Multiple Horizons

I had completed the Synesthesia Series and quite frankly was both motivated and inspired to do something different and unique. I felt the need to go against the grain and be reactionary and aesthetically rebellious.

I was living in a Toronto condo that overlooked the city. The view was incredible and the light in this space was truly unbelievable. I had a pilot studio in the condo and would spend 10 to 12 hours a day working, painting and creating.

I recall one early evening spontaneously and serendipitously scrolling thick lines of paint across a small canvas with some sponges that were hanging around my studio. There was no preconceived notion or planning involved, I just felt highly motivated and driven by the opaqueness and thickness of the paint. I was also intrigued by the reductive, minimal nature of the process and outcome.

Before long I had painted 40 or 50 paintings all roughly layered in which each band of colour was separated by black lines and grooves which broke up the picture plane. I also began to painting vertical lines in the genera.

As I look back at this series, I now have a better idea of its origins.

First of all, observationally l began seeing the landscape as a series of horizons. From my vantage point above the city, I perceived the urban environment below as a series of horizontal lines that separated yet merged in a linier fashion.

Secondly and more importantly my personal life was very complicated and somewhat chaotic These works in a subconscious and metaphysical way helped ground and anchored me.

I was approached by the Kent Farndale Gallery in Port Perry, Ontario to display segments of the series. This was a publicly funded and show in a public gallery space.

I also represented these pieces the 2018 Contemporary Art Project in Toronto, Ontario.

Many pieces from the Multiple Horizon Series are represented by Galerie d’art Beauchamp in Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City. https://beauchampartgallery.com/collections/sutherland-kirk