Stephen Gibb » canadian

Canadian Artist Stephen Gibb

Stephen Gibb — Tue, 10 Jan 2017 20:52:34 +0000

Opening the chocolate door that leads to the room where my ideas come from

Canadian Artist

Stephen Gibb

Canadian

Revenge of the Sycophant Scorned

What I bring to the art world as a Canadian artist is my idiomatic perspective on Surrealism. Dubbed by some as Bubblegum Surrealism or Pop Surrealism, I use the form to convey ideas in a pictorial and symbolic way using our rich visual culture to pull from. Often borrowing from nursery rhymes, Mother Goose and Grimm’s Fairy Tales, I take imagery of established conventions of childhood story telling and update them into adult themes.

In the above image I have clearly appropriated the image of Humpty Dumpty. His frail frame and cautious life-under-threat existence is the perfect emblem for the existential human. In this situation he is not perilously teetering on a wall but safely enthroned on a cushioned chair.

The real threat comes from the enraged monstrous head that is either poised to bite or is actively screaming at poor Humpty. The head-monster is strangling a chicken (old school end-of-life method for chickens) while in his skull gestates an embryonic spectre of death which opposes the potential of life-the standard symbolism associated with growth in the womb or within an egg.

To make matters worse, there seems to be an even more repulsive monster consuming a chicken leg at the top. On the wall hangs a portrait of a fried egg which brings the chicken/egg theme full circle. Like some ancestral painting it immortalizes an egg in an aborted stage of development.

My intent isn’t to impart a rigid, fixed meaning to the painting but to suggest a direction for the viewer to explore. There are some obvious themes and there are some that are more subtle. The transformative concepts of life, and mortality are readily available to the viewer as well as the personal associations they may draw from the objects themselves. There is also a narrative that presents itself through the title of the piece. The “Sycophant” is embodied by the head-monster and his rage is directed towards his one-time master Humpty Dumpty, royally perched on his throne. One can only guess what caused the revolt, but I suspect the spectre of death had something to do with it all…

See if you can break the code on these paintings…

Persistence of decay

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Revenge of the Sycophant Scorned

Artist:

Stephen Gibb

Dimensions:

2’

×

2’

Materials:

oil

on

panel

Happy! — Stephen Gibb, 36″ x 24″, oil on panel, 2020

For more on Canadian Artist Stephen Gibb take a little trip to folllow Stephen Gibb on Instagram

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While Canada may be best known for hockey, maple syrup and poutine it also has a rich history in the arts and literature as being a detached point of perspective from which to do profound field studies on the United States. As the nearest sibling to America, Canada has been infiltrated by its culture, invaded by its advertising, amused and confused by its politics and saturated by its media. Where better than to observe the crucible of western culture and watch it bubble over…?

Bubblegum Surrealism: Stephen Gibb – Artist Statement, pop surrealism canada, canadian artist.
(Or, at least a feeble attempt to excuse my behaviour to those present with good taste)
My artwork weaves an eclectic tapestry of cultural and social influences. At one moment it may make a surreal single-punch-line comment on Canadian pop culture while the next it may construct a complex and playful diorama of surrealism probing into the outer perimeters of human nature and surrealism.
I am often categorized as a Canadian Artist surrealism but I’d begrudgingly prefer to tag it as existential editorial cartoon realism (Canadian bubblegum surrealism), just because it sounds more intelligent and funny at the same time. The work holds a certain surreal reverence and faithfulness to reality mimicry but leans away enough to fall in the shadow of the “uncanny valley*”, the area where the mind is unsettled by what looks real enough but couldn’t possible
be. It is in this realm, theoretically, that the mind’s gamma waves are super-stimulated and brain activity resembles fireworks. I resolve that this accounts for the broad reactions my work garners from observers, that ranges from contemptuous dismissal to enthusiastic exuberance. We are all wired differently.
The medium is the method, which has been a faithful deployment of oil painting and traditional Surreal Canadian Artist techniques, such as glazing and the occasional dalliance into chiaroscuro. The richness achieved by layers of thinned oil paint on MDF panels always adds an interesting luminous quality to the final piece.
My direction as of late has been to devote more to composing on the panels rather than in sketches. I’m intrigued by the more spontaneous and gratifying results of ideas presenting themselves in the process rather than in the planning, hence the falloff in the recent output of sketches. Often a core image or
concept dictates subliminally as to how the composition manifests itself. Canadian Artist see for more Canadian pop surrealism.

