EVA LEWARNE | Nightshift

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EVA LEWARNE

“I was born in Poland but live now in Canada for many years. I graduated from OCAD after doing a Psychology and English major at the University of Toronto. But really, I have always painted. It was my first and last love. I have received a Medal from France in a Painting Festival in Avignon in the last few years. (Grand Prix). Not my first there. Also, I had shown at the Grand Palais in Paris, before that, where all my work was stolen, and the Paris police deemed it to be an honor as that is where Picasso was discovered. Photography is my second passion.]When I graduated from OCAD (Ontario College of Art), my initial paintings were large surrealistic pieces like “Fool,” which is on my image inventory. It depicts the life cycle of a woman; we are born, we grow up, and then die; in between, we drink coffee and shop, or so it seemed to me at the time. Also, I had a number of what seemed like prophetic dreams back then, one of which was awakening to a city underwater. 

I remember thinking in my dream that as long as I could still get a good cup of coffee, all would be well. From there, I went on to paint “Birdwomen.” And quite honestly, I don’t know where that theme came from as I had no knowledge of Aboriginal culture at the time and only discovered it much later on. However, at the Met one day, I fell onto a show of Birdwomen sculptures from Africa and Europe and realized that they even carved them in Poland during the earth’s religious era. I guess what I was trying to say was that we need to go back to seeing art as related to spirituality and life, not just an aesthetic idea. Now, of course, this is quite a common theme. This was almost 20 years ago. That series was popular in France, and I was offered a show at the Sorbonne in Paris and Bordeaux. A French writer said that his first novel was inspired by my paintings. 

I also have always loved to observe people in subways and trains and try to see underneath their personas. I did a number of portraits at the time, trying to capture this. Then followed many paintings about Masks, the ones we hide behind and the ones that inspire us. I started to practice Zen Meditation many years after, and that spurred a series called “Silence.” Also, at the same time, I began to be interested in abstract art and tried to harmonize the real with the minimal. I had a solo show with this series in New York, Jadite Gallery. 

Now for quite a while, I have returned to simplified figures, people I meet in my art community, Queen West, young and old “Hip” people, the ones who move into an area because the artists are there, the ones who proudly walk their dogs who take on their owner’s expression. (“Man walking dog” and “Man With Dog”) “Peace” and “Ole for Aging” indicate my mood about aging. ​As long as I can be involved in art-making, I am a happy camper no matter how the clock ticks on.”

• Eva Lewarne