A.centric Artist Profile: Beth MacDonald

Welcome to the A.centric artist profile. This time around, we are pleased to have Beth MacDonald. She is currently studying film theory at UofT and her work has been popping up in galleries around town since last year. Beth was kind enough to answer a few questions for us.

When did you start taking photographs and why?

Photography has been a part of my life longer than I can remember. Photography as an approach to art, on the other hand, began later — possibly in high school — once I started learning about the subject, and becoming more conscious of what I was taking photographs of, how, and why. Actually, to be honest, sometimes I still don’t know why I capture what I do. The ‘why’ factor is often not my driving photographic force, the ‘why’, more often than not, comes later. The concepts that have become the most rewarding upon their completion begin with some sort of unprecedented fascination, lacking that ‘why’ factor.

A.centric Artist Profile: Nikki White.

Welcome to the A.centric artist profile. This time around, we are pleased to have Nikki White. She is currently an Art and Art History Major at UofT.

When did you start drawing and how often do you do it? Do you have specific drawing rituals or habits?

I have been drawing ever since I can remember. My early drawings consisted mostly of kittens and self-portraits. I still do a lot of self-portraits but more so with photography rather than drawing. My drawing habits generally involve drawing when inspiration strikes. I always draw sketches of what I want before I put a painting into production. For me drawing is usually the precursor to a painting. Sometimes though I will draw things that won’t be turned into paintings. I feel like I have much more control with a pencil than I do with a paintbrush. The fine details and control are what really attracts me to drawing.

A.centric Artist Profile: Elena Iourtaeva.

Welcome to the A.centric artist profile. This time, we have Elena Iourtaeva. The Moscow born artist studied music, painting and clay modeling before heading to Geneva, where she studied printmaking and Chinese calligraphy. She is currently a Fine Art specialist at UofT.

She had this to say about the photographs she submitted:

The series of photographs “Abstracted Habits” shows familiar objects or places in a new light. What is commonly overlooked or ignored becomes empowered and transformed by a combination of tight cropping, unusual lighting and macro magnification. One may wonder what the initial object
was, or just enjoy a new aesthetic.

A.centric Artist Profile: Shirley Mpagi.

Installation view, Shirley Mpagi, Well Endowed Imagination, October 4 - 29, 2011, University of Toronto Art Centre, photo: Toni Hafkenshied, 2011

Welcome to the A.centric artist profile. This time around, we have Shirley Mpagi. She is currently showing her work in the the UTAC Lounge and was gracious enough to answer some of my awkward questions. Here are the results.

You use a lot with transparencies in your work and you use them in a few different ways. I was hoping you could tell us something about why you chose to go in this direction and what advantages it has.

Usually when I make use of transparencies, it is to denote something that is intangible and in the mind; usually an idea, memory, mindset, a way of thinking…stuff like that. The ideas or themes behind those particular pieces are very layered and each viewer may have a different experience with that idea or theme. The main advantage to is that its is aesthetically appealing, to me at least…

Do you construct these pieces with the desire to take advantage of how they are altered by the shifts in natural light? Why do you so explicitly put into play the role of light after an image has been taken?

Nope, not at all. The use of light, in relation to the image, is simply for it to be seen. They are almost independent of each other. However, the use of light and the “see-through” nature of the image, is to denote the mind and our thoughts; sort of like a personal enlightenment (pun semi-intended, lol).