Today is a good day. If you happen to grab a copy of the Sarnia Observer you will certainly notice an eye-catching front cover. I’m sure many viewers currently reading this post were directed to my website from this as well. Already today I began to run into people around town that have recognized me from the article … even before I had a chance to see it myself.
If you have discovered my website through the newspaper article I hope that you enjoy what you see and take some time to explore the website. Currently I’m wrapping up a project I had began last week in which I drew (painted?) pictures of vibrantly coloured birds using “Highlighters”. Don’t worry though, I’m not finished with the highlighter artwork… nor my goalie mask hockey paintings. I like to keep busy and jump from one project to the next. I suggest bookmarking my site and returning each week… or month to view all of the new artwork I turn out. Some things may take a day, others a week – some are a series of works, while others are individual pictures to themselves.
Also, boy am I ever excited to watch my part on the OMNI TV program IN[Kultura] tonight at 7pm. I travelled to Toronto to do the interview and had a great time doing so. I can’t wait – hopefully more people have a chance to check it out as well.
http://www.theobserver.ca/2013/03/22/sarnia-artist-to-appear-on-tv-special
ART
Sarnia artist to appear on TV special
By Tara Jeffrey, Sarnia Observer
Sarnia’s Michael Slotwinski has been touring the province with his popular art exhibit, Hockey’s Masked Men. The 23-year-old will be featured on an OMNI TV program this Saturday. SUBMITTED PHOTO/ THE OBSERVER/ QMI AGENCY
What began as a university class project has turned into a launching pad for Michael Slotwinski’s budding artist career.
“We were asked to paint something old and something new,” said the 23-year-old Sarnia native, pointing to his time at the University of Guelph’s studio arts program.
So the lifelong h ockey fan chose goalie masks as his theme.
“Lots of people recognize these goalie masks for being iconic — their favourite teams, favourite players wore them,” said Slotwinski. “And well, we’re Canadian, and everyone can respond to them.”
Slotwinski’s hockey mask project became so popular, he decided to branch out, creating a series of large-size oil paintings of the famous NHL hockey goalie masks — from controversial to interpretive — dating back to the 1960s, including Gerry Cheevers, Grant Fuhr, Patrick Roy, Ken Dryden, Martin Brodeur and more.
“It’s been fantastic,” said Slotwinski, who has since graduated from the University of Guelph, as well as the university of Western Ontario, where he achieved his bachelor of education.
Late last year, he approached the Sarnia Sting organization to play host to his Hockey’s Masked Men exhibit.
“They welcomed me to the arena and it really set this thing rolling,” said Slotwinski, noting that hungry hockey fans were looking for their fix during the NHL lockout at the time.
Since then, the exhibit has been welcomed to OHL arenas across Ontario, including Kitchener, Kingston, Belleville, and Brampton, attracting media attention and landing him an appearance on OMNI TV, set to air this weekend.
“They sent a television crew to my show in Brampton, so that was pretty interesting,” said Slotwinski, who will be featured on the program ŅIN[kul’t ura], a predominantly Polish language weekly program, focusing on people and stories across Canada, with a Polish background.
The show airs at 7 p.m.
“The response has been great; lots of doors have been opening for me,” said the Northern Collegiate graduate, who is back at home in Sarnia working on his next project. “Things couldn’t be better.”
For more on Slotwinski’s work, visit www.slotsartstudio.com