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The Various Styles of Christie Lau

In addition to the artistic statement, through which the content of an artist’s work is derived, it is also important that an artist portrays their artistic statement using different styles and types of media. This way, they can keep the public interested and engaged in their collection.  This is essentially what the up-and-coming artist Christie Lau does, as she uses different styles and types of media to portray her artistic theme of biology and natural selection.  Here is a list of the various media and styles that Lau uses in her artwork.

In the Animal Citizens collection, Lau uses different colours of paint, as well as various patterns, to portray the innate personality and characteristics of particular exotic animals.

Christie Lau, Belgian Emu

In her Replicator series, Lau blends different colours of paint to create the impression of an exotic and wondrous jungle.

Christie Lau, Replicator I

In her Birds on a Wire piece, Lau uses the media of ink to display the diversity of different species of birds.  She juxtaposes the birds to suggest that they are genetically and biologically similar, yet, very distinct.

Christie Lau, Birds on a Wire

Christie Lau uses mixed media to demonstrate eugenics, which is essentially the man made process of selecting certain desirable genes.  For example, different breeds of dogs are created through the process of eugenics.  Lau displays in this mixed media piece how the bull terrier was derived from the process of eugenics, and the media she uses are paper and plastic bubbles.  Below is the link to this piece.

http://www.christielau.com/mixed_media.html

Don’t forget that Navillus Gallery is hosting an event at The Spoke Club on June 26^th, on which Christie Lau will be conducting a DIY marbling activity. 

Natural Selection: Christie Lau Inspiration

 

I remember reading thoroughly about Darwin’s theory of natural selection in my grade twelve biology textbook-I was cramming for a unit test on evolution and my brain was swarming with images of chimpanzees, strange looking pre-historic birds, a watchmaker constructing a human eye, and a biologist named Lamarck.  Despite my cognitive overload, I developed a more pessimistic outlook on life as I came to believe that humans and animals can be selfish creatures.  Christie Lau, whose work will be featured at our event at The Spoke Club, captures the complex and disturbing aspects of natural selection in her artwork, and constructs a unique rendition of the scientific theories of evolution.

Charles Darwin (1809-1882)

For those of you who need a biology refresher or who have not studied evolution, natural selection is “the process in nature by which, according to Darwin’s theory of evolution, only the organisms best adapted to their environment tend to survive and transmit their genetic characteristics in increasing numbers to succeeding generations while those less adapted tend to be eliminated”.

For example, different species compete with one another for natural resources, and the specie to obtain the natural resources survives and passes on their genes.  As well, animals within a species compete with one another for sexual mates-the animals that acquire certain sexually desirable traits, such as strength and other physical features, have a better chance of reproducing.  Additionally, there can be genetic mutations that provide species with certain physical advantages and therefore a greater chance of survival.

Christie Lau, Bear-Wolf, Cover for Canadian Wildlife Magazine

One series by Lau, which is a good indicator of her interest in natural selection, is her Deception series.  One painting from this series consists of a parasite living off of a swan, suggesting that the parasites’ survival as a species depends on the prominence of another species.  This painting also suggests that natural selection applies to all species, even ones that we are not aware of.  Another one of Lau’s paintings consists of a bear and a wolf fighting over a salmon, which may symbolize the limitation of natural resources and the need for animals to develop certain characteristics that will allow them to survive.

 

Christie Lau, Odette IV

Come and see the work of Christie Lau at The Spoke Club on June 26^th.  This will be an exciting event you cannot miss!

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/natural+selection

Fashion Influenced by Art - Takashi Murakami and Louis Vuitton

Murakami’s whimsical, adorable designs lightened up the brand and grasped the attention of an entire younger generation.

The Art of Marbling: A Brief History

Although I usually don’t have a reason to buy anything from the stationary store, I always feel the need to stop in and take a look as soon as I see the colorful papers gleaming through the store window.  As an individual who can spend countless hours in an art gallery, I quickly become lost in the store’s contents, as I sift through the various marbled cards and invitations.  Although the marbled designs are executed in the same artistic manner, they each possess a unique and diverse pattern.  One may wonder the technique that artists use to create such intricate and specific designs.

You may remember creating marbled patterns in kindergarten, by simply dipping a marble in paint and rolling it around on a piece of paper.  However, the technique most commonly used to marble paper involves the separation of paint from either water or viscous solutions.  Firstly, paint is laid out onto the solution, and the paint forms into clumps on top of the solution.  The clumps of paint are swirled around to make an interesting pattern, and then the paint is transferred to an absorbent paper. This technique is very simple, and many people make their own marbled papers at home. 

The history of the art of marbling is incredibly interesting.  It is believed to have been practiced in Turkey and India as early as the 1400’s, and it was later adapted by Americans in the 1600’s.  Due to the diverse and specific patterns that could be created using marbling, it was often used to decorate the background of official documents to prevent forgery.  Marbling was also used to decorate the covers and the pages of books.  However, the act of marbling books became less prominent as books were produced in larger quantities and therefore became less intricate and personalized.

Christie Lau, Argonaut Blue

The artist Christie Lau, who is being featured at the Navillus Gallery, uses the technique of marbling in some of her artwork.  Lau will be conducting a DIY marbling event on June 26^th at The Spoke Club, where you will have the opportunity to construct your own marbling piece!  This is an event you cannot miss!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_marbling

http://www.arts-in-company.com/paper/surfacedec/marbling/history.html

Art Installations: Description and Aesthetics

 

The Beach Animal that Eats Wind, Theo Jansen, 2011

In front of you is an ephemeral sculpture that continues for eternity-it doesn’t have a beginning or an end and its components move in various directions.  The sculpture is submerged in the large space surrounding it, yet its sleek and shiny material makes it seem as if it is moving smoothly and swiftly. 

