THE PROVINCE, Wednesday, November 29, 1989

Woods' portraits remarkable work

By Art Perry
Portraits are not part of the trends in modern art.

Some mainstream artists still do variations of portraiture--David Hockney and Chuck Close, most notably--but as an accepted avant-garde activity the painted portrait is viewed as archaic. Vancouver artist Joyce Woods thinks otherwise.

In her current exhibit of portraits at the soon to be opened Maison de la Francophonie (Woods is renting the space for one week to show her works), she shows us renderings of her family and friends. Many of the portraits are shown in pairs, one from 1983 and the other from this year. The result is an eerie look at how time and culture change even if the person stands still.

"My manner of working is simple and direct," says Woods. "I work only from live subjects whom I know, and I prefer to complete each painting in one intense sitting of two to four hours." This leaves a freshness and an energy in her images.

A major work in the show is a nine-panel piece which shows her own family, including a self portrait. Other subjects in the exhibit--such as John Gray, Oraf and Alan Wood--are more relaxed.

Joyce Woods is, in many ways, an astounding portraitist. Her show is only up for a few days so try not to miss it. Joyce Woods: Family and Friends, Maison de la Francophonie, 1545 West Seventh, 736-6979, until Nov.29.