Thursday, January 24, 2019

London: Canada House and Group of Seven Guitars

Time for a little more art -- and this is of a completely different nature! As you probably know if you are a regular reader or been following these posts, Rick is a passionate classical guitar fan. And both he and I are very fond of our neighbors to the north in Canada, a mere two hours to the border. After my Pollock's Toy Museum visit and our St. James concert, we knew we would be enjoying a play in the West End that evening so we walked toward Trafalgar Square, planning to find someplace for dinner a bit later. And located in Trafalgar is Canada House, where they were hosting a guitar exhibition.


Canada House is the home of the High Commission of Canada to the United Kingdom and hosts consular facilities for Canadians. It is a place where they can renew passports, apply for emergency assistance and other services. The building is used for special events, conferences and hosts Canadian-related exhibitions, such as this one, related to the Group of Seven.

The original Group of Seven were Canadian visual artists (painters) from the first recognized art movement formed in the country in the 1920s. They all had  a strong connection with nature and a desire to create a distinctive Canadian art from with that philosophy. (There are probably better sources for this but an easy read on the Group of Seven is here at Wikipedia with links to individual artists and their works.) AND, to see some of their works, Blogger William just posted on the Group of Seven's art in Ontario's National Gallery, so please check him out HERE.


Seven master luthiers from Canada were commissioned to create an exhibition of unique and beautifully designed guitars, as their materials describe, "forging a collective legacy that has shaped the global guitar-making industry. They recognized the same creative spirit and camaraderie of the Group of Seven artists with their love for their country and passion for mastering their materials. Each luthier chose a Group of Seven artist as their inspiration and crafted a guitar based on their work, life, words or philosophy, as interpreted by the luthier.

We greatly enjoyed the explanatory film. This isn't it, but it gives a great overview of the original Group of Seven and the Guitar Project.


George Gray's guitar was inspired by the skies of Frank Johnston, particularly the artist's aerial painting.  Gray selected cherry wood for his instrument from a cherry tree growing on Johnston's former property in Wyebridge, Ontario.  For the center rosette, Gray used a piece of granite from the Canadian Shield outcrops in Parry Sound, Ontario.


Luthier Tony Duggan-Smith created his guitar based on the art of Arthur Lismer. Lismer, a founding member of the Group of Seven, spent time at Nova Scotia School of Art and Design as a professor; Duggan-Smith was a student there some years later.


The spoon at the head of Duggan-Smith's guitar is a relic of the luthier's days at the school, but he feels his guitar is more a connection of the pair's creative connection and East Coast beginnings.


David Wren found inspiration in the work of Franklin Carmichael. Wren said he felt at liberty to take risks and in doing so interpreted some of Carmichael's sketches and prints using a technique called pyrography, a first for the luthier.  

 

His research revealed personal connections to the artist and incorporated that feeling into his design. "He was a meat-and-potatoes kind of guy and I like that," Wren said, remaining committed to the meat-and-potatoes of his own craft -- Building a guitar that sounds great.


Luthier Grit Laskin's design is based on an interpretation of F.H. Varley. Both were attracted to portraiture. Laskin used exquisite inlay work and color on his piece.

 
He included a self-portrait on the neck of his guitar where he holds a drawing by Varley titled "Constance."


He also rendered Varley's own words in reaction to World War I on the instrument, including, around the sound hold, "For What?" and "oh, if it were only possible for you people to know what it was like" along the soundboard, a look back at the tradition of protest statements on soundboards, such as those of Woody Guthrie.


Jean Larrivee was inspired by A.Y. Jackson. A stack of Jackson's landscapes are represented through more than two thousand pieces of inlaid wood within the interior of the guitar and can be glimpsed only through the sound hole.


Larrivee's wife Wendy and their son Matthew also contributed to the creative process and explains the choice to keep the grandest part of the aesthetic design to the interior of the instrument as a reflection of how a work of art is an expression of what the artist feels inside and that the interiority of the artist is one of the most compelling aspects expressed in a work of art. "Growing up in Ontario I really felt that the works of the Group had impacted heavily on how I and generations of Canadians viewed our landscape, that I had somehow internalized these images and they had become part of the world as I knew it," she says. The red maple leaf on the fret board inlay was inspired by Jackson's "The Red Maple."


Linda Manzer's guitar is based on work by Lawren Harris and her design was in imagination of what Harris might create if he built guitars. His paintings and Manzer's guitar include body form and color. She drew particularly on two of his works, "Mt. Lefroy"and "Icebergs, Davis Strait," along with an oil sketch called "In the Ward." She was also inspired by Harris' letters to Emily Carr, urging her to be brave and explore. Manzer painted her guitar and "sculpted" it as well. 


The guitar looks like an archtop by is internally a flat-top guitar, a construction that lends strength to withstand the pressure of all the strings and allowed her to carve curves depicted by Harris in "Mt. Lefroy."


Sergei de Jonge discovered that his "artist," J.E. H. MacDonald, painted close to the luthier's home and shop in the Gatineau area. De Jonge's guitar is made from wood sourced in the various places that the artist sought to paint and the only handmade guitar made from birch. 

 

Harris felt MacDonald was the "wise man" of the Group of Seven and De Jonge has been described by his fellow luthiers as "the quiet sage amongst their groups." Both De Jonge and MacDonald have had teaching careers in their disciplines.


