Art spanning a 23-year career will be showcased at a Tory Hill artist’s upcoming exhibition.
Darlene Dove will display both pencil and pastel drawings on paper, as well as oil and acrylic on canvas, when she opens ‘from the profane to the sacred: a journey through time and the collective unconsciousness’ Sept. 11.
The exhibition opens at 7 p.m. and Dove is planning an artist’s talk and discussion from 7:30-9 p.m. at Earthdance Studio at 1180 South Wilberforce Rd.
The fact the event is being held on 9/11 is no coincidence.
“In 1997, I visited New York and was drawn to the Twin Towers as a feat of human achievement but noted the imbalance presented by all the concrete and steel that overshadowed and obliterated the natural environment,” she said in an interview.
“My first painting as an art student was of the towers. That was to become a place that impacted the whole world and became part of my art oeuvre.”
Dove explained her exhibit explores through large, brightly painted canvases how our inner personal lives are shaped by world events and history, and how our stories are both personal but interwoven within human society.
A former employee of the Ontario Human Rights Commission, who was made redundant during Premier Mike Harris Common Sense Revolution, Dove said she took the opportunity to go back to school in 1996.
She went to York University to study painting, drawing and art history. She also studied at Sheridan College where she completed a certificate in Art Fundamentals. “I decided to study art as I had always been fascinated by the paintings and works of art throughout the ages, always finding inspiration by visiting art galleries and museums around the world. I also choose to be an artist for the freedom of expression and the ability to deeply explore controversial and difficult topics through colour, paint and symbolism that words cannot always describe. The old saying ‘pictures paint a thousand words’ spoke to me.”
Born and raised in Toronto, Dove moved to the Haliburton Highlands in 2006 “to have the best of both worlds.” She said the Highlands are known as an area that supports the arts as well as for its rugged natural beauty. She and her partner, Shawn Arscott built Earthdance Studio, spending their time working on their art and enjoying the outdoor activities that the Highlands has to offer.
Dove said this exhibition is her way of expressing her search for understanding of the mysteries of life and the human psyche.
She said she planned the show in 2019 and when COVID-19 appeared, “as another event like 9/11 that shook and locked- down the world, I felt it was important to continue. The arts have been greatly impacted by the virus and ironically are needed more than ever as it is through the arts that we share our creative ideas and imagination that bring us together as a unified world while exploring our different cultures and experiences.”
She acknowledged that due to the pandemic, the exhibition will be different. They are going to film the event and upload it to YouTube for those that are unable to attend.
“Due to the virus, I am not expecting a large turnout but am able to share my art through the medium of film and the internet. It is my intention to produce a film around my art exhibit in this time of world crisis caused by infectious disease that changes us all.”
See more at earthdancestudio.ca
