Greg Curnoe

1. Greg Curnoe Amanda Micallef June. 13/2011 AVI 101 Birth: London, ON 1936 Death: Strathroy, ON 1992

2. Biography • Born and raised in London Ontario to Nellie and Gordon Curnoe • Received his first stamp set at age eleven (1947) • Attended Beal Technical School (1954-1956) • Attended Doon School of Fine Arts and the OCA (1956-1960) • Failed his final year at OCA • Married Sheila Thompson (1965) and together had three children, Owen Galen, and Zoë • Was a founding member of a local artist band called the “Nihilist Spasm Band” where he played the drums • David W. McFadden once said “I knew Greg Curnoe. He was a friend of mine. He was my best friend but many felt he was their best friend. Greg was like that. He cared for me, and now he’s gone.” • Died in 1992 on a club bike ride by a distracted driver. Many others were seriously injured • Story of Greg Curnoe: I remember Greg’s pencil, the one he used when he wrote on his paintings. He usually wore it behind his ear, and sometimes it protruded from his thick hair. When I was a kid you often saw carpenters with pencils behind their ears, but these days hardly anyone does that. I would like to, but I wear glasses. Most people I know wear glasses. The other person I remember wearing a pencil behind his ear, and sometimes sticking out from his hair, was Nichol. Greg Curnoe and Nichol both loved comic strips when they were kids and later, when they were adult artists and writers. They both started to be artists and writers by drawing comic strips. They both drew comics till the day they died, and they were both really funny.

3. Style and Technique • Common Characteristics • Considering he was an avid cyclist, his hand built Mariposa bicycles often appeared and were the focal point of his work. • Collages using cutouts of old advertisements, tickets, flyers, product labels and more dating back to the 50’s and 60’s. • Used stamps in many of his works of art. They sometimes included pictures, but most often were filled with text about his life, interests, and the world. • Influences • Earliest influence was his childhood comic books. He said “they showed me that words and images should accompany one another.” • Another early influence was his stamp set given to him at age eleven. He later created many works of art with stamp ink. • Inspirations • His work was inspired from the London Ontario area where he grew up. He often based around things in his everyday life and city. (for example his bicycles, etc.)

4. Style and TechniqueContinued • Purpose • His work that involve bicycles have a very important meaning. It was Curnoe’s main hobby and ironically also how he passed away. He obviously had a passion for cycling and it showed in his work. • Interesting Attributes • In Greg Curnoe’s work there are many things that interest me. The attribute I find the most interesting is how he can take one simple object (his bicycle) and change his different tools and materials to create so many different versions. • Quote • “Who could ever have imagined a poem or a painting with the title ‘THE DEATH OF GREG CURNOE’? Who could ever have imagined Greg dead? Butterflies or belugas going extinct, but Greg dead, never.”

5. Mariposa T.T.1979 (Serigraph on Plexiglas)

6. Moustache #2 1965 (Stamp-Pad Ink on Paper, Plexiglas, Screws, Cup-Washers, Screw Eye on Painted Wood)

7. Using up Old Coloured Ink1987 (Water colour, Stamp Pad Ink on Paper)

8. Critique Mariposa 10 speed-1973 (Water Colour) I choose this particular painting because out of all Curnoe’s bicycle artwork, this one was my favourite. I love the colour scheme and the spacing in this water colour painting. Curnoe used the elements and principles of design throughout this piece of art. Line is found in the bicycle wheel where he uniquely let the background pop and create an illusion that the wheels are in motion. These lines are very structured and all point towards the middle. Shapehas been used to form the bicycle. The wheels, handles, seat, etc., are all geometric shapes. Volume is added to the bicycle to create form. Colour is a key factor in this painting. The background's hue is a blue. The value of the hue lightens and darkens throughout the painting. The background is the compliment of the bicycle (orange) meaning they are opposite on the colour wheel. Texture can be found in the painting as well. The background uses simulated or implied textured making it look un-smooth as if it would not feel flat. Space is not one of the main elements used in this photo. The art work is two dimensional and the object is placed straight on the horizon line.

9. CritiqueContinued Mariposa 10 speed-1973 (Water Colour) Unity to me wasn’t seen in this painting because the colours and lines were not exactly similar. Variety is used in this painting. There are many different elements such as line, shape, colour and texture that are combined to create a work of art. Movement is found with the bicycle. The movement is compositional or implied so create the illusion that the wheels are turning by using colours, and lines. Dominance in this photo occurs with the bicycle. Its bright orange colour and detail creates a focal point where the eye is lead. Balanceis used when warm colours are heavier than cool colours. The bicycle is orange (warm colour) which balances the blue background (a cool colour).

10. Bibliography We-Create Internet Solutions. (1999) . Art Awards: 2008 Winners. Art Awards. Retrieved from http://www.kwartsawards.ca/section/view/?fnode=43 The Center for Contemporary Canadian Art. (1991). Canadian Conceptual Art: Greg Curnoe. ccca.ca. Retrieved from http://www.ccca.ca/resources/searches/eve nt_detail.html?languagePref=fr&vk=8201 University of Toronto and University of Toronto Libraries. (2000). Canadian Poetry Online: The Death of Greg Curnoe. University of Toronto Libraries. Retrieved from http://www.library.utoronto.ca/canpoetry/mcfadden/poem6.htm Automatic. (2008). The Moustache: Memories of Greg Curnoe. Wordpress. Retrieved from http://alterwords.wordpress.com/2008/05/31/bowering-on-curnoe/