Dan Steeves is presenting a series of printworks ‘The House as Fortress, the dichotomy of symbolic structure’ at The Lookout Gallery, Regent College, at UBC, Vancouver until October 14th.

Yesterday we were pleased to have artist Dan Steeves visit as guest speaker in the Printmaking department of Studio Arts, Capilano University**. He teaches printmaking at Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick, his home province.

Dan Steeves showed his recent works that are in the exhibition as well as numerous older works. A warm and gifted speaker, he described his techniques in his chosen medium of etching always in black and white. His method is slow and painstaking as he works from black to white. Frequently reusing old plates sometimes allows him to incorporate old textures and “ghosts” to great effect.

Informed by his Atlantic Canada roots, Dan Steeves often uses images of local old houses and public buildings as a metaphor for sanctuary, security, safety, OR as fortress in the negative sense. His stories behind each work were fascinating, personal and sometimes heart wrenching. Someone in the audience said, “I almost want to cry”, to some empathetic laughter from the rest of us. His prints really are very evocative and beautiful both technically and spiritually.

Dan Steeves finished by saying to the students that no matter what medium or style you choose to work in as an artist, it must come from the heart and not be just the fashion of the day. (Or something like that, I didn’t get a chance to write it down.)

Do enjoy a look at Dan Steeves’ work at his website.

**Since writing this, the College has since been designated a University so name and link have been updated.