Wayne Boucher
Wayne Boucher
Originally from Ontario, Boucher studied at the Banff Centre and received his BFA from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in 1975 and has been a resident of Annapolis County since. He has been an active member of VANS as a former Board Member, PAINTS artist and exhibitor, most recently participating in the VANS regional exhibition disCOMFORT Zone this spring 2012 at ARTsPLACE gallery.
Before the beginning
After graduating from NSCAD, the then, NS. Department of Recreation and Culture began discussions in the mid 70’s with creators across the province about the possibility and need for a group to represent the province’s creative producers artists, writers, and craftspeople. I remember going to meetings with Charlotte Wilson Hammond, Andrew Terris, Ron Shuebrook, the late Mary Sparling and Shelagh Mackenzie where the framework was laid for the Cultural Federations of which VANS would be the proponent for the Visual Artists. It was needed then and it is more essential today as being integral to connecting artists with each other, networking, and communicating with the outside world.
All have played a part
Probably the most important influence in my career is my life long companion Terry and our children for there confidence in me and their support. Choosing to go to NSCAD, and to pursue drawing, lithography, and then painting, as well as other artists and artist’s friends were of course great influences as well. Being a founding member of the Annapolis Region Community Arts Council was also essential in integrating the Arts with our rural community and helping to sustain me and connect with other artists.
Everyday is a new day
I think I have had a lot of success in the Atlantic provinces in showing my work, and maintaining a visibility. The main challenge has always been to get the work shown outside of the maritimes.
X-ray vision
Currently my strategies deal with the luminosity of light, and the radiance of colour in counterpoint with elemental schemata that transcends surface and meaning. The intent of my work has been for the viewer to “fall in and drown in the work” and see things beyond the surface of the paintings.
Black and Blue
Don Pentz and I had been pursing parallel, but different pathways in Abstraction, and decided after 30 years it would be great to have a show together. The result is Black and Blue curated by Laurie Dalton at Acadia University Art Gallery. The exhibition opened at Acadia in May and ran till June 10. It is now at Cape Breton Art Gallery from June 15 to August 17, McCarthy Hall, Truro April and May 2013, and ArtsPlace, August and early September 2013. I also just finished showing Above and Below : Recent Works with Susan Feindel at Ingrid Mueller Art + Projects, Fredericton, NB.
Light in Motion
Film-maker Alan Collins has produced and created an new film on my work entitled “Drowning in Colour” which is due for release probably in the Fall of 2012. Sophie Heath and I collaborated on a back lit film loop window projection entitled “Great Balls of Fire: to be presented at Lumiere, Sydney, and hopefully Nocturne, Halifax. I have along with my companion Terry been dabbling in film projects, most recently with the VANS regional Exhibition at ArtsPlace which will be at the AGNS Yarmouth in October.
To learn more about Wayne Boucher, visit his e-studio page: http://www.visualarts.ns.ca/artist-pages/wayne-boucher/ or his website: http://wayneboucherrca.blogspot.ca/.
VANS Artist Profiles aim to identify, promote and educate the public about current members of Visual Arts Nova Scotia (VANS). Artists who are profiled are current members of VANS, have participated in a VANS program(s) and maintain an active practice in the visual arts. Each profile explores the impact of VANS programs and services and the interests of our membership, in general.
