Ben Woolfitt Exhibition
Opening Saturday, May 30th from 3 - 7 pm |
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May 29 - June 23
Oeno is proud to present Ben Woolfitt's first solo show in Canada in five years. Known as an outstanding entrepreneur and studio art teacher, Woolfitt's return to paintings and works on paper is a welcome one.
"Ben Woolfitt's gift for colour has never been more apparent than in his most recent paintings. Working with Mantegna's Interference acrylic, he has applied up to 125 or so layers of paint with kitchen cloths, trowels, and palette knives, and the more layers he applies, the richer the paintings get. Some have taken as long as nine months to bring to their final, glorious state. And glorious is the right word for them, with their shimmering, irridescent surfaces that can change from gold to silver as you walk around them. The pigments that Woolfitt adds to the wet paint go far beyond any purely local colour; his is mercurial, fugitive colour that can show up surprisingly in any part of the painting - flowing colour, scattered colour, splendid in its luminosity and sheer motility.
Woolfitt's art is rich in both art historical sources - his affection for Hofmann, Motherwell and Olitski is a case in point - and in personal sources for his inspiration. The nails that sometimes punctuate the perimeter of his paintings are not just a kind of homage to Julio Gonzalez (think of Cactus Man, ca. 1940) but even more a recapitulation of the drawings he did upon the death of his sister, Shirley, in 1996. Woolfitt's drawings, with their diaristic commentary on his daily life - his loves and his hates, his fears and his hopes - are among the most personal accomplishments in recent Canadian art.
I have no doubt that Woolfitt is at the height of his powers, and that paintings such as Tonight and Tomorrow from the In the Eye of the Storm series and Early Morning Heat from the Turbulence series will look better and better as time goes on. Woolfitt is not just a master craftsman - he is an inspired and profound artist." Ken Carpenter, York University May, 2009
We hope you will join us at the Opening Reception on May 30 from 3pm - 7pm, with remarks beginning at 5:00pm.
Oeno has prepared a catalogue with colour reproductions to accompany this exhibit.
Woolfitt will also be speaking on Saturday, June 13 at 2 pm.
Transportation to Woolfitt Exhibit Available from Toronto
If you are interested in transportation to the Woolfitt Artist Talk on June 13, Oeno can arrange for a bus from Toronto to the County. You will arrive at Huff Estates Winery (next door to the gallery) for lunch and a wine tasting. You will also visit one or two other wineries prior to returning to Toronto. Please contact cpoitras@oenogallery.com to researve your seat. Seating is limited. |
Indoors and Outdoors at Oeno Gallery
Our group show in the alcoves features work by sculptors Hanna Back, John Paul Robinson and Catherine Vamvakas Lay as well as work by Stuart Kinmond, Mafu Jiang, Etienne Labbe and Sylvain Louis-Seize.
Our outdoor sculpture garden continues to grow, with works in steel, copper, lead, stone and glass. Artists include Mark Clark, Shayne Dark, David James and Hanna Back. |
Jazz in the County
The 2009 Prince Edward County Jazz Festival kicks off on August 18 at Oeno Gallery with the performance of an intriguing text/poem/score by artist and visual poet, Alice Teichert, presented by Teichert with jazz musicians, Bram Geilen and vocalist Alex Samaras. After the concert, there will be a jazz jam next door at Huff Estates Winery. Tickets, $20, are available at Oeno.
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Six Barrels Six Chefs
On July 2, 2009 Huff Estates Vineyard and Oeno Gallery will be the place to be, for foodies and wine lovers alike.
For $150.00 you will enjoy fine wines from six different barrels, produced by Frederic Picard and Norman Hardie. The wines will be paired with six special courses, prepared on-site by Chef Bryan Steele of Stratford's Old Prune Restaurant and five other Chefs. Joining us this year is Fifth Town Artisan Cheese Company with an exclusive tent, and again Jacqui Vickers and Scott Capitan of The Bloomfield Carriage House will finish the evening off with dessert on the patio accompanied by Huff Estates own First Frost.
A portion of the proceeds goes to Camp Trillium. Call 613.393.5802 or email info@huffestates.com for tickets. |
Summer Hours
Huff Estates Winery and the Oeno Gallery will be moving to summer extended hours, staying open until 8pm on Friday and Saturday nights, starting June 19th.
The Winery Patio is now open for lunch on the weekends, and will be open 7 days a week for lunch beginning in June. Enjoy jazz on the Patio every Sunday afternoon. |
| Special County Country House For Sale
Since we have moved to our new space, the unique stone house where the original Oeno Gallery was located has been renovated and restored as a country home. If you or anyone you know is interested in acquiring this waterfront property, please contact Marc Oullette at Chestnut Park Realty http://www.rightonthemarc.ca/listing.htm or call 613-849-8864. A virtual tour is available on his website.
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Relaxing Summer Cottage Retreat
The Old Orchard Cottage, next door to the former gallery, is available for rent by the week throughout the year. Near wineries, farmers' markets and the beach, it has been recently renovated, and features beautiful sunset views on the waterfront, a fireplace, and an outdoor hottub. It has an equipped kitchen, barbeque, linens, two comfortable bedrooms, one with a king size bed and one with a double. $1200 per week.
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