LUMINESCENCE 2021 Program - Artists, artwork and more about the exhibition - Burnaby Arts Council
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LUMINESCENCE
2021 Program
Artists, artwork and more
about the exhibition
1
Index
4 4 5 5
6 6 7 7
8 8 9 9
10 10 11 11
2
About Luminescence
Luminescence
To see light, you need a little bit of darkness. Light and shadow
engage in a never ending waltz to create the shapes, colors,
forms and feelings. In the same way light and shadow interact
physically, it can influence our emotional states. While one uplifts
us, the other can weigh heavily on our mind and spirits.
Moments of light shine through despite the thick fog of darkness
over these last several months. These moments take an
unexpected form; from evening applause for frontline workers, to
major social transformation, and more.
In this group exhibition, various artists spark conversations about
our relationship to the living world, and tell stories through light-
based artwork. Luminescence asks us to search for light and
darkness in our relationships with ourselves, community and the
world around us.
3
The art
MONKEY WITH ANTLERS
By Bill Thomson
I work with found and recycled materials Bio
and apply basic fabrication techniques and Bill is a clever visual artist working in the
processes to transform them into plastic arts, primarily in the area of
alternative forms and meanings. I utilize a assemblage sculpture and light based art
variety of fasteners including screws, glue, works. He has numerous local and
rivets, twine and plastic ties in my art works international exhibitions to his credit. Bill
and my tool chest includes a pair of tin brings to the culture table a wide range of
snips, jig saw, hammer, paint and brushes. art making skills and community
Another main ingredient in my art making is development experience gained through
a liberal infusion of imagination, sweat and years of volunteer involvement with art
experimentation.. Most of my art works based organizations and projects in the
reference the human or animal form. lower mainland area of BC
Overall, I want my art works to introduce an
element of fun, surprise, colour and curiosity
to the viewer
SKETCHY CLOUDS
By Claudine Gevry
Deeply influenced by my surroundings, my Bio
work is a reflection of impressions different Claudine Gévry is a visual artist based in
environments leave on me. Since moving to Vancouver, Canada. She spent most of her
Canada’s West Coast and it’s overcast life immersed in Montréal’s rich artistic and
winter skies, I have become fascinated by cultural diversity. It was there that she
light. I like to study how it reflects on studied Fine Arts at the Cégep du Vieux
surfaces, the shadows it can produce & its Montréal and Graphic Design at the
capacity to uplift our spirits. My recent Université du Québec à Montréal. Juggling
artistic practice has been mostly dedicated between painting, sculpture and illustration,
to sculpting abstract representation of her most recent endeavor brought her to
clouds. I create kinetic sculptures in which I create illuminated sculptures. Umbra & Lux
incorporate LEDs. By using reflecting was born in early 2019 when she partnered
surfaces I play with light and also with the with someone passionate about using the
moving shadows the artwork generates. latest technologies to help her achieve her
This tension between light and shadows is a vision.
never ending source of inspiration and it
pushes me to always explore the
possibilities further.
4
BROTHERS (LED LANTERNS)
By Andrew Tuline
Andrew combines traditional lantern Bio
making with programmable LED’s in order to Andrew graduated from Ryerson
provide palettes of colours in his animated Polytechnical Institute in 1981 as an
lanterns. From fire and flames to ocean Electronics Technologist. Most of his career
waves, Andrew’s patterns provide a has been spent in IT management. Since
kaleidoscope of colours for night time leaving full time work, Andrew has gone
festival attendees. Andrew also shares his back to his electronic roots to create
display sequences (on github) for others to animated lighting displays similar to the
use and learn from and also assists users colour organs from his youth in the 70’s.
worldwide (on Reddit) in learning how to
program their own displays. He has also
held lantern making workshops around
Burnaby/Surrey/Delta.
STARFIELD
By Ari Lazer
Inspired by the harmonic forms of nature, Bio
Lazer has focused his practice on modern Ari Lazer balances his studio practice for
exploration of the classical the Quadrivium private clients with his work facilitating
– the study of harmonic proportion in environment and stage design for West
geometry, number, music and astronomy. Coast festivals and special events. He has
Working in wood, metal and mixed media, created work for a wide range of
Lazer’s approach takes lens of geometric organizations. He also has a rich history in
form and applies it to explore the stories of curation, event production, and cultural
the natural world. Blending landscapes, work.
vegetal forms, and dynamic geometric
patterns, Lazer creates unique works that
play with the viewers’ sense of space, visual
perception, and their relationship to their
lived world. With a focus on artworks that
expand the viewers sense of time and
place.
