Nick Rooney: Nature's Edge

Nick Rooney (b. 1989 Canada) obtained his MA in Painting from the University of the Arts London, at the Camberwell College of Arts in London, England and now resides in Calgary.

Much of his early career was spent focusing on the craft of oil painting developing a contemporary art practice deeply rooted in art history. His current studio work and research look at the relationship between the reductive formalism of geometric minimalism and the complexity of classical realism.

Rooney’s work has always been greatly influenced by and stimulated by art history. The body of work titled “Nature’s Edge” uses natural history and the symbolism attributed to animals to examine how the edge of each space functions as both a beginning and an end. Rooney seeks out subjects with rich historical and narrative meanings that resonate with him. He is also very interested in the emergence of abstraction. While aware of the denial of meaning in formalist criticism, he is convinced that even the most simplified shapes suggest the unknown, leading to greater insights and spiritual truths. In his paintings, Rooney tries to suggest more than what meets the eye. By bringing together in one frame both his passion for representation, and minimalist geometric abstraction, Rooney is seeking to stimulate a deeper understanding of life. These disquieting juxtapositions are jarring, shaking us out of our complacency. By heightening our awareness, painting can help us to be more reflective as we try to comprehend the fragmented perception and uncertainties of life at nature's edge.