Urban Compositions
The Burlington Art Centre The Burlington Art Centre has thrived as a vital focal point for the visual arts since 1978. It is the seventh largest public art gallery in Ontario and attracts over 100,000 visitors from Burlington, the Bay Area, Toronto, and across Ontario and the U.S.A. The exhibition and educational programs, studios, and activities are essential to our community and region. The Centre is a non-profit registered charitable organization which provides free admission, seven days a week with full accessibility for the physically challenged.
Our Vision • Inspiring imagination, enriching lives
Our Mission Statement The Burlington Art Centre champions the role and value of art in life. We provide diverse experiences and discovery as a leading and sustainable organization through: • Nurturing artistic development • Being a home to our art and fine craft guilds and groups • Exhibition and education programs, special events and community outreach services
Barbara Amos
& James Paterson
•O ur acclaimed permanent collection of ceramic art • Volunteer and active community participation opportunities • Retail services, memberships and corporate partnerships
Our Principles and Values We believe…
Openness and Accessibility In being open to new ideas, opportunities and insights, as well as being accessible to all members of our community related to their interests, needs and capacities.
Entrepreneurial and Innovating In creating art and fine craft opportunities and experiences that encourage individuals to take risks, explore new territory, to be forward thinking and to act on their inspirations.
Committed to Art and a Learning Culture In nurturing and evolving a learning culture of educational, research and practice experiences and discovery that advances the knowledge of and a commitment to art and fine crafts within residents, the Centre and the community.
Cover Photos Half Cover Top: Barbara Amos – “Cutting Up The Town”, 10 Sections of the proposal, Oil on Board, 2001 Half Cover Bottom: Barbara Amos – “The Theatre District”, Oil on Board, 2003 Full Cover Left: Barbara Amos – “Cutting Up The Town”, 4 Vertical Sections, Oil on Board, 2001 Full Cover Top Right: James Paterson – “Suburban Evening”, Oil Pastel on Paper, 1998 Full Cover Bottom Right: James Paterson – “Bridge Beyond”, Oil Pastel on Paper, 2004
Acknowledgements The Burlington Art Centre gratefully acknowledges the financial support of our Membership, Corporate Members and Sponsors; the BAC Foundation; Arts Burlington; the Volunteer Council; the City of Burlington; the Ontario Arts Council; The Canada Council for the Arts; and the Federal Department of Canadian Heritage.
Barbara Amos
October 2 to November 14, 2004 October 2 to November 14, 2004
Burlington Art Centre – AIC Gallery Curator: George Wale Artists’ tour and talk: Sunday, October 24 – 2 p.m. Curator’s tour: Monday, October 4 – 2 p.m. Reception: Sunday, October 17– 2 p.m.
1333 Lakeshore Rd., Burlington Ontario L7S 1A9 Telephone: (905) 632-7796 • Fax: (905) 632-0278 Email: info@BurlingtonArtCentre.on.ca • Website: www.BurlingtonArtCentre.on.ca Publication Design: Wordsmith Design and Advertising ISBN 1-897052-12-X
James Paterson – Artist’s Statement
Barbara Amos – Artist’s Statement
T
he
source
of
this
painting,
The Future of Capitalism, L. Thurow;)
Originally intended for an urban
into other topics as I cut up images of
A
s much as the camera has changed
As post-moderns our lives are lived
seeing as being objectively and individu-
I glimpse them and pass them by, some-
“Cutting Up The Town”, was a
When the photograph was cut up,
corridor space, this composition was
farmland and national parks. Areas
the way we see in the modern
very quickly and multi-directionally which
ally identifiable and tend to experience
thing about the image or the scene
photograph of two bank towers in
each small piece was removed from its
8 – 10 feet high in places and 26 – 50
which are the target of multiple agendas
world, I think a case can be made that the
means much of what we see we see in
what we have seen as part of a larger,
lodges in my brain. I see a striking
downtown Calgary. This location is typical
context. It was liberated and isolated,
feet long. It consisted of 20 – 40
seem to have the most resonance. The
automobile has affected how we see
passing. While driving or riding in an
anonymous, non-objective whole. This is
contrast in light and dark, an unusual
of many North American urban centres.
developing a singular identity. These
separate but related compositions. Most
act of cutting up an image allows both
even more. Granted the camera has
automobile the view through the win-
due largely to the speed at which we
composition of shapes or repeating
It is a block from my studio which is on
appear to me as invitations to experi-
of these compositions could be rear-
whimsy and critical comment. There is
allowed us to capture an image, to hold it
dows mimics a TV, video or movie the-
pass through the environment but also
patterns of common elements: poles,
the 4th floor of a heritage building in
ment. Sometimes the segment speaks of
ranged. In this way, each installation of
irony in location and re-orientation as it
and spend an infinite period of time
atre screen giving us an ever changing
to the insular nature of the passage.
hedges or the lines of horizontal siding.
the centre of Calgary.
historical issues, calling to mind the
the painting became site specific and
was re-assembled. All this seems to be
considering
moment;
stream of images that flow in endless
The subjects I’ve presented in this
Something is happening to make these
The photograph of the banks was
paintings of the renaissance or early
quite different from the original image.
connected to the way in which new
however, infinite periods of time for
succession replicating in time and space,
show are ones I’ve glimpsed in passing
familiar, even banal scenes speak to me
cut into many small segments. Some
modern works. Other times it calls for
While this idea began with an inter-
realities evaluate and respond to the
consideration of frozen moments are
what electronic media presents as reality.
out of the corner of my eye and had no
so when I paint them what I’m doing is
status quo.
not something we have a lot of.
