One of the many things I enjoy as I as write posts for this blog is when I open a file and it contains images of the artists themselves. It is fascinating to see how the fashions and faces of the artists have changed over the years. For today’s blog we turn the spotlight on an artist who had one of those time capsule folders, Bud Gillies.
Gillies, who began his art career as a painter is also known for his elaborate handbuilt Raku ceramics artworks. His ceramic works reflect his painterly beginnings as they seem to act as 3D canvases on which to layer his ornately decorative and deeply colourful imagery. His one of a kind vessels and tiles have been highly collected as well as widely exhibited.
When I began to research Gillies for this post another aspect of his practice emerged, his tireless efforts to bring art into the lives of Manitoba’s children through the Manitoba Art Councils ArtsSmarts and Artist in the Schools programs.
In a recent Winnipeg free press article[1], Gillies is reflects on how important art integration is to him by sharing his own experiences attending his high school, Kildonan-East Collegiate. He is quoted as saying that “I didn’t really think I was going to university, but art saved my life, in a way. I’ve been an artist since I was a little boy, so it can be a hook, to teach and get people involved in academics.”
The opportunity to switch back and for between art and academics on a daily basis opened him up for the possibility of furthering his own education. This understanding has driven him to spend the last 10 years of his life sharing his art and the possibilities it can produce with the children of Manitoba.
Gillies who graduated from the University of Manitoba, has managed to craft a lengthy and fulfilling career in art by expanding his career into new avenues of expression and what it means to be an artist.
Check out his website: http://www.mts.net/~artistbg/index.html
[1]Falloon, Dan. “Artist leaves lasting impression on school.” The Herald. Winnipeg Free Press, 6 Dec. 2013. Web. 2 Dec. 2013. <http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/herald/Artist-leaves-lasting-impression-on-school-189895201.html>.
