Company Soup

July 2011

Fraser Gallery, Tatamagouche, NS, with the Pugwash Artist Collective

It was the Pugwash Artist Collective’s intention, for this exhibit, to bring together the work of Pugwash area artists, in a collaborative effort, using the words ‘Company Soup’ as a springboard for our creations. Some interpretations were literal, some made great whimsical leaps. Some artists worked individually, some worked together with another artist. We made no restrictions on ourselves.

The show included a variety of mediums – clay, metal, acrylic, watercolour, mixed media, collage, gouache, fabric, photography, video, audio. But that was the nature of this eclectic ‘Soup’ we concocted, where the emphasis was on the joy of creating and the fun was discovering what paths it led us down.

I chose a new, more experimental medium for this show, using mixed media on a plastic surface. The effect was sketchy and loose. Like with a number of group shows, I needed to find a way into the theme by having a literary ‘hook’. In this case, it was using titles like, ‘Saucy Bridesmaids Bouillabaisse’ that paved the way for the work.

Looking back at these images, I really like the use of line and the rawness that painting on the plastic brought to the mix.