Steven Lamb - Le Balcon d'Art

N°5

www.balcondart.com

Steven lamb

N°5

Biographie

Frisant le grotesque, les images de Steven Lamb se veulent, sans tomber dans la caricature féroce, un commentaire sur la société de classes et de masses. Plutôt que de faire appel à la colère, il a recours à la fantaisie afin de captiver son public. Son passé influe sans aucun doute sur le choix de ses thèmes.

Né en 1958 à Sofia en Bulgarie, après avoir obtenu son diplôme secondaire et effectué les deux années de service militaire obligatoire, il choisit d’étudier à l’Académie des beaux-arts de Sofia, en se spécialisant en gravure de reproduction et en illustration. Cette formation le conduisit à étudier la conception graphique et la peinture à l’Académie de Leipzig dans l’ancienne Allemagne de l’Est. Son diplôme obtenu, il revint chez lui en Bulgarie et travailla comme artiste indépendant. En 1986, il tint sa première exposition personnelle en Bulgarie puis, en 1988, une exposition itinérante dans trois villes en Allemagne qui lui valut une invitation pour exposer à Cuba.

En route pour Cuba, lors d’une escale à Terre-Neuve pour se réapprovisionner en combustible, il décida de rester et de solliciter le statut de réfugié. Peu lui importait que ses peintures et affaires personnelles soient envoyées à Cuba : il était maintenant libre.

Une fois à Terre-Neuve, il travailla comme illustrateur et graveur, saisissant chaque occasion d’exposer son travail. En 1993, il remporta un prix à la 54 Gallery de Soho, à New York. Cette année-là, il s’installa à Montréal et l’année suivante, devint citoyen canadien.

Il aime peindre la nostalgie de Montréal et de ses résidants. Ses personnages sont souvent voûtés, déformés et grotesques, mais à leur façon, toujours gracieux et attachants. Partant parfois de photos, il recourt toujours à son imagination pour élaborer l’image finale. Il ajoute même de la colle et du sable fin à la couche de base pour peaufiner la texture. Des techniques qu’il a, dit-il « appris en Europe, et qui me rendent bien service ici ».

Close to being grotesque, Steven Lamb’s images vie to be a gentle caricature of class and society. He chooses fantasy instead of anger to grab his public’s attention. His past is, surely, an influence for his choice of themes.

Born in Sofia, Bulgaria in 1958, he begins training as an illustrator and an engraver at Sofia’s Academy of Fine Arts, right after high school and a mandatory two year military service. He then goes on to study painting and graphic design at the Leipzig Academy in what used to be East Germany. Once finished with his studies, he moves back to Bulgaria, working as a freelance artist. He holds his first exhibition in Bulgaria in 1986 and , in 1988, a three city exhibition in East Germany. This event is what gives him an opportunity for a show in Cuba. The plane taking him to Cuba having had to make a refueling stop in Newfoundland, Lamb gets off and requests asylum in Canada. The fact that all of his painting are now lost is of little importance to him : he is free!

He starts working as a graphic artist and engraver in Newfoundland and takes advantage of every possible opportunity to show his work. In 1993, he wins a prize at the Soho Gallery in New York and, soon, moves to Montreal. He becomes a Canadian citizen in 1994.

A keen observer of the human condition, he likes to paint Montreal’s residents at their most nostalgic. However grostesque and distorted his characters may be, they always remain touching and harmonious. Often using old photographs as an inspiration, his final works always relies heavily on his own imagination. An interesting fact, he often uses glue and sand in his painting – an old European tradition that he gladly maintains in his current home.

