Distant Grounds is a survey of recent paintings and prints by regional artist Stu Oxley. Long known for his exquisite intaglio monoprints, Oxley has in recent years shifted his attention to painting. This new focus is not a departure for the artist; instead, painting has catalyzed innovations in colour and form in his printmaking. Both Oxley’s prints and paintings contain atmospheric washes of rich colour, with drips and marks emphasizing the artist’s hand and interrupting the works’ subtle tonal shifts. The works suggest, rather than assert, moody landscapes—illustrating the way that sunlight animates fog or how a rain-tracked window mediates a dark night. A digital publication for Distant Grounds is available, produced in partnership with the Art Gallery of Guelph with support from Paul Kuhn Gallery. The publication features essays by Ron Shuebrook and John Kissick as well as an interview with the artist.
Stu Oxley has had recent solo shows at Mira Godard Gallery, Toronto; Naughton Gallery, Belfast, Ireland; and Paul Kuhn Gallery, Calgary. Oxley’s work is held in numerous private and public art collections including the Art Gallery of Hamilton, Museum London, MacLaren Art Centre, Nickle Museum of Art, Calgary, and the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art, Toronto. He resides in Elora, Ontario, and teaches drawing and printmaking at Georgian College in Barrie.