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My obsession with Humpty Dumpty

Stephen Gibb — Fri, 30 Dec 2016 17:24:17 +0000

Humpty Dumpty

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king’s horses and all the king’s men
Couldn’t put Humpty together again…*

My obsession with Humpty Dumpty is both visual philosophical in nature. I am drawn to the famous egg visually, through his numerous portrayals in children’s books. His ovoid shape and cephalic body create a disconcerting strangeness that is hard to forget. Often styled with an equally strange grimace his impact on impressionable children is assured. One of the more famous portrayals is that by John Tenniel in Lewis Carrol’s Through the Looking-Glass (1872). Tenniel’s version of Humpty Dumpty with his wide slit mouth and creepy arched brows has stuck with me and penetrated many of my own characters in my paintings.

Aside from being physically creepy Humpty is also an egg. Frail, vulnerable and awkward he becomes a perfect symbol for the existential human. We are in constant state of alert when it comes to self-preservation and safety, something Humpty took too lightly. I often insert Humpty into my paintings as a symbolic representation of myself. Sometime he is just included as a frail human witness participating in my jumbled scenarios. He becomes a sympathetic entity that the viewer can hopefully identify with.

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* The rhyme does not explicitly state that the subject is an egg, possibly because it may have been originally posed as a riddle. There are also various theories of an original “Humpty Dumpty”. One, advanced by Katherine Elwes Thomas in 1930 and adopted by Robert Ripley, posits that Humpty Dumpty is King Richard III of England, depicted as humpbacked in Tudor histories and particularly in Shakespeare’s play, and who was defeated, despite his armies, at Bosworth Field in 1485.

Professor David Daube suggested in The Oxford Magazine of 16 February 1956 that Humpty Dumpty was a “tortoise” siege engine, an armoured frame, used unsuccessfully to approach the walls of the Parliamentary held city of Gloucester in 1643 during the Siege of Gloucester in the English Civil War. This was on the basis of a contemporary account of the attack, but without evidence that the rhyme was connected. The theory was part of an anonymous series of articles on the origin of nursery rhymes and was widely acclaimed in academia, but it was derided by others as “ingenuity for ingenuity’s sake” and declared to be a spoof. The link was nevertheless popularised by a children’s opera All the King’s Men by Richard Rodney Bennett, first performed in 1969.

From 1996, the website of the Colchester tourist board attributed the origin of the rhyme to a cannon recorded as used from the church of St Mary-at-the-Wall by the Royalist defenders in the siege of 1648. In 1648, Colchester was a walled town with a castle and several churches and was protected by the city wall. The story given was that a large cannon, which the website claimed was colloquially called Humpty Dumpty, was strategically placed on the wall. A shot from a Parliamentary cannon succeeded in damaging the wall beneath Humpty Dumpty which caused the cannon to tumble to the ground. The Royalists (or Cavaliers, “all the King’s men”) attempted to raise Humpty Dumpty on to another part of the wall, but the cannon was so heavy that “All the King’s horses and all the King’s men couldn’t put Humpty together again”. Author Albert Jack claimed in his 2008 book Pop Goes the Weasel: The Secret Meanings of Nursery Rhymes that there were two other verses supporting this claim. Elsewhere, he claimed to have found them in an “old dusty library, an even older book”, but did not state what the book was or where it was found. It has been pointed out that the two additional verses are not in the style of the seventeenth century or of the existing rhyme, and that they do not fit with the earliest printed versions of the rhyme, which do not mention horses and men. – source Wikipedia

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Pop Surrealism meets Pop Art

Stephen Gibb — Sat, 24 Dec 2016 15:27:54 +0000

When Pop Surrealism meets Pop Art the result is something like this:

