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Steve R Mitts
I work primarily with Acrylics and gels on either canvas, panel or paper, but the new work I am developing now consists of using a new element, old wood salvaged from 100 year old grain bins.
Camrose Arts Society
Connecting the Arts
For me, my paintings are all about the development and process of an idea. It starts with a concept, and I keep layering it with light and value, then the form is revealed, but it must work with the characteristics of the mediums and structures I provide. Only then can it develop within the composition.
Graduating with an BFA from the University of Calgary in 1994, I began showing my work in Galleries and began work on my own studio. It is from this space that I continue to discover and create.
The work I create comes from two disciplinaries. One, my painting and the other, woodworking. Together, I am able to create fluidity between the two mediums which allows both to correlate with one another but also bring about their own identity to each work.
The work
The work explores taking two of my loves of woodworking and painting with acrylics and combines them. It explores the mixing of media, uniting the two in a multitude of form and texture. My paintings have always been about exploring the themes of the Renaissance. A concept I have been revisiting for most of my professional career. The subject matter consisting of musicians, individuals finding a place of solitude to read or write a letter or take in their surroundings are common themes of the time and they reside in my own work today. It was a time of discovery, and where understanding of form and function was at its highest level. Form and structure are at the forefront of my work. My paintings have always encapsulated an image or idea typical of the age I work from, but within these presentations the images are supported and strengthened with the introduction of segmented old wood. It would seem this addition was almost inevitable since my work has always consisted of heavy texture and value due to the high concentration of gels and layers. Old, weathered wood adds a quality consistent in me with furthering the development of an idea. Wood provides a new context for which the image is held, it is geometric and structured, but still allows the subject to be identified and purposeful. This encapsulation of the two components of painting and carpentry is presented as a relief sculpture, adding to the dimension and complexities of the design.
