September 2010 First Friday

The Lawrence House is proud to present in September….

Ingrid Farrago, exhibit “ From the Past to the Present” is a multi media exhibit featuring a selection of her masterful ceramic work and a selection of paintings and drawings. Her work will be featured in the Walter Petryschuk Turret Room. Ingrid’s Exhibit will be in conjunction with the Sarnia Lambton Potters Guild featured in the Main Galleries at the Lawrence House. The Potters Guild show “Today’s Special” will be a unique ceramic exhibit highlighting the  guild members interpretation of food, plates’ and the essence of  the culture of food in our society.

August 2010 First Friday

Scott Clarke a 30 year retrospective.

Scott will be showing 50 original 8x10 photographs taken between 1979 and 2010. The subject matter is vast and follows no patterns, except seen through Scott's eyes. The images will be printed and fixed to plexi glass. The work is was produced done by Paul Sorensen of Market Visuals. The show will be at Lawrence House through September 2010.

Scott Clarke was born in 1961 in London, Ontario, Canada. At an early age Scott knew that his father had an interest in Photography, and remembers well the Photography books arriving at the house on a regular basis. From 1973-1981 Time Life ran a series of books called “The Year in Pictures”. It was at this early age that Scott began to study the Masters.

In 1979 Scott started to rent cameras on a regular basis to photograph concerts, such as Aerosmith, AC/DC etc. Scott would use various ways of sneaking the cameras into the events and at times had some success with the images.

During the 1982 recession Scott was living in Calgary, Alberta. Scott’s sister took a chance and enrolled him in the Photography program at Fanshawe College, in London, Ontario. Scott was accepted and returned to London to attend the two year program. After Graduation Scott again enrolled for a 3^rd year advanced course option and graduated in 1985. For the most part Fanshawe’s Photography Program was Commercial oriented and Scott spent most of his free time working on Documentary Photography in the hopes of becoming a Journalist.

Shortly after graduation Scott’s aunt sent him a classified ad from the Sarnia Obsever indicating the Sarnia Police Service were looking to hire a Forensic Identification Specialist (CSI). After an intense competition Scott was hired and started in this field on Jan 07 1986. For the next 5 years Scott basically spent his time between attending courses and documenting and collecting evidence at crime scenes. During this time Scott continued photographing the world around him concentrating mostly on people and their environments.

In 1990 the Sarnia Police Service hired Scott as a Police Officer and for the next ten years Scott spent his time between General Patrol duties as well as keeping his hands in the Forensic field. In 2000 Scott was again assigned to full time duties as a Forensic Investigator and assigned to several high profile cases.

Although Scott’s career path changed from a Journalist approach to that of a Forensic Specialist and Police Officer, he never stopped photographing the world around him. In 2005 Scott did very well at the annual LUCIE awards: he had one second place finish, and two third places finishes. 15 of Scott’s images appear in the 2005 LUCIE AWARDS BOOK. As well winning the 1st Palm Springs Photo Festival slide show contest.Since 2007 Scott has been published in B&W Magazine four times, including the PRIDE series.

In December 2009 Scott had a show at Artopia Gallery in Sarnia called BUDDY!. This was a series which documented a day in the life of a Chocolate Lab.

In Aug 2010 Scott is having a solo exhibition at the Lawrence House in Sarnia. It is a retrospective of thirty years of his photography.

July 2010 First Friday

Denise Fortin & Jillian Popowich

June 2010 First Friday

Jeff George

May First Friday

Sarnia's own 6+1 Art Group

April 2010 First Friday

Laura Martel

Laura Martel is a Sarnia native who has moved back to Sarnia in 2008 from Spain where she taught English and lived with her husband. She received her Bachelors of Arts with Honours in Visual Arts and French in 2006 from the University of Western Ontario and her Bachelors of Education from Queen's University in 2007. Currently she is pursuing a career as a teacher working at Northern Collegiate as well as exploring mixed media with a focus on painting and collage.