5
LIGHT AND PLAY - CROSS VIEW STEREOSCOPIC SERIES
By Grant Withers
I aim to break photography so that I may Bio
then play with the pieces. My Award-winning photographic artist Grant
interdisciplinary art practice focuses on Withers is an accredited professional. Since
photography, blurs artistic boundaries and 2012 Grant’s exhibitions around British
is inspired by the bold painters, musicians Columbia (including 100 Braid St Studios,
and genre-bending innovators working 2019) have featured not only ‘traditional’
beyond accepted conventions in their craft. photographs but also sculptural and
My artistic path weaves through and collaborative interactive works and
connects creative disciplines and the new installations. This playful interdisciplinary
visual language which is emerging has the artist challenges conventional ideas around
potential to elevate story telling. The lens-based art; he is a ‘camera-wielding
richness of these stories peaks when art visionary’ constantly pushing his craft,
made as an outward expression to be striving to be a leader in Canadian
merely received by a distant observer photographic art. Grant lives in Burnaby
becomes art crafted as a meeting place with his wife and daughter and is an active
between artist and participant/collaborator. supporter of the arts in his community.
WITHOUT LIGHT, THERE IS NO SHADOW
By Helena Wadsley
Using a variety of media including feminist thinkers who believed that women
performance, video, textile-based sculpture are absent from the dominant language,
and drawing in my research-based that modes of expression or
practice, themes of physical and emotional communication can be created through
relationships to place are key to my work. the body, celebrating the poetics of the
With a focus on gender and identity, I have body using affect theory as an approach
been looking at clothing and how it is used that hovers outside of language.
to construct identity, especially for women.
Women’s labour, which has been Bio
unacknowledged for a long time comes into Helena Wadsley is a Vancouver-based artist
play with the techniques and materials I working with performance and video,
use. The body and its existence as a community-based collaboration, textiles,
gendered construct but also as a site of drawing and painting. Her work involves
affectivity becomes a medium as much as careful studies of the processes by which
pigment or canvas is. While this work has an we develop a sense of belonging, through
intuitive starting point, it corresponds with dress or language for example.
the ideas put forth by French and Italian
6
BIOLUMINESCENCE
By Valerie Durant
In my creative practice, I explore human lumieres, constructed of porcelain and
interaction with the natural world & ocean plastics and organic materials
the immediate threat of climate change on collected during my shoreline explorations
human & species existence. I am interested are installed with photographic images of
in the invisible rivers that connect the forest, jellyfish.
the land and the sea, within and beyond our
planet. I am interested in perception, Bio
ephemerality and that which is not always Valerie Durant is an interdisciplinary artist.
visible, liminal space beyond the surface of She received her BFA (2002) from ECU and
our sensorial perception and attended Cooper Union in NYC. She holds an
consciousness. This project evolved, during MA in Planning (2012) from the University of
my creative exploration along the Pretoria, South Africa.
foreshore and below the surface of the sea,
observing life, beyond our view.
Bioluminescence, is a sculptural and
photographic installation. Translucent
UNDER BLUE SKIES
By Daphne Woo
Through my work, the intention is to spread Design & Technology diploma. While
awareness towards slow fashion AMACATA was born in 2010, it was rekindled
alternatives and (re)connectedness to in 2017 as a social venture, breathing with
nature, as a means to alter society’s new purpose and joining the revolution
reliance on fast fashion. With nature as my against fast fashion. Daphne was first
guide, the hope is to tap into the Slow introduced to textile art and the craft of
Movement through alternatives to a Shibori in 1991 from then instructor and now
connected life. Advocating a cultural shift dear friend & mentor, Yvonne Wakabayashi.
toward slowing down life’s pace, thus
supporting socially and environmentally
conscious living. The return to harmoniously
working with nature rather than against it.
Bio
Daphne Woo is the natural dye artist and
slow fashion advocate behind AMACATA.
