Robert Nowacki makes you look – The Health Benefits of Gazing @ Fran Hill Gallery

I was back at Fran Hill Gallery last night, checking out the Robert Nowacki The Health Benefits of Gazing exhibit, which opened on Thursday night. It’s an eclectic pseudo-retrospective of sorts, featuring works that span across the past decade. With works in oil, chalk pastel, mixed media and digital print, many of the pieces feature a subdued palette, but vibrate – often dramatically – in composition and execution.

Nowacki’s work seems to keep the viewer on his/her toes, with canvasses ranging from abstract figures, to graphic delineated shapes reminiscent of stained glass windows to dancing, electric brush strokes to an especially large digital abstract bursting with primary colours in “Port Hole.”

The unusual use of chalk pastel on canvas makes for a unique texture in the drawing “Our Mentors,” an organic, almost anatomical rendering. And “The Mistake” appears to be two abstract figures entwined, an intimate piece hung in portrait format – but you can’t help but turn your head to view it in landscape perspective.

The Health Benefits of Gazing is up at Fran Hill Gallery until October 27. Gallery hours: Friday – Sunday, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. or by appointment: 416-363-1333 or email franhillgallery@bellnet.ca

These are my three favourites from the exhibit: