Foundations

Although these selected works are from a range of artists and mediums, they all radiate a sense of playfulness. Steven K. Tucker calls himself “neither artist nor designer but another secret third thing” as his sculptural bench is not only visually captivating, but also boasts practical functionality as furniture; both sturdy and weather-resistant. Jacob Freeman’s works are playful imaginations reappropriating motifs, figures, techniques and tropes of historical painting using contemporary popular American culture iconography, painting images and subjects he sees in magazines, on TV, in movies or in his readings over disparate backgrounds. Celia Lees’ artworks exude the energy she puts into creating these works, sometimes with limbs of her body or applying paint with found objects at her lofty studio located in Toronto’s West End. Lola Erhart also features captivating gestural motion with an innate sense of rhythm, but her markmaking often surrounds nude subjects, either self-portraits or of other women she is close to.