Field of Dreams,a collection by 43-year old Aaron Robins is the current exhibit at Laurier Brantford’s Yellow Brick Wall.
Scarbrough born and raised in Markham, Robins has a passion for Canadian landscapes. Driving across country multiple times, most of his work reflects these vast landscapes.
“I do travel and get certain ideas and inspirations – but for my paintings it’s about where I am and the feelings I get with where I am.”
Having lived in Vancouver for about ten years after graduating from York University, Robin’s career really took flight. “Grade eleven is really when I dove into it,” Robin explains about when he first took an interest in painting. Moving back to Toronto was a way for Robin to hit a bigger art market, be closer to family and have “a better home.”
Travelling around the world from Europe, London, Belgium, Paris and the States, Robin finds his love for painting within his home country. Gaining inspiration through “being one with nature,” Robin believes there are some things you can’t explain when you really get into the wilderness. Instead he channels his feelings through painting.
“Being alone with nature … but you’re never really alone. There’s always something happening, there’s always something out there, whether it be a spiritual presence or just animals, bugs, insects … life.”
Field of Dreams displays multiple works showcasing abstract takes on fields and wilderness. “I’ve been doing different genres of painting and technique in landscaping for a while but this collection in particular is more about the medium I use, and the techniques I use.”
“I really like how he’s got depth going on,” commented Kathryn Carter Inter-faculty Associate Dean: Academic Coordination, and the Art Advisory Committee’s Chair.
Robin, uses different techniques to provide a three-dimensional experience for observers, “It’s like a liquid glass and I pour it in layers and I paint in-between each layer so it gives a three-dimensional feel to it.”
“If you get up close you can actually see shadows being cast from the layers of paint and the different layers pop out through the painting. I’ve been really pushing 3D dimensional art with my painting.”
Using varieties of colour that pop throughout the pieces, Robin likes to explore his options, “I’m not afraid of colour, it’s definitely vibrant.”
While working, Robin has the habit of listen to “mostly electro” music, but can take on different genres for depending on the type of work he hopes to create.
“It’s more uplifting and inspirational, [it] gets me kind of going, keeps me energized and keeps me moving. If I’m painting in detail, I do slow the music down a little bit, but there’s definitely relation to the music from the art.”
Robin is currently working on an expensive project that includes the use of digital media. He explains the process for this work that includes “incorporating digital photography, mount it either behind or on Plexiglas, and then painting on top of that in layers as well.”
The Yellow Brick Wall was started up by a group of students and faculty members who believe there should be a space for fine and expressive arts on campus. “[To have] a space where students can walk by and think [that art is] something the university thinks is important,” explained Carter.
The exhibition has an exciting schedule throughout 2014 and 2015, with hope of collaboration with future projects and research with Laurier.
This fairly new exhibit space, located on the second floor of 97 Dalhousie Street, has been designed to provide appreciation and enjoyment of Canadian art and cultures to members of Laurier community and beyond.
