About the work.

New Leaf responds to some of the traits of these days: heightened divisions between people, and our human hunger for control. While frightening, sometimes losing your sense of ownership, or a firm ego identity, actually leads to a place of wonder, openness, and connection to those near and far.

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Upon first meeting each other over a Zoom call, it didn’t take long to discover common themes within our recent creative explorations. In particular, it was a series of paintings by Phil, (featuring human-made architecture embedded within icebergs) that sparked the discussion. It seemed that lately, both of us kept coming back to a familiar lens, one that can be challenging to look through, but also so important. It was the challenge of searching for the connections between our lives (both individually, and as the human race) and how we affect other aspects of the globe …how the globe affects us.  

The concept of “zooming out” and seeing a larger picture, is something that can be really difficult to do, especially given the obstacles that we have faced on an individual basis since the pandemic. We wanted this piece to invite the viewer to explore this planet as our home, our collective life and experience. If we can see ourselves from wider perspectives — our role, our footprint, how our actions touch those on the other side of the planet and how we are affected by changes taking place there — maybe we can address our global challenges. We wanted to end the video with a positive energy, dreaming our way into a healthier and more fulfilling future.

Phil Irish

An artist from Elora, Ontario, holds degrees from York (MFA) and Guelph (BA). His work has been shown at public museums, artist-run-centres, and commercial galleries across Canada. Residencies have often been a part of his creative growth and exploration.  Known as a painter, this project is Irish’s first foray into animation.