NAC Studio

Artist Statement
My work documents the ongoing metamorphosis of urban visage. Recreated as illustrative ink and acrylic paintings on wood, the work memorializes the ongoing transformation of familiar locales, often overlooked in our daily routines. It celebrates crumbly detritus, dumpsters, graffiti and discarded objects.
My pieces combine complex ink lines with transparent layers of acrylic, harmoniously blending spontaneous marks with detailed structure. These techniques, fuelled by the narrative between human and place, results in unique work that celebrates the relationship between viewer and the surrounding urban landscape.

Biography
Jon was born and raised in St. Catharines, Ontario and received his BFA from Mount Allison University in 2008. In the amazingly unique bubble of Sackville, New Brunswick, he developed a keen interest in detailed line drawing and acrylic painting.
In 2010 he moved to Vancouver, BC, where he developed a large series of urban landscape works that documented the crumbly, textured visage of the Downtown Eastside. It was here that his obsession for exaggerated colour palettes and a heavily layered approach to drawing and painting really developed.
In 2018 he relocated to St. Catharines, where he continues to develop new bodies of work based around local industrial landscapes such as the former St. Catharines General Hospital, Hamilton alleyways and Toronto cityscapes.

Artist Statement
My artistic practice is dynamic and includes a range of media such as textile and painting, while focusing primarily on collage. Being part of multiple art collectives – such as the Pepsi Girls – I love to collaborate any chance that I get! While I still maintain my own art practice, I have shifted gears in recent years to more of a facilitation role. Under the name *Paper* *Bananas*, I am a facilitator of all things collage within the arts community here in Niagara. I host regular drop-in/pop-in/self-directed-style Collage Nights at various venues across the region. I also teach courses and workshops and spend the rest of my time at the studio creating collage kits. The medium of collage is my passion and I can’t (and won’t) stop cutting and pasting!

Biography
Jenn (she/her) is a loveable character, a serious artist and a big time collaborator! She approaches art and life with humour, underlined with a touch of the subversive! You can find Jenn hosting art events, collage nights, hangin’ at the studio and hitting up the local art scene with pals!

Artist Statement
My work addresses the everyday as monumental. I create images through a series of processes involving chance, observation, and intention that lead to new visual spaces. These works begin by recording my perceptions of my daily life through photos, writing and my sketchbook, documenting walks, anomalies and happenings. The original drawings are transformed through a process of pouring, mixing, and tracing. My current word to understand this is reclamation. I am rehabilitating the line through manipulation, control, freedom, and observation.

Biography
Bruce is an artist who lives and works in St. Catharines, Ontario. He completed his BA in Visual Art from Brock University and his MFA from the University of Windsor. His recent work is mainly focused on bringing the everyday happenings – walks, objects, and the phenomenological to visual form. Previous work dealt with LGBTQ couple’s portraits and gatherings. His studio is part of the NAC space located at 433 St. Paul St. Bruce is also a professional actor and singer, having performed all over North America as well as the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and in touring productions of Titanic and Forever Plaid. He has won several awards for his acting work in San Francisco and was on Broadway in the musical Les Miserables at the Imperial Theater in New York.

Artist Statement / Biography
Print-maker, mall ninja, and multidisciplinary juggler. Teetering on the fulcrum of minimalism and intellectual purity to craft experiences both online and in real life. I’m fueled by craft beer, spite and tortilla chips. Check me out on Myspace or YouPorn!