oct 4 | shari pratt + ezra kwizera | view gallery

Some swell new paintings in the View Gallery at my home church, and a sort of non-opening Opening celebration that I'll be hosting, including music by Ezra Kwizera - I've never heard him, but PT musician Garth Bowen plays with him all the time. Come join us! (Oh, and by the way, the Richmond Review is running a feature on Ezra and this event in its Arts & Culture issue this week. Click on the link, then flip through to page 25.)

Oct. 4th @ 7:30
 View Gallery @ Fraserview Church (11295 Mellis Drive, Richmond)

Fraserview Church's View Gallery will be unveiling a personal new series by contemporary artist Shari Pratt next week, accompanied by Reggae, Soca & East African Bongo music by Ezra Kwizera. Find more about Ezra's music here and Shari's artistic statement below. Admission by donation.

ARTIST STATEMENT: SHARI PRATT
My artistic practice is a fusion of contemporary portraiture mixed with an aesthetic awareness of our complex personal identity. Inspired by the notion that companionship and sense of belonging are vital to human happiness, my work addresses themes of aloneness where I try to find meaning and truth beneath the surface. I begin by building up the surface of the canvas with a contemporary portrait and found objects and then peel back the layers through physical deconstruction by sanding, carving, and detaching. I believe that what lies beneath the surface of the canvas is often the true story of self. My work explores the nature of my personal life within the context of my exposure to photos, material items, and architectural heritage of the early 1900’s. My work is often described as nostalgic, narrative, haunting, and engaging. I have always been attracted to aged and deteriorating items. I choose to include mixed media into my work where appropriate, because I want my paintings to be more profound. I recently began to explore the phenomenology of experience, particularly the relationship of body to consciousness. I strive to create a personal relationship with the figures in my paintings, attempting to connect with my subjects in a mindful way. I want my figures to tell me as much as I insist they say.