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Annette Labedzki

Creative, explorative, innovative, and intuitive, are just some of the words that come close to identifying the works of the Canadian 'Abstract' artist Annette Labedzki. Born in Vancouver, B.C. on February 27, 1959, she soon moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba, where she spent her childhood and early adulthood. Annette Labedzki began displaying her excellence right from her school days. Her work was brilliantly recognized first during her grade 10, when the superintendent of the Winnipeg School Board purchased one of her paintings. Nine months following her move to Vancouver, she met her future husband, a Polish Navy Officer, Jozef Labedzki. Married for the past twenty-five years now, the couple has one son Johnny.

The artist spent a year studying human anatomy, figurative & nature drawing, and painting, before she went to study at The Emily Carr University of Art and Design. After receiving her BFA degree from here in 1992, the artist studied Philosophy at the University of British Columbia (UBC - 1993). At that time, she was particularly fond of creating portraits, which helped her discover and express the deep, intrigues of the human soul. Later, the artist transitioned from being creatively figurative to a more personalized and intuitive 'Abstraction,' which still is her signature style. She constantly flows back and forth between abstract and abstract figurative. Her philosophy-oriented background complements the spontaneity, depth, and the intuitiveness, integral to Labedzki's style.

Meanwhile, when Annette was switching creatively, the Labedzki family moved to Northern B.C., after Josef received his DMD degree and set up a dental practice there. Homesickness and a feeling of isolation forced them to return to Vancouver. Labedzki then realized that staying close to nature, such as the sea or ocean are a source of peace & inspiration, which gave her a great sense of freedom, vital for her expression and creativity as an artist.

Labedzki found that 'Abstract Art' offered immense scope for creative expression and allowed her to experiment with great force. Extremely hard working, with a brilliant sense for design & color, Labedzki has the ability to play around with new techniques on a consistent basis. From choosing the medium from a wide variety of papers, pastels, acrylics, and oils to the production of the final piece, her work is simply an impromptu elaborate artistry. Her unique style involves forcing a confluence of palette for spectacular and dramatic effects. While paintbrush seems like her most preferred tool, it is sometimes a challenge to find even a single brush stroke in the artist's work. Attention to details, playing with different techniques & mediums, and creating a range of paintings, drawings, & collages, have been her focus areas.

Some of the most beautiful 'Abstract Figurative' paintings by Annette Labedzki, include "A Heart like the Sea," "The Wisdom Body," "A Question of Magic," and "You Rule Over Chaos." For her competence, the painter has been rightly recognized with First Prize at the Pacific Northwest Annual Show, the University of Oregon, U.S.A. The University bought Annette's paintings, which are now a part of their permanent collection of art works. From 'Abstract Figurative' paintings, to Marbled Paintings, monoprints, sculptures, drawings, collages, and watercolors, the range of Annette Labedzki's work is diverse and more of her beautiful creations are surely on the way.

ARTIST’S STATEMENT

After attending Vancouver’s Emily Carr College of Art and Design, and UBC, I decided to make a significant change from my previous figurative work to a more personal, intuitive and almost exclusively abstract art. Abstract art gives me more freedom to express and the option to remain exploratory and energetic at all times. I am a hard worker, with an unfailing sense for color and design, consistently experimenting with new techniques. Producing the art starts with searching for a seemingly limitless range of supplies, from pastels, oil and acrylics to a large variety of paper types and dimensions. The medium is an important source of inspiration. Finding art material is carried out with anticipation and excitement and carries over into the initial stage of painting. There is no premeditated subject. I need to fully concentrate and focus without any form of distraction. The option to return does not exist. What is done is irreversible. This method of working requires courage; there is nowhere to hide. Everything is instant and final. A line, color, composition and intuition at that particular time will influence the next move until the complete artwork emerges. The speed forces me to remain honest. There is no time for contemplation. As a result, the work captures a true “instant”, an almost imperceptible space of time. Technique is secondary to my art. It is however my most powerful tool. My studio looks more like a laboratory or research facility. The paintbrush is my most important tool, yet in some of my work one has difficulty finding a single brush stroke. One method consists of forcing adjacent paints to flow into each other with stunning results, reminding of geological formations. The research for new techniques, the curiosity to discover and to evoke new sensations is fundamental in my art. A lot of attention is given to the applying, moving and mixing of paints. If a new method is of particular interest, then it will be followed up and further explored. The search extends far beyond the usual oil paints, acrylics or water-based paints. At times, I will use such materials as modeling compound or polymers and a variety of tools, as scrapers, wooden boards and sloped surfaces. The quantity of paint may be generous and the process is always fast and energetic. Viscosity and chemical compatibility, or the lack of it and the methods to move the paint may appear within the same artwork. The only constant appears to be change.

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