Another one ? - 30 x 24 - Dig.22527

The bird - 24 x 16 - Dig.22288

The bird II - 24 x 16 - Dig.22289

Conductor - 30 x 24 - Dig.547

The First Lesson - 30 x 24 - BA-3342

Dancing To The End Of Love - 16 x 20 - Dig.23374

The Witness - 16 x 12 - Dig.24072

Jump Dancing - 16 x 12 - Dig.23958

The Beginner - 12 x 16 - Dig.23164

Bistro Dance - 16 x 18 - Dig.24477

Bistro le 17 in Montreal - 36 x 24 - Dig.19690

Bistro Vivienne - 40 x 20 - Dig.18048

Wild dance - 36 x 24 - Dig.21371

The Participant - 20 x 20 - Dig.24478

Disturbance - 10 x 8 - Dig.10693

Playing hockey in Old Montreal - 24 x 20 - Dig.13040

Invitation for dance - 40 x 30 - Dig.13042

Idyll - 30 x 24 - Dig.20902

CafĂŠ on clark Street - 24 x 36 - Dig.20737

At the local Bistro - 36 x 18 - Dig.21500

Dancing in the bar - 30 x 30 - Dig.21719

Sliding Down - 40 x 20 - Dig.21721

Harlequin Playing Violin - 30 x 24 - Dig.21765

Leave Me Alone - 30 x 24 - Dig.5071

Compagnie - 24 x 20 - Dig.8164

Valse Bleue - 40 x 30 - Dig.8529

Music Maker - 40 x 30 - Dig.8713

Balance - 20 x 24 - Dig.9029

Promenade - 8 x 10 - BA-5874

Second thought - 24 x 20 Dig.9463

Dance - 28 x 14 Dig.23376

Grapes - 10 x 14 - Dig.7142

Bistro 1900 - 24 x 30 - Dig.7261

Sax Player - 7 x 5 - BA-5873

The accused - 30 x 40 - Dig.4879

Modern Tango - 24 x 30 - Dig.7260

Street in Quebec - 24 ax 12 - BA-6659

CafĂŠ in Westmount - 40 x 20 Dig.17406

LITHOGRAPHIES ET CARTES DE SOUHAITS

Lamb_1702

Trio - 16 x 20 - SL101

Lamb_1703

ARTICLE PARU DANS ARABELLA 2016 SUMMER HARVEST, PAR DEBRA USHER Dancing with ball - 16 x 12

Steven Lamb’s art is escapism at its most pleasant. Taking us away from the daily grind through a joyful and picturesque fusion of Balkan vitality, German precision and French artistry. Born in Bulgaria, the son of two teachers, Steven studied in Leipzig and eventually settled in Montreal. He has been a painter for most of his life. His grandfather painted in watercolour and oils, and inspired in his grandson the urge to paint from a young age. Indeed, as a child of five, Steven had already started down the path to his career as an artist. Even then, he was endowed with a delightful sense of humour that has never waned. Years later, on his way to Cuba for a solo exposition, Steven’s life took a significant turn. When they landed in Gander, Newfoundland to refuel, he left the plane with his wife and three-year-old son and asked for asylum for himself and his family. He was accepted. But the plane left with his paintings, which today are hanging somewhere in Cuba. Thus started the beginning of his Canadian journey. In a truly unique way, Steven Lamb combines all mediums in an effort to create his own world. One where humour mingles elegantly with serious themes, giving his works more life and meaning. His art is peppered with the interesting and the mundane in a portrayal of the human condition. His people – always comic, distorted and exaggerated – are immediately recognizable. What is typical about Steven’s art is his keen observation of popular culture and understanding of human nature.

The rest of the artist - 16 x 20

Inspiration Steven’s inspiration comes from movies and real life scenes – such as a situation in a coffee shop, bar or restaurant. Festivals, markets and comedy shows also add to the flavour. He sees the worldnfrom a comedian’s viewpoint. Steven loves Cirque du Soleil for their gifted costumes and the magic of life they portray. Interesting photographs of places not travelled inspire different locations in his paintings. In his studio are prints and imagery from Honore Daumier, Toulouse Lautrec, Corneliu Baba and Normand Hudon. Each artist shares a unique and vital sense of humour and view of life. “I love to look at the work of artists who see a world which is similar to my vision,” says Steven, “and they inspire me to keep painting. Botero, Lautrec and Degas also help to keep me motivated.”

Viewing the World When Steven is not painting, he is out and about viewing material for his next canvas.

Going to the gym, the cinema, or just strolling the city sidewalks allows him the ability to soak in the scenery, and observe human interaction and follies of day-today life.

