It is a mash of his work and mine. Going to be using Augmented Reality to make this magic happen.

Here are some images in process

This is Alex’s Work.

A sketch of what we want to do

In studio shots

Here are some pics from my studio in Red Deer Alberta.

Theses are some awards I’m doing for the Vancouver Island Short Film Festival.

Work in progress.

Hello Everyone,

Firstly, I apologize for not regularly updating you here as I have been over at my Facebook Art Page. But I know not all of you are there, so I will do my best to update you as to what I’ve been up to over the last few months.

May:

For this entire month I left my residency at Medalta to go work and teach at York University in Toronto, Ontario. Their sculpture department was rebooting its visiting artist program (the Louis Odette Sculptor-in-Residence Program) and Kevin Yates (the Sculpture Prof. @ York) invited Myself and Justin Novak. It was kind of funny going into this, as I knew up front that the students had no experience with ceramics, but were advanced in their studies (3 and 4 year Undergraduates). However, I was delighted to  find that this group was a bunch of quick learners. Some picked up wheel throwing way faster than I ever did. Needless to say, May flew by with working in studio on my own work as well as with the students, and then evening rendezvous with the amazing Art-stars of Toronto, for drinks and karaoke.

Now the Residency/Teaching at York University ended in the 3rd week in May. So I decided, since I was so close, that I would make a short trip New York City and visit some friends and see some Art. It was my first time in New York, and for much of life I have avoided it in fear of falling in love with this place… well I’m smitten, but I don’t think I could live after seeing some small studios ;) and we ceramic people need a lot of room… okay, I need a lot of room.

June:

Back to the Hat for a bit to organize my studio and prep some work for completion, then back on a plane for an opening at the Denver Art Museum. Here was another situation where I really had no idea what to expect and when I arrived I was completely blown away. The name of the show is Overthrown: Clay Without Limits, and I am so glad that I listened to my Gallerist Ivar, in Denver at Plus Gallery, about this one. This show had all the Ceramic BadASSES from all over. It is one of those shows that us Ceramic folks think is way overdue for the Medium! I really think it’s a big deal, and not cause I’m in it, but for all the other folks involved and the fact that the whole Museum was focused on the materials contemporary and historical outputs. I hope you can make it out to see it, if not there is a pretty awesome catalogue.

Okay, so after that opening I was back in the studio in Medicine Hat to finish up my work and pack up. But I did manage to squeeze in a quick visit to Helena Montana, to catch the 60th Anniversary at the Archie Bray Foundation.  At the end of the month it was with a heavy heart I said good bye to my friends in the Hat and headed back to the west coast.

July:

This Month I spent back in my home town of Nanaimo. While there I was able to plan for my next adventure as well a cool my heels for a bit. I had a great time hanging out with Family as well as reconnecting with my friends on the island.

August:

Blast off!

I had the amazing good fortune to be invited out to stay with a friend in the floating city of Venice. While there I checked out all the local sites as well as took in this year’s Venice Biennale. It was my first Biennale, and I was not disappointed. Sure there were some works that I wondered why they were there, but all in all I was impressed with there works shown. I even got my Art-star fix with a visit to the Dogana and the Palazzo-Grass.

After Venice I headed up to Bonn, Germany to meet up with my ceramic friend, Anne Drew Potter. I hung out there for a couple days, playing tourist and then we both headed up to Delft to do a little ceramic espionage. Anne Drew headed back to Bonn and I hung around to visit all the ceramic factories in town and even take a 2 hour workshop.

After Delft I headed to Rotterdam to visit another ceramic acquaintance, ceramic designer Carola Zee.  While I was there,  I took in the sites and put my feet up before my residence at the EKWC started.

September: (now)

I am currently in the town of s’Hertogenbosch (Den Bosch) and will be here until the end of November.  So far I have only completed my first week of the residency and I have already noticed how different this place is to the other residencies I have participated in. Firstly most of the participants have not worked in ceramics, or have very little contact with the material, and secondly, it is truly an international crowd.

In a way, the lack of ceramic-centric artists is a total blessing. I am overcome with the urge to explore works and ideas that I have put on the back burner out of my own artistic self consciousness. I am hoping to post some works-in-progress images in the near future, but for now it’s for my (and the other residents) eyes only ;)

See you soon.

Fortunately this has been a month of very few interruptions in the studio. I was really able to buckle down and compose 2 new works as well as complete another work that I’ve started here at Medalta. While working on the 2 new composition I was able to document some of my process and posted them at the end. (I’m constantly amazing by what you can do on a cell phone.)

Being pretty happy with how things shaped up this month, work wise, I was able to treat myself to 4 days off to go visit my friends in Saskatoon SK. Carole Epp, you may know her from her amazing work or her equally amazing Blog, had a show opening at the Mendel Art Gallery that I was not going to miss. Carole even provided me with a place to sleep, and all I had to do is reacquaint her with the night life of Saskatoon ;) Spending time with her and her Awesome Family helped me recharge too. I also got to hang out some former Kamloop-ians, take in a roller derby and I got to meet Yann Martel, author of Life of Pi, and his beautiful Family. Needless to say I had an amazing time.

Me, Carole Epp & Troy Gronsdahl

Now I’m preparing for my trip to Toronto. There, Justin Novak and I will be the Visiting/Resident Artists at York University for 3 weeks. I am really looking forward to working at York as well as Karaoke Nights with some close friends in TO.  After that I’m planning on making a quick trip to NYC to visit an old class mate and the other Brendan. Mr. Fernades that is.