Pop Art Peanut Butter

Pop Art Popsicle

Pop Art Reese Peanut Butter Cup

Pop Art Happy Candy

Pop Art Happy Cookie

Pop Art Donut

Pop Art Dorito

Pop Art Happy Pie

Pop Art Dopamine

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Thank you for joining us in the off-kilter world of Stephen Gibb, where surrealism and Mother Goose are turned on their heads. Take time to explore and ponder his mysterious paintings, that delve into the anxieties and joys of contemporary life, his musing on human behaviour, philosophy, and the innermost workings of his angular mind. Let’s hear from the artist himself…

(Or, at least a feeble attempt to excuse my behaviour to those present with good taste)
My artwork weaves an eclectic tapestry of cultural and social influences. At one moment it may make a
single-punch-line commentary on pop culture, while the next it may construct a complex and playful diorama
probing into the outer perimeters of human nature.

My work is often categorized as pop surrealism but I’d begrudgingly prefer to tag it as existential editorial
cartoon realism, just because it sounds more intelligent, pretentious and funny at the same time. The work holds
a certain reverence and faithfulness to mimicking reality but leans far enough away to fall in the shadow of the
“uncanny valley”, the area where the mind is unsettled by what looks real enough but couldn’t possible
be. It is in this realm, theoretically, that the mind’s gamma waves are super-stimulated and brain activity
resembles exploding fireworks. I resolve that this accounts for the broad reactions my work garners from observers,
that ranges from contemptuous dismissal to enthusiastic exuberance. We are all wired differently.

The medium is the method, which has been a faithful deployment of oil painting and traditional oil painting
techniques, such as glazing and the occasional dalliance into chiaroscuro. The richness achieved
by layers of thinned oil paint on wood panels always adds an interesting luminous vitality to the final
piece. Pop Surrealism meets Pop Art

My direction as of late has been to devote more to composing on the panels rather than in pre-sketches.
I’m intrigued by the more spontaneous and gratifying results of ideas presenting themselves in the process
rather than in the planning, hence the falloff in the recent output of sketches. Often a core image or
concept dictates subliminally as to how the composition manifests itself. pop art peanut butter, pop surrealism peanut butter, pop art cookie, pop surrealism cookie, pop art popsicle, pop surrealism popsicle,

Canadian Pop Surrealism meets Pop Art*

Pop Surrealism meets Pop Art appeared first on Stephen Gibb.

Canadian Surrealism Is Alive

Stephen Gibb — Thu, 22 Dec 2016 21:27:19 +0000

Canadian Surrealism is alive!

Waiting For The Death Blow

A painting also known as The Porpoise Waves Goodbye

The painting is an allegorical blend of sources, specifically songs by The Cure and
The Monkees as well as nursery rhyme and psychological references.

Stephen Gibb

, oil

panel

Canadian Surrealism is confronted head-on by Stephen Gibb’s Bubblegum Surrealism in an upside down Mother Goose world of humour and social commentary.

Always in the state of flux, my perspective on the world and how it informs my artwork is in constant modulation. Part of the input process involves pairing themes and concepts with emotion and contrast, which is then output using my Mother Goose meets Mad Magazine style of Pop Surrealism.

As children, we come to understand abstract concepts like morality and virtue in the form of nursery rhyme and fairy tale messages. What I imagine is the evolution of that form into an adult iteration, inducing an inner turmoil the viewer has to reconcile by navigating the more mature themes disguised as children’s story imagery.

What is perceived at the start is a layer of humourous innocence but what is arrived at in the end is a complex and hopefully intriguing conclusion.

Here we go round the prickly apple at 5 o’clock in the morning

A painting also known as The Hollow Man

The painting is an allegorical blend of biblical, nursery rhyme and psychological references,
taking cues from T.S. Eliot’s The Hollow Men.

Stephen Gibb

, oil

panel

Dopamine

The painting is an allegory of mass consumption and various degrees of desire and disgust.

