National Capital Network of Sculptors

Artists Speak – Dealing with Isolation

Posted on April 13, 2020 by mariasaracino

Jim Lawrence – Wood Sculptor

“Two weeks ago I was in southern France (Aix-en-Provence) in the middle of a 6 week vacation. We did hikes in the countryside and visited sites where Cezanne, Van Gogh and Picasso hung out. All very inspiring! I even brought a piece of wood and a few knives and chisels with me, planning to do some wood carving on our nice sunny terrasse. But all that came to a grinding halt by mid-March. I’ve now been back home for 10 days in quarantine. Although I miss being outside for walks, bike rides, doing errands, etc., it hasn’t been all bad. The isolation has given me lots of time to clean out the accumulated junk from my studio and the basement storage. This was something we had been meaning to do for years. It is so satisfying to actually get it done! And lots of time to prepare for my next sculpture projects and to finish ones in progress. This covid-19 thing will eventually be over, spring is on its way with warmer, sunny weather and my strict quarantine is almost finished! Makes me want to sing and dance.

The photo is of my latest piece which I am working on this week. I refer to it as Mother Nature’s latest spring fashion statement: “the decayed look” denims. Carved from an inverted hollow spalted maple stump with lots of decay and worm holes.”

You can see more of Jim’s work on his website at http://www.jimlawrencesculptor.com

Posted in art classes, Art Shows, Art Workshops, Artist of the Month, Canadian Stone Carving Festival, Ceramic Sculpture, clay artists, Exhibition Opportunities, learn how to sculpt, Member Event, Member Profiles, Metal Art, Miscellaneous, Network Show, sculpting workshops, Sculpture Atelier, Sculpture events, sculpture show, stone carving, stone sculpture, The Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa, The national capital network of sculptors, wood sculpture, workshops | Tagged art, Local Artists, National Capital Network of Sculptors, Ottawa Art Community, ottawa art gallery, ottawa artists, Ottawa Sculpture, Sculpture, Wood Carving, wood sculpture | 1 Comment

Artists Speak – Dealing with Isolation

Posted on April 10, 2020 by mariasaracino

Kathy Bergquist – Metal and Mixed Media Artist

“It’s hard to keep track of the chronology of COVID-19 and the federal, provincial, NCC, and City of Ottawa measures that now circumscribe life in our area, and even as it feels as though my physical life has become smaller, my sense of the world ‘out there’ has widened. The reality of physical geography, among other lessons, has been driven home by the pandemic, and there is much I’ve been left to ponder. Some of the things I’ve been thinking about that relate both to our current situation and to my recent work are ideas of chaos and cohesion.

In Greek cosmogony, Kaos is the void from which all things come. There are some entertaining variations in the accounts of how, exactly, this happens, but the central idea is that chaos (Kaos) is the progenitor of all things. It was also interesting (to me) to note that “the race of birds” was the result of Kaos and Eros’s union.

I was in Eastend, Saskatchewan on a residency in November, 2019. I had brought with me a box of mild steel triangles, all the same size and shape, off-cuts from a fabrication process. I played with the shapes, and they kept becoming birds. Lots and lots of birds, which got me thinking about murmurations. On-line research brought me to this video, which I highly recommend: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eakKfY5aHmY

Further research led me to a paper by George F. Young, et. al., a study of the management of uncertainty and consensus with respect to murmurations. The authors wrote that, “ . . . starlings pay attention to a fixed number of their neighbours in the flock, regardless of flock density . . . “ They concluded that, “When uncertainty in sensing is present, interacting with six or seven neighbours optimizes the balance between group cohesiveness and individual effort. . . In following this role of seven, then, the birds are part of a dynamic system in which the parts combine to make a whole with emergent properties . . . “ Which brings me back to these times: as individuals, we can’t see where we’re going, how humanity will emerge from the apparent chaotic global uncertainty, but if we pay attention to each other, we may yet create something of extraordinary beauty that helps secure our collective survival. Be well, and stay safe!

Below is an image of the work on my murmuration project in progress.”