We become immured to what we are
way of stopping to contemplate.
creating a record of remnants from a
this
frozen
pieces of the banks were turned on
references to 70’s minimalism or 90’s
their side; others were discarded. There
urban graffitti. These are metaphors for
Sometimes this is due to being in a rush.
fast world. They are the remains of
was humor, whimsy, and critical comment
the way the past informs the present.
Other times, as with the highway views,
human presence. The artifacts left
in the process. The smaller sections
Frequently there was sense that I was
I would be run over or crashed into if I
behind over and over, as many times as
were then rearranged and fixed onto
painting my way through history, assess-
were to stop and consider them. But as
we pass them by.
another sheet of paper. This became the
ing current debates in the context of
“Proposal.”
historical markers. It was challenging to
This Proposal, became a map or guide,
integrate so many disparate elements. It
for a composition of paintings. It devel-
also spoke to the inclusiveness that is
oped a metaphor for the postmodern
necessary in today’s complex society.
issues of fragmentation, appropriation,
As the painting progressed, it became
and temporality. It is a visual response for
an assembly of ideas that could have
the “reconfiguration and reassembling”
multiple arrangements rather than a
that is ongoing in every sector of society.
specific image or painting. This composi-
(The Ingenuity Gap, T. Homer Dixon; No
tional element also made references to
Logo, N. Klein; The End of Work, J. Rifkin;
puzzles and problem solving strategies.
est in the urban centre, it is progressing
Barbara Amos – “Cutting Up The Town: Interiors” (detail), 2 Sections, Oil on Board, 2003
Barbara Amos – “Cutting Up The Town” (installation view), 28 Sections, Oil on Board, 2004
Barbara Amos – “Cutting Up The Town: The Banks” (detail), 3 Sections, Oil on Board, 2003
James Paterson – “Bridge Beyond”, Oil Pastel on Paper, 2004
James Paterson – “The Light Breaks In”, Oil Pastel on Board, 2004
James Paterson - “Home Late Afternoon”, Oil Pastel on Paper, 1998
James Paterson – “Light Remains”, Oil Pastel on Board, 2004
James Paterson – Artist’s Statement
Barbara Amos – Artist’s Statement
T
he
source
of
this
painting,
The Future of Capitalism, L. Thurow;)
Originally intended for an urban
into other topics as I cut up images of
A
s much as the camera has changed
As post-moderns our lives are lived
seeing as being objectively and individu-
I glimpse them and pass them by, some-
“Cutting Up The Town”, was a
When the photograph was cut up,
corridor space, this composition was
farmland and national parks. Areas
the way we see in the modern
very quickly and multi-directionally which
ally identifiable and tend to experience
thing about the image or the scene
photograph of two bank towers in
each small piece was removed from its
8 – 10 feet high in places and 26 – 50
which are the target of multiple agendas
world, I think a case can be made that the
means much of what we see we see in
what we have seen as part of a larger,
lodges in my brain. I see a striking
downtown Calgary. This location is typical
context. It was liberated and isolated,
feet long. It consisted of 20 – 40
seem to have the most resonance. The
automobile has affected how we see
passing. While driving or riding in an
anonymous, non-objective whole. This is
contrast in light and dark, an unusual
of many North American urban centres.
developing a singular identity. These
separate but related compositions. Most
act of cutting up an image allows both
even more. Granted the camera has
automobile the view through the win-
due largely to the speed at which we
composition of shapes or repeating
It is a block from my studio which is on
appear to me as invitations to experi-
of these compositions could be rear-
whimsy and critical comment. There is
allowed us to capture an image, to hold it
dows mimics a TV, video or movie the-
pass through the environment but also
patterns of common elements: poles,
the 4th floor of a heritage building in
ment. Sometimes the segment speaks of
ranged. In this way, each installation of
irony in location and re-orientation as it
and spend an infinite period of time
atre screen giving us an ever changing
to the insular nature of the passage.
hedges or the lines of horizontal siding.
the centre of Calgary.
historical issues, calling to mind the
the painting became site specific and
was re-assembled. All this seems to be
considering
moment;
stream of images that flow in endless
The subjects I’ve presented in this
Something is happening to make these
The photograph of the banks was
paintings of the renaissance or early
quite different from the original image.
connected to the way in which new
however, infinite periods of time for
succession replicating in time and space,
show are ones I’ve glimpsed in passing
familiar, even banal scenes speak to me
cut into many small segments. Some
modern works. Other times it calls for
While this idea began with an inter-
realities evaluate and respond to the
consideration of frozen moments are
what electronic media presents as reality.
out of the corner of my eye and had no
so when I paint them what I’m doing is
status quo.
not something we have a lot of.
