Online: November 4 to December 15, 2022

Mixed Media in the Mezzanine

This series of mixed media collages on fabric and panel is inspired by old, derelict building surfaces and is a tribute to the endurance of earlier generations of buildings that have avoided the wrecker’s ball.

The surfaces of old buildings contrast with the smooth glass and concrete of newer architecture rising around us. Old buildings are echoes of the past, and I appreciate the beauty of their peeling paint and rusty iron cladding eroded by wind and rain.

The randomness of rusty decay creates an interesting surface that is raw and real, and I am compelled to explore and create interesting textures and layers to build unique surfaces in my art. I am driven to experiment with materials to see what they will do when they are pushed in unexpected ways.

The dumpster near my Parker Street Studio is a great resource for recycled materials with unique surfaces. One day, I found jars of rust patina and several rolls of curtain fabric, and the recycled curtains became the surface of my work. Through examination, probing and experimentation, I explore my materials to discover their limits and develop an artistic vocabulary with them. With the recycled curtains, I began painting them and letting the paint seep through the pores to discover what effects I could control and manipulate and which ones I couldn’t. Using my new-found artistic vocabulary, I added elements of texture, line, shape and colour while allowing each piece to evolve spontaneously in my journey of discovery.

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