Eric Louie

Source II + zoom	Destiny + zoom	Last Stance + zoom	The Cycle + zoom
Culmination + zoom	The Arrangement + zoom	Finding a Way + zoom	Guardians + zoom
Unison + zoom	The Reception + zoom	Quandary + zoom	Angel + zoom
Intersection + zoom	Common + zoom	Ascent + zoom	Cascade + zoom
Game + zoom	Indulgence + zoom	Orbit + zoom	Source + zoom
Aura + zoom	Transfer + zoom	The Rising + zoom

Artist Statement

My paintings examine life through biomorphic shapes and use them as a vehicle to discuss various states of existence. I’ve been developing the series over the last ten years gravitating towards scenes of a fictitious and celestial nature.  Many aspects of my work follow in the tradition of the biomorphic movement of the early 20th century.  The process and production of each painting flows instinctually from my memories and impressions of the natural and unnatural.  Beauty tends to be on the forefront of my subjects as it reflects on our cultural obsession with it.  Displaying and producing the images in an artificial style helps to refer back to its’ true illusion.  Imagination, generalization of mental imagery and reinvention come into play when I’m creating.

Much like the concept of beauty in western culture, my work attempts to simplify and idealize the forms. Some become quite unnatural whereas others hover on the cusp of reality. The desire to obtain subjective ideals for ourselves and its fleeting and mostly unreachable endpoint is important to my works’ meaning.  On another level many of the works point towards our growth as individuals, our relationships and at other times mortality, fragility and spirituality. What I find most exciting about the work is its’ own ability to reinvent its’ meaning… symbolically, metaphorically, literally.

Bio

Eric Louie was born in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. (1977)

For Eric, painting has always been a constant obsession since he was very young.  He began taking art lessons form the Winnipeg Art Gallery when he was nine years old; after moving to Calgary in 1988 he continued at the Alberta College of Art exploring painting, drawing and sculpture. Ultimately, after attending the University of Calgary Management program for several years he made the decision to return to Art and enroll at the Alberta College of Art and Design.

Since graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting (2002), he has continued his practice full time. His first solo exhibition,” Hidden Spaces” (March, 2003) was the onset of his interest in Biomorphism. Later that year he began exhibiting at Dalgliesh Gallery in the Mission area of Calgary participating in several Group Shows. In early 2006 Eric opened his studio to the public at Art Central in Downtown Calgary, Ab. It became a pivotal move in creating an independent presence and helped build his career as both an Abstract artist and commissioned portrait painter. Throughout his three years at Art Central he developed several diverse bodies of work many with a socially conscious edge. He continues to work from his Sunalta studio and is now showing his work through Axis Contemporary Art. Eric’s work continues to be collected by many Private and Corporate clients around North America and Europe. Notably, his paintings were recently acquired for the Calgary Transit Collection for the Municipal building and N.E. Office. As well, he is know for painting the Fashion Central Mural (August, 2010) for Encorp Management located on Stephen Avenue and First Street SW, in Calgary.