Graeme Patterson (link to CV/Bio)

"Woodrow" is a multimedia installation which has shown at:
the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia January 2007
the Montreal Biennale May-July 2007
the Mendel Art Gallery in Saskatoon Sept 07-Jan 08
the Illingworth-Kerr Art Gallery in Calgary Jan - Mar 08

the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria March 14 - May 11 08

the Rooms Art Gallery in St. John's Jul - Sep 08

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“The Origins of Woodrow”
An Artist statement by Graeme Patterson:

Origins of “Woodrow”
An Artist Statement by Graeme Patterson

April 20th, 2004 my grandfather Herbert George Patterson passed away. This was the first time I had experienced the death of a close family member. My childhood was filled with summer vacations, Christmas holidays, and thanksgiving dinners at the farm in Woodrow where his father George Patterson homesteaded and where he and my father were born. I have always felt quite close to my grandparents, especially Herb. For his entire life he was devoted and proud to be a citizen of Woodrow, Saskatchewan. I had always understood this. However, not until he passed away did I begin to realize the depth of it. The people who knew him would all confirm this and had many stories to prove it. This influenced my decision to focus my art practice on my family’s roots in Saskatchewan. And so, January 2005 I moved to Woodrow…

The response from my family to this decision was more than supportive. They had no idea what their efforts would help produce, however they gave me a chance to investigate and create my own connections to our only family historical site.

I began production of “Woodrow” and “Monkey and Deer” in Halifax. The scale and detail of “Woodrow” as an installation did not come to me until I became accustomed to the large space within my grandfather’s machine shop. The shop was built in 1974 after the old one had burnt down. The people of Woodrow rebuilt it for my grandfather so he could continue to provide his invaluable services as a machinist, welder, and handyman. After removing 30 years of junk out of half of the shop, I had my new studio and inspiration to produce “Woodrow”. I was ready to reinstitute the daily activity of creation that this place had known for so many years.

After two years of living by myself, bowling with my grandparents, playing cards at the Lafleche café, and rediscovering my grandmother at the local nursing home, I felt completely comfortable and connected to my family’s history. The work produced during this time was all influenced by the experience and therefore is a part of the “Woodrow” installation. Each of the 10 works, including “Monkey and Deer,” have their own specific place in this romanticized ghost town. Each piece conveys a sense of my family’s and my own characteristics, passions, stories, and dreams.

In the fall of 2006 I opened up my studio to the people of Woodrow. Prior to this they had no idea what my title as an “artist” entailed. I was amazed by their response to the work. A number of stories and feelings about Woodrow came from their experience of seeing the work. The one thing that came up quite often was “your grandfather would be so proud”. Unfortunately he passed away before I developed the idea of “Woodrow”. However, much like his role in Woodrow, I believe the presence he left behind on the farm and in the shop helped the production run smoothly.

In closing I would like to dedicate this body of work entitled “Woodrow” to the late Herbert George Patterson (1916-2004).

“Monkey and Deer”
synopsis

This short stop-motion animation observes the interaction between a white-tailed deer and a circus monkey. Located in a small abandoned prairie farm town, these two creatures explore each other’s characteristics and the town’s ghosts and remains. Opposite in character and origin, the monkey and deer eventually find commonality as they pay their last respects to the ghost
town.

Graeme Patterson
Director of “Monkey and Deer”
bio

Graeme Patterson was born 1980 in Saskatoon Saskatchewan. Since graduating from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in 2002, Graeme has focused his artistic practice on stop-motion animation and multimedia/sculptural installation. He has exhibited work in film/animation festivals, galleries/museums, and artist run centers in Canada and internationally. His first major short animation entitled “Don’t Ride Shopping Carts” won “best animation” at the 2003 Garden State film festival and “most promising new director” at the 2003 Atlantic Film Festival. Graeme recently exhibited a series of short animations entitled “Ghosts of Woodrow” at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival. Now living in the small town of Woodrow Saskatchewan, Graeme works completely independent, creating puppets, sets, animation, and music. “ Monkey and Deer” is his second major short production.