Bernarducci Gallery will open its doors to Lineage, a solo exhibition of work by Canadian artist, Emily Copeland ~ whose artistry favors using vintage flea market finds as her subjects, bringing them to life in charcoal.
Scouting antique stores and flea markets, Copeland finds ornate or well worn objects. She looks at the detail, texture and surface and then chooses things that will not only translate to black and white and her charcoal medium, but also challenge her artistically. With remarkable realism and skill she reclaims them, enlarging the object and uniquely creating a still life, inventing a format that elevates the essence and presents them with a fresh point of view.
Antique Boxing Gloves, 2018, charcoal on Stonehenge paper, 68.5 x 42 inches
From the catalogue essay by David Hummer, Executive Director, Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art, “Her work is reminiscent of great artists of the photorealism movement such as Richard Estes, Chuck Close, Ralph Goings, and Charles Bell. However, unlike those artists who chose to paint and draw subjects relative to their time, she has brought her subjects from vintage eras into the 21st Century that have been long forgotten. It’s this kind of sensibility that breathes new life into the glorious detail of craftsmanship that seems forever lost.
Copeland masterfully creates drawings to inform the viewer of what they may be missing. Her large format works enlarge the everyday experience inviting the viewer to witness the intricacies of her chosen subject.”
Copeland was born in Ontario Canada, and now lives and works in British Columbia. Her elementary and high school education focused on art, but at university she studied business and law. Before graduating she rekindled her calling as an artist and finished with a degree in fine art. She has been in group exhibitions throughout Canada and the US and recently won honorable mention at the Wausau Museum of Conyemporary Art new talent contest. An in-depth article and interview can be found in the March issue of American Art Collector.
Emily Copeland: Lineage will be on view from March 7 to April 6, 2019, with an Opening Reception on Thursday, March 7 from 6-8pm at Bernarducci Gallery, 525 West 25th Street, NYC.