Loch Gallery Toronto is delighted to feature a selection of new and recent paintings by two masters of storytelling—Tony Luciani and Tyson Grumm.

When defining his work, Tony Luciani places himself in a tradition of realism that is interpretive rather than photographic. His paintings are all rooted in comprehensive preparatory drawings and studies which he completes from life on location. Once back in the studio these drawings are refined on a larger scale where details are eliminated or elaborated upon. While working on a painting, Luciani values equally the mood and feeling he gets from the subject, as well as the realistic likeness of the subject. The outcome is a painting into which the viewer is drawn—enthralled by the detail, and a curious to discover a deeper, more significant meaning.

Tyson Grumm, on the other hand, paints unique and nostalgic worlds that often blur the lines between past and present, and reality versus imagination. Grumm’s ingenious titles and freeze-frame images give a feeling that the viewer has stumbled into the middle of a story for which they must create their own narrative to continue the tale. Drawn entirely from his imagination, Grumm’s colourful and whimsical work incorporates humans, wild animals, and whimsical backdrops to create his surreal and fantastical world, into which he invites the viewer to become lost in the topsy-turvy wonderland.