CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK B4 -JT #4 ARTS WEDNESDAY,OCTOBER 18, 2006 ARTS EDITOR:SUSAN CHILTON 519-894-2231, EXT. 2642
[email protected] B4 Diversity of show illuminates Exhibition displays research materials that act as inspiration for five local artists BY ROBERT REID ART EXHIBIT RECORD STAFF Who: Studio Alert: KITCHENER Illuminating the Source hose who doubt the vitality and di- Where: Kitchener-Waterloo Tversity of the visual arts in Water- Art Gallery loo Region are in for a pleasantly rude When: Through Jan. 7 awakening when they drop by the lat- Phone: 519-579-5860 est instalment of the Studio Alert se- ries at the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery. Curated by Allan MacKay, the Viewers are invited to make their gallery’s curatorial and collections own intuitive associations with the consultant, the fourth annual exhibi- work. Happily,there are no pat visual tion showcases the range and quality equations. of artistic practice across the region by MELISSA DOHERTY focusing on five artists. “We’re trying to pay attention to our Melissa Doherty’s series of Tree- own neighbourhood,” MacKay noted hugger oil paintings depicts clusters of during an informal chat. deciduous trees as soft, fuzzy,cotton- Aptly titled Illuminating the ball objects that bring to mind the cud- Source, the exhibition features three dly,stuffed toys young children love to Kitchener artists, Melissa Doherty,So- hug. heila Esfahani and Paul Roorda; one As warm and fuzzy as the images Waterloo artist, Noriko Maeda; and are, Doherty is keenly aware of how one Elora artist, Paul Dignan, an assis- humanity has reduced nature to a tant professor in the University of Wa- fetish object after imposing our will on terloo’s fine arts department.