Stephen Gibb

, oil

panel

The Panpsychic Candy Apple, Stephen Gibb, 36″ x 24″, oil on panel, 2020

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Canadian Surrealism.
Stephen Gibb – Canadian Surrealism disguised as an Artist Statement (Or, at least a feeble attempt to excuse my behaviour to those present with good taste)
What exactly is Canadian Surrealism? What exactly is Surrealism? Formally established in the 1920s by Andre Breton and others, it has persisted and evolved, becoming a shadow of itself but also becoming widely recognized and exploited by media and popular culture. Canadian Surrealism may at its root have a foundation in the indigenous art of Canada. Mystical, spiritual and certainly grounded in the realm of dreams the resonance of that foundation can’t help but manifest itself in Canadian Surrealism and Canadian Art. What I try to do as a surrealist is play with concepts and ideas that appear dreamlike but draw more from a symbolic and more allegorical mindset. A sense of humour also permeates my work, whether you find it funny or not, which I’m sure adds to the mystery and levels of understanding invested in the painting. Canadian Surrealism. Canadian Surrealism

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Dopamine – by Canadian Pop Surrealist Stephen Gibb

Stephen Gibb — Fri, 09 Dec 2016 17:28:07 +0000

Dopamine

Stephen Gibb, oil on panel, 2016

This surreal painting by Canadian artist Stephen Gibb portrays a commentary on consumerism symbolized by the central figure of the all-consuming-mouth monster devouring candy, pastries and chocolate. The central elements contain benign, candy-coloured characters but give way to the austere, menacing and depraved characters that loom on the fringes. The specter of death with it’s grindstone nose, the onion spirit and other unsavory images of decay, disgust and filth frame the sweet interior. The contrast between the desirable and the repulsive adds to the tension of the the concepts at battle.
The title “Dopamine” is in reference to the reward centres of the brain that get flooded with dopamine when stimulated by the powerful feelings of pleasure associated with sugar consumption; however, these excess neurotransmitter levels also take a long-term toll on brain chemistry and can even promote substance dependency.
Go to facebook for more Canadian Pop Surrealism and Bubblegum Surrealism images with links to more content and info.

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Bubblegum Surrealism: Stephen Gibb – Artist Statement, pop surrealism canada, canadian pop surrealism.
(Or, at least a feeble attempt to excuse my behaviour to those present with good taste)
My artwork weaves an eclectic tapestry of cultural and social influences. At one moment it may make a
surreal single-punch-line comment on Canadian pop culture while the next it may construct a complex and playful diorama of surrealism
probing into the outer perimeters of human nature and surrealism.
My work is often categorized as Canadian pop surrealism but I’d begrudgingly prefer to tag it as existential editorial
cartoon realism (Canadian bubblegum surrealism), just because it sounds more intelligent and funny at the same time. The work holds
a certain surreal reverence and faithfulness to reality mimicry but leans away enough to fall in the shadow of the
“uncanny valley*”, the area where the mind is unsettled by what looks real enough but couldn’t possible
be. It is in this realm, theoretically, that the mind’s gamma waves are super-stimulated and brain activity
resembles fireworks. I resolve that this accounts for the broad reactions my work garners from observers,
that ranges from contemptuous dismissal to enthusiastic exuberance. We are all wired differently.
The medium is the method, which has been a faithful deployment of oil painting and traditional Surreal Canadian oil painting
techniques, such as glazing and the occasional dalliance into chiaroscuro. The richness achieved
by layers of thinned oil paint on MDF panels always adds an interesting luminous quality to the final
piece.
My direction as of late has been to devote more to composing on the panels rather than in sketches.
I’m intrigued by the more spontaneous and gratifying results of ideas presenting themselves in the process
rather than in the planning, hence the falloff in the recent output of sketches. Often a core image or
concept dictates subliminally as to how the composition manifests itself. Canadian Surrealism
see stephengibb.com for more Canadian pop surrealism.

The post Dopamine – by Canadian Pop Surrealist Stephen Gibb appeared first on Stephen Gibb.

2016

Stephen Gibb — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 02:33:16 +0000

2016 Paintings

2016

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Visit Sideshow Fine Art for prints of selected works.

