Copper Slag Exhibit Showing at AGSC

A new copper slag art exhibit is on display at the Art Gallery of Swift Current from another local artist.

Born in Lafleche, Robert Scott is renowned for his grand scale abstract paintings, but has recently developed a series of drawings made from copper slag on canvas, somewhat similar to charcoal drawings.

"It's a series of very large scale, about five by ten feet scale, of what appear like charcoal drawings, which is really interesting. The way they are made is it's a copper slag material, which is this beautiful, velvety, black material, that the artist is using in the drawing process to make these works. They're very dramatic, really interesting things," said Curator at the Art Gallery of Swift Current, Kim Houghtaling. "Bob is well known nationally and internationally and has a major studio in Edmonton, Alberta, but the connection with us is Bob has a second studio in Cadillac at the school there, and has travelled back for family and so forth over the years and has always had a great connection with us."

Robert Scott has toured extensively around the world with his artwork from Spain to Holland, and has maintained an art studio in Cadillac for the last eleven years. Scott says the most important part of making art isn't whether you can reproduce something, it's about originality, adding that he was always inspired by art itself.

"It didn't happen instantly. I went to school to learn how to be an artist, because I didn't have any background to begin with. I had a long period of time to kind of make art where there was people around that knew more than I did, but then you start breaking away and making choices for yourself, but you learn the history in school which is the most important part I think," he said. "I was just inspired to make art a long time ago when I lived on the prairies. There was no art around there, I never thought anything about painting until I went to school, but then I walked into a gallery one time and saw a little drawing. It was the first real piece of art that I ever put my eyes on, and I managed to make my way to Calgary for art school about a week and a half later. People are pretty well informed about high art I guess in the northern part of the province, but in the south that doesn't happen much, so to me this show is important just to have it there and let people know."

The copper slag exhibit will be on display in the Art Gallery until July 4th, with a special coffeehouse scheduled for May 29th.