Under a big sky

Kurtis – now based in Perth, Ont. and whose work is on display at Gloucester’s Rothwell Gallery until Oct. 29 – explains her decision to return to painting full-time only came a decade and a half ago, even after studying art at numerous schools across Quebec and Ontario in her youth. “I decided I wanted to quit in 1995 to go back to painting,” recounts the award-winning artist. “I really wanted to go back to painting full-time.”

Another major turning point for Kurtis, who paints exclusively in acrylics but also works in pastels, was the move from portraiture to landscape pieces – her skyscapes are the centrepiece of the Rothwell exhibit – after meeting a geographer.

The initial inspiration to turn away from her regular routine of capturing water on canvas and to the sky, however, came while driving back to Ontario from Washington, Kurtis says, a journey that took her through the U.S. and Canada and into the country. “I was so mesmerized by the abstract shapes and patterns,” she explains. “I couldn’t wait to get back to my studio and start painting. (Driving that long) you really get a sense of it.”

Working both from her imagination and from photographs taken through the windshield during her trip, Kurtis “shifted from looking down (with water) to looking up,” she continues. “It was changing my sensitivities. I’d been thinking about doing skyscapes for a number of years, but I hadn’t really been prompted.”

For Rothwell owner Rehana Mufti, who selected the painter after completing a call for artists, “Aili’s work was very intriguing,” she recounts. “They’re absolutely gorgeous acrylics.”

Bypassing the route of traditional landscape works, Mufti instead chose Kurtis’ “big sky” paintings for both their clear illustration of talent and for providing a new take on nature-centric art. “It just makes you feel you’re under the skies,” she says. “It’s different from the traditional flowers and landscapes. It’s something that’s totally different and exciting in art.”

With the landscapes featuring Canadian scenes and locations, the exhibit also touches on what makes Canada beautiful, Mufti suggests. “We’re trying to help people to appreciate our wonderful country,” she explains.

The Rothwell exhibit does feature some diversity beyond acrylics and skyscapes, however, continues Kurtis, including two pieces focusing on other natural aspects and one pastel. Otherwise, “they’re all paintings of the sky under different conditions,” she recounts. “I’m mainly looking for some kind of contrast between a … brooding sky and a kind of a silver lining.” For more information, please visit www.ailikurtis.com or www.rothwellgallery.com