By Samuel Roberts
Members of local arts group, Ottawa Mixed Media Artists, have followed their instincts in producing work for their latest juried exhibition.
Intuition: the immediate understanding without resorting to reason, is currently on display in the gallery of the Alliance Française on MacLaren Street.
Sue Shuker, the group’s president, is extremely pleased with the new exhibition.
“The art is always varied and inspiring with many different styles, to suit all tastes,” she says. “With each exhibition we hope to demonstrate that we are serious about our art but are not afraid to have some fun too.”
Intuition showcases 30 mixed media pieces by the group’s members, including 16 by members that have not previously been shown in a juried exhibition with the group.
Shuker says the emergence of new artists shows the strength of Ottawa Mixed Media Artists.
“I think the exhibitions are improving because our artists are improving in technique and expression,” she says.
Shuker describes mixed media as any variation on traditional paint and canvas.
The Ottawa Mixed Media Artists group was founded in 2001 and aims to create a collaborative atmosphere for its 150 members to work in.
Its members work together, share ideas and take part in workshops by professional artists from across Canada and the United States.
Intuition was judged by professional artists Susan Gillmor of Ottawa and Donna Watson from Washington State.
The work was evaluated based on general principles of design, technique and knowledge of materials.
Denise Dowdy, who received an award of excellence for her entry entitled Passage, was stunned by her award after she only recently took up painting again.
“I’m blown away by this,” she says. “I stopped for fifteen years and then joined the group just a year ago.”
Dowdy’s piece, a monoprint collage on paper, which means a conventional print that incorporates collage or hand drawing, was made by covering a plate of hardened gelatine with paint and placing down certain items.
“I put down a feather, different colours and different shapes, and then I transferred it on to watercolour paper,” she says.
The piece was only named after Dowdy had completed it.
“When I finish a painting I look at it and I see what it says to me,” she explains.
“I called it Passage because for me it’s like a passage from my life the way it is right now to being a full time artist.”
Dowdy currently works in the military but is actively pursuing her dream of becoming a professional artist by taking more workshops and acquiring studio space with Ottawa Mixed Media Artists at the Enriched Bread Artists building on Gladstone Avenue.
“I’d love to make an actual living off it,” she says. “That would be fantastic, but I’ve got a long way to go.”
Leigh Archibald says that since joining the group a year ago, her creativity has been given a new lease on life.
“It’s great to meet like minded artists and work together,” she says. “It’s very encouraging, and on top of that you get inspiration and ideas by sharing techniques with each other.”
Archibald entered two pieces – Focus Interior and Focus Exterior.
“I wanted to include the idea of expression in terms of intuition – turning outward, and also turning inward,” she says. “That’s why I’ve got the two opposites.”
Archibald built up her pieces by using photography, paint, crayons and paper, beginning with inspiration from a photograph or drawing hidden either within or underneath the final piece.
“Lots of the elements in my pieces are hidden, but intuition is like a hidden aspect as well,” she explained.
Intuition runs until Oct. 18 at the Alliance Française at 244 MacLaren St.
The group’s next show, due in February 2007, is entitled Hide and Seek.
For more information on the work of Ottawa Mixed Media Artists visit www.omma.cn.