September 6, 2014
Vancouver Island School of Art Newsletter

Dreaming of stars
360 Portable Planetarium, Sara Sze

The beginning of a new school year. Whether or not you are going to school this fall, everybody has memories of being in school. One of my fondest memories include field trips to the local Montreal Planetarium. I loved sitting in the dark theatre and watching the magic in the ceiling above unfold. I would quickly forget I was watching a movie and feel as if I was outdoors looking up at the night sky. When I saw the work of Sara Sze a few years ago at the National Gallery, the installation had a room to itself. I sat on the floor, and immediately I was brought back to that magical feeling of the planetarium of my childhood. Of course with Sze's 360 Portable Planetarium all the inner workings are visible (tape, mirrors, overhead projectors), so the work doesn't make you transcend reality the way a planetarium can. However I was quite surprised, as I sat on the floor in the semi dark room, to see how quickly that childhood feeling of the magic of watching starts could be so easily induced. A great thing about our brain, is that even as we age we still have access to childhood joy.

Sara Sze was the U.S. representative for the 2013 Venice Biennale and a component of this installation is currently on display at the Bronx Museum of Art. A short video of Sara Sze Venice installation can be seen here. New York Times writer Karen Rosenberg expresses her disappointment in the choice of work for the Bronx Museum. Rosenberg suggests that the piece loses some of its vitality by being transferred to a different space; a fate that often effects installations that are specifically designed for one site and then moved to another. Some images of related work can be seen on the Victoria Miro Gallery website and a review of this work can be found in the Guardian.

In doing my research on Sze, I discovered an interesting on-line journal called Art and Science. You can download the first two issues for free by going to their Shop. Since most of you won't be seeing Sze's work at the Bronx Museum of Art, perhaps the next best thing is to find a place in the city that doesn't have street lights (Dallas Road or Beach Drive are good spots) and look up at the starry sky and realize at that moment, you could be of any age.

FALL COURSES START SEPTEMBER 9

Several of our courses are now full with waiting lists.  

Register today to be sure to get in!

 

Courses that are still open:  

 

Painting: Observation & Description (Tuesday evening)   

 Art & the Language of Craft: Paper, Fabric & Thread (Tuesday evening)   

Drawing Projects I (Wednesday afternoon)   

Painting: Representation to Abstraction (Wednesday evening)  

Painting with Gouache (Wednesday evening) 
Painting: Advanced I (Wednesday evening) 

Drawing: Advanced I (Thursday evening)
Painting: Introduction I (Thursday evening)
Painting Today I (Friday afternoon) 

  

Complete Fall Course Schedule 

TONIGHT: 
Kathy Guthrie, VISA Alumni, Opening reception Sept 6, 7pm

Deluge Contemporary Art
Regolith, Jess Willa Wheaton 

Jess Willa Wheaton plumbs the possibilities of pictorial surface tension, while considering the mobility of the veneer of the Earth. In her latest collages, found images are re-inscribed with meaning by the context of their composition. Implicit to these works' surfaces are strenuous compressions, tight fits orchestrated over eons, quick breaks, slowly drifting layers and sudden suspensions. Also employing these processes are paintings, many of them the largest she has exhibited to date. While continuing to enfold found images, here the process of painting generates the forces and content of earthly activity. History, tumult, growth and light spread, contract and transform each surface into a new spatial state, depending on location.

Wheaton grew up in California and lives and works in New York City. She received a Certificate in Visual Arts from Camosun College, a BFA from the California College of the Arts and an MFA from Hunter College in 2013. In the past year her work has been exhibited at Zusi Graham, Cologne, Germany and in several group exhibitions in New York. Wheaton gratefully acknowledges the support of Camosun College, where she is the current Artist in Residence for 2014.

Exhibition runs September 5 - October 4.
Marlene Jess' exhibition in the Slide Room Gallery has been extended until Monday, September 8 at 5pm. Gallery will also be open on Sunday, September 7, 12-5pm.

 

 

 

We are looking for some volunteers to help Dale Roberts install this exhibition in the Slide Room Gallery this week (Tuesday Sept 9 - Friday Sept 12). If you can help please email VISA office

 

 

 


SAVE THE DATE: October 19, 7-10pm

Tickets: $75 (available as of September 19)

We are delighted to announce that the Canoe Brewpub has offered us their entire venue for our anniversary celebration. The event will include food, complimentary drink, as well as local band, Sidecar and renown Victoria DJ, Benji Duke and magician, the Great Giffoni, CTV's Adam Sawatsky will be our MC for the evening. An assortment of drawing materials will be available on each table for those who wish to doodle, draw, write poems or notes to be displayed on a Wall of Art. In addition, all participants will be provided with a complimentary VISA Turns 10 commemorative sketchbook.

 

The event will also include a live art auction element done by the dynamic Alison Ross from Kilshaw's. Five large scale pieces from selected artists will be up for auction (Jeremy Herndl, Sara Robichaud, Rick Leong, Laura Harris and Sherrard Grauer). VISA Turns 10 tote bags will be for sale (each containing a prize) and some bags will be raffled off full of special gifts. The evening will conclude with an anniversary housemade cake and dancing.


For more information: VISATurns10
PLEASE HELP US PAY FOR OUR BEAUTIFUL NEW BUILDING
any amount will help
we need money to finish paying for the painting of the front of the building and also so we can paint the front entrance side area

 

CHECK OUT OUR FALL WORKSHOPS: ALL MATERIALS INCLUDED!

All workshops are on Sundays (Sept-Nov) and run from 1-4pm.

Cost: $65 (all materials included)

 

Fall Workshop Schedule

SATURDAY AFTERNOON ART CLUB

Please note that the next Saturday Afternoon Art Club will be September 20. We are changing the day to the THIRD Saturday in every month 

(that way Thanksgiving weekend won't interfere with upcoming scheduling).

For more information: Saturday Afternoon Art Club

For more information contact Melissa in the office
Links
Certificate of Visual Art = 1st year of a BFA at Emily Carr VISA's Certificate of Visual Art = 1st year of a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Media Arts or Bachelor of Design degree at the EMILY CARR UNIVERSITY OF ART + DESIGN
Diploma of Fine Arts at VISA transferable to University of Gloucestershire, UK Diploma of Fine Arts + 8 months at the University of Gloucestershire = BA in Fine Art.
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Vancouver Island School of Art
2549 Quadra Street
Victoria, V8T 4E1

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