Jim russell
Reconstitution 4.10.2018
For this process based work I first painted and then cut an image of the First Nations Dodem at St.Clair into pieces and then compressed them into a 3D work to "reconstitute" it, just as my perceptions of First Nations were profoundly changed through my contact with Canadian Anishinaabe artist Bonnie Devine.The folded piece was cut into strips and compressed into a block to extract the maximum amount of physical existence from it, its final form is a three dimensional object that is meant to be handled, considered and weighed.
Journey 3.10.2019
This installation features watercolor landscapes from my recent motorcycle journey to the Canadian Arctic that are sewn into tent-like shapes a lit from inside to convey the feeling of places along the way. This installation is best expressed in a large space with considerable distance between the objects.
Deconstruction 1.10.2018
I took the compressed painting back to a wood surface painted with acrylic to express that the iconoclastic cycle never ends.
Claybreaking Ceremony 2018 Mixed media - Aircraft wire, hemp rope, canvas, string, rusted barbed wire, burlap and clay
As a gesture of reconciliation toward Canada's First Nations I created a clay breaking ceremony that hangs key elements of my attachment to the farm where I grew up. At the top of the long wire is a white sliver that recalls gliders playing high in the summer thermals. It represents freedom and purity of spirit, a compressed coloured canvas represents a book of knowledge, followed by the farm elements of natural rope barbed wire, burlap and clay in a progression all hanging toward the ground. The clay "heart" at the bottom of the piece falls to the ground and is shattered when the wire is cut, but it can be collected and reconstituted by adding water.
Boats 3.10.2019
This 4' x 4' work in ink on YUPO synthetic paper documents a few perilous sailing voyages I have been part of, including a sinking of 40 foot boat 2 miles off of Toronto Island.
Moccasin 1.23.2018
In an effort to acknowledge very important Anishinaabe ideas about appreciating and considering the use of all resources, the respect for animals and nature, and the importance of the circle motif to healthy communities and inclusion, I used deer hide scraps that contained bullet holes and identification stamps, along with recycled silk neck ties and buttons from clothing I wore in business, to create these moccasins. The torn napkin is a similar gesture of thrift from my Scottish grandfather who would tear a dinner napkin in half.
Deconstruction 1.10.2018
For this process based work I created an image that suggests infinite depth and psychological space by carving into a 3'x4' piece of plywood to create a relief block print that is a reversed ghost of the hand carving. I painted on the print to describe my journey in the city. I then folded the 2D work to "dimensionalize" it. The folded piece was cut into strips and compressed into a block to extract the maximum amount of physical existence from it, its final form is a three dimensional object that is meant to be handled and weighed.
Calculation of a Spirit 4.10.2018
For this process based piece I wrapped the compression painting in canvas, and spray painted it. The overspray forms the foundation of this piece that sets out to understand the spiritual residue left by a physical object.
Brushstroke 3.10.2019
This large scale black and white 4' x 4' photo is an exploration of the meaning of color. It is an enlarged image of several colourful layers of watercolor brushstrokes.
CEREMONY
The Death of Painting - torn paper drawings 2018
The cycle of creation own art cannot be stopped, even in destruction there is beauty, energy and creativity.
Copper cutting Ceremony 2018 Mixed media - hunting knife, copper lightning rods
As a gesture of reconciliation toward Canada's First Nations I reinterpreted the traditional copper cutting ceremony using copper lightning rods to reference the two wampum treaty. This piece asks the viewer which path has been broken.