2016 Wrap-Up Part 1: 4Panel

This year I didn't make as much progress on part II of my Gerald Bull book as I would have liked, but I did work on it and I did do some other art projects that I'm proud of.

I thought I'd share some of these projects in some 2016 wrap-up posts, starting with my piece for 4Panel.

About 4Panel

4Panel is a website project created by interdisciplinary artist Mark Laliberte. Participating artists have to deal with the constraints of 4 panels (of equal size). Other than this, there are no other "rules" to follow - comics can be colour, black and white, formal, abstract, literary or conceptual.

In conjunction with the 4th annual Ting Comic and Graphic Arts Festival in London, Ontario, 4Panel featured Ting participating artists Megan Arnold, Sarah Scope and myself.

Here's my piece, entitled The Heart of London:

About the Heart of London

I wanted to feature a London-related strip and thought of my early artistic influences - who are namely Jack Chambers, Greg Curnoe and my uncle - photographer John Tamblyn.

Jack Chambers is primarily known as a photo-realist painter, he also did surrealist work and did a number of experimental films - most notably the film "The Hart of London". Stan Brackage said that it was "one of the greatest films ever made".

The film is shown in black and white and colour, and includes found news footage, as well as film shot by Chambers in Spain and in London (Ontario). Chambers lived a few doors down from where I grew up in London. He was a charming, loving family man and was the first "real" artist I had ever met. He painted my hometown and made it look familiar, but also magical. He made being an artist a tangible, possible thing to me.

So - my strip is a tip of the hat to this film, and to Chambers who is an ongoing inspiration for me.  

• Check out this free ebook on Chambers if you're interested in seeing some of his work.