Screen Shot 2020-03-31 at 2.02.34 PM

Posted in art classes, Art Shows, Art Workshops, Artist of the Month, Canadian Stone Carving Festival, Ceramic Sculpture, clay artists, Exhibition Opportunities, learn how to sculpt, Member Event, Member Profiles, Metal Art, Miscellaneous, Network Show, sculpting workshops, Sculpture Atelier, Sculpture events, sculpture show, stone carving, stone sculpture, The Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa, The national capital network of sculptors, workshops | Tagged art, artists, Local Artists, Metal Art, Metal Sculpture, mixed media art, National Capital Network of Sculptors, Ottawa Art Community, ottawa art gallery, ottawa artists, Sculpture, sculpture art | Leave a comment

Artists Speak – Dealing with Isolation

Posted on April 8, 2020 by mariasaracino

Dominique Couture – Stone and Wood Sculptor

I am new in this adventure, it is my first year with NCNS. My sculpting started when my professional life was abruptly put behind me because of health issues; I am joyfully doing fine nowadays. I sculpt mainly stone but I still enjoy working with wood , I also have cast a nice bronze a few years back for which I had the chance to be mentored by Jérémie Giles,Jonquière QC. I continue to take some enrichment courses to learnnew technics with my dear mentor : Ozgen Erÿasa from Papineauville, QC for my stone work and Denis Charette Cantley,QC for my wood work. Since I enjoy working with hard stone like granite, I am looking forward to learn to work with pneumatic tools which I plan on doing very soon.

It is with great pleasure that I share with you today some pictures of my work for the past year or so. Since the confinement order, I find myself completely absorbed by my art. I don’t know what I would have done if not for that. It seems I am forever sculpting in my home studio with both my dogs watching! My mind is completely absorbed with my work. I am presently working on alabaster from Les Îles de la Madeleine, with nice rich tones of red garnets. This time permits me to go back and reflect on what I have accomplished up to now, kind of a reset in my own artist world.

The pieces shown here are already sold and are the one’s I’m more proud of.

Enjoy! Looking forward to meet you! Be safe and create my friends…

Je suis nouvelle dans cette aventure, il s’agit de ma première année auprès de vous NCNS. La sculpture est arrivée dans ma vie alors que ma vie professionnelle prenait fin pour des raisons de santé, je vais heureusement très bien de nos jours. Je sculpte principalement la pierre mais j’aime bien le bois aussi, j’ai eu la chance il y a quelques temps de couler un bronze avec mon ami Jérémie Giles,Jonquière QC. Je continue à prendre des cours d’enrichissement pour apprendre de nouvelles techniques avec mon cher mentor : Ozgen Erÿasa from Papineauville,QC for stone work and Denis Charrette, Cantley,QC for wood work. Comme j’aime beaucoup travailler la pierre dure, je prévois débuter l’apprentissage de travailler avec des outils pneumatics aussitôt que le temps le permettra.

C’est avec grand plaisir que je partage avec vous des œuvres des dernières années . Depuis le début du confinement, je me retrouve complètement submergée dans mon art. Je ne sais pas ce que j’aurais fait sans cette bouée d’air frais ! De ces jours ci, je suis confinée dans mon studio avec mes deux chiens qui m’accompagnent partout. Je travaille présentement une pièce d’albâtre des Îles de la Madeleine dans de riches tons de grenat. Cette pause me permet de me mettre à jour et me ressourcer dans mon petit monde artistique.

Les pièce ci jointes sont toutes vendues et sont celles dont je suis la plus fière .

Au plaisir de vous rencontrer! Soyez prudents et créez mes amis…

Posted in art classes, Art Shows, Art Workshops, Artist of the Month, Canadian Stone Carving Festival, Ceramic Sculpture, clay artists, Exhibition Opportunities, learn how to sculpt, Member Event, Member Profiles, Metal Art, Miscellaneous, Network Show, sculpting workshops, Sculpture Atelier, Sculpture events, sculpture show, stone carving, stone sculpture, The Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa, The national capital network of sculptors, workshops | Tagged National Capital Network of Sculptors, Ottawa Art, Ottawa Art Community, ottawa art gallery, ottawa artists, Ottawa Sculptors, Sculpture, stone sculpture, wood sculpture | Leave a comment

Artists Speak – Dealing with Isolation

Posted on April 6, 2020 by mariasaracino

France Grice – Glass Artist

Screen Shot 2020-03-30 at 10.28.34 AM Lots of time on my hands at the moment. Early March I started some new projects in the studio. The main idea was to use the glass cutting I have to create new works. I was making some progress but nothing conclusive yet when I sliced my finger… not with a piece of glass but with a vegetable mandoline. Well sculpture is off for a moment. The finger is healing nicely.

On March 13, I bought a new phone and after doing some research for the camera chose to get a Google Pixel 4. For me technology is always a bit of a challenge but I am learning a bit every day. I will use the healing time to do the things I always procrastinate with… like paper work. So far, I took some pictures of my work using the set up done by my son. Learned how to create an album and insert the information for each image. This is a photo of my work using the Pixel 4.

