Monday, April 9, 2012

April at Swoon: Christine Lavoie and Helen Opie

 This past Saturday was the opening reception for our two April features: "Entre-deux-mondes" (In Between Two Worlds) by Christine Lavoie, and "Landscape & Architecture" by Helen Opie

Christine Lavoie is a relatively new addition to both Swoon and the Halifax area.  Originally from a small francophone town in New Brunswick, Christine has a visuals art degree from the University of Moncton, and specializes in sculpture and painting.  Her artist statement and biography can be found here on our website.
Christine Lavoie with Corbeau Patte Blanche (Raven: White Foot)



Entre-deux-mondes consists of large, smoke fired ceramic pieces as well as acrylic paintings with oil pastel.  The show was inspired by the pitcher plant as a starting point, but Christine further explores family traditions, local folklore, creation myths and nature.  The ceramic pieces include technically challenging free-standing ravens, a giant multi-part plant, wall hanging vessels, a vessel lined with gold, and a collaborative piece decorated by artist Basia Lukwinski.
Collaboration with Basia Lukwinski






Excerpt from Helen Opie's artist statement from Landscape & Architecture:

I love being alive here in Nova Scotia.  I love quilt-patch fields, distant ridges, patches of woods, and the ever-changing sea, particularly the nearby Bay of Fundy.  I also love abstract compositions I see in parts of houses; massed roofs, overlapping sheds and ells, chimneys dancing across the sky.  I especially like roofscapes – lots of roofs making a blocky pattern together, and what I call Bowl Villages; those views looking downhill into a group of houses, providing lots of roofing as well as walls.  In this show I have drawn together my new understandings about pattern, composition and "distortion"...

Helen's show consists of oil paintings and includes village scenes from Granville Ferry, Eureka Village, Bear River, Mahone Bay, as well as Nova Scotian landscapes. 

Helen Opie
These shows continue until April 28th. Photos of all works in both shows are now posted on our website (as of April 14th).

See you Swoon!

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