Local artist Johnny Taylor is doing an open studio exhibit of recent work done over the course of the last 9 months on the 4th floor of the Save On Meats building on Friday, September 30th (ie. tomorrow):

This is a unique studio. In it, I feel part of a community, involved in the buzz all around, the creative energies and emerging identity of this neighbourhood. That external presence had a direct influence on the energy of the work.

This work is a showcase of small scale pieces on vellum and paper.

The physical use of paint is immediate and loose, full of gesture – washes of thinned down paint, scratches and dents into the paper then filled in with wax, wax is layered up and scraped away, then more wax over top – finger swipes of thick paint, smudges of oil sticks knifed away rubbed out and done again.

Compositionally, the pieces are focused and restrained with a sketch-like quality, fusing elements of architechture and written language. Parts of the surface are left untouched and empty, drawing you in with sharp perspective lines towards deeper hushed activity.

Check the flyer for details after the jump…