Artist Statement

The question of how to construct and represent the female body figuratively is what motivates me. Initially I was interested in exploring the relationship that exists between the body to natural and organic forms as well as cultural ideas of bodily structure. In addition, currently i have become inspired and curious of text and language and how it can create and experience and stereotype the feminine image. In this way, the female image and her experience is depicted and guided by words and thoughts that could tell a story or motivate the viewer to question their own experiences. In combination, collage and painting is my way of taking chances, making changes and connections that only happen when mixing media and playing with such a common and classical image like the female body.

Leslie Pullen

Leslie Pullen originally hails from Vancouver, British Columbis and has lived in an array of Canadian cities. Most recently, she has moved back to south western Ontario from her studies in Chicago, Illinois. Her education includes a First Class Honours Bachelor of Arts degree from Queen's University, a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Western Ontario and most recently, Post Baccalaureate training in Visual Arts at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Having worked in many art institutions in Vancouver, Kingston, London and Chicago, along with partaking in many juried, group and solo exhibitions, Leslie is an experienced artist who enjoys working in every medium. In addition to experimenting in her art studio, Leslie currently keeps busy teaching visual arts in secondary schools and private art studios throughout Sarnia, Ontario. On top of this, Leslie explores her creative talents in movement and choreography by teaching five dance classes a week.

Artist Statement

Trained in abstraction, realism and scientific illustration at the School of the Art Insitute of Chicagom Leslie's creative process, whether is be drawing, painting, printmaking, collaging or a combination of all styles together, explores the power of colour interactions and the small statements made by a variety of lines and shapes. Balancing structure with a sense of play, and harmony with sense of movement, her process oriented works appear both spontaneous and analytical. Aiming to encapsulate the creative process as the union between these opposite tensions, she lets this precarious balance between polar opposites energize and inspire her works.

March 2010 First Friday

LHCA is very pleased to present The Sarnia Photographic Club. One of the valued Group Members of your Community Arts Centre!

"Urban Exposures": club members capture the vibrancy of our urban world in a New exhibition of unique photographic imagery Musical Guests Sarnia's RENOWNED pianist Shiela Smith accompanied by CLASSICAL violinist Irene McLellan.

February 2010 First Friday

Under Threat Series: Additional Works

Multi-Media Art Exhibit by Sarnia Newcomer Jonah Leith

An exploration of cartoon-esque iconography contextualized by current POP imagery. Expect an array of mediums acrylic on canvas, oil pigment on stainless steel and ‘soundscapes’.

Jonah Leith currently resides in South-western Ontario. Born in Calgary, raised in the Yukon, with an eventual family move to Kelowna, where Leith spent most of his life. Jonah Leith has been involved with the art of music, dance, acting and painting across Canada. Leith has coordinated media productions for various electronic festivals. He has frequently participated as an experimental artist for audio shows and "Street-art" exploratrions.

Artist Statement

"Street-Art"

I wanted to figure out how to crack the urban art scene, how to play the game. When the Art-stars from the inner cities are relishing in the limelight with their stenciled suicide bombers and the ever-pronounced guardian readerships of political message reign clear, I ask myself what should I do? What is in the next, the new? I embraced my humble thoughts and said "F**k it". I'll bring my art from the street, the art of surrounding influences. I have adapted a relative cartoon-esque feel to my work that is driven by a more haunted inner torture that is somewhat of a conundrum when viewing the light-hearted imagery.

January 2010 First Friday

Lawrence House Centre for the Arts family show, featuring the creative abilities of  Lawrence House members, staff, board of directors and friends.

First Friday Gallery Walk
The Gallery Walk a concept for the Downtown area that was introduced in November 2006. This fresh incentive was developed with the galleries downtown - a cooperative effort to have a reception, or “opening” of new exhibits, on the First Friday of each month. This series of cosmopolitan events invites the public to explore our lively arts scene in the arts and culture district-Downtown Sarnia. This year the Lawrence House with the sponsorship of Bluewater Power and Lanxess are introducing musical performances in an intimate evening atmosphere at the Lawrence House, to compliment the visual artists opening night.