On the walls, Curtis Suave exhibits his intuitive mixed media abstractions on wood and canvas. This collective series, apply titled "Enticing the Infinite," features expressionism in experimental, non-representational painting embracing Suave's individual style marked by freedom of restrictions and his desire to give spontaneous manifestation to the unconscious. Suave exploits the use of acrylic paint along with numerous investigational media such as translucent construction caulking, chalk, gold leaf, stencils, spray paint and/or textural foam, creating three dimensions out of two.
Suave, who has never been trained as a visual artist, considers himself a professional, spontaneous and an instinctive artist. He has been producing art for about seven years and reveals, "My stimulation is being creative with no real reason. I paint intuitively and with a strong connection to nature. Texture intrigues me the most as it creates persuasive variance in tone and colour."
His adage for the painting process is to carve out some time in his busy life to paint, make good colour selections and then compose "cool stuff!'
In the future, Suave plans on developing in new ways by delving deeper into experimentation.
"I want to change it up and use new colours and more texture," he said, with excitement and delight. His goals are to provoke and inspire and evolve by throwing away less and having more patience - although he is adamant that he doesn't have enough tolerance to work with slow drying oil paint.
Suave's other passions include climbing, cooking, writing lyrics and rhyming.
For more info contact: [email protected]
You are invited to his Opening Reception: August 16 from 6-8 p.m.
Colour and Shimmer
In the display cases, Sharon Grimes Knox presents "Colour and Shimmer," jewellery illustrating the beauty of the natural world in classical and contemporary designs. Fascinating and colourful gems of geodes and natural minerals juxtaposing the subtle shimmer of silver (polished oxidized, rolled, patterned and enamelled) and transformed into complex designs in combinations that enhance their natural beauty. Bracelets, earrings and necklace designs named after natural wonders such as "Tidal Pool" or "Coconut Delight" or "Coral Bells" evoke images of exotic places.
How did this all begin? Sadly in 2004, Knox suffered a stroke which affected her dominant left side. While in physical therapy, a nursing consultant suggested that Knox sort coins and beads to regain her motor skills. From there she started basic stringing and within two years had formed her business, and is now a recognized artist and regular contributor to jewelry magazines. Knox admits that her art work was frustrating initially after her stroke (especially holding tools to wire up mandrels to make jump rings for chain maille), but now the process brings her much satisfaction as well as relaxation, another form of therapy.
Enquiring about her creative process, Knox says, "I cannot draw or sketch and refuse to use a beading board. So much of my work is trial and error...more recently less errors! I often think of a design in the middle of the night and begin the day by putting it into reality," and with that she has become a morning person faithfully working daily.
Now, in the latter half of her sixth decade, Knox has finally overcome comments from her sixth grade teacher that she should pursue music instead of art. It has taken this long to believe that she is an artist, a jewelry artist. Her current interests are in metal smith work and enamelling, but with so many avenues in the field of jewelry she doubts that she will ever run out of creative interests ultimately inspired by nature in all its beauty.
For more information contact: www.kreativekarats.com
Summer is a great time to be 'out and about' and visit the Foyer Gallery!
Toby Jaxon is curator of the Library Foyer Gallery. She can be reached at [email protected].
