There is something other-worldly about Catherine Paleczny’s work. The organic shapes belie the underlying ceramic structures – whether arranged on the floor or mounted on the wall they beckon you.
When I was invited by Lauren Judge, founder of the Maven Project to photograph Catherine hanging her current show at the Burlington Arts Centre, my journalist’s instinct kicked in. The opportunity to poke ones lens into other people’s business is not to be missed. Outside of the obvious value and need for the project, having the chance work up close with an artist is the main reason I volunteered to work on the Maven Project.
Lauren conceived Maven as an “an online initiative to begin a cultural archive of Waterloo Region’s artists. By creating audio and visual records of artists’ creative processes, supported by interviews, photo essays and written articles about each artist, MAVEN provides a learning tool for communities.” You can read more about it on the project website.
| As I was putting this slideshow together, I was listening to a recording of a recent live show my son Nick Storring performed at Gallery 1313 in Toronto. The music had an other-worldly vibe that resonated with the work that Catherine was hanging. Also Nick’s live performances are truly live – the music is composed on the spot using cello, laptop computer and usually an array of other instruments. This improvisation – this outpouring of an artist’s accumulated experience – is reflected in the mounting of an exhibition.
The music enhances my sense of swimming underwater that Catherine’s work evokes in me – one of the pieces in the show is appropriately called “Fin”. For me, it made great sense to bring the two elements together in the slideshow. I’m looking forward to more Maven assignments. |
Resource Notes:
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Visually Speaking 
Nice work on the slideshow, Dwight… images, motion and sound. You were right — Nick’s music was the perfect complement to your images, and Catherine’s exhibit.
I look forward to more great things being showcased in “Visually Speaking”.
This looks great Dwight.