A remarkable and talented artist
A perspective on what makes Joy Laking so extraordinary
In February 2016, after a Canada-wide search, the Parrsboro Creative Arts Association proudly announced that Robert More would be their new executive director. More is a visionary cultural manager, director, playwright, actor and academic instructor. He holds a Bachelor and a Master of Arts in English Literature from the University of Western Ontario, where he is also an instructor. Since taking on this new job, More has embraced the uniqueness and beauty of Nova Scotia, her artists and people, recognizing the immense potential and talent here. He is providing direction and leadership, while passionately believing in the contributions artists make to the wellbeing of the country.
Recently, More contacted me about one of our local artists, Joy Laking, after visiting her gallery three weeks ago. I would like to share his comments with you because he expresses heart-felt appreciation for Nova Scotia talent that we can all be proud of.
For those who know Joy, his words paint an accurate picture:
“Visiting Joy Laking’s Gallery is truly one of the very best of experiences. Joy greets you at the door and her smile shines as bright as the sunlight dancing off the leaves of the trees. You step inside Joy’s gallery and it’s just as bright and colourful and evocative as the world outside. I marvel at the paintings. There is a continuity of composition and colour but every piece is different, unique, with its own spring of life. The range is astonishing. From the powerfully evocative “realistic” landscapes, with marshes, rocky beaches, houses by water, to the stylized “Starry Night in Parrsboro,” which is a very fanciful, highly playful interpretation of reality.
“Each time I have visited Joy’s Gallery, at some point the same thing happens. I start to “see” things differently. I start to experience the world with a heightened curiosity. Everything seems to be fresh again. Joy’s work has transported me to a new perceptual place where wonder reigns supreme and surprise is always just around the corner.
“I am not alone in my response to Joy’s paintings. Her work is known throughout the Atlantic provinces and across Canada, and she has a permanent exhibition at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. “Like any true artist, Joy has an unerring sense of how to portray the inner life of her subjects. The works resulting from her recent sojourn to Africa are a testament to this. They blaze with colour and intricate detail, and one look at them tells you that Joy has captured the very soul of a culture on canvas.
“No mean feat that. And no mean feat to have made a living solely through her work as a Nova Scotia artist for over 30 years. But then, when you look at a Joy Laking painting, you’re looking at the world through the eyes of an extraordinary artist, you’re “seeing” the world from a perspective which shines with a deep respect for life and a shared humanity that is always exhilarating and often profoundly moving.
“There’s an exhibition of Joy’s recent watercolours at Art Lab in Parrsboro. It opens this Friday July 29, 6 to 8 p.m. Joy will be there to talk about the influences of her painting. Do yourself a favour. Go and see it. It’s an opportunity to experience a world of beauty, wonder and surprise, and to experience the work of an artist striking out in brave new directions.”
JOY WYATT SNIHUR LAKING – Art Lab Studios & Gallery, 121 Main Street, Parrsboro: July 29-Aug. 17. Refreshments, tasty treats, friendly atmosphere, lively conversation.