Debuting at Agnes Jamieson Gallery this week, a new exhibit by “world renowned” artist Michael Dumas will provide a thorough retrospective of his 50-plus year career, says curator Shannon Kelly.
Dumas’ show ‘Of Light and Life’ takes over the Minden facility July 17, running through the rest of summer until Sept. 13. An opening reception takes place this weekend, July 19 from 1 to 3 p.m.
“Michael is incredibly well-known in the painting world – he has done so much during his career,” Kelly said, noting his many highlights include works being featured on Canadian postage stamps and commemorative coins produced by the Royal Canadian mint.
Born and raised in Whitney, near Algonquin Park, Dumas has always been inspired by nature. He spent time in his early adult years as a ranger in Ontario’s largest provincial park, responsible for patrolling and protecting the 7,653 sq. kilometre site.
This exposure allowed him to develop familiarity with the wilderness and its creatures, often key features of his art, Kelly added. “He’s very connected to nature and Algonquin Park… his artwork is really reflective of that region.”
The exhibit will feature pieces spanning Dumas’ five decades as a professional, including several new paintings “he’s really excited about,” Kelly noted. There will be finished pieces, showcasing his trademark oil paint finish, but also sketches and “quick doodles” showing the process of how Dumas gets from point A to B.
The opening coincides with Dumas’ 50th anniversary with wife, Ellen.
On his website, Dumas states a significant proportion of his art reflects his concern for the welfare of the natural world. In the late 1970s he was commissioned by the federal government for a multi-year project depicting 10 of Canada’s most endangered species, following that up in the late 1980s with a series on endangered birds of prey, in conjunction with the Wildlife ’87 Conservation Fund.
Dumas’ paintings have been showcased in museums and galleries across Canada, the U.S., Japan and England. His conservation efforts have seen him work alongside Prince Philip, the former Duke of Edinburgh and husband to Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfelt from the Netherlands, and the Prince and Princess Hitachi of the Japanese Imperial Family.
Despite rubbing shoulders with members of the world elite throughout the years, Dumas always appreciates returning to his roots in rural Ontario. He enjoys including pieces of himself, fragments of his life, in his art.
“The essential foundation for my work is direct observation of the world around me. It is born of a need to connect, to understand. Drawing and painting are the vehicles for this,” Dumas said.
Expanding on his inspiration, the artist added, “there are innumerable things one can choose to paint… but the underlying purpose has to do with conveying something about why those objects inspire attention in the first place. Inspiration often comes unbidden and unexpected, a moment of heightened awareness that demands more than a fleeting glance.
“Sketchbooks fill, studies accumulate, and when the impulse is strong enough finished works are the result.”
Agnes Jamieson Gallery is open Tuesday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is by donation.