There is a call to glass artists so I am preparing the needed documents, photos needed.

Today I will learn how to include a picture in a word document (this one). I ask the question on my ipad and it says open the picture on google photo, click copy, go to your document, paste. OK I think I knew that but there is so much stuff to learn.

Back to the studio soon and with some new work to post.

You can see more of France’s work on her website at http://www.francegrice.com or in our Online Gallery at https://sculptureottawa.ca/online-gallery-2/

Posted in art classes, Art Shows, Art Workshops, Artist of the Month, Canadian Stone Carving Festival, Ceramic Sculpture, clay artists, Exhibition Opportunities, learn how to sculpt, Member Event, Member Profiles, Metal Art, Miscellaneous, Network Show, sculpting workshops, Sculpture Atelier, Sculpture events, sculpture show, stone carving, stone sculpture, The Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa, The national capital network of sculptors, workshops | Tagged glass, glass artists, glass sculpture, National Capital Network of Sculptors, Ottawa Art, ottawa art events, ottawa art gallery, ottawa artists, Sculpture | Leave a comment

Artists Speak – Dealing with Isolation

Posted on April 3, 2020 by mariasaracino

Marlene Kawalez – Ceramic Sculptor

6F1307D3-0343-4D4C-84C2-F78EDA1FA84C “As expected this pandemic is leaving a mark on all of us. It really has been a time to reflect about all our brothers and sisters throughout the world that are suffering and those closer to home. When I feel my sadness overwhelming me I escape into my studio and lose myself in sculpting. It is there or in nature that I feel a calm connectedness and can quiet my mind to create.

We moved out into the country a few years ago and that has inspired me further into amalgamating my work with nature. There is such a deep life force present that is always constant and giving.

This year was to be one of great opportunities with 2 solo shows and other exhibitions but at the moment it is not to be. Hopefully when the virus passes all our lives will continue with a renewed enlightened on what is important to all of us.”

You can see more of Marlene’s work at http://www.marlenekawalez.com or in our Online Gallery at https://sculptureottawa.ca/online-gallery-2/

Posted in art classes, Art Shows, Art Workshops, Artist of the Month, Canadian Stone Carving Festival, Ceramic Sculpture, clay artists, Exhibition Opportunities, learn how to sculpt, Member Event, Member Profiles, Metal Art, Miscellaneous, Network Show, sculpting workshops, Sculpture Atelier, Sculpture events, sculpture show, stone carving, stone sculpture, The Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa, The national capital network of sculptors, workshops | Tagged art, Ceramic Sculpture, marlene Kawalez, National Capital Network of Sculptors, Ottawa Art Community, ottawa art gallery, Ottawa Art Scene, ottawa artists, Ottawa Galleries, sculptors in ottawa, Sculpture | Leave a comment

Artists Speak – Dealing with Isolation

Posted on April 1, 2020 by mariasaracino

Taunyee Robbins – Clay Artist

“Hi everyone. I am pretty much in self-isolation, as I imagine many of us are. To my surprise, I find I am actually enjoying this solitude! It has forced me to slow down and indulge in some of the simple things I like to do… Along with this, of course, comes thinking about what I want to create next. Boredom is never a problem, although loneliness can be. So I Facetime with my kids and friends and read to my grandchildren every day. I thank my lucky stars I am retired and that I live in Canada.

My latest creation – The Poet

I think we are so fortunate to be artists, as we delight in creation. There is always an idea to sketch out, an experiment to pursue, an opportunity to try out that idea we’ve always had in the back of our mind. How fortunate are we to lose ourselves in the gift of creation!”

You can see more of Taunyee’s work at facebook.com/Taunyee-Robbins-Artist on in our online gallery at https://wordpress.com/post/sculptureottawa.ca/90692

Posted in art classes, Art Shows, Art Workshops, Artist of the Month, Canadian Stone Carving Festival, clay artists, Exhibition Opportunities, learn how to sculpt, Member Event, Member Profiles, Metal Art, Miscellaneous, Network Show, sculpting workshops, Sculpture Atelier, Sculpture events, sculpture show, stone carving, stone sculpture, The Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa, The national capital network of sculptors, workshops | Tagged art, clay artists, Gallery, National Capital Network of Sculptors, ottawa art comunity, Ottawa art council, ottawa art galleries, ottawa artists, Ottawa Arts, pottery artists, Sculpture, sculpture exhibitions, What's Going on in Ottawa, What's Happening in Ottawa | Leave a comment

Artists Speak – Dealing with Isolation

Posted on March 30, 2020 by mariasaracino

Maria Saracino – Polymer Clay Figurative Artist

“The world feels surreal. This pandemic is frightening and I worry about my family and for my community, so I’m doing my part to self-isolate. We recently moved to a smaller home and a smaller studio space, so my studio is my distraction right now as I work on organizing and compacting everything into the new space. I don’t mind solitude when I am creating, I actually like it. But a big part of what I do is teaching, and I think that’s probably what I miss most because that’s how I connect with people. As artists we are normally very insecure and that contact with our audience helps validate what we do.

