Dreams of flying inspire artist John Hartman

Do you find yourself daydreaming wishing you were somewhere else? Well, why not wander over to the Carleton University Art Gallery and let your mind be refreshed by the prints of Canadian Artists David Milne and John Hartman, whose color drypoints are on display until February 8.

David B. Milne was a prominent Canadian artist who rejuvenated the technique of drypoint, and depicted many landscapes, throughout his lifetime. Unlike many print makers, who usually build up a composition, Milne was unique in that he burnished away the details as he progressed, leaving many reflective, soft blurred lines in his prints. Works such as Blue Sky, Palgrave, (1932), display Milne’s sensitivity to the medium of drypoint. The juxtaposition of the soft blue sky against the feedmill in the foreground, which is sharpened with orange highlights, creates a serene image.

John Hartman, a Canadian printmaker, whose works are represented in galleries across Canada, builds on the use of perspective and innovative color combinations Milne has established. Hartman feels most inspired by the series of spiritual works that Milne created. Indeed, Hartman admits that when he was young he used to dream of flying, feeling free. Inspired by daydreams and the daring color combinations of Milne, Hartman presents complex narrative imaginings.

In Hartman’s work Margaret and Enoch, (1989), the viewer is confronted with an almost apocalyptic image; the ground tilts towards us. The garish combinations of yellow, orange and black shock the viewer but also draw the eye in to notice the small figures that are apparent upon close examination. For example, A dragon-like woman in the far right of the image spewing black flame, represents the revered and controversial once prime minister of England, who had no sympathy for trade unions.

The old adage, a picture is worth a thousand words, helps us to understand the complex relationships presented in one of the most memorable pieces entitled The Breath of Modernism on the Stock Exchange, (1991), by Hartman. This image draws on fears that the modern world is collapsing around us, and with the government declaring an official recession, this image seems fitting for today’s climate. The parliament buildings, created by thin orange lines, seem to defy standard proportions. The perspective is one from the sky with the viewer flying over the wreckage. Ethereal figures etched in orange, stand out against the Payne’s grey clouds, which tumble over the parliament buildings, leaving the viewer uneasy.

Although Hartman’s works take on somewhat serious or dark subjects, they are not all solemn. Whimsical yet reflective, the fantastical images of Hartman complement the meditative lines of Milne’s dry points, leaving the viewer to wander their own imaginations.

The Subversive Stitch

"Has the pen or pencil dipped so deep in the blood of the human race as the needle?" - Olive Schreiner
Can needlework, a domain mainly occupied by women, be also a subversive domain? Was needlework only a way for women to occupy their time, or was it something more? Needlework, embroidery, and beadwork all require patience, dexterity and skill. How were notions of the feminine portrayed through this activity? These are some of the questions that Rozsika Parker sets out to answer in her book The Subversive Stitch.

Allyson Mitchell's "Ladies Sasquatch"

Check out this link to see more about this awesome art installation in Hamilton...
http://www.canadianart.ca/online/video/2009/01/15/allyson-mitchell/

Catchy or cheesy art phrases

"I'd take a bullet for a painting!"
"Writing is like making love. Don't worry about the orgasm, just concentrate on the process." - Isabelle Allende
"Has the pen or pencil dipped so deep in the blood of the human races as the needle?...To know the history of embroidery is to know the history of women." - foreword to Rozsika Parker's The Subversive Stitch: Embroidery and the Making of the Feminine.