OCEAN WEEK

SQUARE FOOT SHOW 2011

2011-08-03T23:03:00.013-04:00

It's that time of year again. I'm in the 9TH ANNUAL SQUARE FOOT SHOW.

AUGUST 5TH-21ST

FREE Artist/Public Reception on Saturday August 6th, 7pm.

TWIST GALLERY. 1100 Queen Street West (Queen & Dovercourt)

Presented by AWOL GALLERY www.awolgallery.com

RAINBOW CONNECTION

2011-06-24T21:31:00.004-04:00

I've spent the last several months transforming myself physically. I've been spending more time at the gym and on my yoga mat. I've also started pilates and working out on a Power Plate. I'm seeing progress and happy about that. Also, inspired by Brendan Brazier (a vegan triathlete and creator of the Vega line of products) I've been moving towards more of a plant-based diet. Feeling great.

I'm preparing some work for the upcoming Square Foot Show this year, (more details to come in a few weeks), and thinking about all kinds of abandoned projects. OCEAN WEEK has become more like OCEAN SEASON it seems :). Oh well. At least the twitter feed keeps this page somewhat updated...

More to come...?

Thanks for stopping by!

Christopher

2 NEW PAINTINGS

2011-03-08T10:53:00.002-05:00

It's that time of year again.

BLANK BILLBOARD

2011-02-01T14:58:00.007-05:00

Happy 2011! I can't believe it's already February.

Check out blankbillboard.com

I'm exploring my fascination with empty space.

PAINTINGS FROM THE SHOW

2010-09-14T00:38:00.006-04:00

The Square Foot Show is done for another year. Thanks to all who came to check it out. I appreciate all your support, your posts, and messages.

For those who didn't have a chance to stop by, I've posted images of the three paintings I contributed to the show at christopherocean.com

Their titles:

THE CREATIVE PROCESS

ONE MORE STEP

ALL THESE MOMENTS

Enjoy!

SQUARE FOOT SHOW

2010-08-20T11:59:00.002-04:00

I have some paintings in this year's show.

For more information check out www.awolgallery.com

NEW AND IMPROVED

2010-07-05T22:46:00.015-04:00

My site has a new look!.

Visit christopherocean.com.

This blog has some new additions, including my twitter feed.

Other obsessions of the moment:

The Foursquare App on my iPhone.

Consolidating and streamlining my web presence.

General clutter busting! Check out this author and his blog. Helpful hints!

TEMPLE

2010-07-02T23:12:00.001-04:00

SEAT

2010-06-10T23:23:00.000-04:00

NEW SHOES

2010-05-14T22:24:00.000-04:00

Vibram's fivefingers are amazing!

iPhone OCEAN

2010-03-13T22:12:00.001-05:00

Just bought an iPhone! Let the new addictions unfold!

YOU BEGIN THIS WAY

2010-03-06T12:40:00.008-05:00

I'm showing a new painting at the Hang Man Gallery this month.

This group show runs March 9th to the 28th, Tuesday to Sunday 12-5pm.

There's an opening reception on Thursday, March 11th from 7pm on.

Hang Man Gallery
756 Queen St E
Toronto, ON Canada
MAP

Come and enjoy the works of a number of other artists too!

ANUBIS FOR THE HOLIDAYS

2009-12-15T02:10:00.005-05:00

This handsome Egyptian deity has been on my mind lately. If you choose, visit the link below to take the "Anubis Photo Challenge". The AGO is inviting everyone to use photo-editing software to dress him up, Canada style.

http://artmatters.ca/wp/category/tut/anubis-photo-challenge

Also, if you're in the Toronto area between now and mid April, I recommend you check out the King Tut exhibition at the AGO. It's awesome!

FROM THE OCEAN

2009-10-03T22:02:00.002-04:00

Jellyfish from a trip to the zoo.

OCEAN @ OVO!

