{"id":37566,"date":"2021-10-08T01:52:27","date_gmt":"2021-10-08T08:52:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/?p=37566"},"modified":"2021-10-06T17:30:53","modified_gmt":"2021-10-07T00:30:53","slug":"nature-inspired-artist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/2021\/10\/08\/nature-inspired-artist\/","title":{"rendered":"Nature-inspired artist"},"content":{"rendered":"

Two of artist Monica Gewurz\u2019s paintings \u2013 \u201cSilver Marsh\u201d (above) and \u201cDawn II\u201d \u2013 are featured in the exhibition of the Nature Trust of British Columbia\u2019s Artist of the Year Award. \u201cSilver Marsh\u201d was inspired by a sunset at Addington Point Marsh, one of NTBC\u2019s properties, which aims to conserve waterfowl and fish habitat, and \u201cDawn II\u201d by a visit to Vaseux Lake in the Okanagan, an NTBC property that protects habitat for bighorn sheep and other threatened species.<\/em><\/p>\n

Two of artist Monica Gewurz\u2019s paintings have been selected by a jury to be included in the exhibition of the Nature Trust of British Columbia\u2019s Artist of the Year Award. The joint show of the Federation of Canadian Artists and the Nature Trust opens on Oct. 18 at the Federation Gallery on Granville Island.<\/p>\n

Before turning her focus to art in the past several years, Gewurz had worked in both the public and private sectors, in areas from commercial real estate to tourism to aboriginal issues. However, art was an integral part of her upbringing in Peru.<\/p>\n

\"photo<\/a>
Monica Gewurz (photo from Monica Gewurz)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cFor my parents, art was as important as science,\u201d Gewurz told the Independent<\/em>. \u201cMy mother was also an artist, and she exposed me to art at an early age \u2013 not just Judaica and Peruvian art but also art from different cultures. We traveled a lot. I always enjoyed visiting museums and art galleries. And I always had my camera with me, always took pictures. Landscapes and close-ups, textures and patterns always fascinated me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Upon graduating high school, however, she chose a different path.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the early 1970s, I was studying to become a veterinarian in Peru. At that time, South America went through some economic and political unrest,\u201d she said. \u201cPeru had a military government, and antisemitism was on the rise. My university was hit repeatedly with strikes and class closures. Getting an education was becoming difficult and dangerous. That was when I decided to move to Canada. With my parents\u2019 financial support, I came alone to continue my studies at the University of Guelph. My parents immigrated later, in 1985.\u201d<\/p>\n

After university, Gewurz worked for the Canadian government, but she couldn\u2019t abandon her art. \u201cMy photography, jewelry and painting all started as hobbies. I needed an outlet to balance my hectic and stressful full-time job\u2026. In 2000, I started making tribal and sculptural jewelry. I was successful enough to showcase my pieces in national craft shows and then commercially in some galleries, here in Vancouver and in the U.S.\u201d<\/p>\n

She knew that most professional artists had formal art education, so she enrolled at Emily Carr University of Art + Design in 2011. \u201cI could study there part-time while working,\u201d she said. \u201cIt would also allow me the opportunity to meet other artists.\u201d<\/p>\n

She finished her studies at Emily Carr in 2016. Coincidentally, she couldn\u2019t continue at her government job for much longer. \u201cDue to a life-threatening autoimmune illness, in 2017, I had to retire,\u201d she explained. \u201cThat gave me the opportunity to embark on a new career as a professional artist.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gewurz\u2019s paintings are mostly abstracts, reflecting the landscapes of the West Coast. \u201cThe force and energy of water and its associated reflective light, the interplay of shadows and colours in a landscape, have always drawn me in as a scientist and an artist,\u201d she said. \u201cThe endlessly changing skies and the patinas of precious minerals mesmerize me. I am fascinated with the contrasting nature of life. I paint it all to provide an escape to a dream-like place.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fractals in nature and stylized figures frequently populate her paintings. She doesn\u2019t strive for photographic correctness. \u201cPainting in abstract challenges me to represent reality in a veiled, mysterious and intriguing way,\u201d she said. \u201cAbstraction and the use of texture allow me the freedom to change what I see and feel into my own expression. The artistic process is, for me, one of constant discovery and conversation. The painting speaks to me, tells me what it needs, and I respond.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although initially she used brushes, she said, \u201cLately, I transitioned to using mainly a palette knife and other unconventional tools. As a result, my art became more abstracted and complex.\u201d<\/p>\n

