EASTSIDE CULTURE CRAWL: A Few Minutes With Local Painter Kerensa Haynes

The Eastside Culture Crawl (November 18, 19, 20) is hands-down one of the best things about Vancouver during November. It’s the time of year when painters, sculpters, jewellery designers, carvers, photographers, potters, furniture designers, glass blowers and printmakers open their eastside studios to the public. The resulting nightly vibe of the already cool-as-hell neighbourhood rises to awesome levels. The Crawl covers the area between Terminal Avenue to Burrard Inlet between Main Street and Victoria Drive (handy map). This year there will be over 300 artists participating. That’s a lot of ground to cover, and a lot of artists to meet, so we figure it’s a good idea to meet a few of them in advance so as to better familiarise ourselves (and yourselves) with what to expect. Meet Kerensa Haynes.

“I explore expressionism, impressionism, realism and abstraction in my art.  When painting I let my intuitive mind reveal itself, the layers of oil represent my different emotions.  I am interested in perception, how we all perceive life from our own personal experience.  The subject matter in the painting is somewhat secondary.  My work challenges the way everyday images are perceived, so, for example, a pear is not simply just a pear but it becomes the state of mind of the audience.”

Three things about Mount Pleasant that make you want to live there: Biltmore Cabaret, The Lee Building (c1912), and the fact that most of my good friends live nearby.

How many years have you participated in the Eastside Culture Crawl? This will be my third year in the Crawl. I’m at 1000 Parker Street, Studio 350.

Three words you would use to describe the ECC to someone who had never attended: Explosive. Intimate. Original.

A one sentence artist’s statement to describe your work: The possibilities of an everyday object are explored visually and psychologically . You can see this here. Read more

EASTSIDE CULTURE CRAWL: A Few Minutes With First Time Participant Kari Kristensen

The Eastside Culture Crawl (November 18, 19, 20) is hands down one of the best things about Vancouver during November. It’s the time of year when Eastside painters, sculpters, jewellery designers, carvers, photographers, potters, furniture designers, glass blowers and printmakers open their studios to the public an the vibe of the already cool-as-hell neighbourhood rises to unprecedented levels of awesomeness. The Crawl covers Terminal Avenue to Burrard Inlet between Main Street and Victoria Drive. That’s a lot of ground to cover and a lot of artists to meet. This year there will be over 300 participating, so we figure it’s a good idea to meet a few in advance in order to better familiarise ourselves (and perhaps you) with what to expect. Meet Kari Kristensen. This is her first year as a participant. We caught up with her while she was taking a breather in Paris and asked her about what she had planned for her inaugural Crawl weekend.

Three things about your neighbourhood that make you want to live there: I’ve lived in East Van since I moved here 9 years ago. I love East Van. I am walking distance to the drive and all of its great restaurants and food shops. There’s also an expanding restaurant scene happening on Hastings Street, which is fantastic. I am close enough to my studio that I can walk or bike there. And lastly, I live across the street from Trout Lake which is great for exercise for me and my little dog.

How many years have you participated in the Eastside Culture Crawl? I’m excited about this year being my first as an artist. My previous studio was on Granville Island, a terrific little shop for printmakers called Dundarave. I moved into 1000 Parker Street almost a year ago for a change of venue and to specifically be part of the Crawl. of course, I’ve gone to the Crawl almost every year.

Three words you would use to describe the ECC to someone who had never attended: Fun, inspirational, eye-opening. Of course, I’ll have to get back to you after the 20th to see if my opinion has changed.

Why is Vancouver a good city for art? Vancouver, and BC in general, has a rich art historical foundation that’s endlessly impressive. This is the the city of Jack Shadbolt, Arthur Erickson, Emily Carr, Toni Onley, Bill Reid, Robert Davidson…you can’t help but be inspired when you see their work around. Read more

Twelve And A Half Minutes With Local Artist George Vergette…

George Vergette is an artist living and working in Vancouver. His work “uses both medium and content to insert the viewer into each piece, giving a personal dimension to his deceptively minimal works.” After seeing his show at Gallery Jones recently, we contacted him to ask a few questions about his work,  his impressions of the Vancouver arts scene and the animal he most identifies with…

Three things about the Hastings Sunrise neighbourhood that make you want to live there: I’ve lived in this area for about ten years and it’s pretty close to everything. Downtown is less then ten minutes away, Commercial Drive is five minutes away and New Brighton Park is also five minutes away, which is perfect because you can easily take your wiener dog for a run.

Your latest show was titled Stranded and Broke in a Strange Town. Can you tell us where this title came from? I collect books and this was on the back of a pocket book I have titled “A Swell Looking Girl”. It seemed to me that when you’re starting a new body of work you’re kind of left empty in your studio with nothing but whatever source material inspires you and the images of past work. So this title seemed like a good metaphor for the feeling you have in the studio when you’re putting together a show.

