My paintings explore the landscape as a vehicle to experiment with texture and materials. The finished work is as much about discovering the surface as the images they portray. Aptly coined "landscape constructions," rusted and polished steel, wood, plaster, collage, and encaustic are applied in layers, invoking a tactile response.
Part of the viewing process is the desire to experience each piece up close, and feel drawn to the enticing wax surface. I am particularly interested in the manipulation of the surface and its relationship to opposing textures and found materials.
Farnsworth's work is inspired by her formative years growing up within the rural Vancouver landscape. Her work pays homage to a history that supports the environment its disappearance and artificial replacements. Thematically her works express a personal experience while searching for a unique experience.
Gillian Farnsworth grew up in Vancouver, B.C., where she trained as a visual artist. She graduated with honours from the studio art program at Capilano College in 1989, and continued on to Emily Carr College of Art and Design with a major in painting in 1992.
Gillian moved to Toronto in 1994 to study special effects make-up for film and television, starting a career that included make-up and body painting, props building, set construction and directorial debuts. Around the same time, she formed TEMPERMETTLE with fellow artist, Rowena O’Connor. This interactive, sculptural installation collective exhibited across Canada for over a decade challenging audience interaction and conventional notions of space.
Gillian returned her focus to painting in 2004. She continues to reside in Toronto and work out of her studio in the city’s west end.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2008 Recent Paintings, Black Dog Gallery, Thornbury, ON
2004 Engineered, Latcham Gallery, Stouffville, ON
2002 Engineered, A Space Gallery, Toronto, ON
Selected Group Exhibitions
2009
Contemporary Landscapes, Dunn Street Gallery, Toronto, ON
Square Foot Show, AWOL Gallery, Toronto, ON
Square Foot Show, Art Gallery of Northumberland, Port Hope, ON
2008
Recent Paintings, Red Brick Café, Guelph, ON
Annual Juried Exhibition, Latcham Gallery, Stouffville, ON
Square Foot Show, AWOL Gallery, Toronto, ON
Blundstone’s Boot It Up! A Benefit For Sketch, Toronto, ON
Blundstone’s Boot It Up! Top 10, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON
2007
Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto, ON
Queen West Art Crawl, Trinity Bellwoods Park, Toronto, ON
The People’s Portrait Project, AGO, Toronto, ON
Recent Paintings, The Gladstone Hotel Art Bar, Toronto, ON
Recent Paintings, Hugh’s Room, Toronto, ON
Scratch Gallery, Toronto, ON
2006
Square Foot Show, AWOL Gallery, Toronto, ON
Artefact, 519 Community Centre, Toronto, ON (featured artist)
Lipman Contemporary Art, Toronto, ON
2005
Square Foot Show, AWOL Gallery, Toronto, ON
Lipman Contemporary Art, Toronto, ON
Live With Culture, Yonge & Eglington Subway, Toronto, ON
2003
Open Juried Exhibition, Cambridge Galleries, Cambridge, ON
Artist Talks
2002
A Space Gallery for Engineered Exhibition, Toronto, ON
Sketch, The Drug Project, youth talk and studio workshop, Toronto, ON
2001
Power Plant, Kim Adams & Marla Hlady exhibition, Toronto, ON
Harbourfront Centre, The Fresh Festival, Toronto, ON
Awards
2008 Awarded 10th place in Blundstone’s Boot It Up! Competition for Sketch
2002 NOW Magazine Reader’s Poll (runner up for best sculptor)
2001 Exhibition Assistance Grant (OAC)
1993 Body Art Magazine, 1st place in body painting competition (Issue # 20)
Memberships & Associations
Visual Arts Ontario 2005- ongoing
Propeller Centre For The Visual Arts (on the board for Selection Committee, Annual Curated Show and the New Members Show) 2001- 2002
A Space Gallery member 1998- 2003
TEMPERMETTLE (interactive sculptural installation collective) 1994- 2004
Selected Press
2009
Visual Arts Ontario, Agenda Magazine, “Visual Arts Voices”Visual Arts Ontario, Agenda Magazine, Artist Spotlight
2007
mycollingwood.ca , artist spotlight for solo show at Black Dog Gallery Thornbury, ON
Training
1989- 1992 Emily Carr College of Art & Design, Vancouver, B.C. studio art diploma with a major in painting
1987- 1989 Capilano College, Vancouver, B.C. studio art diploma, graduated with honours
