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profile by Valerie Smaller Everyday Observations Transformed A profile of North Shore Mixed-Media Artist Jane Lowery w h i c h in t u r n allows her t o d e v e l o p as an artist. She a d m i r e s and is influenced by the w o r k of F r e n c h p o s t - i m p r e s s i o n ist E d o u a r d V i u l l a r d ( 1 8 6 8 - 1 9 4 0 ) and A m e r i c a n c o n t e m p o r a r y a r t i s t Jim D i n e , especially his 1970s w o r k w i t h f o u n d objects, flowers, and plants. In 1996, f o r h e r Emily C a r r g r a d exhibition, L o w e r y created a whimsical collage c o m b i n i n g d i s c a r d e d u n d e r w e a r , w a t e r c o l o u r s , and paper, entitled " s e m p e r ubi sub u b i " (Latin: Always wear your underwear).That it s e e m s . W e live o u t a c o m p l e x c o n sciousness in the m i d s t of absurdly h o m e l y and unaffectedly natural s u r roundings." L o w e r y is v e r y willing t o s h o w and d e s c r i b e h e r w o r k , b u t in r e t u r n , she w a n t s t o hear the viewer's interpretation. ^ ^ b s e r v i n g an ever-changing milieu is w h a t drives jane L o w e r y t o c r e a t e h e r art. She a d m i r e s all f o r m s of artistic e x p r e s s i o n , ranging f r o m t h e atre t o painting. L o w e r y has h e l d a variety of p o s i t i o n s in arts a d m i n i s t r a t i o n and m a n a g e m e n t , t h e a t r e p r o d u c t i o n , and y o u t h a r t c a m p s , but h e r favourite r o l e is that o f an artist. N o t content merely to c r e a t e -- painting, d r a w i n g , sculpting, p h o t o t r a n s f e r c o l l a g e s -- s h e spends m u c h o f h e r t i m e studying, o b s e r v i n g , a n d adapting o t h e r artists' styles. "I enjoy o b s e r v i n g changing styles and t e c h niques of a v a r i e t y of artists. T r e n d s d o n ' t i n t e r e s t m e ; I am m o r e at ease adapting a m u l t i t u d e of t e c h n i q u e s and creating s o m e t h i n g innovative and spectacular." ,, ^ H| < '8 "Being a mature student was a challenging but r e w a r d i n g e x p e r i e n c e , " says L o w e r y , w h o r e t u r n e d t o s c h o o l in 1992. " D r a w i n g o n my o w n life e x p e r i e n c e s is w h a t sets my w o r k apart. I d o n o t share t h e angst evid e n t in t h e w o r k s of many of today's y o u n g e r artists." In 1994, L o w e r y s t u d i e d at Langara C o l l e g e and in 1996 g r a d u a t e d w i t h a d i p l o m a in Fine A r t s f r o m t h e Emily C a r r Institute of A r t and D e s i g n . L o w e r y was b o r n in A u s t r a l i a , g r e w up in M o n t r e a l , and has lived o n the N o r t h S h o r e f o r 25 y e a r s . L o w e r y c o n s i d e r s herself an "intimist," w h i c h means h e r a r t includes o b j e c t s that are p a r t of h e r i m m e d i a t e and intimate day-to-day world. Random observations allow h e r a " s m a l l s n a p s h o t " of h e r s u r r o u n d i n g s , e x p r e s s e d as a m o m e n t c a p t u r e d in t i m e . " A r t t r a n s p o r t s m e , e m o t i o n a l l y and physically. A t t e m p t i n g t o e x p r e s s the creative p r o c e s s o r j o u r n e y taken t o capture such a glimpse of life is challenging. N o t w o m o m e n t s are alike, n o w o r k s are d u p l i c a t e d , and d i r e c t c o m p a r i s o n s are f u t i l e . T h e resulting d i v e r s e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s of t h e w o r k are far m o r e satisfying." L o w e r y ' s w o r k d e l i b e r ately r e q u i r e s v i e w e r p a r t i c i p a t i o n . L o w e r y feels privileged " t o at last find s o m e t h i n g t h a t satisfies my s o u l . A n d if v i e w e r s relate t o my w o r k , identify w i t h a c a p t u r e d m o m e n t , t h e n I have c o n t r i b u t e d t o my o w n artistic d e v e l o p m e n t and their e n j o y m e n t o f a different way of v i e w i n g the everyday and ordinary." same year she e x h i b i t e d a c o m b i n a t i o n of acrylic paintings and collage monoprints depicting her love of nature, especially f l o w ers, at W e s t V a n c o u v e r ' s Silk Purse A r t Gallery. "It's b e t t e r t o find artistic m e r i t in a f o u n d o b j e c t than adhere to a stringent t e c h nique," says L o w e r y . "I have n o use f o r preci s i o n in my day-to-day life o r my art. I enjoy the rough edges, unpredictability, and s p o n t a n e i t y -- i t keeps things interesting." Being s u r r o u n d e d by s o many i n s p i r a t i o n s can s o m e t i m e s s l o w d o w n creativity. She laughs as she confides w o r k i n g in the " r e s i s t m o d e , " w h i c h entails cleaning h e r w o r k s p a c e f r o m t o p t o b o t t o m , lining up materials, and mentally gearing up b e f o r e actually creating. She shrugs it off. " H e m i n g w a y said t o stare at a blank page 'it's like r i d i n g t h e w h i t e bull,' and I identify w i t h this analogy." L o w e r y recalls an a r t i c l e o n R o n E c k e r t , a p r i n t m a k i n g t e a c h e r at Emily C a r r , w h o greatly influenced h e r w o r k , c o m m e n t i n g , " N o t h i n g is as Valerie Smaller is a freelance writer working of North Shore artist Jane Lowery's mixedmedia show of polacolour paintings transfers and V i e w p o i n t S u i t e . Polacolour Photo and artwork by jane transfer. Lowery. 3"x 4". | M will be at the Silk Purse Arts Centre, 15 70 Argyle Avenue in West Vancouver, July 21-August reception is July 21, 6-9 6. The opening pm., and the public is invited. The gallery is open Tuesday to Friday, 11-5 12-5 pm and Saturday and Sunday, for more pm. Call 925-7291 0 information. in public relations. She is also the creator original papier-mâché Whatsitfor Boxes. gift boxes known as