Index of paintings by Stephen Gibb 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009

Stephen Gibb – Artist Statement
(Or, at least a feeble attempt to excuse my behaviour to those present with good taste)
My artwork weaves an eclectic tapestry of cultural and social influences. At one moment it may make a
single-punch-line comment on pop culture while the next it may construct a complex and playful diorama
probing into the outer perimeters of human nature.
My work is often categorized as pop surrealism but I’d begrudgingly prefer to tag it as existential editorial
cartoon realism, just because it sounds more intelligent and funny at the same time. The work holds
a certain reverence and faithfulness to reality mimicry but leans away enough to fall in the shadow of the
“uncanny valley”, the area where the mind is unsettled by what looks real enough but couldn’t possible
be. It is in this realm, theoretically, that the mind’s gamma waves are super-stimulated and brain activity
resembles fireworks. I resolve that this accounts for the broad reactions my work garners from observers,
that ranges from contemptuous dismissal to enthusiastic exuberance. We are all wired differently.
The medium is the method, which has been a faithful deployment of oil painting and traditional oilpainting
techniques, such as glazing and the occasional dalliance into chiaroscuro. The richness achieved
by layers of thinned oil paint on MDF panels always adds an interesting luminous quality to the final
piece.
My direction as of late has been to devote more to composing on the panels rather than in pre-sketches.
I’m intrigued by the more spontaneous and gratifying results of ideas presenting themselves in the process
rather than in the planning, hence the falloff in the recent output of sketches. Often a core image or
concept dictates subliminally as to how the composition manifests itself.
see stephengibb.com for more 2016 paintings

The post 2016 appeared first on Stephen Gibb.

Contemporary Art & Bubblegum Surrealism: Stephen Gibb

Stephen Gibb — Thu, 24 Dec 2015 15:04:15 +0000

How does Canadian artist Stephen Gibb figure in contemporary art?

Revenge of the sycophant scorned – 2016

But is it contemporary art?

Here we go round the prickly apple at 5 o’clock in the morning – Stephen Gibb, oil on panel, 2017

Thank you for joining us in the off-kilter world of Stephen Gibb, where surrealism and Mother Goose are turned on their heads. Take time to explore and ponder his mysterious paintings that delve into the anxieties and joys of contemporary life and muse on the complexities of human behaviour and the fuzzy stratospheres of philosophy. Now let’s hear from the artist himself…

When I discovered Hieronymus Bosch at age 11 I knew I was going to be an artist. Up until that point my idea of an artist was Norman Rockwell, so imagine my surprise.

The artwork that made an early impression on my tiny 1960s mind was Rat Fink and the gruesome “Hot Rod” characters popularized by Ed “Big Daddy” Roth. There was something both revolting and appealing about his creations that I can’t quite resolve in my mind.

I also had this inexplicable sort of fascination/repulsion with commercial icons like the lovable Aunt Jemima, the quirky Quaker Oats guy and the unsettling nursery rhyme illustrations of Humpty Dumpty, man-in-the-moon faces and any highly-rendered cartoon character displaying an extreme emotion.

Everyone is quick to lump me with surrealism and specifically with Salvador Dali but I think I have more to do with MAD magazine than with Sigmund Freud.

Artist’s Statement
(Or, at least a feeble attempt to excuse my behaviour to those present with good taste)

My artwork weaves an eclectic tapestry of cultural and social influences. At one moment it may make a single-punch-line commentary on pop culture, while the next it may construct a complex and playful diorama probing into the outer perimeters of human nature.

It is often categorized as pop surrealism but I’d begrudgingly prefer to tag it as existential editorial cartoon realism or my tongue-in-cheek favourite “Bubblegum Surrealism”, just because they sound more intelligent, pretentious and funny at the same time. The work holds a certain reverence and faithfulness to mimicking reality but leans far enough away to fall in the shadow of the “uncanny valley”, the area where the mind is unsettled by what looks like something real but couldn’t possibly be. It is in this realm, theoretically, that the mind’s gamma waves are super-stimulated and brain activity resembles exploding fireworks. I resolve that this accounts for the broad reactions my work garners from observers, which ranges from contemptuous dismissal to enthusiastic exuberance. We are all wired differently.

The medium is the method, which is a faithful deployment of oil paint using traditional oil painting techniques, such as glazing and the occasional dalliance into chiaroscuro. The richness achieved by layers of thinned oil paint on wood panels always adds an interesting luminous vitality to the final piece.

