My current obsession: Trees of Ontario at Night

It’s just past 10 PM on Lake Muskoka, where I’m spending the weekend with family. The house is quiet now—everyone else has gone to bed. Outside, the moon is nearly full, its light washing over the trees and the lake, and I couldn’t resist stepping out to take a few photos.

Looking at The Trout Musem of Art

I’m excited to be part of Looking, the new exhibition at the Trout Museum of Art in Appleton, Wisconsin, running from September 20, 2024, to January 12, 2025. The show features twelve artists from across North America, including myself, exploring the theme of “looking” and how observation shapes meaning and perspective in art. This exhibition also ties into the museum’s Finders Keepers art hunt, engaging the community in discovering hidden artworks throughout the year. It’s an incredible opportunity to share my work alongside such talented artists.

Green Bay

Kimberly

Fox Crossing

La Crosse

Lake Winnebego

Milwaukee

Madison

Appleton

At first glance, these paintings seem to be a celebration of color. The use of earthy greens, browns, and yellows is interrupted by bursts of bright pinks, blues, and oranges, creating a dynamic and engaging visual experience. Each painting feels like a snapshot of a place in motion, as if the city’s pulse is captured in the energetic interplay of hues and shapes.

The geometric precision in these works has become a trademark. Squares, rectangles, and intersecting lines dominate the compositions, reminiscent of the grid systems used in urban planning. The carefully structured shapes lend a sense of order, yet the palette disrupts this rigidity, reminding us that beneath all the systems and boundaries, cities are living, breathing entities.

Colour Palette developed for this series.

For more details, visit Trout Museum of Art.
These artworks are available for purchase in the shop.

How to Crochet A Granny Square

Do you want to participate in the upcoming SHELTER Project, but don’t know how to crochet a granny square? Have no fear! Below is a simple step-by-step guide and a video to walk you though the process. Don’t worry about it being perfect. I had a few failed attempts before I got the hang of it and I’m still working on my technique. Before you get started, you’ll need a few materials.

Materials needed:

• Worsted weight yarn in at least two colours (you can use one colour for starters)

• Crochet hook (size H/5.0mm)

• Scissors

• Yarn needle (for weaving in ends) <—Optional

Instructions:

Step 1: Begin with a slip knot. Chain 4, and join with a slip stitch to form a ring.

Step 2: Chain 3 (this counts as your first double crochet stitch), then work 2 double crochet stitches into the center of the ring. Chain 2.

Step 3: Work 3 double crochet stitches into the center of the ring, then chain 2. Repeat this pattern (3 dc, ch 2) two more times, until you have four sets of three double crochet stitches.

Step 4: Join with a slip stitch to the top of the beginning chain-3.

Step 5: Slip stitch into the next two stitches, until you reach the chain-2 space. Chain 3 (this counts as your first double crochet stitch), then work 2 double crochet stitches into the same chain-2 space. Chain 2.

Step 6: Work 3 double crochet stitches into the next chain-2 space, then chain 2. Repeat this pattern (3 dc, ch 2) in each chain-2 space around the square.

Step 7: Join with a slip stitch to the top of the beginning chain-3.

Step 8: Slip stitch into the next two stitches, until you reach the chain-2 space. Chain 3 (this counts as your first double crochet stitch), then work 2 double crochet stitches into the same chain-2 space. Chain 1.

Step 9: Work 3 double crochet stitches into the next chain-2 space, then chain 1. Repeat this pattern (3 dc, ch 1) in each chain-2 space around the square.

Step 10: Join with a slip stitch to the top of the beginning chain-3.

Step 11: Slip stitch into the next two stitches, until you reach the chain-1 space. Chain 3 (this counts as your first double crochet stitch), then work 2 double crochet stitches into the same chain-1 space.

Step 12: Work 3 double crochet stitches into each chain-1 space around the square.

Step 13: Join with a slip stitch to the top of the beginning chain-3.

Step 14: Cut the yarn and weave in ends with a yarn needle.

Congratulations! You have now crocheted a 6x6 inch granny square. Repeat this pattern to create additional squares. Here’s a video created by Bella Coco to help get you through each step.

