by Sher Hackwell

With the onset of cooler days, thoughts turn indoors and for many people, projects around the house.

Projects such as painting that spare room may come to mind. Why not try a new perspective? Take a fresh look at the everyday objects that surround you. For example, do the drywall nails or pops form a pattern? Or how about the electrical wires winding their way between the studs?

This altered perspective on the everyday is the kind of thing that has inspired artist Robert Young, whose is currently exhibiting his work, titled Quotidian View at the Burnaby Art Gallery.

Young’s work has transformed both the main and second floor galleries into something glorious.

Quotidian—meaning “the everyday”—is not your typical take on common things but instead an inspiring view through the artist’s eyes. Young’s art has been engaging audiences for nearly 40 years.

Dedicated to the mediums of drawing, painting and print, Young has created a body of work that has garnered critical attention and praise from artists, curators and critics from across North America and Europe.

He has had successful one-person exhibitions at numerous public art galleries across British Columbia, including the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Simon Fraser University Gallery, Charles H. Scott Gallery and the Vancouver Art Gallery.

His work can be found in various Canadian art museum collections, including the National Gallery of Canada, Art Gallery of Ontario, Vancouver Art Gallery, and our own Burnaby Art Gallery.

This quotidian theme carries through Young’s drawings, watercolours and prints created over the past 27 years.

His works have a strong intellectual appeal and an impeccable sense of craft.

But one doesn’t have to be an art aficionado to appreciate it—Young insists his work is accessible if one just takes the time to look at it.

Burnaby Art Gallery director/curator Darrin Martens notes in his introduction to Young’s catalogue, “As an art museum dedicated to collecting and interpreting Canadian works of art on paper and print culture, the Burnaby Art Gallery sought Young out to create a challenging, critically engaging and meaningful exhibition that reflected his contribution to Canadian art.

“As the creation and development of visual art exhibitions are organic in nature and should, I believe, include the artist whenever possible, Quotidian View developed to include drawings, watercolours and studies for paintings that were representative of Young’s artistic career from 1981 until the present. ... I believe that what we have in front of us is the extraordinary and challenges us, as viewers, to engage, look and consider this artist’s view of his surroundings and how that speaks about us and how we look at our environment.”

Meet the artist

If you’re interested in learning how to look at the mundane with fresh eyes, join Robert Young and art historian Roger Boulet for an open conversation and walking tour of Robert Young’s work on exhibit on Sunday, Oct. 25 from 4:30 - 6 p.m.

• Sher Hackwell is marketing assistant at the Burnaby Art Gallery, 6344 Deer Lake Ave. Visit www.burnabyartgallery.ca.