Patrick Thibert and Patrick Landsley shared insights about their careers and artistic inspirations during St. Thomas Public Arts Centre’s second Artist 2 Artist presentation on Sunday (April 15). STEPAC director, Laura Woermke, moderated the afternoon’s thought-provoking conversation.
While Thibert is a sculptor and Landsley a painter, the two men have developed a long-standing friendship and benefitted from an on-going exchange of ideas related to art. They exhibited together at STEPAC in 2006/2007 and in the show publication, David Bobier noted:
“Their professional commitments as influential teachers and distinguished practicing artists are exemplary. As teachers their ‘voices’ have contributed to the artistic careers of countless emerging arts practitioners across the country. As artists their work continues to challenge contemporary art theory and practice through a Modernist stance. Their work demands admiration for its exquisite, technical force and for providing the viewer with a combined experience of both the mythological and the real; the depiction of familiar iconicity with deep metaphorical meaning and a confident directness and simplicity of statement.”
While Thibert is a sculptor and Landsley a painter, the two men have developed a long-standing friendship and benefitted from an on-going exchange of ideas related to art. They exhibited together at STEPAC in 2006/2007 and in the show publication, David Bobier noted:
“Their professional commitments as influential teachers and distinguished practicing artists are exemplary. As teachers their ‘voices’ have contributed to the artistic careers of countless emerging arts practitioners across the country. As artists their work continues to challenge contemporary art theory and practice through a Modernist stance. Their work demands admiration for its exquisite, technical force and for providing the viewer with a combined experience of both the mythological and the real; the depiction of familiar iconicity with deep metaphorical meaning and a confident directness and simplicity of statement.”
Patrick Landsley
The afternoon’s conversation bounced back and forth between the two, with reflections on their start in art, the differences and similarities of approach for sculptor and painter, the ways in which they have grown as artists over their careers, the roles of critical thinking and obsession in making it as career artists.
On the idea of “chance” vs. “critical thinking” in creation, Landsley noted the importance of the role of “chance with an ability to be unprejudiced about what you’re working with” and the “idea of a developed critical faculty…..You need to grow, you need to take a risk moving from the known to the unknown…and hope the audience understands you are problem-solving.” Thibert added that it is vital to be “always looking for surprises…The artist can only understand the options that present themselves with a critical mind,” and artists “need to learn to be critical of their own work….Reducing things to their bare essence isn’t as easy as it seems…Once you’ve seen it, everything is easy.”
On the idea of “chance” vs. “critical thinking” in creation, Landsley noted the importance of the role of “chance with an ability to be unprejudiced about what you’re working with” and the “idea of a developed critical faculty…..You need to grow, you need to take a risk moving from the known to the unknown…and hope the audience understands you are problem-solving.” Thibert added that it is vital to be “always looking for surprises…The artist can only understand the options that present themselves with a critical mind,” and artists “need to learn to be critical of their own work….Reducing things to their bare essence isn’t as easy as it seems…Once you’ve seen it, everything is easy.”
Patrick Thibert
As with most events at the Art Centre, the art on the walls adds to the ambience and becomes part of the experience of the musician’s performance or artist’s talk. “Great Beginnings Secondary”, an exhibit of Elgin County secondary student’s art work formed an appropriate back-drop to the conversation between Landsley and Thibert, particularly as they reflected on their beginning years as artists and decisions to devote their careers to art.
Landsley spoke about his first year at art school, discovering a painting of a hayloft and two boys which he thought of as “kitschy”, yet still remembers the “thick, juicy, golden hay” and that he “loved the brush work” and is today “still working in juicy colour.” In reply to a question about support for his decision to become an artist, Landley noted that he had been in the navy in WWII and his father wanted him to continue with a navy career. He was not in favour of Landley’s decision to pursue an art career and, in fact, didn’t speak to him for several years when he started art school.
Landsley spoke about his first year at art school, discovering a painting of a hayloft and two boys which he thought of as “kitschy”, yet still remembers the “thick, juicy, golden hay” and that he “loved the brush work” and is today “still working in juicy colour.” In reply to a question about support for his decision to become an artist, Landley noted that he had been in the navy in WWII and his father wanted him to continue with a navy career. He was not in favour of Landley’s decision to pursue an art career and, in fact, didn’t speak to him for several years when he started art school.
Thibert recalled his trip to Expo in 1967 and being mesmerized by Alexander Calder’s sculptures. He initially studied chemistry and worked as a chemical technologist, but had long known he wanted to sculpt and decided to return to school to study art. He noted that his father was supportive but apprehensive, and had commented when Thibert got a job following art school, “Well obviously you must have known what you were doing.” Thibert also expressed his appreciation for his wife’s support as she had “married a chemical technologist and got stuck with a visual artist.”
As these two established artists reflected on their beginnings, one couldn’t help but wonder about the future stories of the students whose work presently hangs in the Art Centre. For some, their secondary school experiences and “Great Beginnings” may be the spark for a life devoted to art. It would be interesting to know which of them will have the necessary obsession needed to push the personal boundaries of creative learning and discovery as Thibert and Landsley have done.
As these two established artists reflected on their beginnings, one couldn’t help but wonder about the future stories of the students whose work presently hangs in the Art Centre. For some, their secondary school experiences and “Great Beginnings” may be the spark for a life devoted to art. It would be interesting to know which of them will have the necessary obsession needed to push the personal boundaries of creative learning and discovery as Thibert and Landsley have done.
All photographs are by Mark Girdauskas. Once again, Sherri Howard, Laura Woemke and all of those at STEPAC should be commended for bringing local art "conversation" to artists and other members of the public.
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