Author Archives: Gary Crawford

Venice…..the fog rolls in?

Creativity and inspiration occur in the oddest ways. I finished the painting today on a very positive note, finally getting a sense of where the work may be going. Just after I stopped I was up in my bedroom taking some random pictures of my backyard. The flash kept bouncing off the glass and created [...]

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School Board’s treasure

Toronto Star EDITORIAL
 
May 18, 2009
http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/635686
Toronto’s public school board has been so preoccupied lately by the future of its unfunded swimming pools that another of its legacies – a remarkable but unheralded collection of Canadian art – has languished almost forgotten.
Last week, the Star’s Kristin Rushowy gave readers an exclusive glimpse of the treasures locked [...]

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Schools hoard $7M in art

Schools hoard $7M in art
 Autumn Scene by Tom Thomson is valued at $1.5 million.   Jobs are being cut and pools are on the chopping block, but Toronto’s public school board says it would be a ‘mistake’ to sell its secret vault full of valuable paintings
May 15, 2009 04:30 AM
Kristin Rushowy
Education Reporter
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/634694
The Tom Thomson [...]

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Venice…….oh so vulnerable

 
I had my first one man art show in a Toronto Gallery in the prestigious Yorkville gallery district over 20 years ago. I was in my late 20’s and on top of the world creatively, so I thought. It was a reasonably good show, I sold a few works and I thought I was on [...]

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Venice, a golden dovecote by the water…

Inspiration comes in many ways.
 As I do every morning, I have a prescribed routine I follow when I paint as I am sure most everyone does when they go to work or start their day. I make my coffee, get the newspaper, check my emails then I go down to the studio, where I put [...]

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Venice – the subtlety of colour……of touch….

 
 
Colour to a painting is like touch is to the skin. The subtlety can be electrifying, sending sensations through the body as the colour slowly meanders across the canvas. Finding those hidden areas that call out for colour, for touch, is an artist’s desire, deciding on that exact tone, exact mixture of touch, of pressure, [...]

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Venice, oggi ho fatto l’amore.

Today I made love to my canvas. If you are an artist you will know what I mean. If you are not an artist, you will become one…..

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Venice lost?

I have to admit I am feeling somewhat vulnerable right now. I have never been this open about a process that usually happens within my mind, by myself, within the confines of my studio. There is comfort knowing that you can have a bad day, screw up or just hide when things aren’t going well, [...]

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Venice in progress, April 21,09

I didn’t get much accomplished today. It simply took too long for the paint to dry. This layer was very wet, applied with brush and sponge.

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Venice, the first wash layers

I am now beginning the most difficult, frustrating yet creatively rewarding part of the painting process. I have no idea what to expect during this phase. I will have good days (layers) and not so good layers. There will be moments where I will think I have lost the painting and will want to give [...]

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