Through the exclusive use of line marker paint - the industrial medium used to define the limits, borders and boundaries of highway, road and urban structures which regulate vehicular or pedestrian movement; C.Wells has developed a painting practice akin in spirit to that of the topographer, executing ideas like a contemporary journeyman avid for information. Creatively itinerant and multi-disciplined, the line marker is used as a filter or a conceptual index to work towards an overall schema. Since 1996, he has concurrently established a painting component (works on canvas and other surfaces) an ongoing photo-performance component
(painting in situ), and a writing component (text works as a means to theorize and narrate process). Historic referrals have been developed in the work as a means to connect the painted art objects produced to the specific notion of
painting-in-the-world.
Selected Solo & Group Exhibitions (1996 -)
2014 ED103 Centre[3] Print Studio, Hamilton, ON Solo Exhibition
2014 Place and Space (Redux) University of Waterloo Art Gallery, Waterloo, ON Solo Exhibition
2013 Place and Space 270 Sherman Ave., Hamilton, ON Solo Exhibition
2011 Topographies UNION Gallery, Queens University Kingston, ON, Group Exhibition
2011 ‘911/1911’, Roadside Attractions, Toronto, ON, Solo Window Space Project
2010 ‘Here In My Car’, Art Gallery of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Group Exhibition
2008 TH&B Imperial Cotton Centre for the Arts, Hamilton, ON, Group Exhibition
2008 ARTery Prairie Art Gallery, Grand Prairie, AB, Group Exhibition
2006 White Roma, White Pelee Art Gallery of Hamilton, Hamilton, ON Solo Exhibition
2004 Future Cities Art Gallery of Hamilton Hamilton, ON Group Exhibition
2003 Mercer Union, Lisgar Performance Festival Toronto, ON Contributing Artist
2002 1911 McMaster Museum of Art Hamilton, ON Solo Exhibition
2001 and then we take berlin C.A.F.K.A. Kitchener, ON Group Exhibition
1999 MITCHELL Southwest Triennial, Museum London, London, ON Group Exhibition
1998 Alberta Biennial Glenbow Museum / Edmonton Art Gallery Contributing Artist
1997 A to B: Post-Aesthetic Painting The New Gallery, Calgary, AB Solo Exhibition
Awards / Grants:
2013 Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant
2009 Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant
2008 Ontario Arts Council Mid-Career Grant
2006 Canada Council for the Arts Project Grant
2005 Canada Council for the Arts B Grant
2005 Ontario Arts Council Mid-Career Grant
2003 Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant
2002 Canada Council for the Arts B Grant
2002 Ontario Arts Council Mid-Career Grant
1997 Alberta Foundation for the Arts Project Grant
1996 Alberta Foundation for the Arts Project Grant
1992 Canada Council for the Arts Exploration Grant
1987 Ontario Arts Council Materials Grant
Collections:
Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Edmonton, AB
Glenbow Museum, Calgary, AB
Art Gallery of Windsor, Windsor, ON
Private / Corporate Collections
Public Art:
2009 Leger Transit Centre, Edmonton arts Council, City of Edmonton, Edmonton, AB
Catalogued/Affiliated Performances:
2011 Davenport Road, Toronto, ON, 2 hours, Roadside Attractions, Toronto
2005 Point Pelee, ON, video performance, 2 hours, Art Gallery of Hamilton
2004 West Jefferson Ave. Trenton, MI, milk, video-performance, 1 hour, Art Gallery of Hamilton
2002 various locations, Toronto, ON, affiliated with Mercer Union, July 13-14: dusk to dawn, 9 hours
2002 McMaster University Campus, Hamilton, ON, affiliated with the McMaster Museum of Art, March 28: 8 hours
2001 Young St., Kitchener, On, affiliated with ‘and then we take berlin’, Kitchener Artworks, Sept.15/16: 14 hours
2001 West Jefferson Ave. Trenton, MI, affiliated with the Michigan Department of Transportation, July 12: 2 hours
2000 Ridout St., London, ON, affiliated with Museum London, April 10: 3 hours
Publications on the Artist:
PLACE and SPACE, University of Waterloo Art Gallery (UWAG), essay by Ivan Jurakic, illistrated, 2013
ARTery, Grand Prairie Art Gallery, Grand Prairie, AB, essay/interview by Robert Enright, foreword by Ed Bader, illustrated, 2008
WHITE ROMA/WHITE PELEE, Art Gallery of Hamilton, Hamilton, ON essays by Shirley Madill, Mark Cheetham, Keir Stuhlmiller, textwork by C.Wells, illustrated, 2006
Roadworks, Mercer Union, Centre for Contemporary Art, Toronto, ON, textwork, C.Wells, 2003
1911, McMaster Museum of Art, Hamilton, ON foreword by Kim Ness, Mark Cheetham, Andrew Hunter, text work by
C.Wells, illustrated, 2002
‘and then we take berlin’, Kitchener C.A.F.K.A. Kitchener, ON, essays, illustrated, 2001
Mitchell: Southwest Triennial, London Regional Art & Historical Museum, London, ON, Text by Andrew Hunter, illustrated, 2001
A to B: Post-Aesthetic Painting, The New Gallery, Calgary, AB, ssays by Paul Woodrow, Richard Gorenko, textwork, C.Wells, 1997
Selected Writings on the Artist:
Cheetham, Mark, White Accents, WHITE ROMA/WHITE PELEE, exhibition catalogue, Art Gallery of Hamilton p. 16-18
Cheetham, Mark, Abstract Art Against Autonomy, Cambridge Press, p.118-125
Cheetham, Mark, Painting, Over the Lines: The Social Abstraction of C.Wells, exhibition catalogue, 1911, McMasterMuseum of Art, 2002, p. 21-29.