Prior experience includes more than 20
years in the apparel industry, after
graduating from KPU in 1995 with a Fashion
7
WHERE THERE IS HEART, THERE IS HOME
By Diane Blunt
A rare art form of my culture is the ancient important connections to my spirituality
art form of birch bark biting. This is where and heritage.
the bark of the birch tree goes into one’s
mouth and is bitten down upon to create Bio
various designs and patterns. Once finished, Currently in her third year at Emily Carr
light shines through to show the delicate University, Diane Blunt is an artist of mixed
designs. These birch bark biting patterns descent – Ojibway on her father’s side and
would have been used as templates for German on her mothers. She is a member
beadwork, or as a way to tell stories or to of the Kawartha Nishnawbe Nation. Diane is
entertain children. I am inspired by the pursuing her BFA in Visual Arts where the
examination and revalidation of the nature of her work has been exploring
histories of my cultures. By exploring stories, drawing, painting, and material practices.
environments, creatures, plants and
medicines, my work reconnects me to
elements of my memories that hold
BLOCK PUZZLES
By Kotone Natasha Frankowski
A brain teaser is a form of puzzle that Osaka, Los Angeles, Tulum and Whistler. She
requires careful thought, dexterity but also draws a lot of inspiration from her travels
perhaps a certain amount of pure luck and and exposure to the variety of different
chance to solve. It often requires thinking in cultures, people and environments. She is
unconventional ways with given constraints currently based in Vancouver. Her artistic
in mind; sometimes it also involves lateral inspiration has been heavily influenced by
thinking. Think of this as fun, clever, and nature. Light has always played a huge part
challenge your problem solving skills in in her art work, whether photography or
unique ways. See if you can work with your sculpture. As of late she has really shifted
friends and or strangers to solve this puzzle, her focus onto more interactive forms of
how long will it take you and how many of sculpture.
you will it take? Who will take on what role?
Bio
Kotone Natasha Frankowski was born in
Hong Kong and has travelled extensively
and lived in Germany, Sydney, New York,
8
FOREVER
By Paula Nishikawara
Forever: Nature as source; life, form, structure, design
Is a collection of lights that celebrate the and colour all intersect in her work.
fish form Central to her art practise is inquiry and an
intuitive process, an increasing interest in
natures perfection form and installation in a distinctive language
sea life recognizable as Paula’s work.
kelp
light In the last 5 years, Paula has spent 3 years in
plastic art practise in Berlin, Germany and 7 months
in Nigeria at her Creative Centre in Lagos. Her
forever seems to be the life expectancy of work has travelled throughout the U.S.A,
plastic……………… Canada and Australia as part of a
Smithsonian Institute Exhibition and she has
shown work in Europe, USA, Germany, Nigeria
Bio
and Canada. She’s a graduate of the Emily
The culture and aesthetics of Paula’s
Carr College of Art and Design in Vancouver,
Japanese and Dutch descent has
B.C.
noticeably informed and influenced her art
practise.
BERZERKATROID DRAGON
By Ron Simmer
I search for materials and objects that will amaze, tickle, surprise or give pause to
speak to me with the promise of sublime think. He enjoys the mental game of taking
creations that will amaze, or tickle or consumer rejects and making the mundane
surprise or give pause to think. I enjoy the and common into the unique and
mental game of taking consumer discards spectacular. Since we live in a world in
and making the mundane and common which almost everything is commoditized it
into the unique and spectacular. We live in a is his challenge to repurpose consumer
world in which almost everything is products into the unusual, amazing and
commodified – it is my challenge to funny Ron recycles materials from our
repurpose consumer products into the consumer culture to create fanciful
unusual, diabolic, amazing and funny commentary on modern society. He
attempts to take people back to their
Bio childhood by creating large scale toys and
Ron Simmer works in the area of Vancouver, colorful birds and animals. His art is created
BC mainly with found materials and objects. to be an interactive physical experience
He searches for discards that speak to him and often incorporates optical illusions.
with the promise of sublime creations that
9
CH’ICH’IYUY ELXWILKN | TWIN SISTERS(THE LIONS)
By Scott Allen & Violet Finvers
These lighted sculptures are a collaborative the digital world as a director/producer,
creative effort between Scott Alpen, a wood Scott turned to working with wood and
artist and Violet Finvers, a glass artist. The through chance and exploration found a
pieces are inspired by British Columbia’s new creative path using wood scraps,
vast wilderness forests, mountains, lakes driftwood, stump ends and reclaimed
and oceans and are created from recycled articles of interest to create lamps, candle
and reclaimed wood and fused glass. The holders and sculpture.
forms evolve from the grain, shape and
colour of the wood and are beautifully Violet Finvers started working with glass in
complemented by organic glass elements, 2008. She has participated in numerous
resulting in sculptures that are reflective of exhibitions in Canada and the US and was a
the beauty of our world here on the west finalist in E-merge 2010, an international,
coast. juried, kiln-formed glass competition, was
the 2012 recipient of the BC Glass Arts
Bios Association Pilchuck Scholarship and a
Scott Alpen is a rather eclectic creative finalist in the Vancouver Magazine, 2019
being, having over the last 60 years Made in Vancouver Awards—Home
explored the arts of photography, Category. Scott and Violet were finalists in
videography, painting, writing, producing, the Western Living, Designers of the Year
marketing, wine tasting, acting, music and 2019 — Makers Category.