Beyond that, what’s the inspiration behind the work? Two of the main pieces in the show are more sculptural than the rest. One is what I call “the corner painting”, which consists of multiple panels that intersect in the corner. My work has a lot of reflection originating from the resin surfaces, so I had been thinking about using this idea of reflection and surface in a different way then I had ever done before, [like] what kind of shape or construction could I employ in a painting that would enhance or distort the typical reflection that comes from my work. There were a lot of different variations that came up in the studio but the corner seemed like the most complicated of all the structures, so I went with that. Read more

Chatting With Gastown’s Alex Usow, Polymath And Geniephobe

Alex Usow is a one man art collective based in Gastown. Aside from being a gallery owner, restaurateur and retailer, he’s a self-taught artist who believes in ghosts and – in the proper lighting conditions – looks exactly like Denzel Washington. He’ll be showing at The Cheaper Show on Saturday night.

A one sentence artists statement to describe your work: Picture Godzilla trying to open one of those classic combination locks – “Turn the dial right, stop at 35, then left making sure to first pass 35 and stopping at FRIG I HAVE GIANT HANDS!”

Three things about Gastown that make you want to live there: I own three businesses in Gastown. Sharks & Hammers apparel store, Sea Monstr Sushi and Catalog Gallery / Creative agency. At this point I’ve basically forced myself to live here by investing in this neighborhood that I love.

Best Vancouver place to be inspired by emerging artistic talent? For me, there is no one place for inspiration. The art gallery with a terrible abbreviated name (the VAG) is always great for inspiration by established talent, but for emerging talent it’s best just to talk to other artists and check out local shows like the ones at my gallery and at the art schools here.

What inspires your creativity? I’m inspired by mistakes and small moments where our brain stops discursively thinking.

Vancouver can be a challenging city for an artist (collectors are rare, studio space is hard to come by and the cost of living is high). Why would an artist choose to be here? Artists are notorious for making bad decisions. I love Vancouver thought because of the infinite potential it allows you to have. We’re a top tier, first world city where inspired people have all avenues for success available to them. Unless we choose to complain instead of create and sleep instead of fight.

Last art show that really blew you away: I recently illegally downloaded a pirated version of Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child and it was rad.

Local artist you admire: I’m currently enjoying the work by Andrea Wan, Nomi Chi, Dan Climan, Andy Dixon and the terrible all city throw-ups by MR.8.

One thing you would like to change about the art scene in Vancouver: I think paint brush stems are too long. I always cut them down to size. Seriously, sometimes the stem’s over a foot long and I have no clue why. If we made our own short stem paint brushes for Vancouver we could establish a name for ourselves as a city of artists who vehemently don’t need long brush stems and are pro-actively proud of it. Other than that I wouldn’t change a thing. Except I would change the terrible abbreviated name of the Vancouver Art Gallery.

Favourite way to get your hands dirty? Making dumplings.

How do you see Gastown changing over the next five years? Ideally, it will turn into a robot from outer space that can also transform into a truck. More likely it continue to walk the line between self-aware gentrification and a night time outdoor toilet for bridge and tunnelers. I’m good with all that but if we get a dog clothing store then I’m buying a pet alligator.

Are there any facets of your artistic identity that influence the way you approach business, or are the two sides mutually exclusive? Creativity in any of it’s forms is generally beneficial in problem solving, which is one way to define business. However, being emotional, aloof and loser drunk seems to work better in art than in business.

If the Mayor of Vancouver was a genie and could grant you three civic wishes, what would they be?  You don’t have to rub him…

1. Free citywide wifi
2. Dual Diagnosis Research Grants
3. Deport all genies

Words of wisdom for emerging artists living in Vancouver? Stay away from the brown acid and don’t give homeless people money – give them socks and Cheeseburgers.

MORE INTERESTING VANCOUVERITES

My Game Plan For Attacking The Kickass Eastside Culture Crawl

Checking out 371 artist studios in just three days is a huge undertaking. A year probably wouldn’t suffice, but three days is all there is for the Eastside Culture Crawl – three short days – November 26, 27, 28.  A game plan is required, and here is mine…

Friday

1000 Parker Street is the place to be on Friday night. The creaky, wood-floored hallways of the massive building are flooded with Crawl-goers, and the place is alive with an energy that consumes. Give in to it. Jump in and let the current move you from one studio to the next. There are no wrong turns here. Guaranteed good, fascinating, enlightening times…

