Regina Coupar, Peer Gallery
Artist Statement
Art functions in two ways in my life: it is the process by which I 'figure things out' and it provides a vehicle by which I sometimes communicate my findings to others. As such, the content of my art practice has followed the trajectory of my life. For example, when I was young and in awe of the landscape, my art tended to be representational, imitating that which I found most inspiring. When I went through a divorce, my art became darker, reflecting the struggles of oppression and emancipation. Currently, as I work on a Masters Degree in Theological Studies, I use my art to question traditional theological assumptions (my own and those of western culture) and to explore new ways of understanding religion.
(Click to view Regina's Gallery).
These themes -- love for beauty, struggle with the darker side of human nature, and questions with regard to spirituality and religion -- continue to inform my art practice. The raku process allows me to synthesize the first two themes by creating works whichare beautiful (in form and surface) but which also show the scars of struggle (sometimes represented by sooty edges and tong marks). Some of my raku pieces also incorporate elements of my third interest (the challenge of traditional religious dogma, for example),by including sections of biblical text as collage material in the work, as may be found in "Book of Life" and "Wrapped in the Word". For me, art is not only something I do, it is the visible expression of who I am at any given stage in my life.
Biography
A Nova Scotian artist and writer of Acadian descent, Regina Coupar lives and works in an historic sea captain’s house overlooking Chester Basin. Her artworks have been exhibited across Canada and in the United States and are included in numerous collections such as The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, the Nova Scotia Art Bank, and the Atlantic School of Theology. She is a juried member of the Designer Craft Council of Nova Scotia, a Writers' Council member of the Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia, past Chair of Visual Arts Nova Scotia, and has served on the boards of the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, the Cultural Federations of Nova Scotia and the Nova Scotia Arts Advisory Council. Regina is the author of five books; including The Seeker’s Heart (Blue Grama) and The Art of Soul (Novalis, 2002).
Education
Regina is presently a graduate student in the Master of Theological Studies program at the Atlantic School of Theology in Halifax, working on a thesis that explores the relationship between art and theology from a contemporary perspective. She has a BA in Religious Studies and Fine Arts (Mount Saint Vincent University,1998) and a diploma in Ministry and Theology from AST (1995). She was the first woman/lay person to chair the Atlantic Seminar in Theological Education.
In 2007 Regina participated in an artist residency at Hummingbird House in Tucson, Arizona. She has made research trips to Colorado, Arizona, Los Angeles (as part of a government delegation), and Greece (where she was invited to teach life drawing) which continue to influence her technique and choice of subject matter.
Awards
2008 Art Bank of Nova Scotia purchase, "The Book of Life",
raku and acrylic collage
2002 Remick Trust Fund Grant, Canadian Geological
Foundation (for "Written
in Stone" series of acrylic paintings)
2002 Short-listed for Evelyn
Richardson Award for non-fiction (The Art of Soul)
1998 President’s Prize,
Mount Saint Vincent University
1998 Roman Catholic Women’s League Book Award,
Mount Saint Vincent University
1998 Nancy Logan Scholarship, Mount
Saint Vincent University
1997 Mount Saint Vincent Merit Scholarships
1997 Canadian Federation
of University Women Scholarship
1997 Undergraduate competition, University
of Prince Edward Island, (Paper Title: "Hildegard of Bingen, One Woman’s
Work")
1997
Academic Scholarship to study French at Université Laval, Quebec
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2008 "Icons",
Ballroom Gallery, Halifax, NS (November)
2007 "Contemporary Myth",
Craig Gallery, Dartmouth, NS
2006 "Myth-Making", Art Gallery
of Nova Scotia Gallery Shop, Halifax, NS
2004 "Synthesis" (raku),
ADJA Gallery, Liverpool, NS
2004 "Intimacy" (raku), Peer Gallery,
Lunenburg, NS
2003 "Woman
as Vessel" (raku), Art Gallery of NS Gallery
Shop, Halifax, NS
2003 “Written in Stone” (painting), Fundy Geological
Museum, Parsboro, NS
2003 "Celebration" (painting), YWCA Art Gallery,
Halifax, NS
2000 “Goddess Re-Membered”,
Ballroom Gallery, Halifax, NS
1995 “Awakened Spirit” (painting, lithography),
Trianon Gallery, Lethbridge, Alberta
1993 “Echoes of the Remnant” (paintings
from Echoes of the Remnant), Nova Scotia Teachers College, Truro, NS
1990
“The Spirit Sings” (paintings from The Spirit Sings), Nova Scotia Teachers
College, Truro, NS; Berkshire Institute for Theology in the Arts, Stockbridge,
Mass.; Canadian Association of Pastoral Educators (Annual conference),
St. John, NB; Frog Hollow Books, Halifax, NS
Selected Group Exhibitions
2005 "Masterworks" (raku
- invited, juried), Mary E. Black Gallery, Halifax, NS
2005 Nova Scotia
Potter's Guild Members Show (raku), Craig Gallery, Dartmouth, NS
2005 "Raku",
HandSmiths Gallery, Halifax, NS
2004 "Poetics" (raku, 2 person),
Truro Art Society, Truro, NS
2002 “The Art of Worship” (painting, juried),
Mary E. Black Gallery, Halifax, NS
1997 “Resurrection” (painting - invited),
Atlantic School of Theology, Halifax, NS
1996 Juried traveling exhibition
(lithography), Nova Scotia Printmakers Association, Nova Scotia; Quebec;
Manitoba
1994 “Woman’s Work” (images from my book
Light Among the Shadows), Nova Scotia Teachers College, Truro, NS
1993 “Stone:
Images of Midlife” (lithography - two person show), Watermark Gallery, Amherst;
Lunenburg Art Gallery, Lunenburg, NS
1990 “One Year Later” (lithography
-juried), Anna Leonowens Gallery, Halifax, NS
1990 “Living Proof” (lithography
- juried), Bloomfield Gallery, St. Francis Xavier
University, Antigonish, NS
Selected Publications (visual and written)
2008 "The
Living Word: A visual exploration of women's struggle between faith
and tradition" Making Waves, 7:2 (Toronto: WICC) (including cover
art).
