Derek Caines
Derek Caines Biography
Derek Caines was born and raised in Newfoundland. He studied art at the Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto and the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in Halifax. As a print-maker and painter Derek was an active artist in the stream of the downtown Toronto art scene during the 1980’s. In the fall of 1982, the art collective in which Caines was actively involved, ChromaZone, traveled to Berlin, West Germany, to mount OKromazone at the Institut Unzeit, opening a dialogue with young German artists which continues today. Twenty-two Toronto artists contributed paintings, drawings, sculpture and installations to this lively exhibition. A selection of young video artists and filmmakers from the Funnel were also represented with screenings of their latest work. Artists included Dave Anderson, Jim Anderson, Stephen Andrews, Isaac Applebaum, Richard Banks, Brian Burnett, Jane Buyers, Derek Caines, Cathy Daley, Andy Fabo, Rob Flack, Oliver Girling, Sybil Goldstein, Judith Huntress-Allsopp, Rae Johnson, Hans Peter Marti, Michael Merrill, Alex Neuman, Chris Reed, Chrisanne Stathacos, Renée van Halm, and Tony Wilson. In his introductory essay, Andy Fabo noted that "artists must create their own international network and Okromazone, we feel will give Berliners an incisive view of Toronto artists."
Derek returned to Newfoundland in 1989 and has been living in Norris Point, a small community on Bonne Bay in the heart of Gros Morne National Park. He has participated in solo and group exhibitions in Toronto, St. John’s, Ottawa, New York, West Berlin, and Zurich. He has also created an array of limited edition prints and commissioned posters.
Artist Specialization: Caines' current body of work includes some portraiture but focuses mainly on the striking landscapes of Newfoundland. These oil paintings are marked by iconic Newfoundland imagery such as doreys, fishing boats, coastal sheds, rugged shorelines, and the ever-present sea. Derek’s careful, detailed brush work evokes the simplicity and stark beauty of this extraordinary island.
