Artist's Statement

I feel the role of the artist in our society is to interpret our world in ways that are unique to the artist. To question our perceptions, provide alternate meanings and sometimes to propose answers, but always to show people the world in a unique way.

I paint largely in the non-representative genre, what most people think of as abstract art, and in imagined, highly abstracted landscapes that present more of the feeling of a time or place than any particular locale. I believe strongly that these genres of art are not about painting an object or place, but are about painting what it feels like or are intended to elicit a feeling from the viewer.

CV

I have always been interested in art, through my working career I kept up with my interest through classes at the UofA Extensions in art history, sketching and sustained drawing, and in life drawing at the Art Gallery of Edmonton.

In 2004 I took classes in oil painting, and joined the St. Albert Painter’s Guild in 2005 and began showing and selling my work. In 2006 I took a class in abstract painting that showed me a “freestyle” way to put paint on canvas, and the thought processes that should go into abstract painting.

In 2008 I rented a studio at The Studio Gallery which boosted my productivity. I started expanding my horizons by exhibiting at the Whyte Avenue Art Walk. One piece “Tears of Red Buffalo” was accepted into the Fringe Gallery for further display as one of the strongest pieces at the Art Walk. I was at the Art Walk for a further three years.

I was selected for the Guilded Show at Profiles Gallery in St. Albert in 2009.

In 2011 I moved to the Perron St. studios of what is now the Visual Arts Studio Association and was accepted into the Daffodil Gallery on 124 St.

In 2012 VASA moved into the Hemingway Building. I had a solo show of my work at Daffodil Gallery featuring a series of blue, yellow and white abstract pieces. The piece for AGSA this year comes from this series. I maintained membership in the Guild until 2012 when I decided to put my efforts into more professional venues.

2013 saw me finishing my blue/yellow/white series and launching a new series with very liquid, shiny acrylics. A group of abstract artists centered at VASA formed the Goop of Seven, a loose group dedicated to thick, goopy painting styles and focused on applying for group shows in western Canada. I also co-produced a piece of work for Symbiotica, a group show of art and poetry put on by YegWords for the spring poetry festival in conjunction with poet Deborah Lawson.

2014 was an exciting year as I produced more in my series of vibrant, loose, shiny paintings for a show in June at the Daffodil Gallery, and a Goop of Seven show in August at VASA.

In 2015 I joined other artists centred around VASA as the Goop of 7, the aim of which was to produce fluid, drippy, goopy freestyle art and to show our works around Edmonton. We have been doing this ever since.

Alas the Daffodil Gallery closed in 2016 so I was left without a dealer. I had to regroup and didn’t paint a whole lot.

I showed some of my work with the Goop of 7 and began thinking about a cohesive series for a solo show in 2019. I spent much of 2018 producing these works as “Floral Riffs” opened at VASA in March 2019. It was a pretty good success and I continue to sell the abstracted floral works.

2020, the year to forget, Covid-19 shut down our studio space at VASA so I have taken to doing pet portraits for my kids.

My work can be seen on this website: http://www.mconstable-artist.com, and at my studio at VASA in the Hemingway Building, 25 Sir W. Churchill Ave, St. Albert, Alberta

 
 
 

Abbreviated List                          of Exhibitions

2005

  • St. Albert Painter’s Guild (fall)

2006

  • St. Albert Painter’s Guild (spring and fall)

2007

  • Whyte Avenue Art Walk

  • Art Gallery of Alberta, Free for All

  • St. Albert Painter’s Guild (spring and fall)

2008

  • St Albert Art Walk

  • Whyte Avenue Art Walk

  • Fringe Gallery, Edmonton (“Tears of Red Buffalo”)

  • Capital Ex

  • St. Albert Painter’s Guild (spring and fall)

2009

  • Whyte Avenue Art Walk

  • St. Albert Painter’s Guild (spring and fall)

  • Guilded at Profiles Gallery, St. Albert

 2010

  • Whyte Avenue Art Walk

  • VASA Wet Paint

  • VASA Landmarks of St. Albert

 2011

  • St. Albert Painter’s Guild (spring and fall)

2012

  • Solo show at Daffodil Gallery, Edmonton

  • VASA Hemingway (spring and Christmas)

2013

  • Night of Artists, Enjoy Centre

  • Night of Artists, Taste of Edmonton

  • VASA Hemingway (spring and Christmas)

2014

  • Night of Artists, Enjoy Centre

  • Solo show at Daffodil Gallery

  • Goop of Seven Group show at VASA

2015

  • Night of Artists, Enjoy Centre

  • Solo show, Onoway

  • Night of Artists,

  • VASA Hemingway (Christmas)