If you feel the need to pinch yourself to make sure you’re not dreaming when you see the artwork of Darcy Fidgeon, you could be forgiven. Fidgeon puts a surrealist twist on the familiar in his meticulous oil paintings, the result out-of-this-consciousness fantastic while firmly rooted in the artist’s concern for nature and the environment. Fidgeon’s work is now on display at the Nelson Public Library.
“My approach to art-making is one of asking philosophical questions about our changing environment through painting,” explains Fidgeon. “Our world is being altered at the quickest pace in the history of our modern culture. What is inspiring to me is to notice these changes and then to translate that movement into a painting and record it in a fashion that hopefully defines that change.”
The artist’s educational background in environmental science and fine arts informs his subject matter, while his creative approach results in paintings rendered “in a manner that not only makes them visually appealing for the eye, but also intellectually appealing for the soul.”
Fidgeon’s highly complex works — high realism within a fantasy framework — tell stories through allegorical combinations of elements about the changes the natural world has experienced through the eons.
“The library is all about storytelling, and thinking outside the box,” says adult services co-ordinator Anne DeGrace. “In this regard, Darcy’s work is a perfect addition to our walls. It’s amazing work, and we’re thrilled to have it.”
The exhibition continues until the end of March.