Once you’re finished, if you’d like to send in your square to participate in Shelter, see the mailing information here.

I look forward to seeing your creations and thank you for participating in this amazing and important project.

Call for Submissions: Create a Granny Square for "Shelter"

Call for Submissions: Create a Granny Square for "Shelter"

Individuals of all backgrounds and identities are invited to participate in Shelter, a sculptural component for Catch & Release, an exhibition by Canadian Artist James Fowler. The project aims to explore the culture of ice fishing through the lens of queer culture, while challenging traditional gender roles and promoting inclusivity and diversity.

You are invited to create a six-inch-wide crocheted granny square in any color of your liking. It could be a solid color, squares, stripes, a symbol, a flag. Be creative! Participants may alternatively use knitting or quilting to create their 6x6in. square. Your square will be used to create a large 'tea cozy' that will snugly enclose the large wooden structure of Shelter.

In addition to creating a granny square, participants are also encouraged to teach someone else how to make one so they can also participate. This project serves as both a finished sculpture and a social practice that promotes the value of caregiving and recognizes the often-unseen labor that goes into caring for others. Participants are encouraged to teach family members, particularly sons, husbands, and grandsons how to make a granny square so they can participate. Groups or classes are also encouraged to participate.

To participate, please mail your completed granny square to:

James Fowler
2511-25 Wood Street
Toronto, Ontario, M4Y2P9,
Canada.

DEADLINE
The deadline for submissions is April 1st, 2024. Please include the name of the participant and where they live. Your square will be documented and catalogued into an indexed online database that can be accessed through a QR code in the physical gallery where the sculpture is displayed, providing a platform for your voice to be heard and celebrated.

If you have any questions, please email James Fowler at james@iamjamesfowler.com

We look forward to your participation in this exciting project!

The Queer Art of Failure and the Joy of Experimentation

The creative process involves experimentation, which can be daunting. However, it is crucial to recognize that failure is a natural part of the process. I’ve been reading ‘The Queer art of Failure’ by Jack Halberstam and he’s offered some insight on the topic. While not every experiment will be successful, each one presents an opportunity for growth and development. As an artist, I have found that giving myself permission to fail enables me to take risks and explore new possibilities.

Experiments with vinyl, riveting and embroidery.

Recently, I have been engaging in experimentation with a range of craft techniques, including the art of repair, and materials that are not commonly associated with each other. These have included embroidery, paper, vinyl records, wood, fishing lures, makeup brushes, sequins, and paint. Through my experimentation, I have been exploring ideas surrounding toxic masculinity, societal expectations, and the role of queer cultural aesthetics in challenging and disrupting normative beliefs. I am particularly interested in how techniques for mending and repair can intersect with these ideas, and how such techniques can either facilitate or hinder the process of repair.

A recurring theme in this work is the inter-generational trauma that is often associated with traditional expectations surrounding masculinity. I see these repeated generational acts that cause trauma as a failure to repair unhealthy beliefs about oneself, about others, and about what it means to be a man or masculine in a time when I feel we could be moving towards a more inclusive and fluid concept of gender.

A prototype for fishing lures made of makeup brushes.

By exploring these ideas through my work, I hope to contribute to a broader conversation about masculinity, gender equity, and the role of art in promoting positive social change.

Collaborating on a New Shoe Design: Inspired by Mexican Folk Art

Recently, I had the opportunity to collaborate on a new shoe design project for couragedrifter.com. The design team at Courage Drifter wanted to create a unique shoe collection that drew inspiration from the vibrant and colorful tin hearts found in Mexican folk art. The challenge was to translate this folk art tradition into a modern and trendy shoe design that would appeal to a wide audience.

The first step was to determine the color palette for the shoe collection. It was decided that a bright and cheerful color scheme would capture the essence of the tin heart art. Colors like bright blue, lush greens, and fiery reds and oranges were chosen to reflect the bold and vibrant hues of the traditional art.

Next, the team started to brainstorm ideas for the shoe designs. They decided to name each shoe after a flower or mythological god or goddess in nature. This naming convention would give the shoes a unique and memorable identity, and also reflect the beauty and power of nature.

