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Artist Exhibitions:
Coming Soon!
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Artist Galleries:
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Artist Reviews:
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Collections:
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Commissions:
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Artist Statement for Robert Vowles
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My earliest artistic impulses were satirical. Whether drawing unflattering cartoons of family members or playing the class clown, my creative sparks were baby thunder bolts. As I grew older it was natural that I should grow to love surrealism. I appreciated the way surrealist images pulled the rug out from under the conventions I grew up with. I lost myself in the imaginary worlds created by artists like Salvador Dali and Hieronymous Bosch.
In contrast to these artists my creative inspiration required that my artwork exist in the world in three dimensions. I would be a surrealist sculptor. After graduating from the University of Toronto in 1982 with an Honours BA in political science and a solid grounding in what a blighted place our world is, I went to search for my piece of Mammon. I utilized my artistic skills as a three dimensional illustrator for ad agencies. I did not abandon my dream of being a surrealist sculptor, but added to it a new dream. I hoped to create a themed gallery for my art work and the work of other like minded artists. I hate displaying my art work in clinical gallery environments like some sort of lab specimens. I envisioned displaying my work in an environment that was not only compatible visually but theatrically as well. A venue that would empower the artwork and inhance it's meaning.
This dream exploded into a full fledged theme-park proposal for the Toronto waterfront called Labyrinth. The comprehensive business plan complete with financials and site plans, invisioned turning an abandoned power plant into a 250 million dollar theatre-theme park hybrid.It would feature interactive live theatre integrated with simulator technology and have a time travel theme. After seven years of enthusiastic participation by architects, theme-park designers, financial advisors and government bureaucrats the apathy of politicians and the lack of vision among Canadian investors, put the project to a slow death.
I continue to balance my commercial career with my surrealist vision. I have more projects in mind than I could complete in several life times. What do I do to stay grounded? I produce politically satirical cartoons for my own product line of course. Juggling adult thunderbolts and refining my aim.
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