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#136
05-25-2017, 10:01 AM
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Linda Manzer discussing building the Lawren Harris-inspired guitar she created for our Group of Seven Guitar Project.
"Guitar making combines a bunch of different disciplines. Obviously there's the woodworking aspect of it, but because it's a musical instrument I have to listen to what I'm doing. It's also scientific - there's a functional aspect to it, because you're putting over 200 pounds of pressure on these skinny little pieces of wood. If you don't do it right, it'll explode. There's a balance between the right amount of wood so that the guitar is sensitive, and it sings, and there's also the visual aspect. It has to be pretty, and feel good when you wrap your hands around it. That's crucial." 
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David Wren 
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#137
05-25-2017, 05:52 PM
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... from Linda Manzer
"My original goal with building this guitar was to introduce people to the work of Lawren Harris. What I wasn't anticipating was the effect this journey would have on my own life. I was deeply moved by his artistic concepts and inspired by him as a person as I discovered more about him. Particularly poignant for me were his letters of encouragement to fellow artist Emily Carr. I spent an afternoon reading his handwritten letters to her from the 1920s and 30s. These letters are not published and it was like walking into a Time Machine. What a great chance to listen in on the conversation between two of Canada's most revered artists. When it came time to build a guitar I decided to approach it from the point of view: If Lawren Harris designed and made a guitar what would he do? I knew it would be icy cold like his paintings of the north but I wanted to include some other periods of his work including his early Toronto paintings from the "Ward" period in the 20s and include what I found inspirational - his notebook sketches before he would execute the bigger paintings. I also knew it had to be big and bold and I had to take some chances. His letters to Emily inspired me to dig deep and particularly to trust my intuition. In some ways this was the biggest leap for me. The Group of Seven painters blazed a trail where no Canadian painting group had gone before metaphorically and physically wandering into the wilderness of northern Ontario. So it was easy to be inspired by them. " 
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David Wren
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#139
05-26-2017, 10:26 AM
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David Wren
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#140
05-26-2017, 10:27 AM
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This bridge is ingenious on so many levels ... it's a visual representation of an iceberg in one of Lawren Harris's paintings as well as anchoring all of the strings.
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David Wren
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#141
05-26-2017, 11:10 AM
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Just mind-boggling. So far outside the box you wonder why boxes exist. Linda is a very great artist. I think this Group of Seven project will deserve to go down in history. Very, very special.
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Hatcher Woodsman, Collings 0002H, Stella Grand Concert
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#142
05-29-2017, 03:32 PM
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David Wren
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#143
05-29-2017, 03:38 PM
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 Google "Lawren Harris Mt Lefroy" and you'll 'get' this peghead.
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David Wren Last edited by David Wren; 05-30-2017 at 04:08 PM.
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#144
05-30-2017, 01:00 PM
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 ... and one from the unofficial eighth member, G.W. Barry! This guitar is his Titan model that is made specifically for open tunings ... featuring a longer 26" scale length, Master Grade Sitka top and Malaysian Blackwood back and sides.
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David Wren
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#145
05-30-2017, 01:20 PM
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This whole project is inspired by a love of our Canadian culture and a creative desire to leave a legacy of a different kind for future generations to marvel over. I sometimes feel that Canada doesn't get it's due; and then something like this McMichael show dispels that. Makes me proud to be a Canuck!
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#147
05-31-2017, 05:52 PM
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My wish for this project was that people outside Canada discover their work and enjoy them as much as we do. So please check out these artists. In the early 1900's they hiked /canoed /box car-red into the wilds of Canada to produce these paintings. If you have a chance to visit this summer - come to the McMichael Gallery just north of Toronto -it's set in a 200 acre wilderness and the actual gallery itself is gorgeous and magical. It's like a huge magnificent log cabin. It winds through the forest and each window offers a view of total wilderness. It's a big gallery and there is lots on display besides our show. Plus the documentary is showing non stop in a small theatre in the gallery. Plus a nice cafe. And I should mention- all the gorgeous pictures of our guitars were taken by the humble and ever so talented David Wren. He's been our secret weapon. Show runs from May 2017 to October 30 2017.
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#148
05-31-2017, 07:27 PM
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Let me reinforce Linda's post. You've gotten a sense of the guitars from David's posts, but you haven't seen anything till you've seen the real things. They are genuinely stunning. All I can say is go see them.
But even apart from that, the McMichael Gallery is like nothing you've ever seen. 25 minutes from downtown Toronto, you're in the middle of a forest. It's less than 2 hours from Buffalo, which in Canadian time is...actually, never mind :-) You have a US dollar which is worth 1.35 Canadian, which can go a long ways at Canada's Wonderland, an amusement park half an hour away, if you have to dump the kids. I hesitate to indulge in hyperbole, but I can't imagine we're ever gonna see a project of this scope again. I've been once. I'm booked for 2 more visits. Maybe I'll see you there. Steve
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www.denvirguitars.com Last edited by Kerbie; 06-09-2017 at 03:54 PM. Reason: Removed masked profanity
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#149
06-03-2017, 08:03 AM
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Thanks nitram ... you've definitely just made my day!
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David Wren
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#150
06-03-2017, 08:05 AM
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David Wren
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