Residents visiting Saanich municipal hall may notice a giant smear of chalk at the top of the concrete stairs.
But catch the right angle, and look at it through a phone or camera, and the viewer is witness to the latest public art piece in the district B次元官网网址� a 3D chalk work by Scott Gilles.
Locals may recognize Gillies B次元官网网址� from 2014 to the demise of the event, he participated in the Greater Victoria Chalk Art Festival. Until COVID-19 hit he also participated in a similar Burnaby event.
He missed working in public until this summer when Saanich introduced its public arts program and he crafted two pieces, a fountain and pedestal in Cadboro-Gyro Park and the surf keyboard outside municipal hall.
Gilles B次元官网网址� who owns and operates Azara Effect Productions, an animation, illustration and video production company B次元官网网址� spent about 15 hours working on the eight by 12-foot chalk work at municipal hall.
He starts with a sketch on paper, then works the concept, and of course, has a little back and forth with the district on whatB次元官网网址檚 doable, and appropriate for the space. Until a decade ago, work like this was all prepared with pencil and paper, and while there are digital tools to expedite the process these days, thereB次元官网网址檚 still trial and error involved.
B次元官网网址淭he way perspective works as things get farther away they get squished down and narrower,B次元官网网址� he explained. B次元官网网址淵ou have to extremely skew things.B次元官网网址�
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The musical note, for example, is stretched 10 to 12 times longer than if you were just looking straight down on it.
Everything flares at an angle from one specific viewpoint.
B次元官网网址淎s you walk around everything just gets immediately skewed,B次元官网网址� said the artist whose first work was during the Edmonton Oiler run for the Stanley Cup in 2006.
B次元官网网址淚 thought I should draw a Stanley cup outside the coliseum and I skewed it so it was a 3D anamorphic drawing but nobody knew what it was.B次元官网网址�
ThereB次元官网网址檚 definitely some education required. Gillies will often add a sign, suggesting a camera or phone, and even paint a pair of feet for the best viewing experience.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 an awareness of 3D drawings permeating through the culture now, so people know to find where to stand,B次元官网网址� he said.
One goal, and a big key to his artwork for those crafting the community arts for Saanich, is his bid to create interactive art. He wants people to be a part of the sculpture. With viewing through a camera thereB次元官网网址檚 an Instagrammable quality to the work.
A surf-key-board? A time lapse and walk-around video of my latest mural for
B次元官网网址� Scott Gillies (@ScottWRGillies)
B次元官网网址淚 really hope people do stand on the keyboard and get a photo,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 an amazing thing when you can make adults be silly and have fun.B次元官网网址�
ThatB次元官网网址檚 the goal for SaanichB次元官网网址檚 arts in the community program, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic hit with its myriad of restrictions for health and safety.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a really fun way of bringing his art into the community, but also the way he treats his art invites you to be part of it. By you taking part in it, it really comes alive,B次元官网网址� said Brenda Weatherston, community arts programmer for Saanich. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e fun and theyB次元官网网址檙e playful and thereB次元官网网址檚 always something a little unexpected in them.B次元官网网址�
Gillies is among the artists creating smaller scale and closer to home opportunities for people to openly engage with the arts. A recent outdoor opera was also part of the program, with a few others still in the planning stages.
Follow along at and the districtB次元官网网址檚 for other art activities.
Enjoy 3-D art by at Cadboro/Gyro Park! Stand on the footprints, view through a camera phone and watch it come to life! (avoid the flying jellyfish) Arts in the Community
B次元官网网址� Saanich Parks, Recreation & Community Services (@SaanichParksRec)
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