Gabryel Harrison’s After Every Winter, Soft Wind comes to Visualspace Gallery, April 22 to May 15
The artist’s new collection of paintings is grounded in previous work with floral imagery but informed by pandemic-induced uncertainty
Gabryel Harrison, Blushing Red, oil on canvas, 45 inches by 32 inches.
Gabryel Harrison’s After Every Winter, Soft Wind comes to Visualspace Gallery, April 22 to May 15
PAINTER GABRYEL HARRISON has always been inspired by the natural world and its botanical forms. The pandemic has pushed her to take this love of nature in a new direction, delving into work that’s more experimental and abstract than in the past.
“What is incredibly anchoring about painting from the natural world is that it is always changing and yet at the same time it is a constant with the cyclical nature of the seasons,” Harrison said in a release. “I love flowers and nature because they contain an abundant potential of life, and they are constantly being reabsorbed back into the ground. It’s about memory. It’s about loss, it’s about transience, it’s about strength; the force it takes for a flower to push itself out of darkness, I find that endlessly inspiring.”
Born in New Zealand, Harrison did a BA with concentration in fine art at the University of Ottawa in 1980, going on to become an art therapist. She has been painting full time since 1999. predominantly oil painting, though her body of work also includes printmaking, texts, video and sculptural objects.
After Every Winter, Soft Wind features 12 oil and acrylic paintings that range in size from 21 inches by 25 inches to 72 inches by 67 inches. “Using variations of oil sticks, paint and mediums, scratches, scumbles and splatters of slung paint, I am inspired by instinct and intuition as much as intellect,” she says in her artist statement.
Creating during the pandemic has been liberating for Harrison in many ways. “I think most artists would answer in a similar way; we’re built for pandemics, really: we self-isolate, we work alone in our studios,” she said. “What the pandemic has allowed the rest of the world to understand is what it means to slow down. People have had a chance to say no to the constant global rush towards... What? All that rushing, rushing, rushing but suddenly everyone at the same time slowed down to uncover the value of going more slowly. For me I’ve felt less pressure in studio. I’ve spent more time with each piece, just sitting with the piece and asking ‘what does it need?’”
Yukiko Onley, a professional photographer known for her black and white portrait works, opened Visualspace Gallery (3352 Dunbar Street) six years ago, showcasing established artists as well emerging and upcoming artists.
Visualspace is open Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 5 pm. People can book in-person appointments with Harrison by contacting the gallery directly.
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