Montreal, October, 2015 – From October 29, 2015 to January 8, 2016, the Galerie Espace VERRE will present 10 ANS DE FUSION (10 years of Fusion), a group exhibition by Catherine Labonté, Caroline Ouellette and Patrick Primeau, of the WELMO studio. This exhibition will highlight the summit of 10 years of active cooperation within their studio. For this occasion, they will each present their new work, freshly out of the studio.
A timely meeting during their collegial studies at Espace VERRE, as well as their shared participation to the Fusion transitional workshop, developed a strong bond between them. This created a spark that ignited their common passion for glass. During the start-up period of the Welmo studio by Caroline and Patrick, Catherine was invited, among a few others, to share the studio. She has loyally contributed to its operations for the last 10 years.
Labonté’s work, an accumulation of almost 15 years of professional practice, still has an effect on us and makes us smile. Her current work has taken a new direction and is exploring a new form, with large scaled animal busts. These large scaled pate de verre sculptures were not created in a classical way, but rather they were inspired by comic books and Catherine presents them in a humorous fashion. These large sculptures demonstrate her sculptural prowess, as well as advancing the development of her textural research. Until recently, Catherine’s work was known for her blown glass bell jarred menageries, of pate de verre animals, detailing individual representational tales.
Ouellette’s work process was transformed by the completion of her doctoral studies in Australia, which she completed in 2014. To the sensorial memory, that already intuitively guided her creative work, a larger receptivity of the senses, which is transmitted by the material itself, was attached. She invites the spectator to take the time to discover their own emotions in connection to her pieces, thus creating an interaction between the spectator and the piece. Ouellette uses the kiln work, pate de verre and printing techniques, to leave traces of her inspirations on glass.
An excellent glass blower, Primeau endlessly improves his technical skills to obtain intricate organic forms from his imagination. Combining forms and colours as well as mixing textures. ”For me, glass is a medium of freedom.” This allows him to explore his creativity, while solving its many constrictions. His technically complex blown glass pieces, that he will present, have simple and sculptural forms and colours. They are seemingly inspired by the ocean bed, in a nonrepresentational way.
The works of these three glass artists are part of many private and public collections, in Canada and abroad.
Come join us in the celebration for the Welmo studio’s 10th year anniversary. This studio has created an environment that has allowed for these glass artists to grow both artistically and as individuals, thus being fully appreciated for what they have achieved. The opening ceremony, in the presence of the artists, is on Wednesday, October 28, 2015 at 6:30 p.m.
Source:
Édith Deschênes,Communications & Marketing
communication@espaceverre.qc.ca
(514) 933-6849