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| The Forest |
Robert
Tokley is an artist who has arrived. Born in Bannockburn in the back seat of
his parents Pontiac in front of the doctor’s office they didn’t quite make it
to, he had no choice, his life was going to be an adventure. His childhood
growing up in the small, artsy town of Madoc was riddled with adventures,
accidents and mishaps, all of them leading to a life of expression through art.
From being run over by a car as a toddler, to breaking his femur in a
three-wheeler accident as an adolescent, his recovery time was spent drawing,
painting, it was spent with art.
This cat has story after story and nine lives too; from each one of them come new inspiration, renewed desire to create and more experiences than most of us could ever imagine.
His adventures led him west to Alberta where he spent some time working
in the oil fields. As his luck would
have it, he was injured on the job. He found himself out of work, out of money
and homeless, living out of his car and subject to the violence, drugs and
alcohol that accompanies life on the streets. After winning a long battle with
WCB, Robert got himself clean and sober and the surgery he needed to repair his
knee. This brought him home to Ontario where he spent his recovery time
painting.
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| A Northern Sunrise |
Art was not only therapy for Robert, it was also an affirmation – with
no formal training, this self-taught artist was quickly well received. He began
painting what he knew - what all Canadians know - The Group of Seven. He says when
he began painting his goal was to “create art that everyone loves or can
identify with.” His exposure to the landscapes of small, historic towns nestled
amidst rolling hills from Ontario to the mountains and rugged terrain of
Alberta bring a natural element to his canvas – and like the great Canadian
landscape that changes with the seasons, he believes his art, too, is a living,
breathing, and changing thing.
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| October |
That change led to a transition period in his style of painting. With
new influences from living artists like Paul Doig, Daniel Richter and Kim
Dorland, Robert began experimenting with his process. Driven by the
accomplishments of these artists, he decided to embrace the change and began by
thinning his oil paint in individual cups and pouring the liquid onto a flat
laying canvas. The thinned oils dry quickly trapping paint in pockets for
texture, he then uses the brush for the details. Change for an artist can be
risky, Robert says, but it is also very satisfying. He notes “being self-taught
is a gift in a sense that I am not held down by any specific notions or ideas
of how I should be creating.”
Like many artists when they first
start out, Robert wondered if his work was ‘good enough’ – the simple answer is
yes. He recently received international recognition for his work from one of
the most prestigious juried art competitions with high profile judges from
around the world. Art Olympia is held biannually in Japan receiving anywhere
from 2 – 4 thousand pieces of art work, with only 180 selected for final
review. Clearly, Robert’s natural
talent, ambition and hard work have paid off.
Robert Tokley is a
featured artist in the Bay of Quinte Art and Wine Festival. To view more of his artwork please go to his website.
©Janet Jarrell 2017
©Janet Jarrell 2017
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