Artist: Barry Hodgson
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 24'' x 26''

Bidding on this artwork will take place at the Live Auction event, Friday, April 10. Tickets available at the link at dvsa.ca. Absentee bids can also be placed in advance – request a form at the school office or email bid@dvsa.ca.

About This Piece
This piece displays characteristics of a transitional phase of my oil painting. The calligraphic qualities of the branches and the softness of the foreground trees are elements that came into use as I started to loosen my oil painting technique. In 2011, it would have been just the beginning of what became a very conscious effort to bring the freedom of my works on paper into my painting in oils. This is a plein air work, probably a Hamilton scene, as I did not travel to paint that autumn.

Artist Statement
The central concern of my work is the relationship between the subject, the materials and the artist. Each element exerts its influence and the balance point determines the character of the work of art. Finding this balance is the organizing principle of my work. Landscape subjects are ideal for this type of exploration. The variety and extreme mutability of natural elements allow me to respond to the demands of the moment using of a range of formal treatments without breaking connection to the subject. Working in oils on panel and in pastel, ink and watercolour on paper, my practice is to do a great deal of field work, usually focussed on composition and mark-making, producing finished pieces and some sketches. Studio work extends these discoveries. Each piece is an independent entity, “made by being made” with its individual character determined by the conditions of its creation. This process of constant exploration brings focus and intensity to the work.

Biography
Barry studied at the University of Guelph, completing his B.A. in Fine Art in 1978. He works in oils on canvas and panels, ink, pastels and watercolour on paper and the occasional sculpture. Landscape subjects dominate, made “en plein air” and in the studio. In Hamilton, over the years, Barry has exhibited with the Carnegie Gallery, Gallery on the Bay and currently is represented by Earls Court Gallery. He teaches at Dundas Valley School of Art. Barry’s work is in the collections of the Art Gallery of Guelph, the Alberta Art Foundation, the Art Gallery of Newfoundland and Labrador and other public, corporate and private collections in Canada and abroad. Barry is represented by Ingram Gallery in Toronto, Earls Court Gallery in Hamilton and Madrona Gallery in Victoria, BC.