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The Canadian Champion, Friday, December 15, 2006 - Bi Portrait of an arist Campbellville's Newlove makes art out of words uSAMAM VAINt / CANAVIAN CHAMPION UNIQUE ART. Artisi Tina Newlove displays one of her pieces that combines art and words. By Sabrina Byrnes SPECIAL TO THE CHAMPION A sthe brush strokes gide across the canvas with struc- ture and purpose to abstract, free-flowing art, Tina Newlove cornes to life in her pieces. Working out of ber studio in Campbellville, Newlove bas become quite an accomphished artist, wuth ber work sbown in more than 70-juried exhibitions (where she bas eamred a number of awards) over the past 13 years. She began showing ber work before she graduated in 1996 from McMaster University with a BA Honours in Fine Arts. "J'vc always just knowri that this is what 1 wanted to do," Newlove said of ber passion for art. Newlove enjoys incorporating wordplay into lier pieces, wbich may feature definitions straigbt out of the dictionary She first experimented witb the effect at ber graduating show. She literally ripped out the page for the word 'apple' and added it to ber draw- ings, aiong witb some gold leaf. She also incorporates some of ber own prose and poetry into ber work, wbîch aiiows ber t0 maintain a strong person- ai connection wNith the piece, white making it accessible to the audience. The inspiration for mucb of Newlove's work finds its roots in a poem that she bas written or singie words or phrases tbat corne mbt ber mind. 5So rnany littie phrases wiiI just stick in my head, and I'il bave a picture. i sec eveiytbing visuaily as l'in reading. Wben i can't picture it, then l'm kind of iost," said Newlove. One of Newlove's collections, 'Memory Girl.' came to ber in a surpris- ing way As is ber custom, she was stant- ing an abstract piece with a general background wasb wben the face of a girl appeared - and the artîst knew sbe just had to paint it. "At first it was aiways really surpris- img," saîd Newiove. "I'd be like, "Wbat-tbere she is again.' It would be interesting, but it would be surprising." Now, adds Newlove, their appear- ance is less surprising because tbey corne along ail the time. She dlaims these bodies of work corne from ber subconscious. "A lot of tbcm are pretty sad or real- ly intense," she said. "l'rn feeling very happy at the moment, but maybe its just those deeper emotions that are coming up and out. 1'm just kind of let- ting it happen." Newlove came up with the naine 'Memory Girl' for the series because most of the pieces in the collection evoke emotions from bier past, or repre- sent a means of remembering little everyday things symbolized, for exam- pie, by littie blue forget-me-not flowers. Newlove enjoys working on ber 'Memory Girl' pieces because they are quite different from some of ber more structured pieces that bave a more direct focus. 'Memory Girl' pieces are freer flowing and evolve as Newlove works witb them. "i think i need botb," said Newiove of the different styles. 1i need to always have something that I'm working on, to know wbere I'm going." Newlove also, likes to incorporate found items, such as apples, fisb and trees, mbt tbe works. Trees are a favourite subjeet as they symbolize iso- lation, growing tbrougb adversîty "Thev're beautiful and tbey're strong, but thev're kind of struggling tbrougb the atmospbere," she expiained. "Trees were kind of mv refuge spot wben I was a kid. Runaway, ciimb a tree," Newlove added, laugbing. "Wben l'in painting a tree iÊs kînd of a safe place wbere 1 cao go back and explore those emotions." Newlove was quite sby wben sbe was a child. Then, reading offered an escape; now as an art teacher, sbe encourages ber students to be free in their paintings. "i like getting people to get into their own ideas and just bave fun, just be creative," she said. "When shes teachîng, shes very aware of people's feelings. Shes very encouraging. She wants (ber students) to be comfortabie and explore," said Newioves mother, Rose Anne. Newlove conducts pnivate tessons out of ber studio and will be teaching a *see ARTIST on page B2 ARTS -IowOPEN St ùp Smoking in 1 Houp 1-877-787-0973