Off-Season Artists: Daniel St-Amant
It’s been a great season, and we’re starting to wind down for the end of fall. We can’t thank you enough for how amazing 2015’s been!
Just because our doors are closing for winter, that doesn’t mean our passion for showcasing Canadian art is any less. So over the next several months we’ll be posting quick interviews with our artists. It’s a chance for you to explore their personalities and their creative identities a little deeper. Who knows? If you get to know the artist in the wild, you might fall even harder for the work on the wall.
To start us off, you might remember that we announced our Golden Encore Artist’s Residency in partnership with Algonquin Park a few weeks ago. Daniel St-Amant, a modern surface wildlife painter, will be housed at one of the Park’s lodges form October 14th-21st, giving him some time in the wilderness to work on his craft. He’ll also be conducting artist-demonstrations at both the Algonquin Art Centre and Algonquin Park’s Visitor Centre over the weekend. It’s going to be a great time, and you can find all the information here.
Daniel hails originally from Quebec, went to school in Halifax, and now lives and works in Toronto. Aside from his artistic practice he works in visual effects for film. He’s also just a lovely guy! So without further ado, here’s a bit of our chat with Daniel…
Daniel St-Amant
As someone from French Canada who lived a while in the Maritimes and now operates out of Toronto, you’ve got a lot of Canada in your personal history. What have you taken away from those experiences?
The biggest thing apart from the friendships and life experiences would be the landscapes . It is quite remarkable to think about the diversity you see in the landscapes from the Canadian shield through to the Laurentians and southern Quebec all the way up the east coast.
Your artistic practice is very unique, and also very specific. How’d you arrive at it? Any particular influences?
Throughout my life, and artistic career, I’ve been privileged to have been surrounded by many talented individuals that both inspired and influenced me. Teachers like Gerald Ferguson at NSCAD and lengthy conversations with fellow artists helped sculpt my art practice. But I feel my upbringing in rural Quebec particularly influenced me and my body of art as my love and respect of nature ultimately led me to my subject matter.
“Timber Land” Daniel St-Amant
You also work in visual effects for film (which is SUPER-COOL, by the way). How does that line of work influence your painting?
My work in the VFX industry has influenced my art practice quite a bit in terms of my initial sketching techniques and tools that I adopt. I use a lot of digital reference and photography to compose my images in addition to some of the techniques we use in film such as integration, colour adjustments and composition prior to the actual production of my art.
“Red Shoulder 2” by Daniel St-Amant
It’s great to hear a little bit about the Canadiana that makes Daniel tick, and we can’t wait to get to know him better when he arrives this week. Stay posted for updates and media from the residency, and more interviews as we progress!