2009-09-04T20:39:00.003-04:00

http://www.blogto.com/arts/2009/09/cirque_du_soleil_premieres_ovo_in_the_portlands/

Photo by Roger Cullman

MADMEN

2009-08-02T21:57:00.003-04:00

MADMEN YOURSELF

SQUARE FOOT SHOW

2009-08-02T13:35:00.003-04:00

August 15th to September 6th
AWOL Gallery (in a venue just steps away)
100A Ossington Ave. 2nd floor. Toronto, Canada

OPENING RECEPTION: Saturday, August 15th, @ 7pm

AWOL Gallery presents Square Foot 2009, a dynamic annual art exhibition, which showcases the work of hundreds of local and international artists. The Square Foot show has become one of the foremost community art events in Toronto. With each artist creating work in a 12x12 inch format, the show is hung in a grid forming an installation of overwhelming proportions. Each year the Square Foot Exhibition has grown in scale and reached a larger audience. This year’s exhibition will be held at a larger off site venue. Located at 100a Ossington, just steps from AWOL Gallery. This 2,500 square foot room will be transformed into AWOL’s largest square foot show to date, showcasing over 700 artists from Canada, United States, United kingdom, and Japan.

Square Foot brings together artists from a variety of backgrounds, disciplines and career levels and offers their work at $200 per piece. It provides the established artist a distinctive group show opportunity and is also a venue for emerging artists to have their work discovered by galleries and collectors alike.

-excerpt from www.awolgallery.com press release

FACEBOOK FAN PAGE

2009-08-02T13:29:00.003-04:00

Christopher Ocean on Facebook

WINDOW

2009-05-20T22:30:00.000-04:00

ELPIS ARRIVES AT LAST

2009-05-01T02:43:00.004-04:00

Finally a photo of my painting from the Hangman/AGO show. It's available for purchase.

Hope. (Arrival of Elpis). Ink and watercolour on canvas. 20" X 24" 2009.

EARTH HOUR 2009

2009-03-29T13:23:00.005-04:00

THANKS

2009-03-18T02:21:00.006-04:00

This was the scene at Hang Man Gallery last Saturday, March 14th for the AOG reception.

Thanks to all who've stopped by to see the show so far, and for those who've sent and shared their support.

If you haven't had a chance to check it out, and would like to, the show runs until March 29th.

I BRING YOU HOPE!

2009-03-03T20:07:00.006-05:00

Greetings Everyone!

I'm so happy to announce that I'm showing a new painting at the Hang Man Gallery this month.

The show is called: Artists of the Gallery: 3RD Annual Staff of the AGO Show

This group show runs March 10th to the 29th, Tuesday to Sunday 12-5pm.

There's an opening reception on the evening of Saturday, March 14th from 7pm on.

Hang Man Gallery is the location of the show and reception.

Hang Man Gallery
756 Queen St E
Toronto, ON Canada
MAP

Come and enjoy my new painting: Hope. (Arrival of Elpis)

Come and see the paintings and works of a number of other artists too!

GOLD!

2009-02-10T21:49:00.001-05:00

Gold Gift Bag Boys!
Photo by E.E.

OCEAN BOOM

2009-02-01T20:57:00.000-05:00

On the set of B.J. Fletcher: Private Eye

Photos by B.B. Jones

SCISSORS AND FEATHERS

2009-01-19T23:40:00.004-05:00

Scissors and Feathers. Edition of 12. Silkscreen on watercolour paper 20"X24" 1998.

SWIMMING IN SILKSCREENS

2009-01-19T23:12:00.004-05:00

Red, Orange, Midnight Deep End. Silkscreen on paper. 20"X22" 1998.

SYMPOSIUM DIPTYCH

2009-01-14T01:47:00.006-05:00

Symposium 1 & 2. Silkscreen on watercolour paper. Each 11"X17" 1997.

Inspired by Plato's Symposium. The source images were various magazine ads, a silk scarf, and a printed excerpt from Symposium. Each image was created in an edition of 10.

SHOUT OUT WITH THE OLD

2009-01-05T21:17:00.001-05:00

Rainbow Self 1993. Silkscreen on watercolour paper. 10.5"X6.5" 1998.

HAPPY 2009 EVERYONE!