While I am describing a perceptual experience that one can have while viewing Theo Jansen’s The Beach Animal that Eats Wind, this experience can be projected onto other ART INSTALLATIONS.

An art installation is essentially an unconventional work of art whose aesthetic effect is brought out by the nature of its materials, as well as by the ways in which it interacts with the audience and its surrounding space.  These can either be temporary or permanent. 

A famous example of a temporary art installation is the Spiral Jetty (1970) by the American sculptor Robert Smithson.  The Spiral Jetty is a giant coil that inhabits the shore of the Great Salt Lake in Utah, which is constructed out of natural materials such as rocks, crystals, and mud. While its spiral form is initially neat and clear cut, its earthly materials are constantly being dragged away by the waves, resulting in the installation to take on a number of malleable and ever-changing states.

Spiral Jetty, Robert Smithson, 1970

A famous example of a permanent art installation is Fountain (1917) by Marcelle Duchamp, which challenges the viewer through a juxtaposition of its pragmatic function with presentation of high cultured art.  Another famous and more recent permanent installation is The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living (1991) by Damien Hirst, which consists of a dead shark embedded in a tank of formaldehyde.  The shark interacts with the audience by seemingly swimming towards the viewer, yet at the same time appears static and lifeless.

Fountain, Marcel Duchamp, 1917

The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living, Damien Hirst, 1991

Curious as to how art installations are made? Navillus Gallery and The Spoke Club are hosting an event on June 26^th, in which the up and coming artist Christie Lau will be creating a large scale bird installation.  Take advantage of this incredible and free opportunity to view the unique artistic process that is required for the construction of an art installation. This is an event you should not miss!

The Spoke Club Skinny

With an air of effortless class, The Spoke Club has maintained itself as one of Toronto’s hotspots for artistic and creative talents. Since its opening in 2004, it has made a name as an innovative club that does not cater exclusively to any one group— rather this historic building in the King West strip is home to many of Toronto’s movers and shakers in the arts community.

The Spoke Club consists of five floors, including a rooftop with a space known as the Glass House, which offers its members incredible panoramic views.  In addition to the standard lounge, library and dining rooms, there is a gallery, screening room, and cellar, which ensure that its members are always able to relax in a comfortable setting of their choice. Finally, the Portland Room is a space used to house most events, including our own Kaleidoscopic DIY event featuring Christie Lau. With 2500 square feet of hardwood floor, this floor is raw yet detailed, bright yet romantic, and relaxing yet inspiring.

Having previously partnered with the Navillus Gallery for events such as Deception and Timeless, it only seems fitting that The Spoke Club be the “it” destination for everyone with a passion in art and culture, as well as the location for our next event Kaleidoscopic!

Blue Bird of Paradise

Wildlife photojournalist Tim Laman’s Blue Bird of Paradise. 

Don’t forget to register for our event on Wednesday, June 26! 

Christie Lau: Inspiring an Artist

Christie Lau is a self described obsessive perfectionist, who strives to understand the human condition by comparing the behavior of humans to the behavior of animals. As an artist who has found inspiration in her travels and the documentary series “Planet Earth”, Lau designs compositions that allow us to connect our personalities to the inherent characteristics of animals. In a project statement by Lau, the artist describes the current body of work she has been developing as one that places animals in absurd settings and relationships to reflect the same human thoughts and behaviors.

 

Figure 1 “I design compositions that allow us to imaginatively connect our own personalities with the inherent characters of animals.”

Despite her raw talent and vivacious artistic energy, this was not initially the career path she had planned. Rather, Lau had a strong desire to be good at drawing, which eventually pulled her in as she continued her studies at Carnegie Mellon University. Graduating with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in 2010, it was not until her final year of study that she truly committed to art, having reveled in the freedom to meet new people from other fields. She has travelled the Galapagos Islands, Antarctica and the East African Safari and backpacked through Japan. Needless to say, Lau derives inspiration from her global adventures and lets her adventurous spirit guide her.

In the upcoming DIY Kaleidoscopic event at The Spoke Club, she will demonstrate some of the marbling techniques that she uses in her artwork! 

KALEIDOSCOPIC

CALLING all bloggers, artists, and artsy individuals who are seeking a cool and classy night in Toronto! Navillus Gallery and The Spoke Club are teaming up to host an evening of arts, crafts, and wine that you are sure to enjoy with a group or by yourself.  Either way, you’ll get the opportunity to meet and socialize with a vibrant group of individuals who are just as creative and art obsessed as you are.

AT the event, up and coming artist Christie Lau will be showing everyone how to create their own DIY (Do-It-Yourself) paper marbling. Towards the end of the evening, Lau will combine the pieces to create an elaborate and beautiful bird-of-paradise installation.

STAY tuned as we reveal more about the event and about Christie Lau’s artistic style!

DON’T forget to mark your calendars, as this will be a trendy affair you cannot miss!

 

WHAT: Kaleidoscopic

WHERE: The Spoke Club

WHEN:  June 26^th, 2013

RSVP: http://www.navillusgallery.com/kaleidoscopic/

OR EMAIL: inquire@navillusgallery.com with your name and email address

TIME: 6:30-9:00PM

COST: Free

WHAT TO BRING: Your cool and creative selves.

PLEASE FOLLOW THE LINK TO THE MAP: http://goo.gl/maps/bxB87

Anonymous asked: Who writes your blog - it's fabulous.

Thanks! It is a great team effort that everyone contributes to with the help of our fabulous interns :)