In the studios, I have two tips for you. First off, take your travel mug or flask. Fill ‘em with whatever turns your crank, but you’re going to need something to drink. The Parker St. experience can be exhausting and labyrinthine, and the maze will make you thirsty. Second, if you have kids, get a sitter. Taking them along on The Crawl is recommended if you’ve gone without before – it’s fun and teaches them early the value of the arts and what artists bring to community. Still, I know from experience that kid-free time is good. For me, that’ll be Friday night. The crowds can be pretty thick and little ones can get overwhelmed on the quick. Solution: The Pod! Read more

Look Out For Laura Bucci At The East Side Culture Crawl

The annual, three day East Side Culture Crawl (November 26, 27, 28) is our favourite thing  going down in Vancouver during November. We look forward to it big time. Why? Because it sees East Side artists of every stripe open their studios up to the public and the atmosphere in the neighbourhood abruptly rises from really cool to freakin’ awesome. The Crawl covers Terminal Avenue to Burrard Inlet between Main Street and Victoria Drive. We’re right in the middle, surrounded by homes with black crow signs (signifying a Crawl studio) above their doors and the crammed Parker Street Studios just a few kicks away. That might not be a lot of ground to cover, but it’s a lot of art, especially this year with over 370 artists taking part. And so, we figure it’s a good idea to meet a few of them in advance so as to better familiarise ourselves (and perhaps you) with what to expect. For starters, meet Laura Bucci… Read more

A Ten Minute Brain Picking With Local Art Icon Martha Sturdy

Martha Sturdy is an iconic figure in the history of Vancouver’s artistic identity. Recognised internationally for her work as a furniture designer and sculptor, Sturdy’s sought after style merges warmth with clean lines, softness with strength. Basically, she is mind-blowingly talented and as Vancouverites we get to claim her as our own. She will be showing at IDSWest – which goes down from October 14th to the 17th – so in advance we thought we’d finally catch up with her between flights to ask her a few quick questions…

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SCOUT Q&A

Three things about the Gleneagles neighbourhood that make you want to live there: The ocean, the quiet and the eagles.

The moment you realised you were an artist: As far back as I can remember, I drew everything.

What is different about showing your work internationally versus here at home in Vancouver? Internationally is more open-minded. Read more

Cool Thing We Want #244: Ewan McNeil’s “Supermodel” Series…

The morning coffee was met at Chinatown’s Bean Around The World (Union at Gore) by these lovely works from local artist/sculptor/artisan Ewan McNeil. The alkyd on panel beetles are from his new “Supermodel” series (20″ x 26″), and they sell for about $500 a pop.

Check Out “The Bishop’s Garden” Show At The Winsor Gallery

New Alan Wood show features works inspired by the haven of restaurateur John Bishop's back garden

News from Scout supporter Bishop’s

Vancouver, BC | From May 27 to June 19, South Granville’s Winsor Gallery (3025 Granville Street) plays host to a show by famed artist Alan Wood. The Bishop’s Garden – presents a new series of wood relief sculptures, collage and watercolours, based on the haven found in a close friend’s garden. That close friend is restaurateur John Bishop and that garden is the one found in the back of Mr. Bishop’s Point Grey home.

” It seems like I’ve known Alan for ever,” says Mr. Bishop. “In the early days, my wife Theresa and I would save up to buy his work. In turn, Alan and his wife Flora started coming to the restaurant and the friendship grew over the years.”

“When Flora passed away five years ago, I started to drop by John and Theresa’s home. They were always so welcoming and kind. I’d come and sit in the back garden – it became my refuge. One evening, I came for dinner. John and his son David had arranged eight of my pieces around the garden illuminated by candlelight. It was magic. That gave me the idea to try to capture and interpret the calm and happiness I have found there. This show is the result,” says Mr. Wood. “I named the series The Bishop’s Garden because I want to honour the role played by everyone in the Bishop family in creating this special space.” Read more

New Robert Chaplin Pop-Up Show Opens In The Heart Of Gastown

Chess god Garry Kasparov looks temporarily stunned by local artist Robert Chaplin's miniature chess set

Starting right now (1:30pm), our friend and unicorn-lover Robert Chaplin is doing pop-up shop in Gastown that will run daily from noon until night all the way through to the Olympic closing ceremonies. The show features books, pictures, objets d’art, and travel sized lego chess. Yes – you read that correctly – the very travel sized lego chess set that Russian chess master Garry Kasparov himself is playing with in the photo above. A bit from the artist: “Be the envy of your generation and play like Garry Kasparov…On your very own Danish Modern travel chess set! Made from the finest quality Danish plastic bricks, these travel chess sets [are] signed [with] Robert Chaplin’s hallmark and inlaid with real gold.” Seriously? It’s a Chaplin show, so I guess anything is possible. Feb 12… | 46 Water Street | Worth a visit!