Art-ifacts - Solo Show at the FFG

 

Full appreciation goes to Janet and John Crawford of the Fog Forest Gallery for doing such a beautiful job of displaying the artwork for my solo show: Art-ifacts. 

The exhibition runs from Oct. 14 to Nov. 5, 2021. 

The gallery will be open on Thursday and Friday from 10 am to 5 pm or by appointment. 

The exhibition can be viewed online from the Fog Forest Gallery website at this LINK.

To acquire any of the remaining available paintings, please contact:

Fog Forest Gallery

14 Bridge Street, Sackville,

New Brunswick, Canada, E4L 3N5

Phone (506) 536-9000

e-mail: janet@fogforstgallery.ca

https://fogforestgallery.ca/

-ALL PAINTINGS HAVE BEEN SOLD

Near & Far - Opening reception - October 16, 2009

A Gallery Hop in Saint John, NB is an event that always brings out a crowd on Friday evenings as openings are held in several exhibition spaces in the port city. My son Jean-Luc was the official photographer during the evening of the opening of my own solo show at Handworks Gallery. At one point he said, there are too many people, I can't see the artwork.

It was fun meeting the public. I got to chat with fellow gallery artists Holly McKay & Lynn Wigginton. To share my enthusiasm with others who seem genuinely excited to see my new work. When the evening was over, 14 of the 21 paintings had a red dot. Many thanks to all the people who came to view the artwork, to all those who send me warm wishes and the patrons who acquired the paintings. Thank you to Cliff Turner and Shannon Merrifield, the gallery owners and their staff for doing such a superb job.

Photos- top- with Cliff Turner / Cliff is an amazing hyperrealist painter who had a solo exhibition that concluded on Thursday. The very large 5 x 7 feet painting entitled Hot Wheels in the bottom photo, was a piece of that show.

middle- with Jean-Luc / bottom- mingling !

In other news, I want to congratulate my wife Suzanne, whom this show was dedicated to. Today, she reached the final destination of Santiago de Compostella during day-28 of the 800 km walking / backpacking trek across Spain on the Camino Francés. Bravo!

Solo exhibtion - Near & Far

I am starting to post artwork that will be included in my solo show at Handworks Gallery in Saint John, NB. With a bit less that three weeks before the opening, I am currently working on painting number 17. I have started a series of smaller paintings in order to fill the space. With the exception of the two paintings above, the rest of the collection will consist of new works.

''Are we there yet?''- 14 x 20''

Acrylic on hardboard, # 142, 2008

-SOLD

I usually paint from photographic material that I find in my own surroundings. For this show, I have including imagery also found during my travels that still retains the same familiar attributes. I've decided to study the theme quite broadly, with acrylic paintings that makes references to consumerism and popular culture, while trying to create a narrative by linking some of the imagery together, either with subject matter, elements found within the artwork or cross references from my own life.

Handworks Gallery is located at 12 King Street, Saint John, NB.
To purchase artwork posted for this show, please contact the gallery.

Gallery hours: 10:00am to 6:00pm (AST) from Monday to Saturday

Telephone - (506) 652-9787, e-mail - info@handworks.ca
Artwork must remain in the gallery until closure of the show.

Near & Far runs from October 16-30, 2009

Solo Show at Handworks Gallery

''Home Preserves'' - 16 x 16''

Acrylic on gessoed hardboard

April 13-21, 2009, #158

I am currently preparing a solo exhibition at Handworks Gallery in Saint John, NB. The show will be entitled ''NEAR & FAR'' and will run from October 16-30, 2009. It is a very broad title, so I have a lot of breathing space to explore the theme. Are we there yet? (2008) is the initial piece to jump start the show, the rest of the collection will feature all new paintings. The fun part of preparing a solo show is that it permits you to create a visual narrative and link images together. I will be aiming for 24 paintings, 16 large and 8 smaller pieces.

I will start previewing the new paintings about one month before the opening date. The above painting is the first installment and posted as a sneak peek, except that I've opted to display it in Black & White. I will be posting Home Preserves again in September in full colour. I am currently working on painting number 5, and so far so good....the last two are among my all-time favorites.

