Immerse yourself into the fascinating and joyful world of
collage with Ken Prescott’s unique approach.
There’s nothing quite like the tangible, textural, hands-on approach to this world of art-making. You’ll experience the juxtaposition of colour, texture, and pattern in this new exhibit at the Kawartha Art Gallery.
All are welcome to attend the Artist Meet & Greet!
Saturday May 4, 2024 • 2pm to 3pm
“The texture of collages re-establishes the necessary tension between ourselves and the world while giving us a new way of looking at our world.”
EXHIBITION STATEMENT
I first discovered the joys of collage when I was travelling and working in Africa in the early 1970’s. Eager to put paint to canvas, and with no art supplies within reach, I purchased a small glue stick and a pair of scissors to use with some old “Newsweek” and “Time” magazines. I proceeded to cut and tear up the colourful advertisements that adorned the pages.
Surrounded by an impressive palette of papers, I commenced to assemble a group of small abstract collages. What an epiphany that was for me! The tangible, textural qualities, the hands-on approach, the building up of paintings is as pleasurable as playing with pigment on a palette.
A quality I find intriguing about collage is its pentimento. This is the layering or underpinning of papers laid down before. The overlapping and building up of surface is what I call the bones or the skeleton of the work that shows through the flesh, or in this case, through the paper.
It imparts a dimension found only in collage.
Having spent much time in Northern Ontario with its beautiful lakes, multitude of islands and spectacular scenery, I have found that the textures, colours, surface and compositional qualities in the trees and rocks, make interesting collages since texture and surface are what I try to convey. I don’t think there are any subjects I haven’t attempted to portray in collage, but I have my favourites. I have tried tropical fish, mountains, birds, and countries that I have visited in my travels.
Collages, with their juxtapositions of colour and shape, do re-invent what we otherwise miss because we are too accustomed to looking at then. The texture of collages re-establishes the necessary tension between ourselves and the world while giving us a new way of looking at our world.*
* Many thanks to international artist.com for sharing of their article about Ken and his work
ARTIST STATEMENT
Collage, with all tangible textural qualities I so enjoy, has become my chosen medium. The excitement of papers of every colour, texture and pattern, the suggestive qualities that allow me to “build” my painting, the juxtaposition of these elements which created the sensuous interplay of form and colour – all this gives me the freest, most spontaneous expression I know and a much greater pleasure as a painter than pigment on a palette.
BIOGRAPHY
Ken Prescott was born in London, Ontario in 1938 and attended the Danforth Technical School in Toronto. He has worked as an advertising designer, art director and freelance graphic designer between his travels throughout the Far East, Southeast Asia, Australia, Europe, Africa, and the South Pacific.
Ken has been exhibiting his works for over 30 years in both solo and group exhibitions throughout Canada and the United States and is a past chairman of The Federation of Canadian Artists.His works are included in more than 100 elite corporate and private collections throughout Canada and the US including: Air Canada, The Royal Bank, Bank of America, Bank of Montreal, Bendorf Verster, BC Hydro, CIBC, Coldwell Banker, Fletcher Challenge, Japan Airlines, London Life, Pan Pacific Hotels, Peat Marwick, Vancouver Aquarium, Simon Fraser University, The Law Courts, and IBM Canada.
EXHIBIT SPONSORS
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