When constructing a painting, I often let a core image or concept dictate subliminally as to how the composition manifests itself. Colours and characters are woven in a psychological loom and their ambiguity speaks both clearly and muted (with off-stage directions) to those who are willing to confront them head on. Nothing is written in stone, nothing is absolute except the thirst to explore ideas.

-dictated under duress, 2015 (forcibly amended December, 2016)

Death of Contemplation, Stephen Gibb, 36″ x 24″, oil on panel, 2019

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Contemporary art in Canada, Canadian surrealism, Canadian Pop Surrealism, Bubblegum Surrealism

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nonsense

Stephen Gibb — Wed, 16 Dec 2015 16:58:49 +0000

Sideshow Allegory of Carnival Knowledge – Stephen Gibb, 36″ x 24″, oil on panel, 2023

For those who dare venture beyond the safety and comfort of stephengibb.com…
some of my fave links, inspirations…and others who have paid me off

Links and inspirations

Redbubble – Prints, Phone Cases, T-Shirts etc.

Bubblegum Surrealism

Stephen Gibb facebook page

Stephen Gibb — Instagram

St. Germain Gallery, Toronto — Artwork available

Saatchi — Prints available

Sideshow Fine Arts, Los Angeles — Prints Available

Blog Posts

Recent Paintings

Miscellaneous:

Deviant Art

La Luz de Jesus Gallery

Meltdown Comics & Gallery

Subtext Gallery

Surrealism Today

Allmusic

Arts Journal Daily

Canadian Surrealism

Album Art:

Trippie Redd — Life’s A Trip album art

Hope Tala — Girl Eats Sun album art

XXL magazine’s top album covers…

Some Artists you should check out:

Gale Hart

Laurie Lipton

Brandon Steen

Mark Ryden

Frantic preservation of essence in the face of imminent contamination – Stephen Gibb, oil on panel, 2015

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Thank you for joining us in the off-kilter world of Stephen Gibb, where surrealism and Mother Goose are turned on their heads. Take time to explore and ponder his mysterious paintings, that delve into the anxieties and joys of contemporary life, his musing on human behaviour, philosophy, and the innermost workings of his angular mind. Let’s hear from the artist himself…

Artist’s Statement
(Or, at least a feeble attempt to excuse my behaviour to those present with good taste)
My artwork weaves an eclectic tapestry of cultural and social influences. At one moment it may make a
single-punch-line commentary on pop culture, while the next it may construct a complex and playful diorama
probing into the outer perimeters of human nature.

My work is often categorized as pop surrealism but I’d begrudgingly prefer to tag it as existential editorial
cartoon realism, just because it sounds more intelligent, pretentious and funny at the same time. The work holds
a certain reverence and faithfulness to mimicking reality but leans far enough away to fall in the shadow of the
“uncanny valley”, the area where the mind is unsettled by what looks real enough but couldn’t possible
be. It is in this realm, theoretically, that the mind’s gamma waves are super-stimulated and brain activity
resembles exploding fireworks. I resolve that this accounts for the broad reactions my work garners from observers,
that ranges from contemptuous dismissal to enthusiastic exuberance. We are all wired differently.

The medium is the method, which has been a faithful deployment of oil painting and traditional oil painting
techniques, such as glazing and the occasional dalliance into chiaroscuro. The richness achieved
by layers of thinned oil paint on wood panels always adds an interesting luminous vitality to the final
piece.

My direction as of late has been to devote more to composing on the panels rather than in pre-sketches.
I’m intrigued by the more spontaneous and gratifying results of ideas presenting themselves in the process
rather than in the planning, hence the falloff in the recent output of sketches. Often a core image or
concept dictates subliminally as to how the composition manifests itself.

Links, Inspirations*

The post nonsense appeared first on Stephen Gibb.

Bubblegum Surrealism: Splash page of images by painter Stephen Gibb

Stephen Gibb — Thu, 03 Dec 2015 00:17:11 +0000

Bubblegum Surrealism by Canadian Pop Surrealist Painter Stephen Gibb

Dopamine – oil on panel, 2016

Here we go round the prickly apple at 5 o’clock in the morning – Stephen Gibb, oil on panel, 2017

2026

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

Bubblegum surrealism of Stephen Gibb

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Redbubble – Prints, Phone Cases, T-Shirts etc.