Well thats all for now. See you at the other end of May. Oh BTW speaking of May. If you are in Western Canada keep an eye out for this Magazine at your Local Gallery and Museum .  But if you can’t get the whole magazine here is a of the article. (PDF)

bye for now

Brendan

It being – 20 c (-4 f) and all, what better way to spend the month of  February than in the Studio.  Here at Medalta, we have all been busy making work and wondering when the next chinook is going to hit. (I shouldn’t complain too much, as I’m head to Israel in a couple of days, Hello Sunshine!)

Anyhow, I think one of the best things about residencies is that you get to check out other peoples Kung-fu. Never ceases to amaze me  the diversity of approaches.

Koi Neng Liew

Xanthe Isbister

Jenn Demke-Lange

Me

Aaron NelsonLes Manning

Medalta Museum, Pouring a floor around an old kiln

Okay, So I missed the Western New Years, but I made the Chinese New Year for my first post of 2011!

2011 is shaping up to be another amazing year. This month (February), I’ve headed back to the historic Medalta in Medicine Hat Alberta, for a 4 month Residency. I’m hoping that this will be a productive time, as I have to fill the demand for a major art event in London Ontario, the Barroco Nova Show and to replace the work I sold last year.

While I am in Med Hat, I will be making a short 2 week trip to Israel to run a work shop and lecture. I am super pumped to see this part of the world as well as get a bit of a reprieve from the Canadian Winter.

There is another adventure in May in the works. It involves York University, Me and possibly 2 weeks of art making… but more on that later. Don’t want to jinx it ;)

After my time at Medalta, I will be returning to the west coast for a short bit and then off to the European Ceramic Work Centre in Holland. I will be in Europe for 4 months, the first month will be spent traveling to the various art events in Europe (Basel, the Venice Biennial etc). The final 3 months will be spent creating new works at the International European Ceramic Work Centre.

I hope to keep you up to date on all my events via my website and twitter, but I would love to hear from you during the year!

PEOPLE + PRACTICES IN THE VISUAL ARTS | SCULPTURE from Canadian Art on Vimeo.

Canadian Art Gods and Me

I knew it would be this way, but I am still surprised about how busy this month has been. I have two major exhibitions going on, and had the good fortune to attend both openings. For a guy who spends most of his time in the studio covered in clay, I felt like quite the jet setter hanging out in Toronto and Montreal.

The adventure started with a visit to Montreal for the setup of the Sobey Award show at the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal (MACM). The setup of the work went very smoothly, mostly because of the amazing staff of the MACM and the Curator of the AGNS (Sarah Fillmore). I suppose being an object maker helps too; “you just set it and forget it” as they say.

The next stop was Toronto, for the setup and opening of “Breaking Boundaries” at the Gardiner Museum. Again, the strong staff made the install painless. During my time there I was able to set up the show, check out some of Nuit Blanche events (only some as I got some nasty shin splints the week before), deliver 2 talks and a demo, hang out with the other artists, check out the terracotta army at the ROM, and be fairly lucid for the opening (having friends and family there totally helped).

But it didn’t end there. The day after the Gardiner opening I was back on the plane to Montreal for the opening of the show, or as the french say, vernissage. But before all that, I was invited to the a fund raising ball at the MACM. Here is a link to my Facebook site for some of those pics.

The vernissage at the MACM was amazing. The turn out was HUGE, and I was happy the works were safely under glass :) Needless the say the show was pretty hot, and not only for the works of the other shortlisters – the inclusion of the Quebec longlisters and Jon Pylypchuk made this an opening to remember!

I’m going to do my best to post media links on this site, so check back every now and then for updates.

Oh, and for those wondering. The BIG Sobey announcement will be on the 18th of November, 2010 (keeping my fingers crossed).

Press Links:

Radio Canada (Sobey)   CBC (Sobey)    Montreal Gazette (Sobey)

Canadian Art (Gardiner)     Now Toronto (Gardiner)

Artists Links:

Shary Boyle (Gardiner)       Marc Courtemanche (Gardiner)      Carmela Laganse (Gardiner)

Daniel Barrow (Sobey)    Brendan Fernandes (Sobey)   Patrick Bernatchez (Sobey)    Emily Vey Duke + Cooper Battersby (Sobey)

]]> http://brendantang.com/?feed=rss2&p=478 2 http://brendantang.com/?p=446 http://brendantang.com/?p=446#comments Mon, 20 Sep 2010 20:20:51 +0000 Brendan http://brendantang.com/?p=446

On my return from Medalta, I have been at it full time building crates and packing work. As it turns out, preparing for the show at the Gardiner and the MACM at same time, is no small feat.  That being said 13 boxes were shipped on Sunday the 19th and 10 on the 20th. phew…

here are some pics from the Casa/Studio:

Cutting camping foam to fit around the works.

Step-by-Step…. oh Baby

Taking over the House

Co-Sponsor of The Sobey Event

Pacart and Mt.Paul

As many of you know, I am currently  in Medicine Hat (Alberta) doing a residency at Medalta (madly making work for the Gardiner and Sobey). Here are a few images of the shenanigans that we get up to as well as links to my colleagues websites.

Medalta

Me

Residences getting schooled by Chelsea, & Carole and Robin looking up their names on Urban Dictionary.

Heeeerreee’s Robin!

Carole Bloggin’  (Musing about Mud)

Paul Slip Trailing

Jim Making salt Burritos

My works ( this one is going to have a sound system)

Robin and I having a catch (with his work)

Jeremy Hatch Rocking the molds

Darlene on the wheel of Steel!

Critique from the Cat Walk