She bases her paintings on her own photographs and on her memory; she never paints on location. \u201cI paint from the heart and intuitively,\u201d she said. \u201cI don\u2019t paint anything specific in a landscape and that\u2019s what I love about it \u2013 the process of being able to use the paint any way I want. I leave out a lot of visual information. That allows the viewers to use their imagination, to see and describe every painting in their own way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gewurz gifts much of her art to charities and friends. \u201cIt is exciting for me to witness the connection some of my ethereal-looking paintings elicit in viewers,\u201d she said. \u201cIt humbles me, when people I\u2019ve never met immerse themselves in the layers, shades and textures of my paintings and then share with me how they are seduced into a visual, tactile and emotional response. When such a connection is made, I feel that I accomplished my mission. Of course, the cherry on the cake is when somebody buys a painting and becomes a collector and, many times, a friend.\u201d<\/p>\n

She shared one such a case. In 2014, an interior designer from Singapore saw one of her mixed media paintings at an exhibit and contacted her for a commission. The painting was two by two feet, said Gewurz, \u201cbut she wanted a much larger one, measuring seven by four feet, for her client, a new five-star hotel in Hong Kong. That was a turning point in my career and a huge jump in scale for me. That painting still hangs in their lobby.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mixed media seems to be Gewurz\u2019s preferred style. She incorporates in her pieces ancient and modern materials, such as textiles, sand, rust, aluminum foil, copper and silver. She paints in multiple layers to seduce viewers in visual and visceral encounters. But, whatever the materials, her theme remains predominantly nature.<\/p>\n

\"image<\/a>
\u201cDawn II\u201d by Monica Gewurz<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Gewurz\u2019s love of nature led to her involvement with the Nature Trust of British Columbia (NTBC). \u201cI am a donor and volunteer,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

She is also an active member of the Federation of Canadian Artists (FCA).<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the main FCA missions is to outreach and raise awareness about conserving the environment and natural spaces,\u201d she said. \u201cEvery year, FCA asks their membership to submit a proposal for a show that deals with social and environmental issues. I submitted the idea to have a joint show with NTBC, as they had a common vision, and also to take the opportunity to celebrate their respective anniversaries. Both director boards reviewed and accepted my proposal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Of course, she longed to participate in the show as well, since its underlying purpose \u2013 the conservation of British Columbia\u2019s endangered habitats \u2013 is close to her heart.<\/p>\n

\u201cFCA holds several juried shows every year,\u201d said Gewurz. \u201cI regularly submit and often get juried in to showcase in them. This time, I applied as well. I was thrilled and honoured that two of my paintings were admitted. There was a lot of competition.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gewurz\u2019s commitment to environmental issues extends beyond her participation in such shows and groups.<\/p>\n

\u201cI use upcycled materials in some of my mixed media art,\u201d she explained. \u201cThere is beauty in repurposing materials because of their distinctive uniqueness and imperfect textures. Also, the fact of my using them conveys the message to the viewer about the importance of decreasing waste and minimizing our carbon footprint.\u201d<\/p>\n

She added, \u201cArt can certainly open people\u2019s eyes to how much our lifestyles imperil the planet. Art could encourage all of us to make positive changes.\u201d<\/p>\n

See more on Gewurz\u2019s website, mgdesigns.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Olga Livshin<\/strong> is a Vancouver freelance writer. She can be reached at olgagodim@gmail.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Two of artist Monica Gewurz\u2019s paintings \u2013 \u201cSilver Marsh\u201d (above) and \u201cDawn II\u201d \u2013 are featured in the exhibition of the Nature Trust of British Columbia\u2019s Artist of the Year Award. \u201cSilver Marsh\u201d was inspired by a sunset at Addington Point Marsh, one of NTBC\u2019s properties, which aims to conserve waterfowl and fish habitat, and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":37568,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[989],"tags":[2466,9865,2845,20901,8016,8704,2722,20900,6691],"class_list":["post-37566","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-visual-arts","tag-art","tag-conservation","tag-environment","tag-federation-of-canadian-artists","tag-monica-gewurz","tag-multimedia","tag-nature","tag-nature-trust","tag-painting"],"blocksy_meta":{"styles_descriptor":{"styles":{"desktop":"","tablet":"","mobile":""},"google_fonts":[],"version":8}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37566","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37566"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37566\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37568"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37566"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37566"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37566"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}