Artists Represented - Janice Wong

About my work in general:

I think that all creative endeavours are essentially autobiographical, reflecting the greater curiosities and preoccupations, as well as the small, seemingly insignificant attributes of the individual. And, I find that often these small (and constant) signifiers are most revealing.

My works shift in scale, medium, or principal concerns, but these attributes trace throughout: a love of open space, colour, tone and form; rhythm and relationship, movement, transition, sound, growth, subtlety and balance; notation, tracery and repetition.

I describe these attributes as a corollary, a natural result of my early years in Saskatchewan, my former job as a mapmaker, my memories of my seamstress mom, and my experience of music.

Developed as abstract notations, my works "play" with these attributes; and offer the space for some to recede, for some to come to the fore, but ultimately for all to remain constant.

-------------

About the drawings:

As a youth, I studied a few musical instruments: the piano, the clarinet and the guitar. Many years later, I tried to reacquaint myself with the guitar and it soon proved to be too rigorous; I realized that I needed my hands and fingers for my studio work...sadly, taut wires were to be relegated to my past. Or so I thought. Not long after putting down my guitar, I began making these drawings. It was only after making several that I noticed a link to music notation. Then, I began clustering the lines in groups of five, like the staff or stave in western music notation. And, I began thinking of how visual art and music are often described in similar terms. We often speak of tone and balance, rhythm and counterpoint; colour and form.

While no longer playing an instrument, I felt like I was still able to make music, at least in this abstract manner. The drawings also relate to my interest in code: music notation is a picture of what sound looks like.

To make the drawings, I used sumi ink from Japan and my favourite ink pens, left over from my days as a map maker.

