BEHIND THE BRUSH
Eric Gaston Simard was born and raised in Woodstock, Ontario. As the son of a professional photographer, Eric was first exposed to the field of visual arts at a very young age. His ongoing photographic training as his father’s assistant allowed him to travel throughout Canada as he learned the craft.
Direct links can be drawn both figuratively as well as literally between Eric’s work and the Color Field painters of the 40s and 50s. Inspired initially by Jasper Johns and Barnett Newman’s Voice of Fire 1967, his first solo attempts at visual self-expression came in high school where he experimented with different types of media. Upon graduation, Eric attended the visual arts program at Sault College in Sault St. Marie, Ontario. This experience was an exercise in self-discovery for Eric, and it led him back to two primary mediums, Encaustic (wax) and Acrylic Painting.
Having had little formal exposure to the encaustic medium, Eric was unencumbered by the past process used and it allowed him to develop his own unique strongly textured style. His technique of applying multiple layers through pouring, gluing, and carving, gives his work a sense of movement that jumps out from the wall figuratively as well as literally. The three dimensional texture in many of his paintings solicit the hands of viewers to reach out and touch each image, begging them to question the delicacy of each finely laid layer.
Eric attended The University of Western Ontario and graduated from the Management and Organizational Studies program in 2009 and subsequently completed is EMBA with the Ivey School of Business in 2017. Eric’s work can be found in private collections across North America including The University of Western Ontario. Additionally, selected works can be found at the Woodstock Art Gallery, Westland Gallery and The Art Exchange in London, Ontario.
Artist Resume
Education
2016-2017 Masters of Business Administration EMBA (Ivey School of Business)
2013-2014 Project Management cert. (Western University)
2005-2009 Management and Organizational Studies, Western University
1991-2009 Photography, Studying with Nelson Simard HLM. MPA. SPA. APPO
1998-1999 Visual Arts, Sault College, Sault St-Mary Ontario
Affiliation
2014-2015 McIntosh Art Gallery - London, ON
2005 Rick Hanson Wheels in Motion_Area Chair for St. Thomas
2004 Rick Hanson Founder and Judge for Student Art Competition
Opening held at St. Thomas-Elgin Public Art Centre Wheels in Motion (Area Chair for St. Thomas, ON.)
Exhibitions
Nov 18- Dec 24, 2020 Square Foot Show - The Art Exchange
Jan 26- Feb 15, 2016 TEXTURAL - The Art Exchange
Sept 18- Sept 20, 2015 Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition
Sept 12- Sept 13, 2015 Halls Creek Festival of Creativity
Apr 26 - Jun 28, 2014 Visual Elements Juried Woodstock Public Art
Jun 2014 Group Show – IMAGINE – Artlab Western University
Oct 12 – Dec 7, 2013 Visual Elements Juried Woodstock Public Art
Nov 9, 13 – Nov 10, 13 Oxford Creates – Oxf. Creative Connection
Oct 12 – Dec 8, 13 Visual Elements Juried Woodstock Art Gallery
Feb 14, 12 – Mar 13, 12 Group Exhibition – Ingersoll, ON
Jun 01, 11 – Jun 30, 11 Solo Ex. London Public Library Masonville
May 20, 11 – Jun 19, 11 Father/Son Ex. JMR Gallery, Bayfield, ON
Mar 6, 11 – Mar 20, 11 Solo Ex. Ingersoll Creative Arts Centre
Jan 01, 11 – Jan 30, 11 Solo Exhibition Starbucks, North London ON
Dec 01, 10 – Dec, 31, 10 Solo Exhibition London Central Library
Nov 12, 10- Nov 14, 10 Group Show (Oxford Creates) Woodstock
Oct 01, 10 – Oct 31, 10 Solo Exhibition Starbucks, Highbury, ON
Oct 01, 10 – Oct 31, 10 Solo Exhibition Starbucks, Fanshwe, ON
Jul 2010 – Sep 2010 Visual Elements Juried Woodstock Art Gallery
Jun 2010 – July 2010 ”Glowing” (Juried)JMR Gallery, Bayfield, ON
Jun 2010 – Jun 2010 Group Show JMR Gallery, Bayfield, ON
May 2010 – Jun 2010 “Twenty2” (Juried) JMR Gallery, Bayfield, ON
Apr 2010 – Apr 2010 Solo Exhibition London Cherryhill Library
Mar 2010 – Mar 2010 Solo Exhibition London Public Library Central
Mar 2010 – Mar 2010 Solo Exhibition Spencer Gallery
Feb 2010 – Feb 2010 Solo Exhibition London Public Library Central
Nov 09 – Nov 09 Group Exhibition Oxford Creates (Graigowan)
May 09 – Jun 09 Visual Elements Juried Woodstock Art Gallery
Jan 09 – June 09 Group Exhibition The Art Exchange (London, ON)
Jan 09 – Jun 11 Art Rental Program Woodstock Public Art Gallery
May 98-June 98 Group Exhibition Ecole Secondaire Ste-Marie
Related Work Experience
Nov 2015 LDCSB Encaustic Workshop
Sept 2015 Halls Creek Festival of Creativity - Encaustic Workshop
May 2015 LDCSB Encaustic Workshop
Apr 2013 LDCSB Encaustic Workshop
Mar 2011 Woodstock Public Guest Art Gallery Art Instructor
Oct 2010 Woodstock Public Guest Art Gallery Art Instructor
2009 – 2010 LDCSB Guest Art Instructor 2004 – 2005 YMCA St. Thomas Program Director /Adt & Yth Inst.
2001 – 2004 YMCA St. Thomas Aquatics Director / Adt & Yth Inst.
1996 – 1998 YMCA Woodstock Youth and Adult Aquatic Inst.
1996 – 1997 YMCA Woodstock Youth Art Class Instructor
Representation
Woodstock Art Gallery – Woodstock Ontario
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