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Printer-Friendly ModeCanale shares artistic style
SVSU assistant professor of Art and Graphic Design displays 'paintography' in his Fine Arts Gallery exhibit
January 17, 2005 —
On display in the Fine Arts Gallery is a collection of work from an artist with close roots to Saginaw Valley State University.
Thomas Canale is an assistant professor of Art and Graphic Design at SVSU, where he has been working since 2003. The display is titled "Tom Canale: Digital Works" and features digital pieces that look surprisingly like paintings.
Canale chose to work digitally in order to shoot more images without the constraints of film and processing.
However, in order to place his own interpretation on the photos, Canale turned to a method he calls paintography, a kind of hybrid mix of painting and photography.
Through computer technology, Canale explained in his artist statement, he is able to create very painting-like digital photos, manipulated to express his message.
According to Canale, the main theme in his work is a "conscious effort to connect and deal with my own personal issues of loss."
He related that his subjects suggest a passing of messages and honored memories, and he evokes what he calls narrative nature to more actively engage the viewer.
These themes are clearly seen in his photos, as they deal mainly with everyday objects like chairs, sheds, houses and boats. However, Canale turns these everyday objects into symbols of loss by showing them empty, abandoned and crumbling.
A running undercurrent of a theme seemed to deal with the spiritual side of loss, with many heavenly images, angels, and churches for the viewer to contemplate. In addition to his paintings, Canale also utilizes the power of language by combining words with his pictures, as well as displaying many poems that he wrote.
Some current projects that Canale is working on include the running of his own studio, the Canale Studio, in Midland, font design and development, and development of a clip art collection.
Tom Canale: Digital Works will be on display, free of charge, until Saturday, Jan. 29, with an artist reception on Thursday, Jan. 20 from 4 until 6 pm. The art gallery's hours are Monday from 12 to 4 pm, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 10 am to 4 pm, and Saturday from 12 to 3 pm.