Solo Exhibitions
2011	New Work, P+A, Vancouver, BC
2010	New Work, P+A, Vancouver, BC
2009	Notion, Art Gallery of Prince Albert, Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
2007	Conjunct, Split Biennale III, Split, Croatia
	New Work, Dundarave Gallery, Vancouver, BC
2005	Dialogue, Naranca Gallery + Konzervatorska Gallery, Split Croatia
	A Number of Events, Open Studio Gallery, Toronto, ON
2004	Fortune, Dundarave Gallery, Vancouver, BC
2002	(Look), Jennifer Kostuik Gallery, Vancouver, BC
2000	Tian I, Dundarave Gallery, Vancouver, BC
1999	Tangram, Dundarave Gallery, Vancouver, BC
1998	Fragments, Rosemont Art Gallery, Regina, SK
1997	Asaraton, Maison V, Vancouver, BC
1996	Asaraton, Eye Level, Halifax, NS
	Analecta, Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Vancouver, BC
1994	Janice Wong, Temple Sholom, Vancouver, BC
Group Exhibitions
2014	The Best of the Splitgraphic Biennial Collection, Graphic Centre, Vilnius, Lithuania
2013	Splitgraphic Biennial VI, Split, Croatia
	Sim Sala Bim, Samband Islenskra Myndlistarmanna/The Association of Icelandic Visual Artists Gallery, Reykjavik, Iceland
	The Impossible Project, Photohaus Gallery, Vancouver BC
	Melt, Winter Group Exhibition, Art Beatus, Vancouver, BC
	NonToxic Show, Dundarave Print Gallery, Vancouver BC
2012	Art Toronto, TIAF \| Toronto International Art Fair + Open Studio Gallery, Toronto, ON
2011	40th Anniversary Exhibition, Dundarave Print Gallery, Vancouver BC
	Art Toronto, TIAF \| Toronto International Art Fair + Open Studio Gallery, Toronto, ON
2010	Line Up!, Art Beatus Gallery, In Conjunction with Drawn Festival, Vancouver, BC
2008	Across: Asian Heritage Month, Dundarave Gallery, Vancouver, BC
2007	MAAPS 1st International Printmaking Exhibition (Korea, Japan, China, Eastern Canada)
	New Mexico Printmakers Exchange, Sante Fe, New Mexico
2006	Home and Away, Malaspina Printmakers Gallery, Vancouver, BC
	BIMPE IV, New Leaf Editions, Vancouver, BC
2005	Stimuli - 4 person exhibition, SNAP Gallery, Vancouver, BC
	5th British Intl Miniature Print Exhibition, Gracefield Arts Centre, Dumfries, Scotland
	5th International Graphics Triennial, Lahti Art Museum, Lahti Finland
2004	Keep Expanding, Jennifer Kostuilk Gallery, Vancouver, BC
2003	Light..., Jennifer Kostuik Gallery, Vancouver, BC
	Split Graphic - International Graphic Art Biennial, Split Croatia
	Printmakers from the Northeast and Canada, Francesca Anderson Fine Art, Lexington, MA
	Group Exhibition, Distill Gallery, Toronto, ON
	Particle Garden, Granite Block, Vancouver, BC
2002	Threshold / Great Canadian Printmaking Competition, Edward Day Gallery, Toronto, ON
	Vancouver 5, Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, WA
	Exchanges, Cambridge Art Center, Cambridge, MA
	BIMPE II, New Leaf Editions, Vancouver, BC
	19th Annual Almost Miniatures Exhibition, Francesca Anderson Fine Art, Lexington, MA
2001	Prints from Canada's Pacific Province, Graphic Studio Gallery, Dublin, Ireland
	4th International Graphics Triennial, Lahti Art Museum, Lahti Finland
	Just to Print - 30th Anniversary Exhibition, Dundarave Gallery, Vancouver, BC
2000	4ta Muestra Internacional, Rosario Argentina
	WFA 2000, Exhibition, Krantjj Slovenia
	BIAM Exhibition, La Salle Augustin-Chénier, Ville Marie, Québec
	BIMPE I, Juror's choice, New Leaf Editions, Vancouver, BC
	Sphere/The Pink/Vernal Pleasures, Gallery Larson Verster, Vancouver, BC
1999	National Exhibition, Dundarave Gallery, Vancouver, BC
1995	Sublime Landscape, Eastern Edge, St. John's, NF
	Between Cultures, Forest City Gallery, London, ON
	Currents, L'Atelier, Vancouver, BC
	Fragments Memory, Open Space, Victoria, BC
1994	Work In Progress, Vancouver East Cultural Centre, Vancouver, BC
1993	Contemporary Canadian Art, Olga Havel Foundation, Prague, Czech Republic
	In My Country, Seymour Art Gallery, North Vancouver, BC
	The Emerging Landscape, New Zones, Calgary, AB
1992	Art Can't Hurt You, New Zones, Calgary, AB
	Janice Wong, Norman Rich, Richmond Art Gallery, Richmond, BC
	Women in the Visual Arts, Harrison Festival of the Arts, Harrison Hot Springs, BC
1990	The Saskatchewan Open, Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon, SK
1989	Others Among Others, Women in Focus Gallery, Vancouver, BC
	Galleries: BC Artists, Community Arts Council of Vancouver, Vancouver, BC
	Images + Objects VII, B.C. Arts Festival, Chilliwack, BC
	Annual Juried Exhibition, Community Arts Council, Vancouver, BC
	The New Landscape, Pitt International Galleries, Vancouver, BC
1981	New Work: Gogarty/Sagert/Wong, Muttart Gallery, Calgary, AB
1980	Young Calgary Artists, Muttart Gallery, Calgary, AB
1976	University of Saskatchewan Printmakers, Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon, SK
Awards
2007	Canada Council Mid Career Grant
2005	Project Grant, Cultural Services British Columbia
2003	Canada Council Mid Career Grant
2002	Canada Council Travel Grant
1997	Canada Council Travel Grant
1996	Canada Council Project Grant
	Project Grant, Cultural Services British Columbia
1995	Project Grant, Cultural Services British Columbia
