A DREAM ART GIG
Works featured in prize home
John F. Gerrard’s work will be displayed in a $938,375 home and be seen by more than 100,000 people over a 10-day span.
It’s an uncommon but valuable opportunity for an up and coming artist like the 30-year-old Calgarian.
Gerrard is this year’s Homes by Avi Dream Home Artist. He was selected from about 100 people who entered the competition to have their work featured in this year’s Calgary Stampede Rotary Dream Home.
The dream home by Homes by Avi is open to be toured by the public at a temporary site at Stampede Park over the duration of the Calgary Stampede, and averages about 130,000 visitors during that time.
“It’s such a wonderful opportunity,” says Gerrard. “There are so many demographics ... it’s international. I’m really excited about it.
“I’ve been plugging away at music and art for the majority of my life,” he adds.
“It’s looking like it’s going to be a sustainable career for me. That’s such a relief to be recognized for what I’m doing. Connecting with people.”
Tickets to win the home will be sold online and at Stampede Park. Once it’s raffled off, the home will be moved to a lot in the new northwest Calgary community of Carrington by Genstar Development Co.
The two-storey home features a Prairie-style exterior architecture and more than 3,250 square feet of living space.
Each year, Homes by Avi works the interior decor for its dream home around a central theme. This year’s is Scandinavian-inspired.
Julie Punter, manager of show home selections and presentation for Homes by Avi, says Gerrard’s work lines up nicely with this year’s theme.
“John’s talent and diverse abstract subject matter of shapes, cities and portraits captured our interest first,” says Punter. “Then his (art) has a vast attention to detail and other interesting facts, like the use of house paint in some of his work, was also an interesting side note.
“He is very talented, and we are excited to have him on board,” she adds.
Gerrard will be asked to produce between 30 and 45 pieces, depending on the dimensions of each.
On the Scandinavian approach, Gerrard likes how pale woods, commonly seen in this motif, match with pastel colours.
“The wood tone with a split complementary of blue-ish/teal and orange/red,” he adds. “Also, ones where these colours mix with themselves to create neu- trals.”
He says his art can be characterized as “mixed traditional media.” While Gerrard used to work with house paint, he’s since transitioned to fluid acrylics, which he says give his pieces a more “archival” feel.
“Ambiguity is very important in my practice,” he says.
“I aim to find the Goldilocks zone between complexity and balance, the photographic and the symbolic ..."