Thursday, January 31, 2008

ERIC METCALFE: Artist Talk


Eric Metcalfe (b. 1940, Vancouver) received a BFA from the University of Victoria in 1970, exhibited at the University of British Columbia with Max Bates in 1967, Victoria Art Gallery with a solo show in 1968 and was included in the Whitney Museum of America Art exhibition of Ray Johnson's New York Correspondence School in 1970.

In 1973 Metcalfe co-founded The Western Front, one of the first pioneering artist run centres in Vancouver, BC. Metcalfe has worked on media based work since the mid 70s including Howard Hughes Inc., Crimetime Video Productions, Stravinsky’s Soldier's Tale in 1987 engaging sets, props and costumes, The Attic Project and, most recently, Laura (2004), a traveling installation/theatre piece, and Curtain Razors (2007).
Metcalfe’s work is in major collections including the National Gallery. He has been awarded the V.I.V.A. award in 1992, The Victor Martin Lynch-Staunton Award in 2000 and The Audain Foundation Award in 2006. He was Visiting Artist to The University of British Columbia’s undergraduate/graduate program in fine arts in 2006-2007.

The evening concluded with a members-only reception.

Monday, January 28, 2008

SUSANNA BLUNT: Studio Visit


Internationally acclaimed as a portrait artist, Susanna Blunt created the new portrait of H.M. Queen Elizabeth ll for the Royal Canadian Mint. The new image was created in celebration of the Queen's Jubilee and has been used on all new Canadian coins.

Her contemporary art is influenced firstly by nature, observed, collected, drawn and photographed, but also by other arts, primitive, ancient and modern, from many cultures including Asia, Africa and Australia.

Susanna was educated in Canada and in Europe. She now lives in West Vancouver B.C., Canada. She produces art in a wide variety of styles, from realistic, to abstract contemporary art.