2007 "The Sixth Day" cover image for Exhchange (Toronto:
UCPH)
2007 Arts and Spirituality, Editor: Ann Flemming (Toronto: UCPH).
2006 "Book
Review",
Studio Ceramics in Canada by Gail Crawford, Craft News, (Halifax, NSDCC).
2004 The Seeker's Heart: Meditations Inspired
by the Book of Psalms (Lethbridge: Blue Grama) (book/poetry, 160
pages).
2002 The Art of Soul, An Artist’s
Guide to Spirituality (Ottawa:
Novalis) (book, 248 pages/includes original prose, poems and images).
1995 Light Among
the Shadows, Releasing Feminine Spirit (Truro: Gamaliel)
(book, 94 pages).
1993 Echoes of the Remnant (Truro: Gamaliel) (book, 120 pages)
1992 The Spirit Sings, Reflections from an artist’s
journal (Truro:
Gamaliel) (book, 116 pages).
Selected Teaching
2008 "Art and Faith" Conference,
St. Matthew's Church, Halifax, NS
2006-2007 'Writers in the Schools' program
in various Nova Scotia schools
2005 "Life Drawing", Triopetra
Yoga Retreat Center, Crete, Greece
2005 Guest, "Art and Religion Special",
Spirit Connections Toronto, Ont. (Vision TV)
2004 "Art and Faith",
National Conference, United Church, Banff Arts Centre, Alta.
2002 “Theology
of the Imagination”, workshop for Women Doing Theology in Canada Conference,
Winnipeg, Manitoba
1997-2000 “Illustration” (level I),
Interactive Technology Program, Nova Scotia Community College, Truro
Campus, NS (credit course)
1998-2000 “Illustration”
(levels I and II); Digital Animation Program, Nova Scotia Community
College, Truro Campus, NS (credit courses)
1998-2000 “Life
Drawing” (levels I, III, IV), Digital Animation Program, Nova Scotia
Community College, Truro Campus, NS (credit courses)
2001, 1993 “Symbolism”,
Truro, NS; "Discovering Inner Images",
Antigonish, NS; (Art Teachers Association In-service programs)
1998 “Conference
Artist-in-Residence” for Ecumenical Decade of Churches in Solidarity with
Women Conference, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario
1995
“Releasing Feminine Spirit, worshops in Lethbridge, Alberta; Montreal,
Quebec
1992 “Should Art be Mandatory in the Public School System?”’
Maritime Noon, CBC Radio, Halifax, NS (guest)
1991 “Spirituality and Art”,
invited keynote speaker, Berkshire Institute for Theology in the Arts; Stockbridge,
Mass., U.S.A.
Selected Collections
Art Gallery of Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia Art Bank (x2)
Atlantic School of Theology
University College of Cape Breton Art
Gallery
City of Moncton
McCain Foods
Atlantic Loto Corporation
Montreal Trust Company
Museum of Industry, Stellarton, N.S.
Community
Peer Gallery, Lunenburg co-operative gallery, member
Visual Arts
Nova Scotia, Life Member (Chair 1987)
Writers' Federation of Nova
Scotia, Writers' Council Member
Nova Scotia Designer Craft Council,
Juried Member
Atlantic Seminar in Theological Education (Steering
Committee member 1988-2000, first woman, first layperson Chair 1991-1994)
Tatamagouche
Centre, Program Resource Group, Member (2004, 2005)
Judge, Nova Scotia Designer
Craft Council Christmas Show (2003)
Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Life Member
(Board Member 1987-1989)
Canadian Artist Representation, past member
Nova Scotia Printmakers
Association, past member
Artist in Residence, NS Teachers College;
NS Community College (1995-1999)
Cultural Federations of Nova Scotia
(Visual Arts Nova Scotia rep 1990-1992)
Nova Scotia Arts Advisory
Council to the Minister of Culture (1988-1990)
Cobequid Arts Council,
Truro, NS, (Board member 1978, 1986, 1988, 1984)
Signatures Gallery
of Fine Art, Truro, NS (Artist co-operative, member 1981-1984)
Representation
Regina Coupar Studio, Chester Basin,
N.S
Peer Gallery, Lunenburg,
NS
Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Gallery Shop, Halifax, NS
ADJA Gallery,
Liverpool, NS
Northern Sun, Mahone Bay, NS
Details Gallery, Charlottetown, PEI.
Southern Alberta Art Gallery,
Gallery Shop, Lethbridge, Alberta
Other web sites
Regina Coupar Studio Chester Basin, Nova Scotia
Writers Federation of Nova Scotia