Natural Beauty of Autumn

‘Liminal’ - Chiba (Japanese maple) harbinger of winter in our front garden, Kitchener, ON Canada

Autumn or Fall conjures up for me mixed feelings. Fall is a happy time for me celebrating thanksgiving; many, many birthdays in our extended family; gorgeous beauty in nature; time to put the garden to sleep… I even tolerate Halloween! However, I also feel the loss of the warmth of summer, almost always wondering if I made the most of the short season; coming to terms that I am one year older, and still getting used to the idea of being an “elder”; preparing myself for hibernation till next spring… From the perspective of an art photographer, the season is full of promise, capturing that ‘perfect’ fall scene, discovering the hidden late blooming gems of the garden like tricyrtis, fall crocuses, catkins on the locust and red berries on the aronias, and being blown away by the brilliant burgundy, burnt orange and popping golds of the native shrubs and trees that surround our home. A few personal and family happenings sidetracked me this fall, however I am grateful for life and all the parts of creation that sustain our lives, especially the nurture and love of family. This autumn I have had a much more profound experience of liminality than I can remember, amplifying the realization of transitions and being neither here nor there, in between summer/winter, young/old, wellness/sickness, even life/death. I have renewed my appreciation for who we are and what we have, here and now.

Pioneer Tower, Doon village, Kitchener, ON Canada

‘Golden Sunset’ near Paris ON Canada (available at Uptown Gallery Waterloo until January 2023)

‘Harvest Traditions’, Mennonite families harveting stooks Hawkesville ON Canada

Benjamin Road, Waterloo ON Canada

Overlooking Hidden Valley, home to endangered species and precious wet lands and woods, Kitchener ON Canada (available now until Jan 2023)

'Desolate' part of Relationship & Emotion exhibition at Uptown Gallery Waterloo

I know I tend to avoid “negative” emotions and want to focus on feeling “good”. However, there are those days when pretending to be feeling good just doesn’t cut it, because deep down I have this unsettled, yucky feeling in my gut. It usually takes me a while before I am ready to acknowledge that yucky feeling, and when I do, it doesn’t make it go away, but it does allow me to pause and reflect and try to understand why I feel the way I do. Easier said than done to be sure! Fundamental to any spiritual tradition is the struggle between good and evil, yin and yang, sacred and profane, and I believe that in the personal spiritual realm this paradoxical antithesis is just as pertinent and necessary for one to accept, to find solace, inner peace, and harmony with others. “Desolate”—perhaps better titled “Desolation & Consolation”—is my attempt to express this phenomenon.

Let me know if you feel the balance between desolation and consolation comes through to you, or not!

'Melancholy' (part of Relationship & Emotion show at Uptown Gallery Waterloo)

"Gray overcast sky with a glimmer of light backlit this rural scene in late winter along a back road in Waterloo County (southern Ontario). The brightly coloured orange snow fence broke the sombreness"

Title: Melancholy

Medium: Photography on canvas, edition of 5, Dimension: 16"x 32"

Price: 575.00

Trusting my instincts is not always easy and I’ve discovered that if I can pay attention to my gut more often, it really pays off. The creative process is such a mystery, part intuition, part science, part technique and part luck! In this exhibition ‘Relationship & Emotion’ I really want to explore the relationship between the artist and the subject of the art, the viewer and the art, and the relationship between the viewer and the artist. I find it fascinating to pay attention to those who view my art and observe their reactions. At the exhibitions I have participated in over the past few years, as well as interacting with visitors during the weekly sessions at Uptown Gallery Waterloo where I am a member, I observe the emotional reaction to the art of the cooperative artists exhibited. As a featured artist, we get the opportunity to shine a brighter spot light on our art. I am amazed at the various and diverse reactions and interactions with my art—surprise, admiration, thoughtful reflection. In this show, I intentionally created pieces that evoked deep emotions that I felt as I was driving through the countryside last winter/early spring. “Melancholy” is a typical farm scene around Waterloo County, yet this scene got me to stop driving to turn back and look again. It took me some time afterwards to think about what it was that grabbed me, but trusting my instincts I framed the photo without being too analytical, and in processing it, I tried to remember and stay true to the feeling I had when I was in the scene, in the moment, and let the work emerge: melancholy! I would love to hear what you see and how you feel as you interact with my art.

@manchoichow facebook.com/manchoichow

Solo Exhibition at FAC Kitchener

I am deeply indebted to Kris and Annemarie from Framing & Art Centre, Kitchener, for hosting an(other) exhibition of my art, on now till the end of May. Framing & Art Centre Kitchener is in the heart of Belmont Village.

All art displayed is printed with archival materials and in limited editions. Custom print sizes are available. Hope you can come down soon!

'Day is Done'...all is well

The music of Peter, Paul and Mary (folk group from the last century) stirred something in me in my teens. One of their songs have stayed with me, and when I was thinking of a title for this piece, ‘Day is Done’ just popped into my head. This piece taken at sunset driving home on a late winter’s evening between Paris and Ayr, ON caught my eye and I took the picture out the window of the car while stopping on the shoulder. The soft fading light created a haunting stark silhouette that somehow also felt soothing and warm. The power lines in the mid ground echoed the lines of snow in the foreground framing the line of naked trees in the background. The barren frozen ground was beginning to thaw and the promise of regeneration and hope of new life has sprung!

“Tell me why you’re crying…I know you’re frightened like everyone…

And if you take my hand, all will be well when the day is done.”

Peter Yarrow (Peter, Paul & Mary)

'Liminal' at Homer Watson House & Gallery opens Dec 4

Being in the liminal space between familiar and uncharted territory can provoke fear of the unknown. Or it may lead to new possibilities otherwise overlooked. Two years of uncertainty, chaos, and the stress of reorienting, coping with a pandemic have brought this home. Being face to face with our inner fears about who we are, our strengths and vulnerabilities, even survival, can cause us to question the core of our identities, and doubt life’s meaning and purpose. Having time to be retrospective about my art from the past few years, liminality emerges as a unifying theme, congruent with my personal conviction to cross thresholds that lead to life beyond what is familiar.

‘Acceptance’, 10.5x34.5 framed (on canvas), $395

‘The Other Side’, 20x25 framed, $550

Homer Watson House & Gallery Exhibition: Liminal

Just brought all my art to Homer Watson Gallery to be exhibited in the upcoming special year end show. ‘Liminal’ is my solo exhibition, and I am honoured to be a guest artist among the talented instructors at Homer Watson. Exhibition opens Saturday, Dec 4 and will continue until Jan 9, 2022. Will post more as the show is ready for visitors. Appreciation to Tabatha Watson, Director & Curator, and Ralf Wall, artist and staff, for their support to make this exhibition possible.

‘Rooted’, 18x23 framed, $475

Liminal

“What is that, ‘liminal’?”, Bonnie asked.

Well, it’s a good word to describe where we are at in this fight for survival against Covid 19. Feeling uncertain, even panicky, yearning safety, pulling back, feeling trapped, out of control, powerless, reaching for something to hold on to. That’s liminal!

‘Afterward’

Rustic old barn in Waterloo County, Canada

Driving in the rural areas of Waterloo County in southern Ontario, Canada, soaking in the sunshine and fresh air, lifts my spirits every time and reminds me that spring can’t come soon enough!

Old barn, one of many, in Waterloo County

New art available now at Uptown Gallery Waterloo

‘Teal Teasels’

available framed or 10x15 print

‘Home-coming’

available framed or 10x15 print