Floating away

Studio Tour off to a strong start

Andrew King isn’t particularly superstitious, but he likes to work in sevens. His latest show, dubbed Random Places, consists of 21 pieces. Each painting represents a unique and emblematic place in Prince Edward County. His style is architectural and graphic but with a healthy dose of whimsy and humour.

“With each work I feel I am telling a story,” explains King. “They are like frames from a film—prompting the viewer to wonder what happens in the rest of the story.”

Mad Dog Gallery has been presenting King’s painting for the past 11 years. It has been a good experience. But nothing compares to what happened on Saturday.

This past weekend marked the beginning of the Studio Tour—two weekends in which artists and galleries throw open their doors, inviting any and all to wander about.

Outside Mad Dog, a queue began to form before the 10 a.m. opening on Saturday. One individual arrived from Toronto, accompanied by her Uber driver. She purchased two pieces and they drove home with the paintings in the seat beside her. By mid-afternoon, all but two of King’s 21 paintings had been sold. By end of day, only one remained.

Many of King’s works feature small human forms against the context of the much larger architectural structures that typically dominate the paintings. King’s inspiration for these characters comes from illustrator and artist Edward Gorey. Both King and Gorey find humour in dark places.

King’s top hatted denizens frequently queue up before a house of worship, as others drift into the sky.

King lives in Ottawa, but his painting career is deeply rooted in Prince Edward County. In previous exhibitions he has featured the lighthouses that serve warning to passing ships and boats. Last year, his show celebrated speedboat heritage featuring the Miss Supertest, which plied the waters of Hay Bay.

Random Places, minus a few pieces, is on display this weekend at Mad Dog Gallery.