This page carries a selection of excerpts from show statements, as well as written word used in show promotion.
November 2009 - for the solo show The Open Space, Elevation Gallery
Naturalist, scholar, writer and artist - the easy and genuine presence of Ian Sheldon suggests none of the pride that might accompany his numerous artworks and publications. Capturing the essence of natural environments through paint and glass, Ian’s insightful work is one of many reasons Alberta has taken over as the cultural hub of Canada.
Utilizing a layering technique borrowed from early work in watercolour, one might perceive a loneliness and melancholy from the glazed glass and oil pieces found in The Open Space. Less melancholy than intimate, an abiding relationship has grown between Ian and the open spaces in which he works; reconnections with the land that feed his creative energies. With graduate degrees in both Natural Sciences and Wild Lands Management, Ian’s selection of subject matter is no surprise, and a month aboard a 43 foot sailboat from the Canary Islands to Antigua has given birth to his new series of seascapes. Although rife with organic lines and relative asymmetry, there also exists definite structure in horizon and near mathematical intersetion of lines - intersections that scream geographic and elemental complexity. It is somewhere within this opposition that the self-described fastidious and empirical ian Sheldon becomes the ardent storm-chaser.
Richard Dumas - www.richarddumas.com - for Elevation Gallery
March 2008 - general statement for the land, sky and seascapes
I have had images of Alberta engrained in my mind, as an Albertan for so long abroad. When I returned to this province after many years, the landscapes evoked a strong sense of place and belonging. I am part of this land, as this land is part of me. Only in the prairies do I feel connected and complete. The landscapes I depict come from the heart, mind and real place. My spirit lives and seeks refuge in these landscapes.
I am most inspired during a summer storm. The energy I derive from standing in the midst of a tornado-bearing storm instills a vigour that flies out of me through the paintbrushes. I feel at one with the elements in that moment. When the sky apparently fuses with land during a torrential downpour, I feel like the heavens are reaching down for a brief moment and instilling life into the arid plains. It is these events in the vast prairie that continue to drive me, consuming my summer days as I listen for storm warnings and study the radar for an approaching downpour.
Recently I have started to ponder the significance of landscape, and the ability to transfer the sense of place and belonging to landscapes that share similar physical components. It has become clear that the flat line of the horizon allows my spirit to flow freely as an artist. As a result of this freedom, I have become drawn to experiences that involve vast open spaces - in deserts, in the arid altoplano of Patagonia, and in the endless open ocean of the Atlantic.
It is in the vast open spaces of the natural world where I find the greatest comfort and hope.