Squamish photographer Philip G. Trueman's exhibition Winter Blues is a far cry from his roots (he was born in Kingston, Jamaica), but timely for the season.
The creative series of canvas prints are of local Alice Lake Provincial Park images representing the cold and clarity of winter. Trueman uses nuances such as movement, texture, reflection and luminosity, along with colour, contrast and object placement to create a pleasing composition. He says, "Those looking at the image should see and feel the beauty in the image, with all the subtleties that the image contains: the ripple, only apparent by viewing closely, caused by a drop of water falling from a branch not in the picture."
Trueman's creative process starts behind the lens but doesn't end there. He often manipulates the pixels to craft alterations that draw the eye or create unexpected highlights. As Trueman describes, "Much of the imagery is blue, as either the sky or its reflection on water - I find the colour to be peaceful, and evocative of a place where the air is cold and clean."
Philosopher, author, website designer and tour guide, Trueman has travelled the globe visiting 41 countries on five continents, taking pictures along the way. Like many photographers, he is passionate about travel in general and the exhilaration of new physical experiences.
Trueman is a member of the Professional Photographers Association of B.C. and has exhibited works on canvas at the Upstares Gallery and Stock Home Design.
For more information contact www.truemanphotography.ca
In the cases, Adam Christopher Dalman of Squish Glassworks presents a progressive display of Liquid Solid, a glass-blowing art installation.
Dalman, a self-proclaimed underground artist, seeks to impact social consciousness and the anti-commercial. The exhibition of alternative borosilicate sculpted and blown glass will develop and expand gradually over the period of the next three weeks and culminate at the end of January.
Dalman accepts that, as an artist who wants to make a living in this world of guidelines and codes of conduct, he has to vaguely conform, but while he has never sliced off the lower half of his ear, Dalman does admit to having "artistic obsession" bordering on frenzied behaviour analogous to the emotional honesty of Van Gogh.
Asking him how long he has been creating art, he says, "I can remember doing art yesterday... I think... and when I was 10 years old I built sandcastles at my grandmother's lake property... and then came about 17,000 hours of glass work as well."
Dalman is inspired by walks with his dogs through the Squamish Estuary and the driftwood-laden Nexen Beach, where he discovers inspiration and concepts for his glass works. He is enthusiastically motivated by the works of renowned Washington state glass artist Dale Chihuly, whose freeblown functional and sculptural glass works are displayed in museums and embellish venues around the world.
Over the course of his glass art career, Dalman's work has evolved but he is determined to stay in the present and take each day as it comes. He says, "I guess, after many years of production art and private contracts, I have learned how to better manipulate the hot liquid glass into my 'manic visions' of the now moment."
Dalman's daily creative process includes lots of coffee mixed in with random circumstances.
Socially conscious, Dalman is determined to use his skillsto raise money and awarenessfor under-privileged youth. On Jan. 13 from 2 to 3:30 p.m., Dalmanwill beat theFoyer to provide informationonhis after-party fundraiserevent (with DJs and live bands - location TBA on his Facebook page), where he will be auctioning off a magnificent piece of art glass. Proceeds will go toward youth in families who can't pay for guitar lessons.
For more information contact adam.dalman@gmail.com.
Philip Trueman's Winter Blues photography exhibit and Adam Dalman's glass-blowing installation, Liquid Solid, will be on display through Jan. 30 at the Squamish Library Foyer Gallery.
Toby Jaxon is curator of the Squamish Library Foyer Gallery. She can be reached at tobyjaxon@shaw.ca
