#944 Elmwood School Art Exhibition

Posted on May 10, 2013 by admin

A while back we mentioned the Elmwood School art exhibition at our photo studio.

The Vernissage was last Friday and it was packed. Students, parents and the public packed the studio to see the artwork.

Elmwood Art Exhibition

It’s worth seeing. One visitor this week came to see the exhibit as she passed the studio. Her reaction?
“This artwork is done by high school students?!”
Yes!

You only have a few days left to see it! The exhibition closes Sunday, May 12th!

Elmwood Art Exhibition

Details:
May 3rd-12th, 2013.

Hours:
Wednesday-Friday: 12-6pm.
Saturday, Sunday: 10-4pm.

Ottawa Studio Works
160 Preston St. Ottawa

Elmwood Art Exhibition

Read a review by Marita Cockburn BA, MA, MFA:

“An exhibition of the work of grade 9-12 students, the second annual Elmwood Art Show sets an impressive precedent for high school art programs in the Ottawa area.

Drawing, sculpture, painting, photography, and mixed media mingle in the gallery space, producing a strong aesthetic end product. The works also present a convincing conceptual framework; indeed, a thorough understanding of any of the works is predicated on this conceptual underpinning.

The exhibition engages with several themes, among them the notion of place, space, and the conception of public and private identity; but, while complex ideas are at the heart of most of the exhibition, the works sustain a refreshing and admirable simplicity. Perhaps most rewarding for the audience, however, is that, embedded in each piece there is evidence of these young artists’ intellectual and creative processes, as they expand their consciousness. It is both exciting and a privilege to share and engage in this experience.

At the show’s opening, the artists conducted themselves impressively, often times volunteering insights on their work to the guests. The handbill was also helpful for navigating some of the work. Further, for the week-long exhibition, most of the students provided extended (and cogently written) artist statements that outlined the creative process, an acknowledgment of the evolution of the work, from its inception to its completion.

Credit should go to Elmwood art teacher, Heawon Chun, for directing the student work in a conceptual direction – high school art is all too frequently trapped in the material and concrete realm. Acclaim, however, should also go to the participating students, who skillfully met the challenge presented to them by their teacher.“

#881 Open House at the Photo Studio

Posted on December 2, 2012 by admin

On Saturday we opened the doors to our Ottawa photo studio for our 3rd annual open house. It was fun.

Yes it was.
We tested a new format – opening the doors for the afternoon AND evening at the suggestion of people who couldn’t make the evening.

Two things happened:
• We had a great turnout – bigger numbers than before
• It was less packed than past years as people were spread out over more time.

Thanks everyone for last night’s fun:
• Our students thank-you for admiring their successes
• SPCA dogs (and cats) thank-you for the gift of your donations
• And we thank-you for your support.

Without your purchases of art/cards, enrolment in our workshops and hiring of our services the fun that was last night could not keep happening.

Each one of your purchases is very important to us and helps keep us in business!

Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you!

Thanks to Morina Reece and Kevin Foisy for the photos.

We will be open some evenings and weekend afternoons as Christmas approaches – dates coming soon. Please let us know if you missed the show or want to see Watershed – we want you to see the fun.

#845 Turkey Exhibition at the Photo Studio

Posted on September 9, 2012 by admin

Mark your calendars and take a trip to the streets of Turkey through Ottawa Studio Works.

We feature a photographer’s three years of seeing Turkey through her upcoming photo show at Ottawa Studio Works.

Vernissage Details:
Saturday, October 13th; 3-8pm
OttawaStudioWorks.com
160 Preston St. (between Somerset and Gladstone)

Come walk the streets of Istanbul is a collection of photographic images from four Istanbul neighborhoods: Tarlabaşı, Eyup, Galatasary and Taxim.

The featured photographer is a teacher and photographer who spent 3 years living and working in Istanbul.

“In Istanbul, there is a café that has all the original glass, wood and brass fixtures from its construction in the 1840. The walls are decorated with large tile mosaics depicting two of the four seasons. The tiles were shipped over from France, but two seasons did not survive the voyage, so only spring and autumn are displayed.

Here at the Café Markiz is where I enjoyed my first Turkish coffee, served with a glass of water and a piece of Turkish delight. Proper Turkish coffee is rich and smooth, with creamy foam on top, served in a small espresso cup with a saucer.

You have to be still when you drink it, because moving around will disturb the grounds and muddy the flavour. It has to be savoured because the cups are small and you can’t drink it all the way to the bottom. It is not really like coffee at all – more like a rich, sweet dessert – like a truffle – to be enjoyed at the end of a meal, or as a special treat late in the afternoon when you need a boost of energy.

I loved it so much that I had my Turkish colleagues teach me proper technique and we took turns making Turkish coffee for the office. It became a friendly competition – who was closest to perfecting their technique?

Turkey is filled with many such experiences for those who are willing to slow down, be still and embrace the unexpected; the beauty of the landscape, the layers of history, the mixtures of modern and ancient, the variety of food and regional delicacies, and most rewarding and beautiful of all, the warmth, generosity and civility of the people… A country with many flavours.

The collection of photographs in this exhibition is a visual short story of my experience with the human landscape of Istanbul. So, come take a walk with me.”