So there you have it. If you'd like more on any of these luthiers, put their name into the youtube search box (ex. Linda Manzer Group of Seven) and you'll see some terrific videos that includes their music and descriptions of their creative processes as they build the guitars featured in the exhibit.

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33 comments:

La Table De Nana said...

My son-in-law..a guitarist..who owns several:) would have enjoyed this!

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

Those are amazing!

Carol @Comfort Spring Station said...

Artists are so creative in expressing their feelings. I love quotes around the guitar and the beautiful wood designs.

William Kendall said...

I think the Manzer guitar is my favourite of the set. Very creative! Thanks for the link back!

Valerie-Jael said...

Those guitars are exceedingly beautiful. I remember Canada House well, as the doorman there gave first aid to my husband when he fell out of his wheelchair. They were all so kind there. Hugs, Valerie

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Jeanie, I know several people, including my husband, who would really enjoy that exhibit. The second one is my favorite.

Misadventures of Widowhood said...

What a wonderful treat for Rick to see this great collection. I'll bet it was the highlight of the trip for him. Well, maybe not. You guys saw so many wonderful things.

eileeninmd said...

Hello, what a great collection of guitars. They are pieces of art work.
I am sure Rick enjoyed this guitar exhibit. Happy Thursday, have a happy day!

Sami said...

Wonderful pieces of art. The second guitar is my favourite.

Mary K. said...

These are all truly works of art Jeanie. Linda Manzer's guitar especially speaks to me. It must be that beautiful shade of blue!

Kitty said...

I am so glad you two found this exhibit. It really is special.

Lisa from Lisa's Yarns said...

Beautiful guitars! My aunt and uncle were music teachers and my uncle plays the guitar - I think they would have loved this exhibit! I'm drawn to the blue on the 2nd to last guitar but they are all beautiful.

Lowcarb team member said...

Those guitars are just beautiful.
I'm so pleased you were able to go and see it.

All the best Jan

Marilyn Miller said...

What amazing guitars. The inlay work is beautiful. I can just imagine Rick particularly loved this exhibit. I am in the midst of planning some events for our tea festival and wish Rick lived closer. I was thinking a classical guitarist is what I need for one of the tea times.

Tracy said...

WOW... this was AMAZING!! Such beautiful works of art. Instruments are so beautiful anyway, but these are very special. I must send this link to TJ--my music man--he will LOVE this!! :))) ((HUGS))

My name is Erika. said...

Those guitars are beautiful. I love the connection to the original group of 7, which I am somewhat familiar with. I think that was a fun and unusual thing to do and must have made Rick really happy, and also you got to see some really wonderful and unique art mediums. Hope it's a good Friday and there isn't lots of snow in your forecast. Hugs-Erika

Shilpa said...

This is just wow what else to say .I loved the blue shade one .

Joanne Huffman said...

I never thought of guitars as works of visual art before. Very interesting.

shoreacres said...

I'm a great fan of the Group of Seven, particularly Lawren Harris during his more abstract phase. I wondered if I could pick out 'his' guitar before reading any more, and in fact I did. It's a wonderful exhibit, and the instruments all are quite beautiful.

I'd been meaning to pass along this article, which also is about stringed instruments. I thought Rick would enjoy it.

Sandra at Maison De Jardin said...

What beautiful guitars - truly works of art. How wonderful that you and Rick were able to enjoy this marvelous exhibit.

Karen said...

I just loved this project. We have a family connection to one of these beautiful instruments. We are hoping to see the collection this coming summer.

Ricki Treleaven said...

What a unique exhibit! They are all beautiful instruments.

NanaDiana said...

My son used to own a music store and he specialized in guitars. I am forwarding a link to this post to him. I think he will be fascinated. He has several guitars. xo Diana

Pamela said...

This is very interesting! Thank you.

Anonymous said...

Oh my! Who would have imagined such beautiful and unique guitars! Thank you for sharing them with us! xo

David M. Gascoigne, said...

Hi Jeanie: i am in Costa Rica right now. I will catch up with you when I return home in a couple of weeks. Un abrazo de Playa del Coco, CR!

Angela said...

The guitars are beautiful. It sounds like a great exhibit.

Pam Richardson said...

Jeanie, what beautiful works of art! I would be hard pressed to choose a favorite, they are all so different, but yet stunning. I know that Rick enjoyed this exhibit so much. I will share your post with Butch, he will love it. Your travel posts are truly amazing, you must have taken 10,000 photos!

Iris Flavia said...

My family owns a real Steinweg piano (not Steinway) and my Dad forced me to learn to play. (looong time ago)
When studying I bought a guitar - in a professional music store, too.
They sold me a guitar for adults, despite I am a small person. A kid's/teenager's guitar would've worked but with that I sadly gave up quickly as I could not reach what I needed...

Sandra Cox said...

I'm sure Rick loved this!
Have a great weekend, Jeanie.

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

While I am hardly a guitar player, after having taken lessons briefly and then stopped, the ones you showed in this post were both beautiful and amazing, Jeanie.

Thelma said...

A beautiful post. All the guitars are lovely. Have a nice weekend.

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

The artwork alone is fabulous. I was truly impressed with the beauty of the art, as well as the guitars themselves. I hope that made sense. I'm getting a bit tired.

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