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woodezine - Volume
III - Issue V - May 2005
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Dorsey James
Woodezine is honored to present a small
sampling of
the prolific work of one of Canada's premier artists.
When you visit his Web site, make sure that,
on the "Indoor" gallery, you look in the top right
corner for links to pages two and three. (We almost missed them.)
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Dorsey James grew up in a ghetto of
Philadelphia and attended York University in Toronto. He has been showing
his art professionally since his second year of teaching. When asked
whether or not his work changed once he began selling pieces he replied,
"No, it hasn't yet and I hope it never does. Art is a very selfish pursuit.
Its about my perceptions of the earth, my perceptions of the world and
the universe--selling my work is just part of making a living."
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While he still likes to work a cartoon figure in the round every now and then, most of his work is quite spiritual. His religious background and interest in biblical characters continues to play a significant role in his artwork. Commissions have developed into nearly a full-time occupation. People seek him out to create a legend or artistic representation of their own lives. |
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He has been recognized time and time
again for his work, including first and second-place winnings at many
art and carving exhibitions in addition to receiving art and civic recognition
awards from Markham, Scarborough and Pickering. He has completed numerous
commissions and exhibited in the USA, Germany and across Canada. Notably,
Dorsey James was the first black Canadian artist inducted into the Ontario
Society of Artists, which has been deemed a major stepping stone by
other black artists in Canada.
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Most recently, his project entitled
Home Place was a lengthy government commission involving numerous carvings,
many of which employed recycled hydro poles to represent light and communication.
Located in Pickering, Ontario, Home Place was created to symbolize change,
growth and evolution within our communities. The web page www.homeplace.ca
provides photographs and explanations of each piece.
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One of Canada's premier wood carvers, James also is a respected teacher. What is expressed through his sculptures also comes through in his classroom. He has been teaching at Markham District High School for a number of years, inspiring students with stories of his life experiences and ability to convey his knowledge and expertise of the fine arts. |
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Dorsey James will no doubt continue to draw from his rich personal experience in developing his art, recognizing his black heritage, and focusing most acutely on his identity as a human being. Our thanks to Alison Ellwood for her biography of Mr. James, and to the artist for his permission to use material from his Web site. |
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All text and images on this page are copyrighted and used with the artist's permission. |