Dan Law (1972- )
Dan Law is a contemporary installation artist and printmaker who lives and works out of Tofino, BC. For his sculpture and woodcut relief prints, Dan primarily works with old growth cedar salvaged from Vancouver Island. Dan studied visual arts in Victoria, BC, and received his Master of Arts degree from Regent College in 2013.
'“As a primary material for my art, I prefer wood—not because it is a particularly easy medium to work with (it’s not), but because I like the way wood looks, feels, and smells at each stage—from the moment of salvaging it on mountainous slash, to milling, carving, sanding, and finishing it in my studio. When a piece is complete, I feel content knowing that I can point to the spot on the earth where it grew, and that I can tell its story from start to finish.
“I often use displaced or urbanized animals in a symbolist way to explore complex themes such as good and evil, heaven and hell, and the relationship between art and theology. Animals such as coyotes, crows, and raccoons tend to defy easy ideologically motivated stereotyping, and so may allow broader contemplation of the human struggle. Many of the pieces represent personal encounters and observations; the themes taken from those experiences are often embedded as much in the narratives as in the physical works. “
“Another aspect of my work is the individual narratives — just as I choose to work with wood because Ilike wood, I also choose to use stories in my work simply because I like stories. As a playwright, I find that narratives connect to audiences and may reveal deeper truths than more prescriptive genres.”
His work can be found in Canada, the United States, and Europe.
Dan Law talks more about his art in the lyrical Filipe Amado film on his artist website.
Source: www.danlaw.ca
