Donna Mattila

In his “Notebooks”, George Braque wrote “In art there is only one thing that counts; the thing you can’t explain”.  This is how I think about writing about my painting;  either it works or it doesn’t.

My imagery originates from many walks in residential areas and urban streets. Traces of the actual locations may be evident but this is unimportant to me. My interest is using an image, selecting shapes, lines and colours and reinventing and painting this new composition on a flat surface; in fact, a classic definition of a painting. My work moves through new phases as I find something else more appealing to my personal iconography. If you don’t like this work, wait and see what other direction it could take.

Donna Mattila studied at Vancouver School of Art (now Emily Carr), Croydon College of Art (London UK) and University of Calgary.  Exhibitions include Nanaimo, Comox Valley, Vancouver, London UK, St. Gallen, Switzerland, and Freiburg, Hamburg and Offenburg, Germany.  Collections include BC Provincial Collection, Alberta Arts Foundation, City of Freiburg and University of Ulm, Germany, City of Courtenay and Comox Valley Art Gallery.  Awards: BC Arts Council Project Assistance and Alberta Arts Foundation.

Tony Martin

The images in this current series mainly concern a combination of seascapes and vessels.
Influences: Local environment and travel documentation.
I turned to the craft of collage a few years ago as an encouragement to abstract and simplify my imagery. As I progressed with this craft I occasionally replicated the image using watercolour.
I find this whole process very enjoyable.

Tony Martin is a graduate of St. Martin’s School of Art, London UK and Post Grad. Painting from Alberta College of Art, Calgary.  Tony has worked as a Graphic Designer and Art Director in London, UK, Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary. With his partner Donna Mattila they lived in Germany from 1984 to 1989. There they pursued a career as painters and showed in Freiburg, Offenberg and St. Gallen(Switzerland). Donna also showed in Biellefeld and Hamburg.  Returning to BC Tony was hired to guide the Comox Valley Art Gallery into new premises owned by the City of Courtenay with a $1,200,000. fed. and provincial funding. As the Curator/Director of CVAG (from 1990 to 2010) Tony participated in various BC events as a curator for Artropolis, BC Arts Festival and various juries for BC Arts Council.  Tony is now a Board Member for the Nanaimo Art Gallery with his practice at home near downtown Nanaimo.