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Thus Far, an exhibition featuring mixed media, oil on board, acrylic on board and canvas by Clay Mullen, Paul Gilroy and featuring Andrew Wong was the final exhibition at Three Fishes Designs and Gallery before the Gallery closed for renovations in August. Originally the gallery grew out of two successful one-week shows. Paul Gilroy, the owner of the gallery, decided to create a permanent gallery space and chose a location in the area of Toronto known as Riverdale. Three Fishes Designs and Gallery opened in November of 2002, describing itself as “a slightly different kind of art space.” Each artist brought a different element and style to the Thus Far exhibition which reflected their individual talents and influences. Paul GilroyAs Paul explains, the name Three Fishes comes from his mother and father's family crests. On the Gilroy family crest there are three dolphins and on his mother's family crest there are three salmon. “Three Fishes was a good fit and it sounds kind of funky and off-beat.” It's Paul's way of indirectly naming the gallery after himself and explains one of his key pieces in Thus Far.
Recent influences on Paul include the Eastern religions Buddhism, Taoism and Animism. Paul includes Chinese script in the piece but adds “I've painted some Chinese characters that are ancient Chinese, they are not modern Chinese script … that go back to the times of Taoism.” Care and Hope are two of the words painted on the piece. “Right now to me those are two very important things you have, to hope, and you can't exist without hope. You have to care and have compassion, and not for yourself so much as for other people and that's why I have those two things painted on there.” A lengthy explanation is provided for one key inclusion in My Ancestor's Face. Paul explains ”I also have a bunch of [papers that] Andrew [Wong] refers to as "Dead People Papers"…Some Chinese people use these papers and you can buy them in China town and you burn them as offerings to various Gods and Deities and they are for their old relatives, their old relations … that have passed away and I wanted to put that in this canvas. Some people would say perhaps that it's a bit ghoulish … some [people] are actually insulted, some of them are afraid of those things because they're afraid that the spirits of those dead people will be present but I don't buy into of that. I don't think there is anything to be afraid of and if you're afraid of people that are dead or have passed [on] then you have issues that you need to deal with yourself so I don't see it that way.” Paul discussed some of the other influences and media that he favors. “I have some pieces with Japanese paper swans taking flight and some other things. I like working with Japanese papers it's very colorful and its fun--a kind of a medium I like a lot.” However, there are other pieces that have importance to Paul featured in Thus Far.
Paul is not an avid television watcher but his inspiration for the words 'I will not hate' emerged from the opening credits of the animated television show The Simpsons. Paul explains “I don't watch television a lot, but one of the things that that happens on the Simpsons is [the adolescent character] Bart is always writing on the chalkboard you know 'I will not throw spitballs' 'I will not make paper airplanes' and then it occurred to me that one of the things that would be good to be on there for people to see would perhaps [be] if Bart was to write 'I will not hate'. You know that hate causes a great deal of trouble--a huge amount of discord in the world and I think people need to focus on that sometimes, not overly, but they really do need to think of it from time to time.” Paul's influences include Tom Thomson because “he was the one thinking outside the box. He wasn't afraid to do different things.” Paul attended Tom Thomson: The Man, The Myth, The Mystery exhibit at the Art Gallery of Ontario and found himself drawn to the original pieces that Thomson painted in the bush. “The little pieces are more. They are not as refined. They are not as gentile, but there is much more emotion in those than in the other ones and it's the emotion of the moment. It's always hard, I think, for an artist to go from that vision and take it back to the studio and recreate the same feeling. You can get close, but I don't think you can get exactly there.” Other influences include self-taught Scottish artist Jack Vettriano who has the current distinction that his paintings The Singing Butler and Mad Dogs were the two best-selling posters in Britain. This is quite an achievement for an artist whose first work sold in 1988 when he was 36. Another favorite of Paul Gilroy is the American, Charles Reiffel who is perhaps best known for his modernist landscapes. Paul believes he was an artist from birth. He doesn't believe one becomes an artist the way one becomes an engineer. “I don't necessarily think you have to go to school to become an artist. You can go to school to improve your technique but you can't go to school to become an artist. I think everybody has some artist in them. How it comes out it's hard to say. Some people paint, some people write, some people draw, some people act, some people make films, and I think it's up to each of us to find our own way and our own space with art--and for me I had it when I was very young. I liked art. I was always making things, painting stuff--that's what I did." Paul continues, "Buying art, collecting art, to me that side of things is just as important as producing art yourself. You know, if you want artists to be vibrant and continue to pursue what they are doing, you need to support that. And I'm not a tremendously wealthy person ... but I do spend a portion of my income collecting original pieces of art and I enjoy that as much as producing art. I like to have a little piece of somebody else in my home that's important.” Paul happily discussed the other two artists exhibited in Thus Far. Andrew Wong
Clay Mullen“Clay paints in oil on anything that will stand still long enough basically” is how Paul describes the final artist included in Thus Far. Clay's work in the show includes acrylic on copper. Clay's grandfather worked in electronics and some of the copper circuit boards were given to Clay, who uses them for his artwork.
How important it is to some people-- like some people their day isn't started until they've had so many coffees or coffee type drinks. It's… a very fun light hearted painting.” Paul adds "[Clay] doesn't take too many things too seriously he's a very light hearted easy-going sort of guy and I think that comes through in his work.”
Thus Far closed on July 25th, 2003. The gallery is now temporarily closed for renovations and a brand new look. Three Fishes Designs and Gallery is located at 750B Queen Street East Toronto. It is within walking distance of Gallery 888 another Riverdale gallery which is located at 888 Queen St. East. Hours for both galleries are available on their web sites. Artists interested in exhibiting at Three Fishes Designs and Gallery should contact Paul Gilroy. |
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