On Friday March 13, 2009, the Gateway Gallery Artists presented their interpretations of a photograph taken by
Greg Matchick called
Three Swans in a Canal. (shown below) This was an amazing experience for us as we translated this image with our own media. We each decided to approach the challenge a different way which made viewing the work that much more fun.
The reception was a great success with a gallery crowed with many excited onlookers. Everyone seemed to enjoy searching for each "
Bruges Painting" and at least two of them sold that evening.
Michele Wells with guest
Annie Smith-Piffel with guests
Thank you to everyone who attended. We truly appreciate the fact that you took time out of your busy schedules to come see what we have been up to! If you haven't been by yet, the paintings should be up for a little while longer, but don't wait too long because we are getting ready for our next exhibit Caution: Fresh Paint in April!
If you were there, what was your favorite part of the show?
3 comments:
I have to admit that this was a fun project. I haven't done an interpretation piece with a group since college. Best part - trying to find everyone else's in that crowded space on opening night!
Interesting project and a nice variety of creative interpretations on a challenging photograph. There's a lot of talent in this gallery.
I think the Bruges Variations project is an artistic success. Here are the talking points:
1. Bruges(pronounced broozh)is in Belgium. The city's total population is 117,073 of which around 20,000 live in the historic centre. Along with a few other canal-based northern cities, it is sometimes referred to as "The Venice of the North".
2. The Greg Matchick photograph is from his collection of images made in his travels throughout Europe. Greg does little or no digital manipulation to his photos. He relies on the time of day, unusual weather conditions & choice of subjects to create his distinctive photos. His artistic eye is such that his prints are often mistaken for paintings.
3. The tradition of artists utilizing optical devices or photographs to assist their drawing & painting is generally acknowledged to go back to the Old Masters including Vermeer of Girl With The Pearl Earring fame; so does the controversy as well as the pitfalls of relying on photographs. But it gets more interesting. It seems the first practice of using optics in the painting process, in this case a convex mirror, is traced specifically back to a painting made in 1430 by Robert Campin from where? Bruges.
http://www.webexhibits.org/hockneyoptics/post/intro_hypothesis.html
4. In Bruges was a 2008 movie(well worth a rental if you missed it) starring Ralph Fiennes, Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleason. Movie just won the '09 Oscar for Best Screenplay. Story is dark comedy about two mobsters hiding out who begin to disagree about a recent hit job. Tagline: Shoot first, sightsee later.
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