A snapshot in time

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This article was published 04/02/2020 (2083 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A number of James Culleton’s creative passions have come together for his current art exhibit at the Wayne Arthur Gallery.

The exhibit — titled Lyrical Lines: Drawings by James Culleton — will run until Feb. 26 at the St. Boniface-based gallery, which is located at 186 Provencher Blvd.

Culleton, who spoke to The Lance recently while on a business trip to Las Vegas, said the exhibit consists of around 200 blind contour drawings that provide a massive snapshot of Winnipeg’s music scene in recent years, as they highlight musical performances in the city that took place from 2006 to 2019.

“Each one is a drawing of a live performance by a musician or a band,” Culleton said. “To create the exhibit, I went through hundreds of drawings, and it made me realize how many performances I’ve seen over the years.”

As musician himself, Culleton — who is also a furniture designer — has discovered new software that helps give his drawings a different dimension.

“I’ve got an app for my phone, and when you run it over a drawing, it plays a song by that musician or band. It’s pretty amazing, and when people see it they’re blown away. It’s a way of activating the drawing.”

On a personal level, Culleton — who lives in St. Boniface — said the current exhibit reflects a journey through time.

“Every one of the drawings is a moment I remember, and so many of these musicians are friends of mine, which makes each drawing a snapshot. It’s definitely a celebration of local music, and it’s a bit of a treasure hunt for people,” he said.

Not one to rest on his laurels, later this month Culleton will also be exhibiting some of his work at Festival du Voyageur, and he will also have an exhibition at Prairie Fusion Arts & Entertainment in Portage la Prairie.

Go online at www.waynearthurgallery.com for more information about the gallery. Go online at www.jamesculleton.com to learn more about Culleton.