Crowston, Catherine, Mastin, Cathy, Alberta Biennial of Contemporary Art, exhibition catalogue, Glenbow Museum/Edmonton Art Gallery, 1998, p. 5,6,35.
Diamond, Sara, Destination Alberta, C Magazine, Nov.98 issue 60, p. 18
Gorenko, Richard Rocky Road, exhibition catalogue, A to B: Post-Aesthetic Painting, The New Gallery, 1997 p.10-12
Hunter, Andrew, 1:1, exhibition catalogue, 1911, McMaster Museum of Art, 2002, p. 7-14.
Hunter, Andrew, Mitchell - 1999 Southwest Triennial, exhibition catalogue, London Regional Art & HistoricalMuseum,p.51-54
Kar, Indrani, Markings get you from A to B, The Gauntlet, University of Calgary, Aug.14, 1997
Madill, Shirley, The Fine Line Drawn, WHITE ROMA/WHITE PELEE, exhibition catalogue, Art Gallery of Hamilton, p.79
Mastin, Cathy, In/Here/Out/There, Artichoke, Fall/Winter 98, p.18
Stuhlmiller, Keir White Open City, WHITE ROMA/WHITE PELEE, exhibition catalogue, Art Gallery of Hamilton p. 14
Veldstra, Carolyn, 1911, McMaster Silhouette, March 7, 2002, p. B1.
Wenzowski, Allyson, It’s all about lines at McMaster Museum, Dundas Star News, Mar 13, 2002, p.14.
White, Richard, New Artists, New Works, exhibition catalogue, Muttart Gallery, 1994, p.11
Woodrow, Paul A to B and so/on, exhibition catalogue, A to B: Post-Aesthetic Painting, The New Gallery, 1997,p.3-5
(painting in situ), and a writing component (text works as a means to theorize and narrate process). Historic referrals have been developed in the work as a means to connect the painted art objects produced to the specific notion of
painting-in-the-world.
Selected Solo & Group Exhibitions (1996 -)
2014 ED103 Centre[3] Print Studio, Hamilton, ON Solo Exhibition
2014 Place and Space (Redux) University of Waterloo Art Gallery, Waterloo, ON Solo Exhibition
2013 Place and Space 270 Sherman Ave., Hamilton, ON Solo Exhibition
2011 Topographies UNION Gallery, Queens University Kingston, ON, Group Exhibition
2011 ‘911/1911’, Roadside Attractions, Toronto, ON, Solo Window Space Project
2010 ‘Here In My Car’, Art Gallery of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Group Exhibition
2008 TH&B Imperial Cotton Centre for the Arts, Hamilton, ON, Group Exhibition
2008 ARTery Prairie Art Gallery, Grand Prairie, AB, Group Exhibition
2006 White Roma, White Pelee Art Gallery of Hamilton, Hamilton, ON Solo Exhibition
2004 Future Cities Art Gallery of Hamilton Hamilton, ON Group Exhibition
2003 Mercer Union, Lisgar Performance Festival Toronto, ON Contributing Artist
2002 1911 McMaster Museum of Art Hamilton, ON Solo Exhibition
2001 and then we take berlin C.A.F.K.A. Kitchener, ON Group Exhibition
1999 MITCHELL Southwest Triennial, Museum London, London, ON Group Exhibition
1998 Alberta Biennial Glenbow Museum / Edmonton Art Gallery Contributing Artist
1997 A to B: Post-Aesthetic Painting The New Gallery, Calgary, AB Solo Exhibition
Awards / Grants:
2013 Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant
2009 Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant
2008 Ontario Arts Council Mid-Career Grant
2006 Canada Council for the Arts Project Grant
2005 Canada Council for the Arts B Grant
2005 Ontario Arts Council Mid-Career Grant
2003 Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant
2002 Canada Council for the Arts B Grant
2002 Ontario Arts Council Mid-Career Grant
1997 Alberta Foundation for the Arts Project Grant
1996 Alberta Foundation for the Arts Project Grant
1992 Canada Council for the Arts Exploration Grant
1987 Ontario Arts Council Materials Grant
Collections:
Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Edmonton, AB
Glenbow Museum, Calgary, AB
