JOE ROSENBLATT, Artist statement

I make no distinction between creating visual art and writing poetry; for me, painting and drawing are just other ways of writing poetry.

My aim is to make people laugh at danger, the world, and themselves; not as a way of escaping the frightful reality of life but rather as a way of confronting it directly. If concern with the human condition is difficult to find in my art, it is because of the comic elements, and because my subjects (cats, birds, snakes, avaricious plants, insects, amphibians, bats) wear masks.

My art and poetry lie outside the mainstream of modern art movements. My work does not take up the cudgel for social reform, feminism, environmentalism or any other ism, even though I am greatly concerned about environmental degradation in our earthly Eden. I believe in making art to feed the soul. I may even be delusional in thinking that in painting a canvas the Maker is talking to me. Possibly He is! Don’t I paint his creatures, birds, cats, bees and fauna in my garden? Is there a tiny morsel of God in all of us?
Most of my creative work is done in the late afternoon, or in the very early hours of the morning when chronic insomnia prevails. However, the specific time, place or circumstance is irrelevant; it is the technique of drawing, painting or writing that dominates. I am only the servant of my muse in these creative pursuits.

Most of my creative process is cerebral. My ideas are like rolls of film that get developed in the darkroom of my mind. The images have infinitesimal dots of meaning that, bit by bit, start to take form in my brain. I distort and twist the mundane world to its essential reality through craft, humor, fantasy, honesty and intensity.

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I am a self taught artist. And a 1950 high school dropout. Solo Exhibitions 1972 The J. Walter Thompson Agency, Toronto. 1973 The Village Bookstore, Toronto. 1973 Gadatsy Gallery, Toronto. 1975 "Anthropomorphics," Gadatsy Gallery, Toronto. 1976 "Recent Drawings About Cats, " Gadatsy Gallery, Toronto. 1977 "Snake Oil," Gadatsy Gallery, Toronto. 1977 Drawings, Leamington Art Gallery, Leamington, Ontario 1978 "Dr Anaconda's Solar Fun Club," Gadatsy Gallery, Toronto. 1983 Den -Art Gallery, Ottawa. 1985 "Survey: 1972-1978 Drawings," Gadatsy Gallery, Toronto 1996 "The Voluptuous Gardener," Carleton University Art Gallery, Ottawa. 1999 "Catnip Madness" The People's Gallery Parksville, British Columbia Selected Group Exhibitions 1971 Mitchell Gallery, Toronto. 1973 "Art 74" Exhibition, Beth Tzedec Synagogue , Toronto. 1973 "Drawings Rediscovered, " Saidye Bronfman Centre, Montreal. 1974 Gallery House Sol, Georgetown, Ontario. 1974 "Four Artists," Gadatsy Gallery, Toronto. 1974 Aviva Art Auction, Toronto. 1975 "Seven Toronto Artists," City Hall, Toronto. 1976 "Drawings and Sculptures," Art Gallery of Ontario, Art Rental Exhibition. 1976 " Fantastic Creatures," Gadatsy Gallery, Toronto. 1976 " A Horse Show." Gadatsy Gallery, Toronto. 1976 " Jewish Experience in the Art of the Twentieth Century," International Travelling Exhibition, The Art Gallery/ Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, Nova Scotia. 1977 Travelling Exhibition. A.G.O Extension Services, Art Gallery of Ontario. 1977 "Miniatures," Gadatsy Gallery, Toronto. 1978 Drawings & Watercolours, Etobicoke Civic Arts Centre, Etobicoke, Ontario 1978 Art Show, Edward's Garden Civic Centre, Toronto. 1978 Three Poet Artists, Burnaby Art Gallery, Burnaby, B.C. 1978 Juried Drawing Exhibition, Lynwood Art Centre, Simcoe, Ontario. 1978 " Fantasy Drawings," Gadatsy Gallery, Toronto. 1978 " Erotic Drawings," Gadatsy Gallery, Toronto. 1985 St. Lawrence Centre, June Mallet Theatre, Toronto. 1995 Carleton University Art Gallery , Ottawa. 1997 Bravo, The Rogue Gallery, Victoria, B.C. 1997 Brant Festival Exhibition , People's Gallery, Parksville, B.C. 1998 The Barn Collection, summer salon, Sidney B.C. 1999 Selection of Art:Fisher Library, Toronto 1996-1999 2000 Magic Gardens, Faculty Club, University of Toronto 2001 Illuminations, Faculty Club, University of Toronto 2000 Miniature Art Show, Woolfitt's Gallery, Toronto 2001 Summer Show Fran Willis Gallery, Victoria 2001 Plants that Dream Sandstone Gallery , Gabriola island 2001 Magic Gardens Exhibition Gallery Bowen Island 2002 Magic Gardens, Amelia Douglas Gallery, New Westminster , … Read More