sculpture. Having grown weary of working in
FLOWERS
By Steven Smethurst
Steven Smethurst is a Vancouver based Bio
maker, hacker, and installation artist. Steven Steven is an interactive installation artist
primarily works with light and technology. based in Vancouver. He is a self-taught
Light changes everything around it. It’s artist who has attained skills through local
messy and bleeds into and over everything. community meetups, online tutorials and
It is loud and demands attention but its his background in programming. His artistry
effects are temporary. Remove the light is primarily influenced by the maker
from the environment and the environment movement; which, empowers people to
returns to its natural, unaltered state. create while sharing their experience and
Steven’s technological background adds skills with others. Stevens’ work casts
unique interactive elements to his work. His repeating geometric shapes and patterns
work reacts to people, inviting them to with sharp edges. Some of his pieces have
touch, play and interact with his included; the LED digital stained glass
installations. windows, Pocket Universe, CNC Zen Garden,
and the Laser Kaleidoscope.
10DEER LAKE PHOTO SERIES
By John Preissl
My passion is to show the beauty of Burnaby Burnaby Now, Vancouver is Awesome, CBC,
and my First Nations connection to the land, Belgium TV/Radio and many other
Salmon and Wildlife in Burnaby. I am a long newspapers and media. I am a media
time stream keeper and have done expert with over 2 decades of media
extensive work to Protect our Sacred experience and consulting. I am of
Salmon Creeks. These photos show the Squamish and Leq a Mel Nation Ancestry. My
beauty and changing seasons of Deer Lake Great times 2 Grandfather was the Great
and the different light throughout the Chief Joe Capilano. I lead many First Nations
seasons and day. Tours in Burnaby from Deer Lake, Burnaby
Lake, Burnaby Mountain and pretty well all
Bio over Squamish and Tseilwaututh Nations
John Preissl Burnaby based Environmental, Lands. I work with Indigenous students from
Adventure, Wildlife and Indigenous First the Aboriginal Program at New Westminster
Nations Photographer. Freelance Secondary School, teachers, Emily Carr
Photographer. My Photos have been University, BC Biodiversity Museum, Burnaby
published in the Vancouver Sun, Province Art Gallery, SFU and many others. Grandpa
Newspaper, National Post, Ming Pau, Joe has a well known Legend of Deer Lake.
FREQUENT-SEES
By Kathryn Wadel
Kathryn Wadel is an interdisciplinary mixed Bio
media artist based in Vancouver and lives in Kathryn utilizes light as a medium to create
Burnaby, British Columbia. She graduated projection sculptures and installations that
with a BFA degree from Emily Carr University visualize BC nature-motifs. In her projection
of Art + Design and is an associate of the sculpture, “Frequent-Sees”, imagery of Still
James Black Gallery. Kathryn’s ecology- Creek and surrounding trees ground the
inspired mixed media paintings and viewer in familiarity before transitioning into
installations evoke forms that celebrate an abstract realm of light, movement, and
environmental and cultural diversity. She form. Throughout the creative process of
utilizes painting, drawing, projection and developing her work, Kathryn investigated
installation to express contemporary the ecological relationships between
relationships between art, culture, science humans and nature, exploring the social
and social-engagement. Kathryn’s work has and scientific networks that generate fertile
been featured in various exhibitions and grounds linking cultural growth and
festivals in Vancouver, BC and has work in environmental sustainability.
private collections across Canada.
11About the Burnaby
Burnaby Arts
Arts Council
Council
The idea for a themed, light-based exhibition was born in 2016. We
wanted to mark the coming of spring with a showcase of art that
would illuminate our spirits. Luminescence would be the light at
the end of the gloomy, grey, winter tunnel.
Art exhibitions at the Deer Lake Gallery are brought to you by the
Burnaby Arts Council. Our mandate is to inspire a lifelong curiosity
for the arts. The gallery breaks down barriers and welcomes
everyone to come and enjoy art in your own way. The
connections between art and the world around us bring us a little
closer to understanding ourselves, each other, and the world.
Thank you to our SUPPORTERS
SUPPORTERS!
SUPPORTERS
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