Arthur Frank Oscar: Spaces, Forms and Expressions

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Arthur Frank Oscar, "Stained Glass Sun," 2015

acrylic on canvas, 36” x 36”

EXHIBITION OPENING & ARTIST TALK Thursday, May 17 at 7:00pm

ARTIST STATEMENT - Arthur Frank Oscar.

My work is a continuous pursuit and exploration of ideas, images, materials and compositional experimentation. As a prairie artist the exploration of spaces encompassing structures, textures and perspectives are integral aspects of my painting. Form is also a dominant presence in the painting as well as in the sculpture. Expressionism is a typical trait in my work as the work is very subjective, designed to reflect, explore and reveal feelings, moods and ideas, not to subject the viewer to an exclusively realistic or naturalistic image or to be a narrative. This desire is reinforced by using unrealistic colours, shapes, patterns, textures and perspectives that divide spaces in the paintings, sometimes resulting in paintings within paintings while maintaining a unified composition. For subject matter in the paintings I draw inspiration from old structures that are iconic images of  the prairies, present and past (i.e. churches, houses, barns and sheds). I am also inspired by the flora and fauna and the vastness of the environment. Juxtapositioning seemingly unrelated images and making them compatible in the final composition is also a trait in my work.

ARTIST BIOGRAPHY

Arthur Frank Oscar (Art) is a practising visual artist living in Brandon, Manitoba with his wife Joan. After receiving his teaching certificate from Brandon College in 1961 he taught for 2 years before moving to Winnipeg to attend the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Manitoba where he graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1967. While there he was greatly influenced by professors Don Reichert, George Swinton, Ken Lochead and Henry Kalen. He recalls Professor Swinton saying although the course is only 3 years, it is a life-long learning experience.

Art and his wife have travelled extensively, visiting galleries and museums around the world. He is an award winning member of the Manitoba Society of Artists and has works in collections in Belgium and France. Recently Art has exhibited at the Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba (AGSM) and the Kristallijn Gallery in Mol, Belgium. He is currently preparing for a group Figure Drawing show at the AGSM this coming Fall. Art continues to paint and sculpt in his Brandon studio.