It's been a few weeks since my last post. OCEAN WEEK has been off on holiday, but you're in for a treat. I recently unearthed a portfolio filled with past works on paper. Many of them are from the 90's. I'm going to be sharing them here along with some observations & thoughts, etc.

The first image here (with detail) is part of an edition of silkscreens I did in the late 90's. The source image was a photo taken on a prom night in high school. I manipulated the photo in photoshop before creating the screens for this image. I have an edition printed on legal-size filefolders as well.

STYLIN'

2008-12-22T22:34:00.001-05:00

FOUR SEASONS FOR ALL

2008-12-16T23:29:00.001-05:00

Four Seasons. Rubber cement and ink on four canvas panels, each 8"X10". December 2008.

I have this vision of madness:
dear gay brothers,
please get out of the trucks,
the sun is rising,
before it is too late.
Make lines, hold hands
and form a procession out to the sea;
when the sun rises
turn around and face each other
ask where the day goes
and
what have you done with the time?

(from the poem: "I Have This Vision of Madness" by Perry Brass)

YOU ARE PRIVY TO A GREAT BECOMING

2008-12-05T01:01:00.001-05:00

This is the world, which is fuller
and more difficult to learn than I have said.
You are right to smudge it that way
with the red and then
the orange: the world burns.

The above is an excerpt from "You Begin" one of my favourite Margaret Atwood poems.

The image above is my most recent painting. Smudge One: You Begin. 20"X24", acrylic and ink on canvas.

It was born out of an older work, whose fragments still shine through. These are: the soft horizontal bands, the red and orange areas, the white spirals.

I initially approached the canvas with an intent to obliterate the work beneath, but in the midst of that process, I realized I wanted to retain the original work and take it further. A few days after I was done, while I was photographing the piece, I was reminded of Atwood's words above, so I thought I'd include them here as well.

I LOVE PUB SESSION PAINTING

2008-11-26T19:15:00.001-05:00

Untitled for now, this is the painting I created at the Tranzac while everyone played their sets. Toward the end of the evening, Anna Sudac, one of the musicians came by to see it and observed a heart shape near the bottom of the piece. Sure enough, there it was! This one's reclining, as opposed to the engaging one on the flyer Trevor designed. How neat to have that connection.

The thin creamish lines you see throughout are actually made with rubber cement. I use it as a resist before I start painting. Once the ink's dry I remove the glue to reveal the white lines of the untouched canvas. This time though I'm considering leaving the painting as it's pictured here. We'll see :).

I'm happy with the result. It feels like an opening towards a different direction for me. Thanks to Jeff Stacey for taking this great photo. More to come soon, including the painting I created at the previous Pub Session.

LIVE PAINTING!

2008-11-25T19:56:00.000-05:00

Last night I had the pleasure to take part in an event organized by Trevor Campbell. He's a wonderful guy/musician/performer who periodially brings together a group of fun musicians who entertain and awe.

What is "Live Painting" you ask? While the musician's performed, I set myself up with some paint, canvas and brushes and created a painting. I was inspired by the music, the crowd, and all the stuff in my head and heart too. I'll be posting some images of the finished piece soon.

This was my second "PUB SESSION" as a painting participant. I promise to keep you posted here with details on future events. I can't wait!

SHINY NEW BLOG

2008-11-25T19:50:00.000-05:00

Greetings!

Thanks for coming. Rather than wrestle with the html on my website's events page, I've created this blog to more easily share news of my current creative pursuits. On christopherocean.com you'll still be able to access an online gallery of my paintings, some articles I've written, and additional info. I'm hoping to revamp my site for the new year.

In the meantime, I plan to post images if new work and work in progress here, as well as keep everyone up to date with upcoming events and projects. Perhaps this will be a place to share some thoughts too.

A special thanks to the delightful Shawn Hitchins for inspiring this blog's perfect title.

Enjoy!

Christopher

OCEAN IN ACTION

2008-07-22T21:19:00.002-04:00

LIVE PAINTING

2008-07-21T21:24:00.001-04:00