Visit Sideshow Fine Art for prints of selected works.

2025 paintings

18 Photos

2024 paintings

21 Photos

2023 paintings

15 Photos

2022 paintings

16 Photos

2021 paintings

17 Photos

2020

21 Photos

2019 paintings

17 Photos

2018 paintings

25 Photos

2017 paintings

17 Photos

2016 paintings

12 Photos

2015 paintings

15 Photos

2014 paintings

23 Photos

2013 paintings

13 Photos

2012 paintings

22 Photos

2011 paintings

14 Photos

2010 paintings

16 Photos

2009 paintings

32 Photos

Bubblegum Surrealism: Stephen Gibb – Artist Statement
(Or, at least a feeble attempt to excuse my behaviour to those present with good taste)
My artwork weaves an eclectic tapestry of cultural and social influences. At one moment it may make a
single-punch-line comment on pop culture while the next it may construct a complex and playful diorama
probing into the outer perimeters of human nature.
My work is often categorized as pop surrealism but I’d begrudgingly prefer to tag it as existential editorial
cartoon realism, just because it sounds more intelligent and funny at the same time. The work holds
a certain reverence and faithfulness to reality mimicry but leans away enough to fall in the shadow of the
“uncanny valley*”, the area where the mind is unsettled by what looks real enough but couldn’t possible
be. It is in this realm, theoretically, that the mind’s gamma waves are super-stimulated and brain activity
resembles fireworks. I resolve that this accounts for the broad reactions my work garners from observers,
that ranges from contemptuous dismissal to enthusiastic exuberance. We are all wired differently.
The medium is the method, which has been a faithful deployment of oil painting and traditional oil painting
techniques, such as glazing and the occasional dalliance into chiaroscuro. The richness achieved
by layers of thinned oil paint on MDF panels always adds an interesting luminous quality to the final
piece.
My direction as of late has been to devote more to composing on the panels rather than in pre-sketches.
I’m intrigued by the more spontaneous and gratifying results of ideas presenting themselves in the process
rather than in the planning, hence the falloff in the recent output of sketches. Often a core image or
concept dictates subliminally as to how the composition manifests itself.
see stephengibb.com for more gallery images

The post Bubblegum Surrealism: Splash page of images by painter Stephen Gibb appeared first on Stephen Gibb.

Canadian Pop Surrealism by painter Stephen Gibb

Stephen Gibb — Sat, 21 Mar 2015 23:45:42 +0000

Canadian Pop Surrealism

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Dopamine

Here we go round the prickly apple at 5 o’clock in the morning – Stephen Gibb, oil on panel, 2017

“Fun House of Phobias” — Stephen Gibb, 36″ x 24″, oil on panel 2019

Pictorial Puzzles for a Post-human Paleontologist

Keeping it Together, Walking on Eggshells” — Stephen Gibb, 36″ x 24″, oil on panel, 2019

Caught, by Stephen Gibb, oil on panel, 36″ x 24″, 2018

Last Days Of the Plague — Stephen Gibb, 36″ x 24″, oil on panel, 2020

Frog Prince at the Gates of Decay, painting by Canadian surrealist Stephen Gibb, 48″ x 36″, oil on panel, 2017

The reluctant clown candidate held aloft by blind zealots

Software and Clockworks

Revenge of the sycophant scorned

Happy cookie

Cheesy Dorito

Happy Peanut Butter

Freaky Donut

Self-absorbed Popsicle

Reese Peanut Butter Cup

All I want’s to be left on a block of ice

Sympathy for the Rat King

Spinning plates

Keeping mum in the presence of a toxic personality

If I blow your mind, what will you do for me?

Frantic preservation of essence in the face of imminent contamination

One bad apple

Maniacal menace of the culture colossus on auto pilot

Laughing my fool head off

The cannibal bubblegum’s sugary lust of hidden truths

Chicken and the egg

The emperor’s new confection

Heavy thoughts

With the promise of chocolate Humpty gets duped by the clockwork carrot

Oh, Crap!

