Terry M wrote: <<Once it was pointed out to me (by Kakki?) that she (Joni) was also influenced by the Canadian plains artists, things came together for me. I see her work now as mainly naive, not in a negative sense, but as a style known for those who have not had formal training and whose use of perspective, line, color and composition are used intuitively, much like a child.>>
you strained at a gnat and swallowed a camel here. far from being limited, the great provinces of the Canadian prairies have produced more than its share of fine painters of both great training and travel experience. and why not? lake louise has been termed one of the seven most beautiful natural sites in the world - or "paradises"... some of the world's finest painters have trekked to places like this... and the Banff School of Fine Arts has been one of the most sought after places for artists to go from all over the world... the Glenbow Museum in Calgary is known as the most endowed museum west of Chicago (bigtime oil money)... i personally have visited and viewed original series of Picassos there... Calgary is the wealthiest city per capita in Canada and for quite some time has overtaken Montreal in the number of corporate head offices...on its annual art walk, i visit literally scores of art galleries, with paintings for sale like my former instructor leslie poole , for well over $20,000. In the history books of Canadian art, two artists from Calgary receive more mention than any others excluding the Group of Seven - Illingworth Kerr and Maxwell Bates... typical of great "plains" artists, they spent many many years in both Europe and New York before returning to where nature is purer in its land, water, and air, than anything else on the two continents of Europe and North America... having attended emily carr college of art in vancouver, i feel that the work i've seen at ACA, Alberta College of Art, is more inspiring...and less ashamed to be so... the Mendel Gallery in Saskatoon has more visitors and volunteers per capita than any other city's galleries in Canada... last but not least, winnipeg boasts its own share of culture... the Royal Winnipeg Ballet....one of the finest of the select ballets in the world... every province and state has its great ones.... so pulleeeeese, get it right next time! shane
