From light and shadow to art

Light, shadow and reflection — that's the subject of Lethbridge, Alta., artist Annie Martin's new exhibit, “dessins temporels,” at Galerie du Nouvel Ontario (GNO).

Using pencil crayons and graphite, she spent about a week and a half watching how the light moved in GNO's Elgin Street exhibit space, and tracing its pattern on the walls.

She used mirrors to shine light into otherwise dark areas. The result is a delicate tracing of coloured lines on the walls, resembling a picture drawn with a child's spirograph.

Martin said she started using this technique to create art about four years ago.

“When I see light and shadow on a page of white paper, I find it's so beautiful,” she said. “It's more beautiful than my drawings. The light itself is really beautiful, and I just capture an echo of it.”

Beyond just reflecting the beauty of these natural elements, Martin said her work also makes a comment on the passage of time.
“That's one of the things I like,” she said. “In my drawing, I make some kind of a record of perceiving time passing.”

Martin said she was in Sudbury a few years ago to participate in GNO's Fair of Alternative Art in Sudbury (FAAS), and when she saw GNO was looking for exhibitors, she jumped at the chance to come back.

GNO communications officer Daniel Aubin said the gallery likes to show art that's created on the spot and that's “ephemeral” — or isn't permanent. The piece Martin created for the exhibit is a perfect fit, he said.

“It's a celebration of a particular moment in time,” Aubin said.
“This is a really beautiful piece of art. But you will only get a chance to see it for this month, because after this month, we're going to paint over it. It's going to be gone.”

The public can check out Martin's work at an opening reception starting at 5 p.m. June 6, or until June 30 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Thursdays and Fridays from noon to 7 p.m.

For more information, visit www.gn-o.org.