Brian Lorimer was born in Belleville, Ont., in 1961, studied at the Ontario College of Art and Design for three years and a decade later with founded a studio focusing on mural design. He sold the business in 2002 and concentrated on his art. This artist has painted works as large as 76 feet long and Project Remembrance continues the tradition. It is made up of 36 canvases, most measuring five feet by six feet. But, it wasn’t enough to simply paint the war, the artist wanted to experience life in the trenches, albeit without the rats and artillery. Lorimer dug a 40-foot ditch on his land, “I needed to feel the trench, see it, make a connection with it to try and understand what I was about to undertake… Sitting within those tight confines made me just crazy enough to want to paint this painting (Winter Trench), plus 35 more.”
Then in the spring of 2013 he travelled to Belgium and France. “You can’t do a series of this magnitude without going there…it is amazing how close the lines are to each other,” he said. Inspired, he returned home and transferred those emotions into oil on canvas. Bold colour is splattered like blood over many of the compositions. The treatment works—it is energetic and raw—bringing to mind victims, violence and devastation. The colours in the painting Unknown Soldier give an unintentional nod to War Artist Eric Aldwinckle’s bold painting, The Survivor. Both artists rendered war in brash and splintered colour.
- OCAD (Ontario College of Art and Design) 1979 - 1981 Specialization: Fine art Drawing and Painting
"Cultural preservation against the incursion of modern society is the predominant theme in my work. Through a contemporary lens I search for world defining moments; unique, vibrant cultures; tales of survival and tenebrous off-grid locations that ignite us to take pause for reflection so as to temper the modern shift."
"Our connection to the land is what has sustained humankind throughout the ages. As the world continues to accelerate towards global expansion this union diminishes, resulting in a disconnect. Through these images I am focusing on changing how we see the world to reinforce the bond that connects us."
Brian Lorimer Biography Additional Information:
Awards:
Art Gallery of Ontario Scholarship - 1979
Exhibitions & Collections:
“Project Remembrance” - Toronto City Hall, Toronto, Ontario - Solo Exhibition - 2014
Pilar Shephard Art Gallery, Charlottetown, PEI - Group Exhibition - 2013
“City2Sunrise: A Journey Through Asia” - Arthouse, Sydney, Australia - Solo Exhibition - 2011
“Landscapes of Solitude” -Gallery Artplus, Belleville, Ontario - Solo Exhibition - 2009
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Creations Art Gallery & Framing Studio
436 Wilson St. E., Ancaster, ON., Canada L9G 2C3
Phone: 905 648-6199 www.Creations-Gallery.com
Creations Art Gallery & Framing Studio
436 Wilson St. E., Ancaster, ON., Canada L9G 2C3
Phone: 905 648-6199 www.Creations-Gallery.com
