A Guelph mother and daughter art duo are presenting art they made using chicken feet, turkey wishbones, computer parts, a clay hand and previously buried book pages.
The show opens Saturday at Kloepfer Custom Framing and Gallery. The opening is from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and artists Alana Farrell and her mother Nancy Farrell will be there to answer questions about their art.
“Things you think are junk are really inspiring,” said Alana.
The exhibition Weird but Good Show will be on until May 30.
The name for the exhibition came from a conversation Nancy had with a friend when she was describing the art. She said “It’s a lot of weird things. Different things.”
Her friend suggested “It’s weird stuff but good stuff.”
The exhibition was going to be put on in 2020 but the pandemic hit so it was put on pause.
“I knew it would be a different show for Guelph,” said Nancy.
She had always painted, drew and used clay throughout her life, but it is when she found pottery she started to engage in more art. She received her fine arts degree from the University of Guelph.
Her daughter is a mathematician and grew up with art in the home. It was something you do in your spare time, said Alana.
She said math and art relate.
“Art is patterns. Math are patterns. Patterns in palette colour. Patterns of numbers.”
She has a set of teddy bear sculptures to represent the prime numbers, which are featured in the exhibition.
“I think I got it through osmosis,” she said about how she obtained her artistic talent from her mother.
Although the pair have come together for their exhibition, Nancy never taught her daughter how to make art. She picked it up herself.
While Nancy’s artistic mediums are paint, and clay, her daughter uses found materials and makes sculptures.
“I believe that everything has a place. Everything belongs somewhere. It’s just about finding where,” said Alana.
It was by coincidence the two started working together. Alana had space at her house before she downsized and her mother needed more space to work so she would come over and work on her art.
They then started asking each other for advice.
“We do it very separately. It’s more about being in the same room,” said Alana. They have a piece called ‘Separate but together’.
In the exhibition there are pieces made by both Farrell’s but also pieces they made on their own.
While Nancy and Alana are well into their adult years, they both embrace the playfulness and curiosity children have and put it into art.
Art is play, they both said.
Nancy often asks herself if she couldn’t show her art would she still make it? The answer is no. This was news to her daughter.
“I think if I was younger, but I’m in my 80s now and so I know that I don’t have the energy to do as much,” she said.
Their art is accessible to everyone, they both said. Meaning, the materials used are things anyone can find and they do could make art out of.
The mother/daughter duo are inspired by each other and when they were asked to point out their favourite piece of artwork they both chose one of each other’s.
“I like this one that looks like flesh,” said Nancy. Appropriately described since the piece is called UNDER MY SKIN.
“I like it because I can’t do it,” said Alana pointing out a painting of her mother’s with the title Solitude.
They both have different artistic skill sets.
Alana said she finds her mother inspiring because she knows when she gets older she can still produce art like her mother.
LONDON (AP) — With a few daubs of a paintbrush, the Brontë sisters have got their dots back.
More than eight decades after it was installed, a memorial to the three 19th-century sibling novelists in London’s Westminster Abbey was amended Thursday to restore the diaereses – the two dots over the e in their surname.
The dots — which indicate that the name is pronounced “brontay” rather than “bront” — were omitted when the stone tablet commemorating Charlotte, Emily and Anne was erected in the abbey’s Poets’ Corner in October 1939, just after the outbreak of World War II.
They were restored after Brontë historian Sharon Wright, editor of the Brontë Society Gazette, raised the issue with Dean of Westminster David Hoyle. The abbey asked its stonemason to tap in the dots and its conservator to paint them.
“There’s no paper record for anyone complaining about this or mentioning this, so I just wanted to put it right, really,” Wright said. “These three Yorkshire women deserve their place here, but they also deserve to have their name spelled correctly.”
It’s believed the writers’ Irish father Patrick changed the spelling of his surname from Brunty or Prunty when he went to university in England.
Raised on the wild Yorkshire moors, all three sisters died before they were 40, leaving enduring novels including Charlotte’s “Jane Eyre,” Emily’s “Wuthering Heights” and Anne’s “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.”
Rebecca Yorke, director of the Brontë Society, welcomed the restoration.
“As the Brontës and their work are loved and respected all over the world, it’s entirely appropriate that their name is spelled correctly on their memorial,” she said.
In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Vancouver Island art community, a local art dealer has been charged with one count of fraud over $5,000. Calvin Lucyshyn, the former operator of the now-closed Winchester Galleries in Oak Bay, faces the charge after police seized hundreds of artworks, valued in the tens of millions of dollars, from various storage sites in the Greater Victoria area.
Alleged Fraud Scheme
Police allege that Lucyshyn had been taking valuable art from members of the public under the guise of appraising or consigning the pieces for sale, only to cut off all communication with the owners. This investigation began in April 2022, when police received a complaint from an individual who had provided four paintings to Lucyshyn, including three works by renowned British Columbia artist Emily Carr, and had not received any updates on their sale.
Further investigation by the Saanich Police Department revealed that this was not an isolated incident. Detectives found other alleged victims who had similar experiences with Winchester Galleries, leading police to execute search warrants at three separate storage locations across Greater Victoria.
Massive Seizure of Artworks
In what has become one of the largest art fraud investigations in recent Canadian history, authorities seized approximately 1,100 pieces of art, including more than 600 pieces from a storage site in Saanich, over 300 in Langford, and more than 100 in Oak Bay. Some of the more valuable pieces, according to police, were estimated to be worth $85,000 each.
Lucyshyn was arrested on April 21, 2022, but was later released from custody. In May 2024, a fraud charge was formally laid against him.
Artwork Returned, but Some Remain Unclaimed
In a statement released on Monday, the Saanich Police Department confirmed that 1,050 of the seized artworks have been returned to their rightful owners. However, several pieces remain unclaimed, and police continue their efforts to track down the owners of these works.
Court Proceedings Ongoing
The criminal charge against Lucyshyn has not yet been tested in court, and he has publicly stated his intention to defend himself against any pending allegations. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 10, 2024.
Impact on the Local Art Community
The news of Lucyshyn’s alleged fraud has deeply affected Vancouver Island’s art community, particularly collectors, galleries, and artists who may have been impacted by the gallery’s operations. With high-value pieces from artists like Emily Carr involved, the case underscores the vulnerabilities that can exist in art transactions.
For many art collectors, the investigation has raised concerns about the potential for fraud in the art world, particularly when it comes to dealing with private galleries and dealers. The seizure of such a vast collection of artworks has also led to questions about the management and oversight of valuable art pieces, as well as the importance of transparency and trust in the industry.
As the case continues to unfold in court, it will likely serve as a cautionary tale for collectors and galleries alike, highlighting the need for due diligence in the sale and appraisal of high-value artworks.
While much of the seized artwork has been returned, the full scale of the alleged fraud is still being unraveled. Lucyshyn’s upcoming court appearances will be closely watched, not only by the legal community but also by the wider art world, as it navigates the fallout from one of Canada’s most significant art fraud cases in recent memory.
Art collectors and individuals who believe they may have been affected by this case are encouraged to contact the Saanich Police Department to inquire about any unclaimed pieces. Additionally, the case serves as a reminder for anyone involved in high-value art transactions to work with reputable dealers and to keep thorough documentation of all transactions.
As with any investment, whether in art or other ventures, it is crucial to be cautious and informed. Art fraud can devastate personal collections and finances, but by taking steps to verify authenticity, provenance, and the reputation of dealers, collectors can help safeguard their valuable pieces.
