River City Retrospect, part 1

These images are from a project I did with Jenni Reeder. I took photos of important Winnipeg sites--places with relevance to our city's art, culture, and history. I then found quotes relating to these spots or to the artists connected to them, and Jenni photoshopped the images and added the text.

In order, these three images salute: Nellie McClung, women's rights advocate; Randy Bachman, songwriter (as well as the famous streetcorner of Portage and Main); and novelists Adele Wiseman and Margaret Laurence. (For the third image, Jenni Reeder and our friend Renamaphone modelled as the two writers, recreating a pose from a 1945 photo, on the exact location where the original was shot).

This work is part of a show called "Back in the Day", an exhibit of young(ish) Winnipeg artists that recently showed at Gallery Corso in Ottawa, ON.

River City Retrospect, part 2

in order: novelist Gabrielle Roy; painter Winston Leathers; and painter L.L. Fitzgerald

Cat Art

I'm one of those people who takes photos of their cats all the time.

This is Frances hanging out in a sunbeam.

How Chris/ Drove Kate...

This collage is number 3 or so in my Star Magazine Celebrity Gossip Series.

It's called "How Chris/ Drove Kate/ Into Owen's Arms", or "I don't believe mongamy is exclusvie."

Hey Wildlife!

This is a collage I made in 2005, mostly out of a couple of old issues of Canadian Geographic Magazine. It's called "Hey Wildlife! Stay at home. Discover Canada."

It deals with the changing face of the Canadian prairies, where I live.

Self-Portrait as a Tree Checker, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Spring 2004

This was an art piece I did for a show of art by tree planters that I curated at the Label Gallery, Winnipeg, MB. (see images from the show at www.lorneroberts.ca)

For this work, I took at least one photo of myself every day while I worked in the bush in Northern Ontario for two months. I recorded the date, time, and location, and then, after tracing a bush map onto a large board, posted some of the photos along with their dates, etc.

More than anything, this piece was an attempt to represent some of the daily highs and lows of life as a tree planter.

Move the Stars to Pity

This shows three detail shots, and then the whole piece-- I called it "Move the Stars to Pity", from a quote by Flaubert in which he said: "Language is a cracked kettle on which we beat out a tune for bears to dance to, when all the while we are longing to move the stars to pity."

I made this--my FIRST art piece ever as a grown-up--in March of 2004 for an exhibit I organized called "Word is the Word" at the Label Gallery, Winnipeg, MB.

36 Views of Portage Avenue

These images, and the two posts that follow, are from an ongoing series I'm calling "36 Views of Portage Avenue."

There are actually two hundred images so far, but the "36" idea comes from 19-th century Japanese printmaking, where artists would make series of thirty-six works showing the same iconic image (often Mount Fuji) from a variety of different angles, seasons, etc.

All the pictures were taken directly out the front door of the Label Gallery, Winnipeg, MB, where I have my writing studio.

36 Views of Portage, facing east

From the same series, facing east.

36 Views of Portage, facing east

These images are from the same series, facing east.

Sunset, Canadian Shield

This is just a straight-up photograph, no tricks, tinting, or photoshop. It's taken off the end of the dock at my family's cabin near Pinawa, MB.

Gorilla Munkeez

This collage was created using cut-out bits of a cereal box, and a print of a work by 19th- century Japanese artist Hiroshighe.

I have no idea what it means either.

Ottawa bus/ Chelsea Hotel

This is an image that I took on a transit bus in Ottawa, while attempting to test out the light readings on my camera.

The text is from Leonard Cohen's song "Chelsea Hotel".

Teapot Jenni

This image shows Jenni Reeder drawing while I photograph her.

The text that I photoshopped in to the image is from Leonard Cohen's song "Suzanne".

Stars-- They're Just Like Us!

This is a collage I created using images from celebrity gossip magazines, and a bit of yarn. It reflects my interest in our celebrity-driven culture, and our creating gods out of rather unexceptional and moderately talented people.

It appeared in the exhibit "In Good Faith", held at the Label Gallery, Winnipeg, MB, in October 2006.

So then I shambled after them...

This photoshop image was taken by me in the back of the Label Gallery, Winnipeg, MB.

The photo features (l-r) musician J.D. Ormond, Andrina Turenne (from the band Madrigaia), Label Gallery director Daniel Saidman, and musician Andrew Courtnage.

The quote is from "On the Road" by Jack Kerouac.