Oceans: MAY 16TH - JUNE 1ST, 2019
VERNISSAGE: THURSDAY, MAY 16TH, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
We invite you to attend the opening of an exhibition of recent paintings by Dominique McEwen.
Please join us and meet the artist at Wallack Galleries on Thursday, May 16th, 2019, from 6:00pm - 8:00pm.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Dominique McEwen’s paintings are inspired by the immensity of the Atlantic Ocean seen from Cape Breton. La Mer, 2016, a figurative painting, introduces the theme and immerses you in the awe and excitement of a personal experience at the sea. The exhibition – abstract paintings from 2018 – re-creates the sensorial feeling of wide-open spaces and continuous movement of sky and sea.
The canvases are usually structured in two parts, above and below the horizon line. In some paintings the horizon is clearly defined, sometimes it is erased opening the space even more. The elements, wind and time of day also impact the space and are seen in the dense or transparent strokes which reflect different moods and emotional experiences. Many paintings depict the joy of being at the ocean. Textures, colour contrasts, lines and shapes, and groupings play a role in capturing sensations and attraction.
Next to space, comes movement within the space. There is either tension or relief at the horizon, or between and around colour shape groups which creates a sense of movement. Spaces achieve cohesion or disruption in the canvas, whether on a coloured or white background. Like the ocean, these paintings are to provide intoxicating moments or ones of plenitude.
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
Born in Montreal – daughter of renowned abstract expressionist Jean McEwen – Dominique painted her first oil paintings when she was five years old. She painted part time during her career as an architect, beginning with abstraction, and later also working on portraiture. In 2004, one of her portraits won an award from the Ottawa Art Association at the 85th Anniversary Exhibition held at the National Gallery of Canada. She recently studied landscapes under the guidance of realist painter Katherine McNenly.
In 2016, Dominique’s art turned to images of the shoreline, influenced by her visits to Maine and Cape Breton. In the summer of 2018, Wallack Galleries presented paintings of views from Port Hood beach where she now spends her summers. Some were figurative and some were abstracts. Dominique captures the image of the landscapes she sees and later paints her vision.
Dominique paints intuitively, with energy and feelings. Simon Blais (Simon Blais Gallery in Montreal) who recently purchased one of her paintings, describes her as an expressionist painter. Dominique also refers to herself as a colourist.
