Nicholas Metivier Gallery is excited to present Points of Passage, an exhibition of new paintings by Steve Driscoll, opening Saturday, October 4th. There will be an artist talk with Steve Driscoll and Shelley Falconer, the President and CEO of the Art Gallery of Hamilton, on Saturday, October 4th, at 1PM, followed by an opening reception through 3PM. RSVP here.
In this new body of work, Steve Driscoll constructs a vivid painted narrative featuring sights that one might encounter during a journey through the Canadian wilderness. By boat or by foot, Driscoll’s point of view emerges through his use of the horizon line to place himself, and as a result viewers, in these paintings. For Points of Passage, Driscoll scoured his extensive archive of photographs taken on trips through Algonquin, Killarney, and Temagami in search of images of more quiet, intimate moments along the way. To Driscoll, the occasional cottage, storage depot or farm spotting are all part of the story, acting as visual markers on his journey.
Over two decades ago, Driscoll invented his now iconic medium of oil paint mixed with urethane. The mixture has a similar consistency to watercolour but with a heightened saturation of colour and a sleek surface quality that reflects light. While it is evident that Driscoll is able to translate the sublime beauty of the Canadian landscape in an uncanny and visceral way, it is his passion for immersing himself in nature while camping and canoeing that fuels his artistic practice.
Steve Driscoll was born in Oakville, Ontario in 1980. He received his BFA from OCAD University in 2002. Museum exhibitions include I closed my eyes but the light was still there at the Tom Thomson Art Gallery (2020) and Size Matters at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection (2017). His work is included in museum collections including the McMichael Canadian Art Collection as well as numerous corporate and bank collections in Canada. Driscoll has worked on several corporate and public commissions, including at CIBC SQUARE and Manulife’s headquarters in Toronto.
