Many in this community already have a reverence for the artistry of the quilt but for those who think of the crafted pieces as mere blankets, the new exhibit at Art Beat should change your perspective.
Starting today, the downtown gallery is hosting From the Ground Up, a complementary joint effort from St. Albert painter Shirley Cordes-Rogozinsky and Edmonton quilter Margo Fiddes. Fiddes’ quilt work is fine and exquisitely detailed, and just as deserving to be hanged on a wall as Cordes-Rogozinsky’s paintings.
One look at the quilts is not enough. Much inspection is required to get a decent appreciation of the deliberately intricate designs within the layers of fabric. A master quilter if ever there was one, this internationally celebrated artist puts in endless hours of hard work to make these pieces fascinating but still incredibly easy on the eye. Some people call this ‘extreme quilting’ and it’s hard to disagree.
Cordes-Rogozinsky’s contribution is a collection of large paintings that must be every art supply store-owner’s dream, given the liberal application of several layers of paint.
When asked about her output, she laughed. Cordes-Rogozinsky prepared for this show over the last six months, working 12 hours a day, stopping only in the evening to wash the colours off of her arms.
“I ran out of paint. I had to order paint twice and I had to look for a new supplier for my canvases because I paint pretty big and I want a good quality structure. I’m painted out right now.”
She attributes her paint consumption to being forced to create large-scale works in art school as a way of magnifying the minuscule, an eye-opening activity especially when the subject is a 1.2-metre by 1.6-metre self-portrait.
“I never imagined myself working that large. To look at yourself in that format is shocking but I learned … that it allows me to get right into that space. I can almost walk into that painting.”
The effect for the viewer really is like having access to another dimension and not just because the dramatic swashes of oil (applied with palette knives no less) do much to demonstrate the deep, profound layers of her images but in some ways the images themselves are illusions. You will likely see flowers but that’s not necessarily what was intended. It’s all just a part of her process.
“My paintings are more about what I’m feeling about something. This size allows that space to help me emphasize that.”
“This winter we had a lot of fog but I really missed the sunshine. I do reflect my surroundings in my work. Then I was just tired of it. I wanted the sun to shine so I made it shine.”
Preview
From the Ground Up<br />Featuring St. Albert painter Shirley Cordes-Rogozinsky and Edmonton quilter Margo Fiddes<br />Runs until May 1st<br />Opening reception today from 1 to 4 p.m.<br />Artists will be in attendance.<br />Art Beat Gallery<br />26 St. Anne Street<br />Call 780-459-3679 or visit www.artbeat.ab.ca for more information
