John Aarts is a painter, printmaker, and sculptor born in 1944 in Breda, Holland. He received a Master's degree in computer science and telecommunications from the Eindhoven Technological University, Holland. In 1996 Aarts emigrated to Canada. He worked with technology companies ITT, Kearny Management Consultants, General Instrument of Canada, Microtel, HN Telecom, and Intelcom in engineering, marketing, and consulting functions. In the process he obtained a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Western Ontario and travelled widely. From 1994 he studied art at Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design, Langara College, the University of British Columbia, Basic Inquiry Studio, Dundarave Printshop, and Malaspina Printmakers Society. In 1997 Aarts left business and enrolled in a course of studies in studio art at Capilano College.
Scope and content
The collection consists of three books, including an 150 page handmade artist's book titled "Leaky Sieve" by Aarts, 1997, combining photographs and collages; "Wabi-Sabi: for Artists, Designers, Poets and Philosophers" by Leonard Koren, 1994; "Ports of Entry: William S. Burroughs and the Arts," by Robert A. Sobieszek, 1996. The books are accompanied by a panel with information concerning "Leaky Sieve" and John Aarts.
Note
About his book, the artist noted that, "the book 'Leaky Sieve' combines images from my scrapbook and photographs. The book was printed on bag paper using an office copy machine. From February 14 to May 2, 1997, I collected cuttings from magazines, flyers and newspapers and some writing on art in a scrapbook of 15 x 24 cm. The idea came from the book 'Ports of Entry: William S. Burroughs and the Arts,' 1996, by Robert Sobieszek. The photos were taken along the sea-wall of English Bay, Vancouver, B.C. in March 1997. I took black and white photographs of simple, man-made and natural things. The inspiration for these pictures came from the book 'Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets and Philosophers,' 1994, by Leonard Koren."
