Brent Ray Fraser鈥檚 rural 91原创 studio is like something out of a movie. Not a Hollywood blockbuster, mind you. No, this has more in common with a crazy art house film.
The 33-year-old painter works in a converted grain silo not far from Fort 91原创, but the interior of the green metal cylinder could not be less indicative of its farming roots.
Every inch of interior wall space, as well as much of the floor and ceiling, is covered with a veritable hodgepodge of (there鈥檚 really no other word for it) stuff 鈥� reminders of the artist鈥檚 youth, remnants of some past creative endeavor or inspiration for the next.
鈥淚 always wanted a 鈥︹��
It鈥檚 a phrase the artist repeats several times as he asked about the contents of the studio 鈥� whether it鈥檚 the circa 1980s arcade game standing against one wall, the working pay phone (there鈥檚 no cell reception inside the metal tube) the shelves lined with lava lamps, the cluster of working disco balls on the ceiling or the cabinet filled with all the different types of candy he favoured as a kid.
鈥淚t鈥檚 nostalgic candy from the 1980s, I did a whole series based on candy,鈥� says Fraser.
That鈥檚 how he works, he explains. He picks a subject and exhausts it.
鈥淚 have a bit of an addictive personality. I鈥檓 a bit obsessive,鈥� he says with a laugh.
To underscore the point he gestures to the 2,364 black zip ties he has affixed to a piece of mesh and wrapped around a wooden post.
Then there is the collection of old muffin tins 鈥� many tacked to the ceiling, others stacked on the floor 鈥攏ot to mention the curious array of dolls and silk flowers, a 1910 piano he was given and a dozen or so wedding dresses he鈥檚 collected over the years.
鈥淚 call it orchestrated madness . . . It鈥檚 an ongoing process, this place,鈥� says Fraser.
But it鈥檚 not all candy and disco balls. Draped over the back of a red velvet sofa are half a dozen real fox tails that came off a pair of leather chaps he once used in a photo shoot; a few ammunition belts hang from the rafters.
Several black plastic guns 鈥� which look frighteningly authentic to the untrained eye 鈥� and at least two gas masks round out the strange collection.
鈥淚 like the beauty in things, but I also like the gruesome part of life. It鈥檚 part of human nature,鈥� says Fraser.
鈥淚 like the duality in art 鈥� that things have a double meaning.鈥�
It鈥檚 that whole 鈥榗an鈥檛 judge a book by its cover鈥� thing he enjoys.
That axiom applies to the artist himself. Fraser looks like the picture of health 鈥� he鈥檚 young and fit, unfailingly upbeat and open.
But in fact, his kidneys are failing and he is waiting for a transplant that may or may not come.
鈥淚鈥檓 constantly thinking about the inevitable,鈥� says Fraser.
A pair of giant skull paintings dominate two walls of his upstairs studio 鈥� just a couple examples of a subject that has occupied his thoughts over the past few years.
They signify not only mortality, the artist says, but are something that connects everyone.
And it鈥檚 his art that connects him to the outside world, Fraser admits.
鈥淚鈥檓 actually really shy, but art helps me open up to people.
鈥淭he artwork is you 鈥� you put yourself up on the wall, pretty much,鈥� he says.
Fraser began drawing when he was in Kindergarten. From the outset, he found he had a knack for it 鈥� something his classmates quickly discovered.
鈥淚 remember during art time (the other kids) would crowd around to see.
鈥淚 hated it,鈥� he says.
Today, painting for crowds is a large part of what he does. In fact, the creation of his pieces is an art form in itself.
Working with his back to the audience, he often forgets they鈥檙e there, so the crowds aren鈥檛 a factor.
Sometimes wearing a white suit, other times, stripped to the waist, he applies paint to the oversized canvases, using his hands as his brushes. Music 鈥� usually opera 鈥� plays in the background.
He works fast, completing a large painting in two or three hours.
鈥淚t keeps me in shape. While I鈥檓 up there I鈥檓 sweating, I鈥檓 burning calories,鈥� he said.
He鈥檚 worked on canvases as large as 14-feet by seven-feet, but that gets expensive, so usually he scales it back to six- or seven-foot squares.
When he sets up to paint in Fort 91原创鈥檚 Gasoline Alley during Cranberry Festival this Saturday, rather than paint to recorded music as he normally does, he will be accompanied by Latin guitarist John Gilliat.
Fraser鈥檚 not sure what he will be working on 鈥� maybe a new piece or perhaps one he鈥檚 already started.
That decision usually comes closer to the day, or even hour, of the actual performance.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the way the creative process works,鈥� he says.
鈥⑩赌⑩赌�
The Cranberry Festival will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 6. For more information go to cranberryfest.ca. To learn more about the artist, go to brentrayfraser.com.
