A different vision of art in wood

As an artist Guy-Robert Collette has taken an interest in art and a love of woodworking into what is a blended form of the two.

"The whole idea is to end with something that looks like an oil painting, but has depth," he said.

Collette said he actually puts five coats of varnish onto his piece because he wants people walking up to the art and actually touching it to appreciate the depth he creates with his chisels.

Art fans can get a better understanding of the approach at the community pARTners gallery in the Yorkton Public Library where some of Collette's work now hangs.

Collette, originally from Moncton and now living in Yorkton since late 2009, said he has always been one to doodle, going back to his school days when he admitted he was often getting in trouble for sketching in class.

While he had the interest, Collette really began to develop that interest after watching an uncle whittling away at a piece of driftwood while out fishing. He said he soon began working with an exactor-knife and drift wood.

"For the longest time I was carving three-dimensional pieces," he said.

But that would change as Collette evolved as an artist.

"I was just whittling on a piece of wood and decided to try something different," he said, adding the first step in that evolution was relief-carving "talking sticks out of drift wood."

The next step came about because of a flood at Collette's Moncton home in 1999. In re-doing the decor after the flood they found the art they had on the walls did not match the colours of their home. In looking for new pieces he said he was looking at about $700 a piece for some 14 required pieces.

"I decided to see if I could do something myself," he said.

What evolved was something Collette said he has a difficult time describing. He takes a flat piece of particleboard and sketches a picture. From there he uses chisels to carve out areas of the piece, before finally painting it.

"You have to be very spatial. You have to be able to rotate the piece in your mind," in order to visualize what carving is needed where to achieve the three-dimensional look, he said.

For larger works that can mean 75-plus hours into a piece, but because of the process they are all one-of-a-kind works. As relief pieces Collette said he can't even produce prints.

As a style Collette said he began with the 3-D pieces in 2000, although it has changed over the years since.

"Every time I do a piece it takes it one step farther," he said, adding that while the "style is pretty well set," the aspects are changing.

The changes are seen in the use of bolder colours.

"I like the stronger colours," said Collette, adding he doesn't like the way softer-toned art "kind of blends into the wall."

"I like the visual impact."

Collette said it goes back to a basic philosophy he holds regrading art.

"I believe art should talk to you, and should have the first words," he said.

Collette said as an artist he has learned to give pieces a life of their own. He said he has learned the patience to not think too far ahead on a piece, adding that means a piece is not done until the varnish goes on.

That means at times standing back and looking at a painted piece and actually repainting portions to make the colours fit his overall vision for the piece.

"The piece is always in there (the piece of wood). You've just got to get rid of the rest of the wood," said Collette.

As an artist Collette said he has come to understand a piece is never perfect.

"On every single one of these I've made a mistake," he said, looking around the gallery. He said as an artist's "my eye goes right to it."

But Collette said for those simply enjoying the piece they are not easily seen, because they are appreciating the bigger picture, not the details.

And, he said art is something where the artist must "appreciate the journey."

"I never know when a piece is done until the last brush stroke is laid," he said.