Nigel Fox Artworks

I am looking forward to exhibiting in the Two Rivers Gallery, in Prince George, as part of the exhibit, First.

I have submitted two pieces, one of which has never been shown in public.

This exhibit marks a bit of an emotional milestone for me because it is the same gallery where I fell in love with art as an adult. This was back in 2003 when I was introduced to the gallery. I was going to college in Kamloops, and seeing a girl from PG. I was introduced to concepts such as negative space and expression. It was a medium where I could connect with like minded people. I was hooked.

I had the opportunity, recently, to discuss this milestone with the gallery tech at Two Rivers and he told me that he was pleased, because if “art can’t inspire on a different level than TV or other media, then what is the point of art?”

Two Rivers Gallery is no slouch as far as galleries in the area go. It has exhibited works from artists such as Andy Warhol and Ted Harrison. I am going to be exhibiting alongside Robert Davidson in this particular show.

It gives me goosebumps that I have been given the opportunity to celebrate what would seem like a new milestone in my art career at a location where my art career was born.

Opening night is at 7:30pm on Thursday, April 12th at the gallery.

A few years ago I had a friend that killed himself.  In this life, we have choices.  We can chose one career or another, we can chose to travel or stay at home, we can chose to love or we can chose not to love.  Love is a choice, suicide is a choice–both are a commitment, both are an act, both are the same and yet polar opposites.

When I got the phone call that my friend killed himself, I had the brush to canvas on the above painting.  This was many years ago.  I put aside the painting and finished it a few days later.

Many questions remained unanswered.  Why did he do this?  Was it something that I did or didn’t do?

And of course there was the emotional side to it.  Remembering all the times that we had together, the funny things that he would say and do, and how loving he seemed to be.  Why did he do this?

Of course, people had all sorts of answers about this and would try to help by saying all sorts of things like, “he had a mental illness” or “he was into drugs”; both of which were true, but this was my friend and I loved him.  Why did he do this?

Fast forward 2 years.  A friend comes by my house and comments on this painting.  I keep a database of all my paintings and wrote a note about this at the time: “Painting this when I heard about N–my friend that took his own life in Jan of 2007.  My friend G says that this painting is both calm and angry at the same time.  I did finished the angry part about a month after starting the painting in jan”

Fast forward about 3 years from then.  I am married and just finished a year of art school, studying northwest coast art.  Amy and I are back in Topley and it’s a drizzly spring morning.  There’s a train on the tracks near our house, stalled out.  Nothing unusual because they usually do that on the bypass there–near the signal light in the above painting.

This, however, was not to be a normal spring morning.  The first responder’s call out alarm goes off (I volunteer as a first responder)…

At the time we were just told where the incident was with no details.  When we got there, the engineer told us that someone stepped in front of his train.  Sharp pang in your gut.  You make a decision.  Do you want to see this?  Do you go on?

My partner and I go and find the body.

There wasn’t much blood.  Aside from a compound fracture in the right leg, there was not much gore.  Elderly patient, no identification other than a ring and a jacket.  From how he was built, it looked like he was a worker for most of his life, probably at one of the mills or mines.  From what we could tell and what we were told, this was a suicide.

It didn’t effect me as much as my friend.  I didn’t recognize this man on the tracks in the exact location depicted in the scene above.

Even after I found out that this man was the husband of the woman who commented on my painting above, I don’t think that I shed a single tear.  I was too worn out from shedding all those tears over my friend and I knew it wasn’t going to bring anyone back.

I knew then that I needed to talk to someone.

Five years after losing my friend, and many many hours and days wondering why, I finally asked a friend, who was a closer friend to N, what they did and how they coped.  They told me that they saw many counselors and even had a nervous breakdown before they saw a psychologist.

This was what I had to do.

So, I finally talked with someone about how I felt and they finally gave me an answer that I could accept, after all these years of “why?”  They said that he did what he did not because of me or anyone, and not even because they didn’t have the will to live; but because they had the will to die.

It was not because I offended him and he was getting back at me, it was because he simply had the will to die.

Love and suicide are very similar in many ways, but mainly so because both are an act of will that has far reaching consequences beyond the direct participants.  It is written in the Bible:

And unto God, the Lord, belong the issues from death… God is love… “Chose you this day who you will serve…” I would consider the above painting one of my most prophetic to date and yet at first glance it does not seem to testify of Jesus and yet it so does…

The response to my 500 Likes Draw in Facebook has been pretty good for little old me. The page has averaged just over 10 likes per day last week and is steadily climbing. If you would like to be part of this contest before it closes, please go to this link and follow the simple, two step instructions: http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=287179277980982&id=168821496495506&notif_t=share_comment

Thanks and Happy Drawing!!!

I am putting on an amazing, super, great, stupendous, all out, no holds barred, free artwork draw! My last draw went to Katherine Clayton, who won a $200 serigraph, Butterflies. The next one will go to whoever enters the draw before my page reaches 500 likes!!!

This draw, I am giving away a superb quality pigmented ink work titled “Bears”.

To enter, simply (1) “like” my facebook page, and (2) post on my wall that you would like to be part of the contest. If you would like to be added to the draw a second time, then share on your Facebook profile about this draw. that’s it, that’s all. Hope to see your name!

Also, I am exhibiting as the Lakes Artisan Centre’s first guest exhibitor. This exhibit goes on for the month of February. Opening night is Friday, Feb 3rd, from 6pm to 8pm at the Lakes Artisan Centre in Burns Lake. I am displaying one of my newest pieces there and it should be a good show.

Merry Christmas everyone.  Thank you for making this such a good year.  I am looking forward to new art and adventure in the new year.

Here’s a thought to leave you with.

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”  Isaiah 9:6

Peace!

I have a new design.  The design is entitled “Bears”.

I hope to make this a pretty limited edition of about 30 prints.  Prints will be on 8.5″x11″ paper, so they will be pretty small and easy to transport.  Let me know if you would like to purchase a print.

$56 each with tax included.

nigel@nigelfoxartworks.com

With the success of my first draw for 200 likes on my facebook page, I have decided to extend this draw to 270 and give away yet another artwork.  I am planning on giving away one of my Butterflies serigraphs when my page reaches 270.

To enter this draw is quite simple: 1) Like my facebook page and 2) post on the wall of my facebook page that you want to be part of the draw.

When my page reaches 270 likes, I will draw from the entries (using random.org) and announce the winner.

The last draw had 60 likes in under 5 days, and I anticipate that this draw will go quite fast,too.  As of writing this, it is at 244 likes and climbing daily.

So, get your entry in there and happy contesting!!!