and her process behind it. Shari creates large scale oil paintings on wood. Her work is inspired by personal notes to self, and things we need to remind ourselves of. A particular standout piece of hers in the show is three wood panels titled 'Let Go or Be Dragged'. Shari says this piece evolved from the idea of human nature’s pattern to often repeat a behaviour over and over hoping for a different outcome when what we really need to do is just let go for change or to move forward, saying that “sometimes we need a fix foot painting with a relevant message to push us forward!”
Shari was kind enough to share some images of work in progress.
Kino Space runs until September, so be sure to come by the gallery to see this and more in person.
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Gary Barnett is an abstract painter residing in Kitchener, ON. This month Gary's best works are being featuring in his solo exhibition, 'One Concept' here at Twist Gallery. We caught up with Gary at the opening reception for his show to learn about where he gets his inspiration and the techniques he uses in his work.
How have your past experiences in music and graphic design led you to pursue painting?
Well music, I got involved with music when I was very young actually. I started taking piano lessons when I was about ten years old. A little bit beyond that I got into new age music, which really is a more natural, organic type of music, so I think that got me interested in other forms of art, which led me into graphic design. I took graphic design in college and in that program I studied life drawing, which really inspired me to go more in the direction of fine art rather than graphic design.
Explain the philosophy or concept behind the artistic style in your paintings.
The concept for my paintings when I first started painting, I used to draw landscapes, flowers, trees, I think I was inspired by nature like most artists are. But I soon realized I was just copying nature and I wasn’t really happy with the results I was getting, so I wanted to experiment with trying to re-create nature. I guess it comes from the concept that all nature, all life in the universe is just chemistry and energy, we’re basically just a mass of energy floating through time and space, that was kind of the initial concept behind my art. Then I started using paint, mixing it with different chemicals, applying forces to the paint rather than controlling the paint with a brush or a knife or other traditional tools. I started blowing the paint, using gravity to control the paint, vibration, and mixing different chemicals with the paint to see what kind of results I could get. Basically the idea is that I wanted to create a natural event on the canvas, actually re-create life on the canvas, or as close as I could get to that.
You have a unique method of painting that combines paint and natural forces. Can you explain this technique?
The technique is again based on the fact that all life is chemistry, and through experimenting with different chemicals , mixing different types of paint together, I use different forces to control the paint. I have a table that I work on that’s about eight feet long and about four feet wide with a glass top. So what I do is I lay a canvas on the table, soak it so it’s really flat, and then I start pouring the paint on the canvas and start using forced air to blow the paint, add different chemicals with the paint, I mix different types of paint together. One thing I’ve discovered is that at a molecular level, acrylic paint and different types of paint are very similar to organic life. So when you mix them together and apply energy to them you can get very interesting, natural results that appear, fine details and things that happen in nature that you see in plants or frost on a window for example, and you can get that by manipulating the different types of paints.
What do you want people to feel when they see your work?
I guess I want them to feel the same way that they would feel looking at a sunset or looking at an ocean or just looking at nature. I think a lot of paintings, they create the mood or they depict that scene but you don’t really feel that energy or feel that connection with nature and that’s what I’m trying to depict with my paintings, to re-create that emotion that you feel when you look at nature.
What sets your work apart from other abstract painters?
What would set me apart is the fact that all of my paintings are all based on this one central concept of energy, nature and life, and in effect trying to re-create nature on the canvas, and I think a lot of painters, they create a concept, each painting has its own message or it own concept, whereas for me all of my style of paintings relates to one central concept, which I think makes me different than most painters.
Where/how can people learn more about you and get in touch?
The best way to get in touch with me is through my website at www.garybarnett.ca. There’s links to all my social media on there and also my e-mail.
Gary's exhibit, 'One Concept' is open to the public until December 12th, check our Exhibitions section or go to www.garybarnett.ca for more info on the exhibit and Gary's work.
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