Dave Todaro – Emerging Artist

Written by Payam Montazami // December 19, 2011 // Emerging Artists // No comments

Switch:

Drain - Dave Todaro

Dave Todaro‘s work is about relationships and in the case of “Switch”, his newest series of paintings, the work is about the relationship between mankind, electricity, and the natural world.

At first glance, the natural world and bevy of infrastructure that delivers electricity to us could not be more distinct, but one only needs to drive into the countryside outside of Montreal to see that the network that powers the city is now as inseparable from the land as the rivers. The acrylic on wood panel paintings juxtapose industrial and natural imagery as a means of drawing a connection between man and the natural world.

Dave Todaro wishes to remind the viewer, “The flip of a switch puts into motion a series of actions which inevitably affect the peoples, wildlife, and the chemical balance of the world in which we live.”

About Dave Todaro:

Dave Todaro (b. 1978) was born and raised in Montreal, where he continues to live and work. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Teacher’s License in Arts Education, from Concordia University, Montreal (2007). He has been passionate about art since childhood. He worked as a visual arts instructor/teacher for several years, but in the end, took a leap of faith to devote all of his time and attention to his artistic practice. Todaro’s work is emotional and complex, juxtaposing humanity’s presence and intervention on the environment and its effects. The relationship between humans and their emotions, wildlife, environment, or humankind itself is represented both figuratively and abstractly in his paintings.

Birth of Mercury - Dave Todaro

Artist Statement:

Relationships are at the root of my philosophy. They apply not only to my process, but to my subject matter, and the viewer as well. It is through the constant examination of these connections that my work develops and takes form.

My process can best be described as an open dialogue. Although I may sometimes approach a piece with a very clear idea in mind, I am not confined by my own thinking. Once paint meets canvas, once pen meets paper, there emerges a compelling reaction. Color, texture, line and layer all respond to one another, pushing and pulling, each competing for its own space. A complex visual and emotional dialogue is born between the work and myself. My role is to play with all of these elements until a harmony between the visual and the vision is achieved.

My subject matter reflects a strong sense of relationship as well whether it be between human and his/her emotions, wildlife, environment, or humankind itself. The end result may be figurative or abstract, however these relationships are always present.

The viewer is important to me. It is my hope that they develop their own personal emotional or intellectual connection to my work; that they open up to mental discourse, whether their reaction to the piece be positive or negative. My own personal intentions behind the work are far from paramount. I wish to provoke, open cognitive doors, and allow a totally unleashed freedom of thought.