He shares, “In most of my works, I take inspiration from the beauty of Old Montreal, its streets, buildings and people. Walking down the streets is a rich experience providing a wealth of imagery for my work.” Watching clowns, magicians, singers and artists perform is equally as exciting as documenting them.

Sometimes, even places as such as the Montreal Casino are important inspiration sources for his work. Using his camera, Steven tries to capture every possible scene, and then change the images slightly to alter the viewing perspective.

That is when his process truly starts and is on its way to becoming a painting. “My method of work is a combination of old masters’ technique and some newly devised ways of achieving my objectives,” says Steven.

Juicy gossip - 30 x 30

Two on the sidewalk - 24 x 18

Resting in the metro - 16 x 16

The Process From a photograph he’s taken of an interesting scene, Steven makes a series of different sketches – changing variations of the theme, changing the source, until he is satisfied. It is then that he starts the painting. He explains : “My experience as a printmaker and illustrator also contributes to the richness of the technique. For instance, the use of sand in my work comes from the aquatint as a part of intaglio technique.

I combine all media in an effort to create my own world.”

What he considers critical to his art is his keen observation of popular culture. Steven uses the grotesque as a tool for social commentary, not to criticise but to amuse his audience. At the same time, he is also trying to blend humour with serious things in an effort to give his work more life and meaning.

“When working I like to use a combination of photographs, watercolour pastels, acrylic, oils and oil pastels,” says Steven. “This combination of all the mediums produces some surprising effects.”

He usually begins his work with coloured pencils, creaSlow dance - 28 x 14

Why not me - 16 x 20

ting a rough sketch and refining it with a black pencil to achieve a precise line. This is inspired by an animation technique called ‘clean up’. After that, he applies charcoal lines on the back of the image to prepare it for the next procedure. He then transfers the image onto a specially prepared canvas. “This technique was used in the past,” says Steven, “in the process of mural painting, and is important for the precision of the details in my work.”

Once the outlines are defined, he proceeds to

apply different textures on previously determined places. To create a rich texture he uses three kinds of sand. The third step is to cover the textures with colour gesso. In this process he uses up to seven colours and, when he is finally satisfied with the result, he then highlights the volumes using white tempera.

Another old masters’ technique. The fourth step is to apply acrylic paint to the largest surfaces, proceeding from the general to the particular. The fifth stage involves removing some

Another one - 30 x 24

Restaurant la piata - 24 x 24

parts of the acrylic paint with a special thinner.

“This way the colour base of the picture is revealed,” says Steven, “and that is how I create the vibration and harmony of the colours. After that, I accentuate the details. In the final part, I am using watercolour pencils, dry pastels and, if necessary, oil colour to complete

the work. The order in which these steps are applied is extremely important for the professional execution, precision and quality of my technique. Finally, to secure a long-lasting artwork, I cover the picture with a special UV protection varnish.”

A Continuous Journey Steven believes in the power of life-long learning; that although the basics are very important in your craft, it is always important to further educate yourself on a continuous basis – through books, workshops, lectures, DVDs – anything that can help you grow as an artist.

“Don’t rely on your talent and originality, because a lot of effort is required,” says Steven.

“My personality allows me to be unique in how I see the world, and this makes my work different from that of other painters. But I still have to keep learning and obverting to make my craft even better. My exploration of sculpture, and use of almost all mediums on each individual painting, gives my paintings a really different and interesting effect. I truly appreciate all the people that buy my work and share my vision of the world. My goal is to give people positive energy and put a smile on their face.”

Carousel - 40 x 60

Expecting the best - 20 x 16

Bistro II - 16 x 24

You can find the work of Steven Lamb at the following galleries :

Le Balcon d’Art St. Lambert, QC www.balcondart.com 450.466.8920 Tutt Street Gallery Kelowna, BC www.tuttartgalleries.ca 250.861.4992 Chatting in the local restaurant - 30 x 30

N°5

www.balcondart.com

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Photo : Yves Sauvageau & Steve Pearson • Publié par / Published by : Le Balcon d’art (Issuu) Design : Cécile Bonnot ( www.bonnot-graphics.com )

650 avenue Notre-Dame, St-Lambert, QC. J4P 2L1 450 466 8920 • info@balcondart.com • balcondart.com

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