We become immured to what we are
way of stopping to contemplate.
creating a record of remnants from a
this
frozen
pieces of the banks were turned on
references to 70’s minimalism or 90’s
their side; others were discarded. There
urban graffitti. These are metaphors for
Sometimes this is due to being in a rush.
fast world. They are the remains of
was humor, whimsy, and critical comment
the way the past informs the present.
Other times, as with the highway views,
human presence. The artifacts left
in the process. The smaller sections
Frequently there was sense that I was
I would be run over or crashed into if I
behind over and over, as many times as
were then rearranged and fixed onto
painting my way through history, assess-
were to stop and consider them. But as
we pass them by.
another sheet of paper. This became the
ing current debates in the context of
“Proposal.”
historical markers. It was challenging to
This Proposal, became a map or guide,
integrate so many disparate elements. It
for a composition of paintings. It devel-
also spoke to the inclusiveness that is
oped a metaphor for the postmodern
necessary in today’s complex society.
issues of fragmentation, appropriation,
As the painting progressed, it became
and temporality. It is a visual response for
an assembly of ideas that could have
the “reconfiguration and reassembling”
multiple arrangements rather than a
that is ongoing in every sector of society.
specific image or painting. This composi-
(The Ingenuity Gap, T. Homer Dixon; No
tional element also made references to
Logo, N. Klein; The End of Work, J. Rifkin;
puzzles and problem solving strategies.
est in the urban centre, it is progressing
Barbara Amos – “Cutting Up The Town: Interiors” (detail), 2 Sections, Oil on Board, 2003
Barbara Amos – “Cutting Up The Town” (installation view), 28 Sections, Oil on Board, 2004
Barbara Amos – “Cutting Up The Town: The Banks” (detail), 3 Sections, Oil on Board, 2003
James Paterson – “Bridge Beyond”, Oil Pastel on Paper, 2004
James Paterson – “The Light Breaks In”, Oil Pastel on Board, 2004
James Paterson - “Home Late Afternoon”, Oil Pastel on Paper, 1998
James Paterson – “Light Remains”, Oil Pastel on Board, 2004
Urban Compositions
The Burlington Art Centre The Burlington Art Centre has thrived as a vital focal point for the visual arts since 1978. It is the seventh largest public art gallery in Ontario and attracts over 100,000 visitors from Burlington, the Bay Area, Toronto, and across Ontario and the U.S.A. The exhibition and educational programs, studios, and activities are essential to our community and region. The Centre is a non-profit registered charitable organization which provides free admission, seven days a week with full accessibility for the physically challenged.
Our Vision • Inspiring imagination, enriching lives
Our Mission Statement The Burlington Art Centre champions the role and value of art in life. We provide diverse experiences and discovery as a leading and sustainable organization through: • Nurturing artistic development • Being a home to our art and fine craft guilds and groups • Exhibition and education programs, special events and community outreach services
Barbara Amos
& James Paterson
•O ur acclaimed permanent collection of ceramic art • Volunteer and active community participation opportunities • Retail services, memberships and corporate partnerships
Our Principles and Values We believe…
Openness and Accessibility In being open to new ideas, opportunities and insights, as well as being accessible to all members of our community related to their interests, needs and capacities.
Entrepreneurial and Innovating In creating art and fine craft opportunities and experiences that encourage individuals to take risks, explore new territory, to be forward thinking and to act on their inspirations.
Committed to Art and a Learning Culture In nurturing and evolving a learning culture of educational, research and practice experiences and discovery that advances the knowledge of and a commitment to art and fine crafts within residents, the Centre and the community.
Cover Photos Half Cover Top: Barbara Amos – “Cutting Up The Town”, 10 Sections of the proposal, Oil on Board, 2001 Half Cover Bottom: Barbara Amos – “The Theatre District”, Oil on Board, 2003 Full Cover Left: Barbara Amos – “Cutting Up The Town”, 4 Vertical Sections, Oil on Board, 2001 Full Cover Top Right: James Paterson – “Suburban Evening”, Oil Pastel on Paper, 1998 Full Cover Bottom Right: James Paterson – “Bridge Beyond”, Oil Pastel on Paper, 2004
Acknowledgements The Burlington Art Centre gratefully acknowledges the financial support of our Membership, Corporate Members and Sponsors; the BAC Foundation; Arts Burlington; the Volunteer Council; the City of Burlington; the Ontario Arts Council; The Canada Council for the Arts; and the Federal Department of Canadian Heritage.
Barbara Amos
October 2 to November 14, 2004 October 2 to November 14, 2004
Burlington Art Centre – AIC Gallery Curator: George Wale Artists’ tour and talk: Sunday, October 24 – 2 p.m. Curator’s tour: Monday, October 4 – 2 p.m. Reception: Sunday, October 17– 2 p.m.
1333 Lakeshore Rd., Burlington Ontario L7S 1A9 Telephone: (905) 632-7796 • Fax: (905) 632-0278 Email: info@BurlingtonArtCentre.on.ca • Website: www.BurlingtonArtCentre.on.ca Publication Design: Wordsmith Design and Advertising ISBN 1-897052-12-X