The final result is a stunning collection of shoes that blended the traditional art of Mexican tin hearts with a modern and trendy design aesthetic. Each shoe is a work of art in its own right, with intricate details and bold color combinations that make them stand out from the crowd.

If you're interested in learning more about this shoe collection, head over to the Courage Drifter website where you can read about the inspiration behind each shoe design. Whether you're a fan of Mexican folk art or just love sneakers, this collection is worth checking out.

The BARCODE Series: A Critique of Consumer Culture and the Erasure of Queer History

The BARCODE series is an ongoing collection of hand-embroidered bandanas that correspond to the colors of the Hanky Code, a secret language used by gay men in the 1980s to signal their sexual desires and fetishes. Originally conceived during the Inter-generational Queer Artist Residency in 2019, the series has expanded with the addition of two new hankies and regular updates every few months. In 2020, I created a large number of new works for YASSIFIED, an exhibition at Novah Gallery in early 2021.

Installation view of YASSIFIED at NOVAH Gallery.

Each bandana in the series features a color and a consumer product slogan that pairs well with the corresponding Hanky Code color. The use of consumer product slogans is a way to critique the pinkwashing that often occurs during sponsored LGBTQ+ events and festivals and aims to draw attention to the role that corporations have played in the erasure of the more sex-positive aspects of queer culture.

The act of "culture mapping" consumer culture onto a disappearing part of gay men's culture is a deliberate choice to highlight the influence of corporations on the mainstreaming and sanitization of queer culture. The use of humor in pairing consumer product slogans with the Hanky Code colors serves as a subtle reminder of the subversive origins of the Hanky Code and the need to preserve and celebrate queer culture in all its complexities.

Capturing the Magic and Romance of a Rainy Chicago Night

I'm always inspired by the beauty and energy of cities. Each on is different and can be represented by diffent music, movements, forms and colours. For this small of Chicago, I wanted to capture the magic of the city at night in the rain. Whenever I visit, I am particularly drawn to the unique architecture of Chicago. It is renowned for its stunning skyscrapers and iconic buildings. I love it when it rains.

There is a romance one can have walking downtown in the rain. I used a combination of blues and yellows, and metallic paints added a touch of shimmer and sparkle; the glittering lights reflecting off the wet pavement. I also added little hints of pink to the painting. This hint of color helps to lighten the mood, added a playful element and adds a reminder that there is always a silver lining.

Breaking Away from Detailed Geometric Paintings

As an artist, I know the value of experimentation. Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone and trying new things can lead to exciting discoveries and breakthroughs in your art. This is why I recently decided to challenge myself by breaking away from my detailed geometric painting style and trying a more loose approach.

My detailed geometric paintings are notoriously time-consuming, with no real shortcuts. In 2018, I reached a new level of detailing with my painting 'Paris at Midnight.' While I was proud of the finished work, I felt that my style was becoming too rigid and wanted to break away from it.

For my latest experiment, a painting of Montreal, I decided to give myself only an hour to see what I could produce if I worked quickly and didn't treat the surface or map too preciously. I tried not to get bogged down in the details and instead focused on the bigger picture - a snowy Montreal. I also used oil pastels for the line work and the colour palette is a pastel nod to the city’s NHL hockey team.

Capital Cities: Nauru

Located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, Nauru is a small island country with a population of around 11,000 people. It is the smallest republic in the world and one of the least visited countries, with fewer than 200 tourists annually. Nauru was originally known as "Pleasant Island," but the name was changed in 1968 when the country gained independence from Australia. Despite its name, the island has a troubled history due to its phosphate mining industry, which has had a significant impact on the environment. In fact, the island was once covered in dense vegetation, but most of the trees have been cut down for exporting phosphate.

Nauru National Flag

Despite its small size, Nauru has a few interesting quirks. For instance, it is the only country in the world without an official capital city. It is also home to the highest obesity rate in the world, with over 90% of the population classified as obese. Nauru is located just south of the equator and has a tropical climate. The official language of the country is Nauruan, a distinct Micronesian language, but English is also widely spoken. The currency used in Nauru is the Australian dollar.