Internationally renowned King artist holds exhibit

May 7, 2013 · 0 Comments

Robert Luck, Consul and Trade commissioner at the Austrian Consulate General in Toronto congratulated King artist Ernestine Tahedl on the opening of her new exhibit.

Terra Incognita, (Unknown Landscapes) is a solo exhibition of new large-scale acrylic paintings by King City artist Ernestine Tahedl.
The exhibition runs through June 15 throughout multiple galleries at the Aurora Cultural Centre. More than 20 large format acrylic paintings, many in triptych form, are accompanied by a series of photographs, as well as an innovative work on a free-standing screen.
Inspired by recent travels to Greenland, Iceland, Patagonia and the Antarctic Peninsula, the artist filters these memories onto canvas as an intuitive, rather than an intellectual process. The result is a powerful exhibition that captures the “essence of a place” and all that a landscape can imply.
Tahedl expresses her strong spiritual connection and respect for nature with these works. Canvasses of bold brushwork and swirling brilliant colours have a lyrical quality; musical influence is hinted at through the use of titles such as “Serenato Pastoral” and “Iris Symphony.”
The influence of her early training is evident, as if she is able to capture the light and colour of stained glass and pour it onto canvas.
An internationally respected artist, Ernestine Tahedl was given the gift of freedom of expression at an early age, by her most important mentor, her late father, the artist professor Heinrich Tahedl. Born in Vienna, Tahedl received a Masters degree from the Vienna Academy of Applied Arts. She quickly established her professional standing after immigrating to Canada in 1963, and was elected to the Royal Canadian Academy and the Ontario Society of Artists in the midst of many solo exhibitions throughout North America. Her work hangs throughout the world in private and public art collections; a large retrospective of her work has recently travelled to Austria, and is currently in Zagreb.
In 2012, Tahedl received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for her volunteer service to the Royal Canadian Academy.
“I hope that spirituality and serenity are integral to my work,” Tahedl said. “Colour and light are additional factors that guide my work. Colour to me is light. To quote Henri Matisse, ‘Colour was not given to us in order that we should imitate nature. It was given to us that we can express our emotions.’”
Terra Incognita is a unique and original exhibition, a testament of what is possible when an artist stays true to her own personal vision.
On Saturday, May 11 there will be a screening of Bravo Film “Ernestine Tahedl: An Artist’s Life” at 1 p.m., followed by an artist walk and talk.
Admission is free and the exhibit is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and during special centre events.
The Aurora Cultural Centre is located at 22 Church Street, Aurora www.auroraculturalcentre.ca.