Contributor

James Tughan

"The extraordinary drawings of Oakville artist James Tughan can be appreciated by everyone, from the most sophisticated aesthete to those with less experience with visual art. The subtlety of design and sumptuous execution seduces the eye and then the mind. His artwork dignifies and elevates both his subject matter and most importantly, its viewer." (David Saltmarche, See Spot Run)

"Cartographic realism" is a marriage of aerial visual mapping, natural symbolism, and a theology of the person. This style of imagery respectfully draws metaphors for the seen and unseen world of spirit from the natural surface topography of the visual subject matter itself. This style exploits amazing detail and surface patterning, texture, colour, lighting and story narrative possibilities. It infers that there is more to see than immediately meets the eye, more that is suggested by mapping, the mapping of ideas.

James? career in fine art, editorial illustration, design consulting, and arts administration has spanned 30 years. His work is represented in major corporate and private collections throughout North America and has been published in many premiere publications such as Rolling Stone, Atlantic Monthly, Esquire, House and Garden, Saturday Night, Toronto Life, Canadian Business and Financial Post.

His Dreaming Of Lions images have been viewed in China, Colombia, England, Bulgaria, Egypt, United States and Canada.

James currently teaches drawing, design and art appreciation as a part-time faculty member at Redeemer University College (Ancaster, Ont.), Tyndale Seminary and University College (Toronto), the Kingsbridge School for the Arts (Burlington, Ont.), and Kings Christian Collegiate (Oakville, Ont.). With the Semaphore Institute he is the founder of the Headwaters and Firefleyes Youth art programs.

A more complete CV of exhibition, consulting, planning and ministry projects is available from the artist.

The Headwaters program of the Semaphore Institute Ministry, has as its mission to identify and shepherd Christian young people who are visually gifted and support educate and train them for callings as artists.

Grace

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Grace

I have returned to drawing simple forms of architecture in nature as I prepare for an exhibition this next March. The first subject tackled turned out to be floral, my neighbour's amazing white peonies, which I am rendering in chalk pastel in a granular, paper-white...

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