TrépanierBaer Gallery (Calgary)

Describe your studio/place of work. What is important to you about your workspace?

My work space is located downtown Calgary in an old Anglican Church. The studio itself is built on an existing stage, so it’s elevated and has an interesting feel to it. I recently rented more space and renovated, now I have an office, the space is quite a bit bigger and I’m adjusting well. I love working there.

It’s important that I have the space, it’s an escape for me sometimes. I can go on long studio binges where I work around the clock and I don’t feel like I am missing out on anything outside the studio. I really feel at home when I’m there, working with my hands and painting, it’s the only time I feel 100

How would you describe your practice?

I make representational paintings that retreat from traditional painting as they enter the realm of sculpture. What ever it is I’m trying to paint, I try to paint the object in the most literal sense, so I really rely on trompe l'oeil and it has become a big part of my practice over the years. My message is always changing, and I most often use objects to convey them, sometimes even as metaphors. Historically I’ve painted about quitting, failure, a despicable nature and humiliation.

What works can we expect to see at Art Toronto 2019?

You can expect a varied selection of works which will include, wall-mounted paintings and some freestanding sculptural paintings, which I have not shown before, I’m excited to present them.
 

What do you want people to take away from your work?

To be honest I just simply hope they have a good experience with the work and if it invokes emotion or inspires different outlooks, I would love that.