Artist Sean George"s exhibit in Barrie officially opens Feb. 6. SUBMITTED

What does Vincent Van Gogh have in common with Barrie?

Sean George, even though they are a couple of centuries and a continent apart.

George is closing the gap with an art show he has developed for Dr. Chris Schell’s eye care clinic. The clinic hosts regular art exhibitions.

George’s show will be installed early next week and there is an opening reception slated for the beginning of February.

“I went across time because a lot of my work deals with identity,” George said of his show which is calling Cold Comfort: the everyday in the art of Vincent Van Gogh.

In it he marries images of the famous impressionist’s work with his own photographs of Barrie and frequently adding text to the finished work. In one work that shows his self portrait and one Van Gogh painted of himself, he wrote a letter to artist. Another piece pairs a Paris street scene with a shot of the Barrie Bus Terminal.

George loves history but he is also interested in people living everyday lives. The exhibition includes both – a photo of children enjoying a wagon ride is paired with another Van Gogh work.

There are 21 pieces in the show.

The New York-born artist gave up a full-time job at the Vancouver Art Gallery, where he worked in Public Programs and Education, to move to Barrie, where he has family, and pursue his own art. In addition to

spending 15 years at the gallery, he also taught art and design history at the Art Institute of Vancouver.

George has enjoyed photographer from the time he was a child. His aunt gave him in a camera at age 11, a point-and-shoot Kodak Ektralite 10. Michael Landon, one of the stars of the TV show Little House on the Prairie, was pictured in advertisements with the camera. George was also allowed to use his uncle’s Pentax on occasion.

George said his first photos were of his guinea pig Honey and a trip to the Butchart Gardens in Victoria, B.C., with his grandparents. For his first exhibition, a group show in the mid-1990s, he was already playing with different effects. He rubbed grease onto the lens of a disposable camera for a panoramic shot of English bank building.

In the mid-1990s, he began using different photographic techniques to form a photomontage. He is interested in using finished images in different ways, to create unique effects with a finished photograph. His dream job is to be a photo editor.

It was a successful solo exhibit at the Grunt Gallery, Vancouver, in 2010 that served as a turning point for George. Listed as one of the top 10 shows of 2010, it dealt with male culture and what it means to be a man.

After it, he embarked on a journey of self discovery and identity. He moved to Barrie at the end of that year and has been doing contract work and independent projects. One recent community project centered on seniors and mental health.

In this exhibition, his interest is in understanding the role of the artist in society. While George admits that Van Gogh is not his favourite painter, he has a lot of respect for the artist who produced some 800

works over a 10-year period. And for his time Van Gogh was considered to be very cutting edge.

“(He is) an amazing writer – very clear and articulate about what he was doing,” said George.

‘Cold Comfort: the everyday in the art of Vincent Van Gogh. will be on display the end of April at Dr. Chris Schell’s eye care clinic, 225 Ferndale Dr. S. Opening reception is Feb. 6 from 7-9 p.m. Music will be provided by Randall Mathieu. The show is open to the public during business hours, no appointment needed.

For more information call 705-734-5700.

Artist Sean George"s exhibit in Barrie officially opens Feb. 6. SUBMITTED