Peter Andrew Samuel Wood

The Jet Black project will focus on bread making in the Tradition of Quebec Bread Oven from 17th century in the Bas St. Laurent region of Quebec. The name of the project comes from the name of a horse whose image was lovingly carved into granite outcropping 5km from the site of the building. This important historical legacy like so many things in the Pontiac is hidden. Like the carving of Jet Black, this project will serve to enrich and charm both residents and visitors to the Pontiac. This project serves several purposes: It is a sustainable clean practice, it employs local citizens, it restores important historical buildings, it educates. This business will capitalize on my own rich artistic and cultural education. Customers will choose this business for excellent art, tradition country made bread, cooked in a true Quebec wood fired bread oven,.The project will educate and accommodate. People will buy art because of the regional and historical value of the work. People will drive from Montreal, Ottawa and Pembrook to appreciate this place. What’s more, the location in Ladysmith, Quebec, could be an important link to cycling and other adventure tour experiences in the region.

The need for humble meditation and escape from the world has long been a necessity for me. From my early tree climbing days I always enjoyed the escape to leafy solitudes. The construction is 12 feet above the ground, between two red pines planted by my grandfather 45 years ago. The house measures 8 feet by 5 feet. The entrance is by way of a trap door. Three small windows from open both North and South. Two large panels of the roof open to admit good light and air wide on the East and West sides.

“Technology has always been an extension of the Human body[1]” Glasses are an extension of our vision. Cars, planes and trains are extensions of our legs. Computers are extensions of many parts of us: voice, imagination, memory and so much more. Another quality computers and humans share is viruses. A computer designer by the name of Rocko Barnette[2] was commissioned by the German engineering firm Shiztcopt Global National (SGN) Incorporated[3] to create a computer program that would take the binary machine code, assign imaging software to make a visual representation of computer viruses. Quite by intention, these strange morphing geometric shapes appear similar to electron microscope scans of scientific visual references of disease. Cancer occurs during cell division. A new field of research is around the healthy phase of an organism’s existence: cell death also known as apoptosis. Much research is around this phase for cancer research. During some cell die off a mutation occurs so rampant, unregulated growth happens. This in turn may become cancerous tumors that ultimately negatively impact the health of the body by interrupting necessary body functions like respiration or circulation. Painting is also a technology that is an extension of the mind. During my regular painting process I came to a canvass with an idea. My ideas this term have been around precise letters and grids. If we liken the act of painting to cell division sometimes mutation occurs at a site of transition or when faults have happened. For this work I will paint grids on Plexi-glass and on that grid I will place concentric circles suggesting the bull’s eye target. During the process of painting if there is a drip that falls off my brush, or if I get paint on myself, or if I need to leave the painting process for any reason ( telephone, washroom break, random strangers at the door) I will mark this place on the canvass. This will be the point of mutation. After the grid and the target are dry, I will place the painting in the “Apoptosis Truant Mutant Machine[4]” to generate the full affect of the mutation. Anywhere a round and a straight line overlap will be the place of unregulated drips and faults. These drips and faults will become the main element of the painting. The colours for these faults will be “bravado red”.

[1] Quote from Margret Atwood, 2008, CBC Massey Lecture.

[2] Rocko Barnette is a false name that I came up with because I couldn’t remember the actual name of the designer on the internet.

[3] Shiztcopt Global National Incorporated. I also made this one up. Shiztcopt is German for shit head.

[4] ATM machine for short, not to be confused with ATM which is the Automated Teller Machine used to withdraw cash from the bank. This is different because rather that removing money from my bank account I believe through appropriate marketing and promotion it could be a big hit and I'd make the money instead.