Some years ago I met a really nice artist through a friend. He now organizes one of Vancouver's most interesting art nights filled with rich and not so rich talent; this is what makes it so great. The concept is to take on a few select artist every wednesday and asks them to produce art, be it paintings or other media selection, within a 2-four hour period. This is live and with the option of interacting with the artist and watch them paint. The event is called Snag and is held weekly at the Cobalt in Vancouver's Main street district, a title I use loosely as it's in the centre of a few key areas going in any direction once you leave the Cobalt. The placement of this location, which was once renowned for it's punk like dirty demeanour, is now an up and coming area as the renovation of the area has been a slow but steady increase since the Olympic year of 2010.
The artist know as Andrew Young, once asked for the use of someones vintage vehicle for one of his paintings. This required a photo shoot which in Mr.Frosty's current state meant a bit of work would be needed, or would it? You see Vancouver being unlike other provinces in that it requires the owner to confirm it fits the air care program in order to keep the vehicle insured for being on the road. The concept is a mute point as you can have any amount of vehicles on the road as long as it passes this air car program. This does not reduce the actual amount of air pollution but simply implies that you are always buying a newer vehicle to keep the economy at a current level of increase. So, that being addressed, I have wires everywhere, no lights, literally nothing working brake lights and ignition, but it passed air care so the boys in blue let me drive. Did I mention there are no seat belts designed into this model?
So Andrew calls we meet at Ambleside park in West Vancouver, one of the richest neighbourhoods in the West Coast of North America. I arrive and then install new bezels while I wait. The amount of people that come up to an old wagon is un measurable. The conversations that always come up of how they grew up and had an uncle, or a friend or even lost their virginity in a wagon ' just like this" often make me laugh out loud. Andrew arrives late, with two others. They are his models for this shoot. We move on to a cul-de-sac over looking the famous Lions Gate Bridge. The bridge connects the West and North Vancouver inhabitants to the mainland Vancouver via Stanley park, an ocean set green space approximately 300 square acres more the New Yorks Central park.
The weather is cloudy in the beginning. Andrew sets up the camera, which is new to him. Like any new toy, he takes some time to get to know it, see's the lighting and focus' on the idea over the environment but only for a moment; enough for the Sun to come out and bless the shoot with a golden light like no other. These are the moments artist dream of, the crisp realism of the colours enriching a scene with such ambiance that a photo will never translate. Then, almost as being directed by the Gods of all cultures, an oil tanker begins to pass under the bridge, and into the horizon line of the English Bay. This painting is the result of 3 hours in the cold, spilled coffee, insurance and West Vancouver Police conversations combine with a lot of Dog walkers. In the last 20 minutes of golden light with no headlights to guide me home if taken even ten minutes longer, Andrew and his models wrapped up for what many weeks later presented an amazing painting of my wagon.
As a graphic artist i explore and utilize the digital frontier for my day to day income. To take the time to analyze light and air to moisture balances and establish the proper amount of water and or oil needed to mix in to stabilize your paint for creating such art is a fraction of the skills required for this kind of completed work, So it is with great pleasure I present to you, Andrew Young, Vancouver artist and creative at large.
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