	Canada Council Travel Grant
1994	Canada Council Project Grant
1992	Canada Council Mid Career Grant
1980	The Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant
	The Province of Alberta Prize
1979	Alberta Cultural Visual Arts Grant
	Cariboo College Award
	Sien Lok Society Award
1978	Alberta Cultural Visual Arts Grant
	Heinz Jordan Memorial Scholarship
Printmaking Awards
2005	Robert Adams Award, Split Graphic Biennale, Split, Croatia
2003	Honorable Mention, Split Graphic Biennale, Split, Croatia
2002	Honorable Mention, Ernst + Young Great Canadian Printmaking Competition
2000	Juror's Choice, BIMPE I, New Leaf Editions, Vancouver, BC
Residencies/Workshops
2013	SIM International Artist Residency, Reykjavik, Iceland
1991	Emma Lake Artists Workshops, University of Saskatchewan Campus, Emma Lake, Saskatchewan
1990	Emma Lake Artists Workshops, University of Saskatchewan Campus, Emma Lake, Saskatchewan
1989	Emma Lake Artists Workshops, University of Saskatchewan Campus, Emma Lake, Saskatchewan
Collections
Public The Canada Council Art Bank Dunlop Art Gallery, Regina, Saskatchewan Province of British Columbia Richmond Art Gallery, Richmond, British Columbia University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Museum of Modern Graphic Art, Split, Croatia Government of Canada: Ministry of Public Works Government of Canada: Department of Foreign Affairs + International Trade Corporate The National Bank, Canada RIZE Alliance, Vancouver, British Columbia CARA Consulting, Hong Kong Concord Pacific, Vancouver, British Columbia Rio Alto Explorations, Calgary, Alberta Inco Mining, Toronto, Ontario Greystone Properties, Vancouver, British Columbia Mansfield Minerals Inc., Vancouver, British Columbia Summit Lodge - Lien Family, Whistler, British Columbia Ideographic Inc., Vancouver, British Columbia Ouchi Design, Calgary, Alberta Helen O'Toole Architecture, Vancouver, British Columbia Private Bosnia Canada China Croatia Czech Republic England Finland France Germany Iran Ireland Italy Japan Netherlands Scotland Spain Switzerland United States of America
Bibliography
2010	Pencil in a Visit to Art Beatus and Its Special Works, The Vancouver Province, (Ongsansoy, Hans)
	New and Notable, The Vancouver Sun, (Hyslop, L.)
2009	Artist Explores a Literary Twist, The Prince Albert Daily Herald, (Hill, A.)
2005	Slobodna Dalmacija, September 2005, Croatia
	Nov List, September 2005, Croatia
2005	Not Everything All at Once catalogue essay, Open Studio, Toronto (Koester, J.)
1997	Wong's Paintings Evoke Spiritually from Intricacy, Regina Leader-Post (Beatty, G.)
1995	Visual Arts Review, Saturday Review, The Vancouver Sun (Lawrence, R.)
1994	Works Blossom in the Merry Month of May, The Vancouver Sun (Lawrence, R.)
	Art Melds Dreams & History, Pacific Current, pp.32-33 (Shefrin, E.)
	Fragments of a Larger Harmony, Catalogue Essay, Vancouver (Celotto, L.)
Artist Statement About my work in general: I think that all creative endeavours are essentially autobiographical, reflecting the greater curiosities and preoccupations, as well as the small, seemingly insignificant attributes of the individual. And, I find that often these small (and constant) signifiers are most revealing. My works shift in scale, medium, or principal concerns, but these attributes trace throughout: a love of open space, colour, tone and form; rhythm and relationship, movement, transition, sound, growth, subtlety and balance; notation, tracery and repetition. I describe these attributes as a corollary, a natural result of my early years in Saskatchewan, my former job as a mapmaker, my memories of my seamstress mom, and my experience of music. Developed as abstract notations, my works "play" with these attributes; and offer the space for some to recede, for some to come to the fore, but ultimately for all to remain constant. ------------- About the drawings: As a youth, I studied a few musical instruments: the piano, the clarinet and the guitar. Many years later, I tried to reacquaint myself with the guitar and it soon proved to be too rigorous; I realized that I needed my hands and fingers for my studio work...sadly, taut wires were to be relegated to my past. Or so I thought. Not long after putting down my guitar, I began making these drawings. It was only after making several that I noticed a link to music notation. Then, I began clustering the lines in groups of five, like the staff or stave in western music notation. And, I began thinking of how visual art and music are often described in similar terms. We often speak of tone and balance, rhythm and counterpoint; colour and form. While no longer playing an instrument, I felt like I was still able to make music, at least in this abstract manner. The drawings also relate to my interest in code: music notation is a picture of what sound looks like. To make the drawings, I used sumi ink from Japan and my favourite ink pens, left over from my days as a map maker. - Janice Wong
For further information, please contact: Canada: tel: (1) 604.688.2633, fax: (1) 604.688.2685