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Sidney Michael
Dickens was born in 1963 in Prince Rupert, British Columbia. In
1983, he was accepted to the prestigious Emily Carr College of Art
and Design in Vancouver. The following year he established his
first studio, and began to develop the process and practices which
have evolved into his various lines of fine art, interior decor
and designs.
In 1987, after an
inspirational trip to Europe which Dickens regards as pivotal to
his artistic development, he moved to a remote waterfront studio
in the Queen Charlotte Islands. The elemental beauty of this
secluded and mystic wilderness expanded Dickens' vision. Here, he
began to experiment with unusual materials: whale bones, leaves,
metal and wire. At this time, he also developed a jewelry
collection which was featured in several fashion shows in
Vancouver.
Continuing to expand
his creative repertoire, Dickens headed to the Instituo De Allende
in San Miguel, Mexico to study bronze casting for two years.
Returning to Vancouver in 1991, Dickens established a new studio
in its Gastown district. There he finally discovered his perfect
medium - plaster. Immediately, he created what would be the first
prototypes in a series of decorative tiles. "Originally, I created
large panels with many elements. The smaller tile format allows me
to take my fine art and break it apart, focusing on one or two
ideas. People can take the elements they like and mix and match
tiles on their walls to create their own personal style", says
Dickens.
Today, Sid is
experimenting with new media and transforming small chunks of
history into contemporary art. He continues to take inspiration
from his travels and carries out research around the world.
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