What: The Search; work by Dave Barnes
Where: The Creation Station, Function Junction
When: Friday, Oct. 7
Dave Barnes, former Pemberton resident and Sushi Village employee, spent every quiet moment he could crouched behind the sushi counter drawing sketches. Friends soon labeled him as the "go-to guy" for custom made greeting cards.
"I’ve been drawing since I was a kid and wanted to pursue it after high school, but I got into working and never had the chance to go," said Barnes.
Realizing it was time to come out from behind the counter, Barnes left the mountains and headed east to Sheridan College in Ontario. There he honed his skills as an illustrator and explored the conceptual and metaphysical concepts behind his work.
Barnes’s upcoming show, The Search: A Documentation of Experimental Styles, is mainly graphic illustration combining paint, recycled objects, collage and sanding to reveal underlying layers, and a possible hint to nostalgia.
Returning from the east, Barnes has taken up residence in Vancouver. You can catch a glimpse of his latest creations, Friday, Oct. 7 at The Creation Station, behind the Re-use It Centre in Function Junction. An artist reception, complete with live music DJs, and a possible drink or two, will take place between the hours of 6 p.m. and midnight.
"I just want to show what I’ve done in the past, so I can show how I got to where I am now," said Barnes. "The Search shows an expression of the process. When do you stop, and decide this is your style?
Guests can expect to see the world through Barnes’s eyes.
"I have found I have a really observational style. It is in the small things, like a telephone pole covered with leftover staples. You just hold these things; it’s like nostalgia. So many things inspire me, it’s a big blender when it all comes out."
Chili Thom, painter, studio owner, DJ, and ex-roommate to Barnes, is excited about the upcoming show. "He (Barnes) has developed his own unique style, and a good sense of colour," said Thom. "He creates urban-scapes, not landscapes."
Pique’s own, Feet Banks, has been known to collaborate on projects with the mixed media artist. Together they moulded short stories into artwork.
"He’s almost like a sponge," said Banks. "He can take any style and copy it, but when you ring him out there is his own flavour. You can trust his work will be what you want without having to waste time or words explaining."
To preview some of Barnes’ work, check out www.davebarnes.ca.