Even at my busiest, I would break up the isolation with a little shopping. I can’t do that now, and I miss it. Online shopping is not quite the same. This is a sculpture called “Retail Therapy” it’s in a private collection now, but I thought I would share it with you. I think it’s appropriate for some of us going through shopping withdrawl.

Stay home and stay safe.”

You can see more of Maria’s work at http://www.saracinocollection.com or on our online gallery at https://sculptureottawa.ca/online-gallery-2/

Posted in art classes, Art Shows, Art Workshops, Artist of the Month, Canadian Stone Carving Festival, Exhibition Opportunities, learn how to sculpt, Member Event, Member Profiles, Metal Art, Miscellaneous, Network Show, sculpting workshops, Sculpture Atelier, Sculpture events, sculpture show, stone carving, stone sculpture, The Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa, The national capital network of sculptors, workshops | Tagged art, art dolls, figurative art, Figurative Sculpture, living doll, one of a kind dolls, polymer clay, Polymer Clay artists, Sculpture, sculpture show, Super Sculpey | Leave a comment

Artists Speak – Dealing with Isolation

Posted on March 27, 2020 by mariasaracino

Bastien Martel – Metal Artist

“It is definitely challenging for everyone but more so for artists. When your studios and galleries are all closed you are basically left to yourself. Being an artist is already a solitary occupation so not having those few moments out of the studio to meet fellow artists and the public creates a real void.

Thankfully my studio is home based and with all this social distancing I have had more time to explore my next direction of abstract action all over sculpture. I was able to winterize my studio in December. This allowed me to be active early in the year. I have also started exploration of ink and paint drawings on paper. So far the test pieces are really promising. I have almost completed 4 pieces and have another 12 on the way. Working towards a busy October 2020 with a solo show and of course Sculpture Expo 2020. I have included pictures of these early unfinished explorations.

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to share and connect with each other and help alleviate a bit of the loneliness of this confinement. Hope you are well.”

You can see more of Bastien’s work at http://www.bastienmartel.com or on our Online Gallery at https://sculptureottawa.ca/online-gallery-2/

Posted in art classes, Art Shows, Art Workshops, Artist of the Month, Exhibition Opportunities, learn how to sculpt, Member Event, Member Profiles, Metal Art, Miscellaneous, Network Show, sculpting workshops, Sculpture Atelier, Sculpture events, sculpture show, stone carving, stone sculpture, The national capital network of sculptors, workshops | Tagged art, artists in ottawa, Metal Art, Metal Sculpture, National Capital Network of Sculptors, ottawa art galleries, ottawa artists, Ottawa's art scene, Sculpture | 3 Comments

Artists in Isolation

Posted on March 26, 2020 by mariasaracino

As artists we are used to working alone, nevertheless, galleries and shows are important for us to see how other people react to our work. For the next few weeks, as we deal with the Covid 19 crisis, we plan on sharing how artists from the National Capital Network of Sculptors are dealing with isolation. Check in often. To start things off, here is an excellent article on a few artists who created their best works in isolation.

In the age of “social distancing,” reflecting on works by a number of artists who found themselves isolated, detained, or bed-ridden for various reasons.

HYPERALLERGIC.COM

The Artists Who Found Inspiration in Isolation

In the age of “social distancing,” reflecting on works by a number of artists who found themselves isolated, detained, or bed-ridden for various reasons.

https://hyperallergic.com/548698/artists-isolation/

Posted in Miscellaneous | Leave a comment

Inspired by Love

Posted on February 13, 2020 by mariasaracino

Love is the heart and soul of creativity. It has inspired some of the most famous masterpieces in the world, from the architectural splendor of Emperor Shah Jahan’s Taj Mahal, to the passionate sculptural embrace of Canova’s “Psyche Revived By Cupid’s Kiss,” to Gustave Klimpt’s iconic painting, “The Kiss.”

Like all great artists, members of the National Capital Network of Sculptors have also been inspired by love. Enjoy our little slide show. Happy Valentine’s Day!