A massive storm knocked out the power and blew the spirit out of the grand opening of Jim Savage's solo debut.
The Cariboo artist was scheduled to open his exhibition entitled Illuminations earlier in the month when the winds and rains washed the event away. The show has been hanging at Studio 2880's feature gallery to popular acclaim, with strong feedback from the public and some on-site sales of Savage's paintings, but he and the Studio 2880 organizers wanted to add back that personal touch that was blown away at the start.
Balance is being restored with a live painting event Savage will conduct at the public art complex on July 6. He will be at his easel working on his latest creation while the hit paintings of Illuminations hang nearby. It's a chance to watch him in action and talk with him about the magical realism images he creates.
"I've done this only a couple of times, one of them was at Studio Fair (also in Prince George and also, like Studio 2880, operated by the Community Arts Council)," he said. "I loved it. People would gather around, and sometimes it was even other artists and you get into these conversations about techniques and sharing tips, and explaining out loud what you're doing, which makes you think about it in ways you really don't when it's just an internal process. It's very collegial."
Adding the live painting event also gives him something usually missing from his painting routine: a deadline. He is committed to time and a place.
"Forcing yourself through self-doubt helps you grow," he said. "An artist can be alone all the time, and just work when you want to work. Whatever your emotions are, as a painter, you can keep all that to yourself, but that expands when you paint in front of people and eyes are observing you as you work. My whole work life is built around deadlines, so it's a familiar pattern."
He's come a long way, psychologically. There was a time when someone's expression of loving one painting above all others caused Savage to wonder if there was something wrong with all the others in his repertoire. Now, after some public displays of his art, some sales of paintings, and the feedback of art professionals like those of the Community Arts Council, perspective comes more easily.
"It's helped my confidence as an artist and probably as a person to be ok with hearing that someone doesn't like any of my paintings, or they like this one but not that one, or they just prefer one or two. I love the feedback. It's a great skill to develop."
He is even considering what it might feel like to do an art battle. That's the timed event where painters race against the clock to lay down their best work with an audience watching and music pumping in the background, the a winner is picked by judges or ballots.
Savage will be doing the low-pressure form of this on July 6 from 2-6 p.m. He will be in Studio 2880 working in full public view, with an open invitation to chat with him as he paints. Illuminations is on display now in the feature gallery there.
