ARTIST'S STATEMENT
I think of my current work as being both ambient and
grounded. Inspired by Minimalism and informed by Pop and Arte Povera,
the paintings employ all-overfields and hard-edged geometric shapes to
manipulate space and light.
All-over fields are created by the repetitious stenciling
of shapes over the entire canvas area, which is usually painted a bright,
transparent colour. The canvas is then glazed with another colour, usually
black, to create a striated veil over the entire surface, producing shades
and highlights.
Geometric blocks of colour are then placed over the
surface to emphasize the picture plane and to contrast with the depth
found within the background field. These blocks of colour also divide
the picture plane into strong positive and negative areas.
Throughout, strong contrasts are employed: light/dark,
surface/depth, positive/negative, randomness/order, formal and informal.
The ambient nature of the work is evident in that all of these qualities
exist together without one dominating.
STEPHEN R. HARRIS
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
BORN: 1954, London, Ontario, Canada
EDUCATION
| 1990 |
Nova
Scotia College of Art and Design, Halifax, Graphic Design |
| 1979-81 |
George
Brown College, Toronto, Ontario, Graphic Design
Received: Honours
Diploma; Graphic Design Merit-Award |
| 1969-74 |
H.B.
Beal Secondary School, London, Ontario, Fine Arts Programme |
SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
| 2001 |
Downsview Library, North York, painting |
| 2000-01 |
North
York Central Library, North York, painting |
| 2000 |
Pleasant
View Library, North York, painting |
| 1996 |
Metropolitan Toronto Convention & Visitors Association, painting |
| 1988 |
The
Rivoli Restaurant, Toronto, painting |
| 1987 |
The
Queen Mother Cafe, Toronto, painting |
| 1984 |
Orbit Art Room, Toronto, drawings |
SELECTED GROUP
EXHIBITIONS:
| 2001 |
Rebecca Gallery, Toronto, painting |
| 2000 |
Woman’s Art Association, Toronto, juried exhibition, painting |
| 1998 |
A-Space Gallery, Toronto, Spirits of Power, painting |
| 1997 |
A-Space Gallery, Toronto, Spirits of Power, painting |
| 1991 |
Anna Leonowens Gallery, Halifax,
Visual Arts Nova Scotia, Members Exhibition, painting |
| 1988 |
ldee Gallery, Toronto, S’no Show, painting
Original Bakery Cafe, Toronto, painting
The Weller-Potovsky Gallery, Toronto, Bill C-54, painting
and installation
The Palmerston Restaurant,Toronto, painting |
| 1987 |
Xiphotek Studio, Toronto, October Crisis, painting
The Weller-Potovsky Gallery, Toronto, Integrity, painting
The Weller-Potovsky Gallery, Toronto, painting, sculpture, installation |
| 1986 |
The Weller-Potovsky Gallery, Toronto,
3rd Anniversary Celebration, painting & mixed media |
| 1984 |
Orbit Art Room, Toronto, Summer Classic, mixed media
ARC Gallery/Chromazone Art Collective,Toronto,
Painting Beyond The Zone, painting
Eye Revue Gallery, Toronto, The 1984 Show, mixed media |
| 1983 |
Eye Revue Gallery, Toronto, Eye-Tems (Small Objects Show),
mixed media
Chromazone Art Collective, Toronto, Chromaliving, sculpture
Eye Revue Gallery, Toronto, W. S. Burroughs Birthday Celebration,
painting installation |
COLLABORATIVE
PROJECTS:
| 1991 |
The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia and Visual Arts Nova Scotia
Festival ’91, Halifax, Mural, Float Project |
| 1986
|
Harbourfront
Art Gallery, Toronto, ‘Bravo Rio!’,
Masks, costume performance
William Boyle and Louise Dompierre/Harbourfront Art Gallery, Toronto,
2-Two Figs. In A Garden, commissioned art wear |
| 1985 |
Palais Royale, Toronto, ‘N.A.B.S. Art Show’, Masks,
costume performance
Danceworks, Toronto, Making A God, performance
Xiphotek Studio/Woodstock Art Gallery, I’ve Changed My Mind,
costume performance
Xiphotek Studio, Toronto, ‘Cruisewear For The Modern Planet’,
group show
I’ve Changed My Mind, costume performance
Eye Revue/Orbit Art Room, Your Context Or Mine, performance |
| 1984 |
‘PHOENIX-An
International Exhibition of New Design Works’, Toronto,
House Heads Walkabout, costume performance
Afrikan Electric, Toronto, ‘Mandela’ music video
musician; Aaron Davis, director; Oliver Girling,
costume-concept, design and production
Street Performance, Toronto, Two of the Lesser Gods of Darkness,
costume performance
Harbourfront Art Gallery, Toronto, ‘Dressing Up’,
group show,
House Heads Dance, costume performance |
ARTICLES &
CATALOGUES:
| 2001
|
Review,
Mark Hakala, Lola |
| 1991 |
Painting The Town Red, Elissa Barnard, The Mail Star, Halifax |
| 1987 |
Dressing Up, Toronto Life Fashion |
| 1986 |
Blame It On Rio, Kristen Jenkins, Flare |
| 1985 |
Local Rock Video Avoids All The Genre’s Cliches,
Steven Conover, Performance
Video, Art and Fashion, Linda Crawford, Now Magazine
These Artists Want To Take You On A See Cruise,
Christopher Hume, The Toronto Star |
| 1984 |
PHOENIX-New Attitudes in Design, catalogue, Curator: Loris
Calzolari
Dressing Up, Canadian Art
ART/Painting Beyond The Zone, Sean Rulli, Profile Magazine
In The Limelight, Valerie Gibson, The Toronto Star
Directions Now, Now Magazine
Into The Zany Zone, Marilyn Morley, The Toronto Star
Artists Are Goofing Up With Style, David Livingstone, The
Globe and Mail |
| 1983 |
Chromazone, catalogue, Curators: Tim Jocelyn, Andy Fabo |
|
