By Tyler Waugh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
A Southern Shore artist opens a travelling exhibit next month with six oil canvas paintings that depict the resilience and strength of the Irish Loop coastline.
Matthew Noble drew inspiration from Newfoundland and its residents in general, saying the province has been through a lot, including a relentless and harsh climate that shapes each Newfoundlander and their surroundings.
“A climate that has twisted solid rock and alters everything in its path – our weathered and worn landscape has become jagged, bold, and for me a symbol of resilience and strength, as it proudly stands against this harsh unrelenting climate; the same climate that has formed every Newfoundlander,” Noble said. “I chose each of the six sites based on how they visually represent the weathered and worn abuse taken from our climate and want to symbolically connect the representation of them to the strength and resiliency bred into every Newfoundlander from enduring the same harsh Newfoundland climate.”
The exhibition opens May 2 at the Cliffs Edge Retreat in Tors Cove with an event from 5 - 7 p.m. After its month-long run in Tors Cove, the exhibit moves to Bay Bulls Town Hall in June, to Ferryland Town Hall in July, the Regina Mundy Building in Renews-Cappahayden in August, and the St. Vincent Town Hall in September.
Noble said each site depicted in his paintings is specific and in close proximity to each community on the tour.
“I went to each location, gathered the necessary information with sketches and photographs, created a master sketch, then used that as inspiration for each painting,” Noble said.
There will be prints available at each exhibition for people to purchase.
Noble said he has been artistic since he could hold a pencil, and attended the Anna Templeton Centre after high school, where he studied two years and earned a textiles degree. He followed that with a four-year visual arts degree in Corner Brook, where he was introduced to artists including Van Gogh, Dali, the Group of Seven and others that influenced his artistic approach. He then connected the hands-on physical approach of working with traditional mediums to the hands-on reality of living in traditional Newfoundland, enjoying his first solo exhibition with friends called Newfoundland Spirits.
He then earned an education degree.
“I taught all around Newfoundland and continued developing a painting style that I felt captures the essence of Newfoundland’s coastline with the technical goal of increasing the illusion of depth,” Noble said. “I believe I have found the beginning of that painting style and am using this exhibition for further development and exposure.”
