SLAVE TO THE GRIND is where you go for a well-made cup of coffee.

The cozy downtown cafe has been brewing up more than just espresso lately. They have hosted a series of art exhibitions, all by young artists. Tthe artists behind the shows have been creating a lot of buzz.

 

Last August, the coffee house hosted a show by Evan Scott. Evan is only twenty-four years old but he is no fledgling. Already, he has a distinct style. He is shy, soft-spoken, and a bit of an endearing geek: he has longish hair, dresses in denim and plaid, and wears glasses like those made famous by Malcolm X. It’s not hard to imagine him in some laid-back, slightly grungy bar in Greenwich Village — though he also describes himself as a country boy (he lives on a small farm near Sebringville).

 

He’s the real thing. I was deeply impressed by his portraits. Evan gravitates towards people – he’s interested in people. His depictions are fun, sympathetic, and slightly offbeat. I particularly like his “collages", which are somewhat of a paradox: they are simplistic yet decidedly revealing.

 

This past summer during sunny afternoons, I would find Evan perched outside the cafe, drawing people’s portraits. Indeed, this is where I interviewed him and part way through our converation, we had to take a break because a passerby wanted his portrait done.

 

What I find most remarkable about Evan is that he’s almost completely self-taught. After graduating from high school, he chose to study art at Centennial College in Toronto. He soon decided it wasn’t for him and withdrew from the program — some might see this as misguided, but I see it as brave.

 

“On some levels, art can be taught,” he says. “You can teach technique, but you can’t teach someone to be an artist. You can’t teach creativity.” Most of his friends are artists and musicians. He himself used to be in a band, but now focuses mostly on the visual. When he’s not drawing, he supplements his income by working at a factory here in Stratford (almost all the artists I know have to supplement their income).

 

I was moved by his openness. He talked at great length about the anxiety involved in creating art. An inveterate chain smoker (though he’s trying to quit), his creative process is hindered by the usual demon — namely, anxiety. He also talked about his three (yes, count them, three) concussions. But despite all this, I think he has a very bright future in front of him. He talks of approaching galleries in Toronto, and moving outside the province. I wish him well.

 

In October, Andrea Carroll (age 29) and her partner Adam Boshart (age 32) had a show at the café. They are a handsome, free-spirited couple, and in a way (I don’t mean this unkindly) they are a wonderful anachronism. They are young yet they seem like a product of the sixties. I could easily see them moving to Tofino, BC, and starting up a printing studio, growing organic vegetables, and spending hours meditating in the forest. I’m willing to bet they have lots of wind chimes. I am jealous — this kind of lifestyle and outlook takes discipline (which I lack).

 

Andrea studied art at the University of Guelph and at Queen’s. Her work has greatly influenced Adam and they often collaborate. Much of their work is inspired by nature and they explore themes of healing and awareness. Indeed, they sometimes host workshops based on “healing.” Adam described it to me, and it sounded like collaborative performance art. I am interested in attending.

 

Adam was born in Kitchener and grew up in small towns near Stratford.

He studied Kinesiology at Wilfred Laurier University and Fitness and Health at Fanshaw College. He seems almost like a modern day medicine man, and is attracted to all things holistic. He started sketching before he met Andrea, but it wasn’t until they became a couple that his work started to blossom. They have had shows at Revel Café here in Stratford, and they have exhibited at a few art fairs in Toronto. Last year, they were thrilled to be invited to the Heart and Mind Festival in New York. So far this is their largest collaborative exhibition.

 

I went to the opening of their show. Despite the heavy rainfall, they had a nice turnout. The crowd gave off a good vibe: it was soothing, and relaxing, not unlike the artwork on the walls. There is nothing arrogant about their work; it’s devoid of pretention. They want to awaken the senses, and make you aware of the beauty around you, even when it’s banal.

 

“When I’m drawing, it’s almost like a form of meditation,” says Adam. For Andrea it is also therapeutic. What’s most impressive is their wonderful use of colour. Great splashes of it leap off the canvases. They combine the surreal with the realistic and almost all their work includes symbolism pertaining to the environment: trees, flowers, birds, clouds. It’s like looking at nature through a psychedelic kaleidoscope.

 

Right now you can see Adam and Andrea’s work at SLAVE TO THE GRIND. You can also visit their website at: www.twofoldhealing.com

 

You can also commission Evan Scott to do a portrait — please contact START STRATFORD for his contact information.