Bursts of colour, whimsy and chatter blended at the Wall Space Gallery in Old Ottawa South on April 3 as local artist Nicole Allen’s latest exhibition — “Into Nature’s Knowing” — made its debut.
Allen described her collection of colourful floral creations as an exploration of the power and beauty of plant intelligence in age of human obsession with artificial intelligence.
Allen’s newest exhibition is focused on the “age-old wisdom of plants” in contrast to today’s AI-dominated world of technology. She said she’s been working on flowers and plant paintings for the last eight years.
“They speak to me of an innate intelligence that we see in nature,” said Allen. “It’s hard for us to comprehend and that’s why we’re drawn to their forms.”
Allen said that in a world now awash in forms of artificial intelligence, she wants to emphasize the “natural intelligence” that pervades our planet. When asked about the controversial use of artificial intelligence to create artworks, Allen said she thinks the concept is “strange”.
“I’m generally colour motivated and freedom motivated. I don’t start out with the concept of exactly where everything’s going to go.”
— Nicole Allen, Ottawa artist
“I don’t think there’s anything that could replace the organic process of putting paint on your brush and moving it around the canvas,” Allen said. “And people respond to that and . . . respond to the emotion behind it.”
However, she also said that artificial intelligence can be used to help artists conceptualize the work they’re trying to communicate to their audience.
“It’s hard for us to interpret because our language is painting,” Allen said.
Allen said her approach to tackling these emotions is to “just start” painting and work through her feelings as she goes. Her methodology includes taking an image at the end of her long days in her art studio and then putting distance between herself and the painting.
“It’s a multi-layered, multi-day process,” Allen said. “I’m generally colour motivated and freedom motivated. I don’t start out with the concept of exactly where everything’s going to go.”
Alongside Allen’s exhibition, several featured works by artist Jian Zhang are on display. Thomas Barr, one of the owners of Wall Space Gallery, said this was a deliberate decision to create an interesting dynamic for gallery visitors.
He said the “meticulous” painting of Zhang in comparison with the “looseness” of Allen’s artworks combine well to enliven his gallery’s space.
“That’s the kind of genesis of these two working together,” Barr said.
Barr said he sees the similarity in Allen’s flower paintings but notes that the artist is always using different compositions and the subdivided palettes that create subtle changes he finds exciting.
Her painting “lends itself in the spring,” Barr said. “We’re all ready to get out of winter and this is kind of our introduction.”
Among the art lovers attending the exhibit opening was retired arts administrator Louise Rowe.
Before moving to Ottawa to work at the National Arts Centre, Rowe worked at Lord Cultural Resources in Toronto, a firm focused on executing creative projects related to gardens and plants. She said Allen’s work “comes alive” and communicates depth to her.
Allen’s paintings “make me feel good. She’s rendered the flowers so beautifully,” Rowe said. “This is what she does, beyond any other artists that I’ve seen.”
Rowe, who paints in her spare time and is also a passionate gardener, said she focuses on landscape paintings in her own art and believes Allen’s work is “different than anything else” she’s seen.
“I can take you around the garden,” Rowe said, pointing out the different flowers she recognizes in Allen’s paintings.
Allen said she hopes her viewers leave the exhibition feeling in tune with their emotions after being able to connect with her art.
“I hope they feel lightness, energy, especially in this crazy world,” Allen said. “I hope they feel what I feel when I’m painting.”
“Into Nature’s Knowing” will be on display at the Wall Space Gallery, 1090 Bank St., until April 17. Admission is free.
