Complementary Visions shares artistic visions
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Ruth Hartley is a ceramic artist, Bruce Hartley is a photographic artist.
Together, the Innerkip couple have created Complementary Visions, an exhibit at the Station Arts Centre in Tillsonburg.
“His is the visual element and she is embracing the experience and the moment of it in her ceramic works – the sights, the sounds,” said Tabitha Verbuyst, program and community co-ordinator and gallery curator at 41 Bridge Street West. “In turn, they complement each other in this wonderful exhibit.”
“We consider ourselves fortunate to have travelled extensively as much as we have,” said Bruce Hartley. “It’s not surprising that the same cultural experiences have inspired us. I will always have a camera with me and try to capture … moments.”
One photograph featuring waves is enhanced by nearby the pottery ‘Wave Lengths.’ Photos of cherry blossoms in Japans are transformed into designs on porcelain.
“We were just trying to find related subjects together,” said Ruth Hartley. “One of our favourite places is Japan and we went specifically for cherry blossom time. When it came time for the show, we said, ‘okay you’ve got cherry blossoms, I’ve got cherry blossoms…’ You’ve got an idea of water – a lot of water – and I do a lot of water-theme as well. Same with the trees. He loves taking pictures of trees, nature. And these are my impressions or inspirations from trees.”
You might not see the same ‘complementary’ connections as the Hartleys, and that’s okay, said Bruce.
“I think it’s best to look something and ‘you’ react to it, emotionally, and then read the description.”
Getting a reaction is one of their primary goals.
“You’ve got to stop them – sometimes its colour, sometimes it’s something they have to understand.”
Complementary Visions, more than two years in the planning stages, runs at Station Arts Centre from Aug. 28 to Sept. 25.
For more work by the Hartleys visit online at brucehartleyphotography.weebly.com and Facebook (Bruce Hartley – Photographic Artist).
cabbott@postmedia.com
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