Art Gallery of Windsor, Windsor, ON
Private / Corporate Collections
Public Art:
2009 Leger Transit Centre, Edmonton arts Council, City of Edmonton, Edmonton, AB
Catalogued/Affiliated Performances:
2011 Davenport Road, Toronto, ON, 2 hours, Roadside Attractions, Toronto
2005 Point Pelee, ON, video performance, 2 hours, Art Gallery of Hamilton
2004 West Jefferson Ave. Trenton, MI, milk, video-performance, 1 hour, Art Gallery of Hamilton
2002 various locations, Toronto, ON, affiliated with Mercer Union, July 13-14: dusk to dawn, 9 hours
2002 McMaster University Campus, Hamilton, ON, affiliated with the McMaster Museum of Art, March 28: 8 hours
2001 Young St., Kitchener, On, affiliated with ‘and then we take berlin’, Kitchener Artworks, Sept.15/16: 14 hours
2001 West Jefferson Ave. Trenton, MI, affiliated with the Michigan Department of Transportation, July 12: 2 hours
2000 Ridout St., London, ON, affiliated with Museum London, April 10: 3 hours
Publications on the Artist:
PLACE and SPACE, University of Waterloo Art Gallery (UWAG), essay by Ivan Jurakic, illistrated, 2013
ARTery, Grand Prairie Art Gallery, Grand Prairie, AB, essay/interview by Robert Enright, foreword by Ed Bader, illustrated, 2008
WHITE ROMA/WHITE PELEE, Art Gallery of Hamilton, Hamilton, ON essays by Shirley Madill, Mark Cheetham, Keir Stuhlmiller, textwork by C.Wells, illustrated, 2006
Roadworks, Mercer Union, Centre for Contemporary Art, Toronto, ON, textwork, C.Wells, 2003
1911, McMaster Museum of Art, Hamilton, ON foreword by Kim Ness, Mark Cheetham, Andrew Hunter, text work by
C.Wells, illustrated, 2002
‘and then we take berlin’, Kitchener C.A.F.K.A. Kitchener, ON, essays, illustrated, 2001
Mitchell: Southwest Triennial, London Regional Art & Historical Museum, London, ON, Text by Andrew Hunter, illustrated, 2001
A to B: Post-Aesthetic Painting, The New Gallery, Calgary, AB, ssays by Paul Woodrow, Richard Gorenko, textwork, C.Wells, 1997
Selected Writings on the Artist:
Cheetham, Mark, White Accents, WHITE ROMA/WHITE PELEE, exhibition catalogue, Art Gallery of Hamilton p. 16-18
Cheetham, Mark, Abstract Art Against Autonomy, Cambridge Press, p.118-125
Cheetham, Mark, Painting, Over the Lines: The Social Abstraction of C.Wells, exhibition catalogue, 1911, McMasterMuseum of Art, 2002, p. 21-29.
Crowston, Catherine, Mastin, Cathy, Alberta Biennial of Contemporary Art, exhibition catalogue, Glenbow Museum/Edmonton Art Gallery, 1998, p. 5,6,35.
Diamond, Sara, Destination Alberta, C Magazine, Nov.98 issue 60, p. 18
Gorenko, Richard Rocky Road, exhibition catalogue, A to B: Post-Aesthetic Painting, The New Gallery, 1997 p.10-12
Hunter, Andrew, 1:1, exhibition catalogue, 1911, McMaster Museum of Art, 2002, p. 7-14.
Hunter, Andrew, Mitchell - 1999 Southwest Triennial, exhibition catalogue, London Regional Art & HistoricalMuseum,p.51-54
Kar, Indrani, Markings get you from A to B, The Gauntlet, University of Calgary, Aug.14, 1997
Madill, Shirley, The Fine Line Drawn, WHITE ROMA/WHITE PELEE, exhibition catalogue, Art Gallery of Hamilton, p.79
Mastin, Cathy, In/Here/Out/There, Artichoke, Fall/Winter 98, p.18
Stuhlmiller, Keir White Open City, WHITE ROMA/WHITE PELEE, exhibition catalogue, Art Gallery of Hamilton p. 14
Veldstra, Carolyn, 1911, McMaster Silhouette, March 7, 2002, p. B1.
Wenzowski, Allyson, It’s all about lines at McMaster Museum, Dundas Star News, Mar 13, 2002, p.14.
White, Richard, New Artists, New Works, exhibition catalogue, Muttart Gallery, 1994, p.11
Woodrow, Paul A to B and so/on, exhibition catalogue, A to B: Post-Aesthetic Painting, The New Gallery, 1997,p.3-5