Dark side of the flaming moon

Mastery of the social graces and the maladroit tea party

Carl sleeps and dreams of being forever Jung

The thief exploits a temporary lapse in security

The sourdough dolly and her salivating solid-door ally choose either salad or surreal cereal as Sir Eel and Salvador Dali look on

Krampus in the box

Last of the carnivorous unicorns

Darkness falls on the whitebread world

Stephen Gibb Artist Statement
(Or, at least a feeble attempt to excuse my behaviour to those present with good taste)
My artwork weaves an eclectic tapestry of cultural and social influences. At one moment it may make a
single-punch-line comment on pop culture while the next it may construct a complex and playful diorama
probing into the outer perimeters of human nature.
My work is often categorized as pop surrealism but I’d begrudgingly prefer to tag it as existential editorial
cartoon realism, just because it sounds more intelligent and funny at the same time. The work holds
a certain reverence and faithfulness to reality mimicry but leans away enough to fall in the shadow of the
“uncanny valley*”, the area where the mind is unsettled by what looks real enough but couldn’t possible
be. It is in this realm, theoretically, that the mind’s gamma waves are super-stimulated and brain activity
resembles fireworks. I resolve that this accounts for the broad reactions my work garners from observers,
that ranges from contemptuous dismissal to enthusiastic exuberance. We are all wired differently.
The medium is the method, which has been a faithful deployment of oil painting and traditional oil painting
techniques, such as glazing and the occasional dalliance into chiaroscuro. The richness achieved
by layers of thinned oil paint on MDF panels always adds an interesting luminous quality to the final
piece.
My direction as of late has been to devote more to composing on the panels rather than in pre-sketches.
I’m intrigued by the more spontaneous and gratifying results of ideas presenting themselves in the process
rather than in the planning, hence the falloff in the recent output of sketches. Often a core image or
concept dictates subliminally as to how the composition manifests itself.
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Stephen Gibb Canadian Surrealism

Stephen Gibb Canadian Pop Surrealism

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Canadian Artist Stephen Gibb

Opening the chocolate door that leads to the room where my ideas come from

Canadian Artist

Stephen Gibb

Canadian

Revenge of the Sycophant Scorned

See if you can break the code on these paintings…

Persistence of decay

Revenge of the Sycophant Scorned

Artist:

Stephen Gibb

Dimensions:

2’

×

2’

Materials: oil

oil

on

panel

My obsession with Humpty Dumpty

Humpty Dumpty

Pop Surrealism meets Pop Art

When Pop Surrealism meets Pop Art the result is something like this:

Pop Art Peanut Butter

Pop Art Popsicle

Pop Art Reese Peanut Butter Cup

Pop Art Happy Candy

Pop Art Happy Cookie

Pop Art Donut

Pop Art Dorito

Pop Art Happy Pie

Pop Art Dopamine

Canadian Surrealism Is Alive

Canadian Surrealism is alive!

Waiting For The Death Blow

The painting is an allegorical blend of sources, specifically songs by The Cure and The Monkees as well as nursery rhyme and psychological references.

Here we go round the prickly apple at 5 o’clock in the morning

The painting is an allegorical blend of biblical, nursery rhyme and psychological references, taking cues from T.S. Eliot’s The Hollow Men.

Dopamine

The painting is an allegory of mass consumption and various degrees of desire and disgust.

Dopamine – by Canadian Pop Surrealist Stephen Gibb

Dopamine

Stephen Gibb, oil on panel, 2016

2016

2016 Paintings

Index of paintings by Stephen Gibb 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009

Contemporary Art & Bubblegum Surrealism: Stephen Gibb

How does Canadian artist Stephen Gibb figure in contemporary art?

But is it contemporary art?

Contemporary art in Canada, Canadian surrealism, Canadian Pop Surrealism, Bubblegum Surrealism

nonsense

For those who dare venture beyond the safety and comfort of stephengibb.com… some of my fave links, inspirations…and others who have paid me off

Links and inspirations

Bubblegum Surrealism: Splash page of images by painter Stephen Gibb

Bubblegum Surrealism by Canadian Pop Surrealist Painter Stephen Gibb

2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010

Bubblegum surrealism of Stephen Gibb

Canadian Pop Surrealism by painter Stephen Gibb

Canadian Pop Surrealism

Stephen Gibb Canadian Pop Surrealism