Deanna Fogstrom
July 24 to August 28 2020
Paris: Love and Protest
(All images are copyright of Deanna Fogstrom)
Artist Statement
Title Le Studio Café #1
Medium acrylic on canvas
Size 8” x 10”
Artist Deanna Fogstrom
CONCEPTUAL FOCUS: Reflective Process and Urban Environment: Vancouver and Paris
At the heart of my practice as a visual artist in the twenty-first century is the desire to stop time and engage in a process of reflection. In our digitized, mediated and hurried lives we become less and less able to pause, think and look back. It is so urgent to keep moving forward. I am very interested in exploring and creating work based on reflection, perceiving, emotional attachment and identification with places; specifically Vancouver and Paris.
From photographing Vancouver and Paris a series of acrylic and oil paintings on canvas has grown out of my obsession with urban life. Each city’s unique identity is expressed in architecture, streets and landmarks. The Woodwards W, inspired by Paris’ Eiffel Tower, is an especially poignant reminder of days gone by and dreams of progress and prosperity for all.
MY PROCESS:
My art begins with my love of the city, which starts as a childhood memory of how special it was to go downtown. Petula Clark’s song, Downtown, expresses and describes how I experience the urban world. This connection to urban life leads me to create work based on strolling, walking, searching, looking and generally enjoying diverse points of view and communities. Some of my work is based on photos taken from the tops of towers or looking up at towers.
My current series of paintings, Paris: Love and Protest, grows out of linguistic and cultural studies and travel. Photographs, text, maps, and journals provide important references for this work. At times my process parallels knitting, stitch by stitch, stroke by stroke, reconstructing Paris in connections and patterns which make up an intricate, massive collection of streets, buildings, parks and quartiers or neighbourhoods. It has been said that a city can be considered a form of text which reveals the history and culture of its inhabitants. The painting, Sublime, Ardent, Exploring, Obligation, intertwines words and Paris’ urban sprawl. In Amour couleur de Paris, the city is interwoven with a parallel narrative, the poem, Amour, couleur de Paris, by Jules Romains. Other pieces are close examinations of the clusters of buildings and identifiable landmarks Paris is known throughout the world. Painters who have influenced my art are, Eleanor Bond, John Hartman, Wayne Thiebaud, Richard Diebenkorn and of course the palette of Emily Carr.
My work is also inspired by the myriads of reflections in glass windows and the contrasting relationships between; old and new architecture, or old and new dreams. From my photos which are used directly or digitally manipulated I paint either acrylic or oil on canvas/board paintings. A studio is essential to my practice as a visual artist.
At the heart of my practice as a visual artist in the twenty-first century is the desire to stop time and engage in a process of reflection. In our digitized, mediated and hurried lives we become less and less able to pause, think and look back. It is so urgent to keep moving forward. I am very interested in exploring and creating work based on reflection, perceiving, emotional attachment and identification with places; specifically Vancouver and Paris.
From photographing Vancouver and Paris a series of acrylic and oil paintings on canvas has grown out of my obsession with urban life. Each city’s unique identity is expressed in architecture, streets and landmarks. The Woodwards W, inspired by Paris’ Eiffel Tower, is an especially poignant reminder of days gone by and dreams of progress and prosperity for all.
MY PROCESS:
My art begins with my love of the city, which starts as a childhood memory of how special it was to go downtown. Petula Clark’s song, Downtown, expresses and describes how I experience the urban world. This connection to urban life leads me to create work based on strolling, walking, searching, looking and generally enjoying diverse points of view and communities. Some of my work is based on photos taken from the tops of towers or looking up at towers.
My current series of paintings, Paris: Love and Protest, grows out of linguistic and cultural studies and travel. Photographs, text, maps, and journals provide important references for this work. At times my process parallels knitting, stitch by stitch, stroke by stroke, reconstructing Paris in connections and patterns which make up an intricate, massive collection of streets, buildings, parks and quartiers or neighbourhoods. It has been said that a city can be considered a form of text which reveals the history and culture of its inhabitants. The painting, Sublime, Ardent, Exploring, Obligation, intertwines words and Paris’ urban sprawl. In Amour couleur de Paris, the city is interwoven with a parallel narrative, the poem, Amour, couleur de Paris, by Jules Romains. Other pieces are close examinations of the clusters of buildings and identifiable landmarks Paris is known throughout the world. Painters who have influenced my art are, Eleanor Bond, John Hartman, Wayne Thiebaud, Richard Diebenkorn and of course the palette of Emily Carr.
My work is also inspired by the myriads of reflections in glass windows and the contrasting relationships between; old and new architecture, or old and new dreams. From my photos which are used directly or digitally manipulated I paint either acrylic or oil on canvas/board paintings. A studio is essential to my practice as a visual artist.
Biography
Title Sublime, Ardent, Exploring, Obligation
Medium oil on canvas
Size 24" x 24"
Artist Deanna Fogstrom
Painting and photography have been the focus of Deanna’s creative practice since her studies at Emily Carr University of Art + Design. Urban life’s energy and identity is captured through paintings and photographs which explore a city’s unique, distinctive features. Vancouver’s glass structures and Paris’ panoramas are current focuses of her work. Her interpretations of both cities show the intricate complexity of a city constantly animated by diversity and change. In 2014 Deanna co-curated the exhibition of 18 female artists entitled “How Nice to Have a Hobby.” Deanna graduated in 2007 from Emily Carr University of Art + Design (BFA). She also studied Visual Arts and Applied Linguistics (MA) at Concordia University, in Montreal as well as French (BA) and Education (Professional Teacher Certification) at Simon Fraser University. Deanna is proud to have taught in the public school system of British Columbia.
Title La Rotonde #1
Medium acrylic on canvas
Size 10” x 10”
Artist Deanna Fogstrom
Title Paris Art Market
Medium oil on canvas
Size 24” x 30"
Artist Deanna Fogstrom
Artist Contact Information
If you are interested in purchasing Fogstrom's work that you saw at Britannia Art Gallery you can reach the artist via email or by phone
You can see more of Fogstrom's work on her website and on twitter at @urbaneye5
You can see more of Fogstrom's work on her website and on twitter at @urbaneye5
Comments?
Fogstrom's exhbition at Britannia is occuring during the COVID19 Pandemic. As such, it is available for viewing during limited hours and visitors may experience delays in accessing the gallery depending on limits due to social distancing. We appreciate your patience. If you have any questions and/or have difficulty getting into the gallery please do not hesitate to email us at Britannia Art Gallery or call us at (778) 869 -0733. We will work to make arrangements for your viewing.
