Artist

I grew up in a small town in Ontario and went to school for Forestry and Parks & Recreation.  I moved out to Alberta in the 80's to follow a career in Forestry.  My family has recently moved to St. Albert from Peace River. Alberta where I was operated a photography studio for 17 years.

Artists are influenced by artists and I am surrounded by wonderful talent.  The famous artists that I admire are Modigliani, Botticelli, Klimt and Lauren Harris and that is if I had to only name a few.  I am drawn to the narritive qualities of an image where meanings are layered and inspired by symbolism.  I aim to put these qualities in my own work, in my paintings, photography, mixed mediums and altered books.

I am currently exploring mixed mediums like molding paste, cheese cloth, metalics, transfers, newsprint etc.  Sometimes the work is non-representational and I rely on the different relationships between colour, composition, texture and line to do the communicating.  The textures involved in mixed mediums are begging to be touched and it's wonderful when I see someone reach out, because now the art is communicating with the viewer.

Most of my life, my home has been Edmonton and, since 2000, it is in Parkland County.

I studied art at the University of Alberta in the early 1970’s; worked as a labourer, as a carpenter and as a teacher.  I am a husband, a father and a grandfather.

I presently work at the Perron studio in St.Albert. In 2002 I started painting again and since then have been working in art as a VASA resident artist, working at Art Space for The Learning Centre Literacy Association, and as Artist on the Wards at the University of Alberta Hospitals.

My work has been shown locally in the Edmonton area in the past ten years:   Parkwest Painters Show, The Kings University College, Studio Gallery, the Glenrose Blue Curve Gallery, the Stanley Milner Library, local churches, and in Free for All at the EAG.

About the Art – some thoughts on my journey along the road of life. . .

The heart, the mind and the hand are all involved in art.  We are intentional, purposeful and meaningful in what we make. Art reveals something about our life in this world that hasn’t been shown before.  Art is one way to make a contribution to glorify and honour the Creator who is the true artist.  Art like any every endeavour is subject to that aim – to live in right relationship with the creator and in so doing live in right relationship to our fellow creatures.  That’s how we bring out the true potential of our humanity. Making art helps do that.  Enjoying art and sharing and discussing what we “see” helps do that too.

Art should be seen “live” not virtually or in reproduction.  Go to a gallery or drop by the studio and look, see and connect.  To get the most out of a relationship you have to meet:  see, feel, hear, taste and smell.  Can you love someone that you know only by a photograph?  Can you quench your thirst by looking at a picture of a glass of water?  Come for a visit.

2010 Article on studio Gallery

http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/cityplus/story.html?id=c3237b70-e7b6-462a-bea1-1d23e9bb876a

2011 Review of “Genesis – A Visual Account of Creation”

St Albert Gazette, March 12,2011, Scott Hayes

http://www.stalbertgazette.com/article/20110312/SAG0307/303129992/-1/sag/creative-creation-series-means-van-veen-is-back

2012 Review of " Palm Trees on Perron"

 http://www.stalbertgazette.com/article/20120107/SAG0307/301079990/-1/sag/ignore-the-snow-and-ice-vasa-has-palm-trees