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March 16, 2007
How does this garden grow?
With artists' colorful painted canvases, lined up all in a row.
BAILA LAZARUS
Well, I didn't spot any silver bells or cockle shells at the latest
opening at the Zack Gallery last week, but a garden was certainly
growing. Spring welcomes you immediately as you enter the gallery
at the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver this month and
next. Vibrant colors of the rainbow burst off canvases in the show
From the Forest to the Garden, a dual exhibit showing the work of
Diana Zoe Coop and Karen Hollowell.
As she often does when dealing with the work of more than one artist,
curator Reisa Schneider struggled with the disparity of the pieces,
but managed to pull together the paintings in a way that the different
styles complement, rather than detract from, each other.
Coop's work is bold but smoother. Hollowell's is muted in tone but
more textural; Coop's canvases adhere more to the traditional rectangular
or square form, while Hollowell has been exploring more horizontal
and vertical shapes. And Coop's models include flowers, vases and
birdhouses, while Hollowell depicts tree trunks and branches.
"Our work is very different, but it works in the space,"
said Coop. "We have a different perspective, but I think that
makes for an interesting show."
Where they are of the same mind, however, is in their love of and
admiration for nature; and in their mutual recent interest in getting
up close to their subjects.
Hollowell's works, for example, are created almost as details in
and of themselves. It's wonderful to start by looking closely at
a painting such as "A Morning Walk." Stand a foot away,
and it looks like nothing but brushstrokes and texture. Walk backwards
and the vague forms begin to distinguish themselves as tree trunks
and branches.
"For some reason, I'm not very square," said Hollowell.
"From using my camera, [I] crop in very closely and I like
taking a little sample and forcing the viewer to focus on a specific
aspect. I'm not so interested in leaves. I like the trunks. I think
that's the body and soul of a tree or a person."
The unique canvas shapes serve not only her own aesthetic sensibilities,
but those of her clients, as well.
"I was attracted to that size and initially thought I would
do one concept and piece them all together and butt them up to each
other, but then I changed my mind," she explained. "That
evolved into a happy accident. Most people who live in older homes
don't have a lot of wall space, and this is a great shape to help
dignify the non-area, like the end of a hallway."
In order to achieve the color and texture she desires, Hollowell
may use as many as 100 layers of paint, which means she has to leave
her artwork to let it dry.
"Sometimes it's helpful because I become more objective,"
she said. "That's what I learned [from] 25 years as an art
director – being objective is your best tool; gaining some
distance, coming back with fresh eyes."
Also coming at her work with fresh eyes is Coop, who has made a
departure from her regular medium of paper to work on canvas over
the last couple of years. "It's a challenge, because it's a
lot different to manipulate the surface on canvas than paper,"
she said. "It's quite a different effect.
"I used to work on Japanese gardens, but these works are more
detailed. They're kind of in-depth views. They're like close-ups.
I work a lot in my own garden and I look at things pretty close,"
she laughed. "It probably has something to do with my perspective
in general, because I'm up close with my own environment."
Greeting Coop at the exhibit opening March 8 were admirers Susan
and Todd Sinclair. Susan Sinclair, an interior designer, used to
work for Coop's father, who was an architect. Sinclair also studied
under the instruction of Coop's mother at the University of Manitoba.
"We've seen [Diana's work] evolve from pastels to the vibrancy
of today," said Sinclair, who added that her and her husband's
collection of Coop's work spans 25 years. "Every time I come,
there's a new unfolding of Diana."
From the Forest to the Garden, paintings by Karen Hollowell and
Diana Zoe Coop runs until April 15.
Baila Lazarus is a freelance writer, photographer and
illustrator living in Vancouver. Her work can be seen at www.orchiddesigns.net.
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