At first glance, there isn't much in common between Brandi Hofer and Stephen Ferris, the two artists whose disparate works have become part of their joint exhibit Coincide that is now on display at the VASA Gallery. She's an Expressionist portrait painter based in Lloydminster; he's an Edmonton artist fascinated with intricate geometric designs all drawn with paint pens.
The art couldn't be farther from cohesive but the real coincidence of Coincide is behind the scenes: there's only one or two degrees of separation between them.
"I didn't think I knew him but it turns out that he's a very good friend of my sister's partner, so we'll have a bunch of the same people coming to the opening," Hofer laughed. "It'll be fun! We'll know everyone there!"
Ferris's works are mesmerizing patterns of repeating shapes, sometimes like looking way too closely at a quilt made by someone experiencing vivid hallucinations while travelling at the speed of light through a wormhole. Or something like that. They're fun, trippy and totally stare-able.
Hofer's portraits are not your typical sit down by the fireplace studies. Rather, they're filled with enthusiasm and splashy colours, some seemingly even vibrating with life and electricity. One of her recent series called Bring on the Funk was based on funk music and so they naturally had a distinctive abstract Expressionist style to them.
"It's kind of my trademark. People recognize them: 'Oh I was in Vancouver and I saw your artwork!' For this show, they subtly requested my portraiture."
Her works in this exhibit are from her new series called We in the North. Her theme, she explained, is about Canada's environment, being Canadian in general and being a female Canadian artist in specific. While it might not be as funky as her previous work, she said that the colour palette was partly inspired by the aurora borealis.
"All of my works are extremely colourful and vibrant!" she laughed.
Ferris/Hofer: Coincide runs until Feb. 27. The opening reception is today from 1 to 4 p.m. Artists will be in attendance.
The Visual Arts Studio Association is located at 25 Sir Winston Churchill Ave. in the Hemingway Centre. Call 780-460-5990 or visit www.vasa-art.com for more details.
Rug hooking makes it across the border
Rachelle LeBlanc is a bona fide rug hooking phenomenon across North America and now her work is one of the main features in a new exhibit in the province right next door.
Our Prairie in Fibre is a collection of art by women across Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, all celebrating the variety of ways that fibre art can be used to express each woman's intimate connection to her prairie home. One of the main attractions is LeBlanc's piece As Day Breaks.
The exhibit is on display until Feb. 21. The Affinity Gallery is located at the Saskatchewan Craft Council, 813 Broadway Ave. in Saskatoon. Visit www.saskcraftcouncil.org for more information.
