JAMES BARDY ART WORKS
So. How do you capture these experiences that transform you- on canvas with paint or on wooden panel with resin? The rushing waters of a savage river...the panoramic meadows on a coastal mountainside....casting out a fishing line with precision and abandon...a still moment on a hillside in the Himalayas? Of course you can't but you try. Picasso once said that painting is just another way of keeping a diary. Jackson Pollock said that every good artist paints what he is. So its no surprise that I paint the outdoors, given where I live and the time spent on the seas, lakes, hills and mountains of Vancouver Island and BC. And on occasion, the people and peaks of Nepal, when my work as an occupational therapist takes me there. The scenes are created intuitively, often sketched first on a napkin or piece or tree bark and then once the canvas is stretched, the river of creativity takes things from there. There are many amazing landscape painters out there, but it seems we never tire of gazing at interpretations of the beauty and fury that surrounds us.
Most of my informal 'training' has been spent gazing for long periods at paintings of both the 'masters' (Tom Thomson, Claude Monet, the list runs on) and contemporary Canadian artists (Susan Point)- either in galleries or on the pages of delapidated books. I am a firm believer that the engine of creativity is also fueled by travels, mind bending books, fires of the heart, lonesome country songs and sometimes a little boredom. However, I have completed formal classes with some exceptional instructors at the following institutions:
-University of Alberta
-Emily Carr Institute of Art
-Victoria College of Art
Some of these works are acrylic-mixed with various gels, molding pastes and other mediums that make the painting thick, rich and fun to apply. More recently I have been experimenting with epoxy resin, with more abstract results. I have exhibited in numerous galleries and shows in Victoria and Vancouver, including the Sooke Fine Arts show, the MacPherson Playhouse, the Victoria Counsel of Fine Arts and the Moss Street Paint In.
These paintings have been created usually in the late night hours in a studio either in Victoria's China town, my man cave of a garage, or studio in Vic West. Sometimes in the presence of one eyed cats, rats and the drumming of pouring rain. Such is the stuff of rented studios. Of course there is always the presence of fine ale, and music ranging from the haunting atmospheres of Radiohead, blues riffs of The Black Keys, the country swagger of Chris Stapleton or some soulful reggae riffs for inspiration.
If you have any questions or comments about any of the works, or are interested in purchasing any pieces, please feel free to email me at the following email address:
Much of my work is inspired by images and experiences at home, but also much of it is inspired by work and travel abroad. My final plug here is to promote awareness for NepalAbility, a group that I have volunteered with overseas to support ongoing rehabilitation in Nepal. Please consider contributing to their cause. You can research further via the following web site:
http://www.nepalability.org/index.htm
And...last but not least here is an article featuring some of my fundraising work for NepalAbility via my art shows, as well an amazing web site called 'Global Physio Podcast'. It features a segment on NepalAbility (Entitled 'The Burden of Disease') and other informative podcasts of global rehabilitation efforts.
And last but not least a few news articles on my shows:
http://www.saanichnews.com/entertainment/380317681.html
Thank you for your interest and support
Break time in Kathmandu, Nepal