light renovation

upgrade

zurich

orcheous

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flush

ticker

orb

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plummet

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clawfoot

dangling

Aquiesence + zoom	Green Tea 2 + zoom	Sage I + zoom	Sage II + zoom
Mint Julip + zoom	Retro 2 + zoom	Transfigure + zoom	West Coast Sands + zoom
Aquafir + zoom	Aquafir 2 + zoom	Bubble Gum + zoom	Peach + zoom
White One + zoom	Sun Shine + zoom	Sun Tune + zoom

Bio

Sara Robichaud (ne: McIntosh) completed her Masters of Fine Arts degree at the University of Victoria in 2009 after recieving her BFA at Queen's University in 1995.  She currently teaches and paints on Vancouver Island in BC.

She has taught at the University of Victoria, the Surrey Art Gallery and currently teaches at the Vancouver Island School of Art. Sara is also the Golden working artist for Vancouver Mainland and Vancouver Island.

Sara’s artistic practice is rooted in abstract expressionism and involves process-based ways of working.  Her paintings engage the viewer in a visual inquiry between the atmospheric and lyrical qualities of the form and the hard physicality of their material.

Sara is represented in Santa Monica, California at the Ruth Bachofner Gallery, in Calgary at Axis Contemporary Art, in Toronto at Engine Gallery and in Winnipeg at Mayberry Fine Art.  Her work has been exhibited across Canada and at international art fairs in New York, Toronto and Los Angeles

Artist Statement - "light renovations"

"This body of work is driven by my fascination with light, object design and spatial relationships. My hope is to connect with my audience through an appreciation of mundane objects in the spaces of our everyday lives. I am attempting to create an assemblage of ideas that imbue modernity / antiquity, industry / handmade and the properties of light and endeavor to bridge these in essence, by renovating paint.
The inspiration for painting light arose after working with and seeing the art of my MFA advisor Robert Youds. He showed me pictures of his “Charger” series from the early 80’s that were based on light. Since that time he has moved away from traditional painting but continues to use light sources and object to metaphorically paint his concepts.

The inspiration for painting light arose after working with and seeing the art of my MFA advisor Robert Youds. He showed me pictures of his “Charger” series from the early 80’s that were based on light. Since that time he has moved away from traditional painting but continues to use light sources and object to metaphorically paint his concepts.

In the summer of 2009 while traveling through Europe I came across a modern lighting store in Zurich that caught my attention. The colours, shapes, spatial juxtapositions and clean lined aesthetic inspired me and I began cropping photos and constructing abstract compositions. There was a multi-dimensional characteristic to the photographs because they were taken from outside the store, which caused reflections on the glass. I immediately envisioned painting…and how the shapes, densities, reflections, diffusion of light, complexity of space would play out on canvas. I later used these photos as a reference tool but on some level it became problematic because the images relied on my memory, which was distant and fading. I began to seek something more tangible.

Eventually there was a convergence of my attraction to light with a more direct experience of object that recalls the spirit of Duchamp’s readymade. This came about because my husband and I bought our first home, a 1914 Edwardian style house. Not surprisingly we have been in the thick of renovations and I’ve noticed the infusion of these processes and objects into my work. To keep our bathroom fixtures out of the way we put them in the studio and it wasn’t long before I found myself placing them directly on the surfaces of the canvas to outline shapes. I find it intriguing how the mundane things in our day-to-day are often such remarkable objects.

When comparing the made up shapes to the traced ones I find the latter more compelling. They relate to me as “that thing” but in 2 dimensions narrowly fitting within the parameters of the canvas. The neutral washy backdrops against the thickly painted cut-out looking objects help to stage the illusion of an entity in space. In some of the works I try to deepen space and in others I compress it. I accomplish this by employing an array of devices including pattern, neutral vs. intense colours, light chroma colours that come to the fore in opposition to dark ones that recede, as well as an intentional entry point into the painting by way of the unfinished or raw canvas. I am concerned with activating the light sources in the paintings by using highly reflective, interference, iridescent, glossy or matte paints to exemplify the properties of light: reflection / absorption / dissolution / diffusion / brilliance and transparency.

Because of the heritage of our house and my appeal for the modernity of the light store I started to think about my natural inclination to draw on design elements from various time periods and try to uncover them. My choice of mint green, rosy beige and the inclusion of lace make me feel sentimental and linked to the era of my grandmother. I believe the things in our immediate environments give us a sense of belonging and bond us to our histories, families and the present day. It is my expectation that the viewer will make some of these associations and experience their own connection to design, space, light, memory, sentimentality and the now."

What is your artwork about (underlying concept, focus, themes, intent, etc)?

My artwork is about the playing out of aesthetic and metaphorical opposites within the parameters of the canvas and the limitations of materiality. My goal is to engage the viewer viscerally and incite imagination.

What informs your artwork, or what are your influences?

I’ve been consumed by my interest in contradiction, which is a central motivating factor in my work. Some examples are: neutrality vs. intense chroma, matte vs. gloss, organic vs. geometric, freedom vs. constraint, awkwardness vs. precision, abstraction vs. fiction, nature vs. industry.

I’m also persistently inquiring into depth of field, either flattening or deepening the illusory pictorial plane.

I consider the process of painting including the natural constraints inherent to the physical properties of gravity, temperature, speed, and humidity as subject matter and am keenly probing forward like a scientist gathering data.

Other artists also influence me and this inspiration is always changing. Some of the longer lasting ones are: the Abstract Expressionists, Automatists, Hard Edge Abstractionists, Colour Field Painters, New New Painters as well as local contemporary artists like Rob Youds, Reece Terris, Bill Porteous, …MFA colleagues and the work I see as I travel to commercial galleries, major museums and biennales in Toronto, Vancouver, NY, LA, Venice, Berlin, Munich, Vienna, London, Barcelona and Paris.

