April 19 to May 7, 2023
Artist Talk: Sunday, April 30, 2 pm
Artist Present:
Saturdays: April 22, 29, May 6: 1 – 5:30 pm
Sundays: April 23, 30, May 7: 1 – 5:30 pm
Let Loose is an exhibition of acrylic paintings in which Gwen “let loose” and used tools, forms and painting techniques from every aspect of her last decade of work. She retained the “mother colour” backgrounds and from there, the canvases diverged into different paths, some colourful and happy, influenced by her love of painting lemons and fruit; others dancing on the edge of the quiet introspective side, pulling forms and figures from her earlier series. A series of tall narrow paintings spoke for black backgrounds and silver sides, going against the classical norm of keeping the canvas sides white. The forms used by her evolved from a series of coloured paper cut-out dolls that Gwen painted last year in a more colourful format.
These works, like many of my series, were and are as much outer landscapes as inner scapes of my mind and soul. As I “let loose” in this series, all rules were at risk of being broken and broken successfully. I dropped my recent practice of keeping the canvas sides an academic white and made them part of the work in full colour.
Gwen Tooth is an expressionist painter. She paints to express energy, soul and mood. She has in recent years completed several series of paintings revealing the various moods and energies of water – whirlpools, waterfalls, and tsunamis.
“Let Loose”, 2023, is an exhibition that interconnects many different elements of Gwen’s work over the last decade.
“Woodlands”, her 2022 series of acrylic paintings addressed her emotional experiences while walking through quiet woodlands in Haliburton during several years of teaching at the Haliburton School of Art+Design during the summer months. The stream was imagined yet experienced. The woodlands were cool yet invigorating.
“Niagara Falls in Winter”, 2020, was an exhibition of acrylic paintings in which Gwen experimented with multiple textures and glazes to present her impression of seeing “the Falls” in winter on numerous occasions over many years.
“White Water Rapids”, 2019, was an exhibition of acrylic paintings that had been created to express both the rugged beauty and the destructive force of white water rapids. Gwen experienced the impact of these waters, as she walked along the White Water Walk, a close encounter with the White Water Rapids of the Niagara River in Niagara Falls, Canada.
“Black and Gold”, Gwen’s 2018 installation project, was a series of acrylic paintings using gold dripping expressions on black backgrounds. This installation was meant to evoke emotions and symbols of wealth, drama, mythology and music through operas such as “Der Ring des Nibelungen” by Richard Wagner.
Gwen’s 2017 project, “Indian Ocean Variations”, exhibited at Propeller in April was a series of acrylic paintings inspired by the many vibrant colours, visual sights, sounds, and scents of India.
Gwen is a member of the Toronto collective Propeller Art Gallery, Artists’ Network, Gallery 1313, Colour Research Society of Canada, Artists in Canada, and an Associate member of the Society of Canadian Artists.
