The level of yet higher education was improved by mandatory drawing and painting of natural objects in the not-quite northern Ontario, followed by tedious watercolour washes in the studio. The aggretion of the commercial work period was punctuated by short periods of intense effort to maintain a skillset and express otherwise unspoken emotions. Commonly called vacations. Some of these works made it under glass and survived to bleach in the glow of artificial light. The culmination of these asides came in partaking of Saturday classes directed by Toronto artist Graham Coughtree at the invitation of Ants Elken.
During this defining time the artist developed a sustained interest in minimalist black and white ink sketches. As it happens many of these works have survived years of hanging about the family residence to appear now to the scrutiny of the critical eye.
The tenor of this self-promotion will add colour to an otherwise monochrome palette.
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XIBIT, the joint exhibition of the handworks of Ants Elken and Toomas Tamm will be on display on May 13th at the Toronto Estonian House from 4 pm to 10 pm. The official opening is at 6pm. Please consider this as a cordial invite to celebrate the completion and display of their artistic efforts