What mediums, techniques, or processes are involved in your art making (and why these)?

I used to pour / scrape paint and layer the resulting formations. Then during my MFA I combined the poured organic shapes with hard edge insertions. Recently I have been working more sparingly with the hard edge (which I achieve by meticulously taping sections off and scraping high viscosity gels over top-“I confess, I’m addicted to tape!”). Some edges are also hand painted and I oscillate between neutral / high key colours and matte / gloss finishes.

These methods allow me to convey my concern for setting up opposing forces within the painting. My intent is to induce a visual inquiry for the viewer that invites them into the world of the painter and ignites their imagination as they assimilate the subjective shapes and form their own meanings.

What are your other passions in life and how have these influenced your work?

My main passions are art and love and anything that enhances my creativity or lightens my spirit are also passions by default.

It could be day-to-day things like regularly eating good food to keep a balanced mind for painting or exercising so that I have a positive outlook and strong body. My husband and I are really into hot yoga and have been doing it for a couple years now. The yoga cleanses, heals, regenerates and most importantly gives me visions while I’m practicing and solutions my painting.

Since I met my husband in 2004 I have been motivated and prolific. He is my muse. We are the perfect combination of working hard (encouraging me to “get into the studio!”) and being romantic.

I also like to travel and it is usually for a show or family visits. Either way, all roads lead to art. I plan it so that I go to the major museums & galleries wherever I am so that I can be visually / conceptually informed about contemporary and historical art.

Why are you an artist?

In high school when it was time to pick a direction for university I chose sciences (to prove I was smart). But, after my first year I was unhappy and my parents suggested I go into visual arts. I don’t think I would have continued on in university at all if I hadn’t made the switch. And, I’m fortunate that even though my parents were worried about the viability of being an artist (aka: making a living) they have always been supportive (even when I was desperate and living a very unstable life so that I had time to paint). Internally I am driven to be an artist out of a deep desire to push the boundaries of paint and concept and ultimately share my vision / insight with others.

What matters to you most about the work that you do?

That I am engaged and challenged by it mentally / emotionally and that this translates to an audience who is touched similarly.

Do you feel you need to position your work within the context of art history and if so what’s your take on that?

I think the work positions itself within the history of painting in several periods. Namely Abstract Expressionism but there are other elements that are subtler like Matisse’s flattening of space, Monet’s palette, Bacon’s staging and even sculptural / installation work but these associations are more distant and internal. I am fascinated to see connections to historical / contemporary art unfold in my work and I attempt to take them to another level in my painting.

Is there a trigger or a starting point for each piece?

Each piece is dependent on the last and ideas come from a combination of painting itself and the magic from the lessons of every day life. If I have had a break it takes a while to re-insert myself into a place of knowing / anticipating my next move. So usually the first paintings are duds but always hold clues to the next ones.

How has your work evolved over the last five years?

In 2005 I devoted myself to having a commercial art career although I had been painting and exhibiting since 1991. At that time I worked diligently and in 2006 had 4 solo shows.

The work has gone from being about painting within formal constraints to achieve a purely aesthetic outcome (and letting the painting be an expression of what happened without inserting my will to render or force a metaphor) …to works that juggle chaos with my growing propensity for precision and more direct links.

This came about during my MFA (2007-2009) in the “Apparition of the Arenic” series where I teased out anthropomorphic associations (basically lyrical, figurative imagery I had always seen in the poured formations). I started to be more specific with each move and drew on themes of circus and staging. At the same time I built on the idea of disparate elements causing disjunction as a way to persuade the viewer to feel a sense of attraction / repulsion.

The newest work in the “light renovations” series 2010 draws on our immediate environment. The works are spatial interiors with objects as entities placed, referencing the readymade and our relationship to mundane items / design. It also talks about light and spatial density while maintaining a continuity of awareness for conflicting pressures.

I am enchanted by the discoveries I’ve made and pleased with the evolution of my work in the past 5 years.

What is the current central motivation for or conceptual concern in your work?

The current conceptual concern in the “light renovations” series is how mundane objects can be the impetus for sentimentality. I liken this to how a song can bring back a time in your life (how you felt about yourself, your friends, surroundings etc). I think the things we take for granted like a sink (and it’s shape, colour, placement) speak to us and give a sense of belonging. This is magnified when one goes from using another persons things / being in public space compared to owning something and defining who you are through your taste. These everyday mundane things have the capacity to resonate with our core and evoke memories as well as a sense of being in the present.

How does your physical/geographical environment inform the work you do?

This question is so broad for me. In each series of work there are specific effects of my environment on the work. I will speak to a couple. For the “Apparition of the Arenic” series the experience of the Cirque de Soleil was instrumental with the overwhelming stimulus of lighting, colour, costumes, and the thrill of watching death defying acts. Excitement was in the air and I tried to transfer this sense of drama, play and absurdity to the canvas.

For the “light renovations” series the initial motivation was a modern lighting store in Zurich. The sense of this space was so profound to me that I could feel its’ presence in its’ absence. I drew on this feeling and in time it faded but the essence of the draw implemented itself into the work in the form of my interest in design, spatial arrangement, and light.

The studio where I painted the series was in a mountainous alpine forest and had gorgeous light. I can sense the paintings are infused with this quietude which comes across in the sparing / delicate quality of the work (ex: clawfoot, pedestal).

Education

• 2009 Masters of Fine Arts - University of Victoria, Victoria, BC
• 1995 Bachelor of Fine Arts Honors - Queen's University, Kingston, ON

Representing Galleries

Solo & Two Person Exhibitions

Group Exhibitions

Teaching

Awards & Grants

Media & Publications

Public Collections

Private Collections

Extensive Private Collections