Coup de Coeur

Ian Griffiths is an artist I first encountered through the Lakeshore Artists Association. He most recently showed his work in a solo exhibition, Resurfacing, at the Arbor Gallery in Vankleek Hill.

Sunny Morning, Ian Griffiths, 31 x 41

Griffiths is best known for his paintings that depict kitchen appliances and the reflections found within them. Being a fibre artist, shiny surfaces are not something I usually gravitate to.

Sunbeam Reflections, Ian Griffiths, 30 x 30

So it was all the more exciting to discover the small, sculpted toasters that Griffiths created before he undertook this series of paintings. Some were made of wood, others of laminated, corrugated cardboard. One, titled Harley, was upholstered in black leather with silver studs. All had the rounded shape of a retro toaster, and two separate slices of "bread".

Here is the one that stole our hearts: 

Quilted Sunbeam, Ian Griffiths

It is covered with the quilted textile often used to make oven mitts, and finished with silver studs. 

A whimsical acquisition that will "make us smile" for years to come.