NEW DIALOGUE

Paul Drysdale

January 2013

The title of Paul Drysdale's painting Conversation (The Walls Have Ears) might well be representative of all the work in this exhibition. For Drysdale, the idea of interaction–between the artist and his materials; between the past and present; between people and the places they inhabit–is the force that drives his creative process.

Educated at the Ontario College of Art, Drysdale did not begin exhibiting his work until later in life. In the intervening years, however, he worked as a designer, teacher and renovator, and the resulting environments and experiences contributed to the art practice to which he eventually returned.

His interest in and respect for the vintage materials he handled through his working life is evident in the works showing in this exhibit. As a renovator, he was just as interested in the old materials being removed from a project as the new ones going in. Found objects, which many people would regard as demolition waste, are given new voice in Drysdale's wall art and sculpture: doorknobs, barn board, scrap metal and rusty nails. Faded fragments of wallpaper act as witness to years of family and social relationships. For Drysdale, the past speaks via the patina of well-used and everyday materials. Immerse yourself in the rich palette of ideas this gifted West Grey artist has to offer.