During the next few months, I will continue to post recent paintings completed prior to 2007 (birth of this Blog) and update the painting count for the solo show.

Opening reception, A SMASHING SUCCESS !

Top photo- Gallery owner, Cliff Turner and me

Bottom photo- son Jean-Luc and my wife Suzanne.

This solo exhibition comprised of 25 paintings, 22 of them were achieved since early January of 2007. After all the time spent in my studio focusing on all of my energy on this single show, I could never have imagined in my wildest dream that it would turn out the way it did. A buzz had started during the week leading to the opening, as pieces started to sell. Yesterday, as I was unwrapping the paintings inside the gallery in preparation to set up the show, a lovely lady getting a first glance of the paintings and another lady on the phone from Tennessee each acquired a piece. Tonight was no exception. A steady flow of well wishers came to view the collection, and I had a chance to engage in some very lively conversations with so many of them during the full three hours. I had so much fun meeting all of you and was touched by the comments. When the evening was over, we did a tally of the red dots, and 19 out of the 25 had sold. I am still in shock, and it hasn't sinked in yet.

First I want to thank my wife Suzanne and son Jean-Luc. Sue you are my rock, the north on my compass when I lose my direction, the voice of reason, my muse, my soul mate, the reason I became a painter when you surprised me on the year of our wedding with a set of watercolors. I love you more today than ever. Jean-Luc, you have the kindness heart and most positive outlook on life. When I became your father, I thought that I would have to teach you so much stuff. As it turned out, it was you who thought me even more. Je t'adore. Thank you so much for being by my side this evening.

To Cliff Turner and Shannon Merrifield, the proud owner of Handworks Gallery, I cannot thank you enough for putting your thrust in me by hosting this first solo show with your gallery. Cliff is a hyperrealist/trompe oeil artist himself. I first became aware of is work in 1999 during a solo show held in Saint John. This was a few years before they took over Handworks Gallery. His art had an immediate impact on my own work. I seems a bit surreal still that I am showing my work in their galleries today. I am so lucky and grateful for this opportunity. To gallery employees, Joanna, Jeneca, Ray, and another young lady I met tonight which I cannot recall her name (I'm sorry), thank you for all your help.

To Dr. Jeff Sheppard, and the Chiropractic Centre of Saint John and Rothesay, who sponsored the exhibition. A chiropractor is a runner's best friend. Thank you so much for your support, and tonight he was also an painter's best friend.

To everybody who came tonight to help me celebrate. To all the patrons who purchased the art, you have made this evening a great success. I hope that my paintings will add a little ray of light in your homes. To Ron for your phone call during the reception to cheer me on. To everybody who e-mailed me to wish me well. To all those who will come see the show in the next two weeks, your encouragement and supports means everything.To all my fellow blog painters who have encourage me since I started to post my art. And to all those I may have forgotten, this would not have been possible without you.

This show is dedicated to my parents who would have been thrilled. My father often carried a small photo album of my paintings with him. He had great artistic abilities himself. My mother was the most endearing person I have even met. I was lucky to have them as parents. I am certain that tonight you were enjoying yourself on cloud no. 10. I miss you both.

Raymond (1924-2003) & Emma (1932-2006).

SOLO SHOW AT HANDWORKS GALLERY

"AFTER HOURS: the hyperrealism of Alvin Richard" will be held at Handworks Gallery, located in the heart of historic uptown Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada.

Dates - OCTOBER 5 - 18, 2007

Opening reception - October 5, 5:30pm - 8:30pm.

Handworks Gallery

12 King Street

Saint John, NB

E2E 1G2

Contact - Gallery owners - Cliff Turner, Shannon Merrifield or gallery staff to purchase artwork posted on this blog. Artwork must remain in the gallery until closure of the show.

Telephone - (506) 652-9787

E-mail - info@handworks.ca

Gallery hours are: 10:00am to 6:00pm (AST) from Monday to Saturday

*-More artworks to be posted for this show in following days.