For artists聽Constance Chapman聽and聽Sharon Roye, long gone are the days of layering paint to achieve texture (think Van Gogh鈥檚聽Starry Night). By incorporating different papers, threads, and even wax, both artists have shown how texture is something to commemorate, something to celebrate.听
On the walls, for the month of July, are works from textile artist聽Constance Chapman.听
And we鈥檙e not talking about traditional stitched quilts. For this particular series, she started with high-tech digital printing to capture her foundation images on fabric.听
鈥淚 always have my camera with me to capture anything intriguing, which I then transfer to my computer,鈥� she says. 鈥淟ooking through my camera lens has really made me appreciate the contrast of hard and soft, rough and shiny, and light and shadow... vital to my end result.鈥澛�
To achieve her end result, Chapman changes or alters an image she has taken and then prints it on fabric. Then she embellishes the piece with pigments and adds stitching. Often times, found gems of wood or metal find their way onto the piece as well.听
The effect is a wonderful contrast between the linear and circular stitching with a broad spectrum of colour, texture and shape.
A formal artist for the past 40 years, Chapman says that she 鈥渕ore and more now embrace[s] the Wabi Sabi aesthetic of asymmetry, weathered aging and patinas of worn wood and old metals.鈥�
Chapman鈥檚 fibre art is in response to the omnipresent natural world living on the Sunshine Coast. She admits, 鈥渨alking and kayaking with my camera produces an abundance of inspiration as do the materials themselves.鈥�
To contact, email [email protected].听
In the display cases artist聽Sharon Roye聽presents her textural wax paintings, mini expressions in experimental encaustics. Growing up in small-town Saskatchewan, Roye started with quilting and then progressed to dying her own fabrics. However, several years ago she took an encaustic class, after which her art world changed.
Also known as hot wax painting, encaustic art involves using heated beeswax to which coloured pigments are added.听
The liquid or paste is then applied to a surface 鈥� in Roye鈥檚 case, wood. The result is unique. Each painting has a soft and hazy quality. With a background in quilting, Roye works with the intention of creating balanced pieces using the fundamental elements of design such as colour, shape, line and grids.
For this current series聽Roye鈥檚 creative stimulation started with several images that she was excited about exploring that would emphasize contrast between those components.听
鈥淚 love what wax does to different materials. Colours change with the layering process. Wax on paper versus wax on fabric or wax on wood.听I work with nonprinting until I have created a palate that I am excited about. Then I move on to the wax colour and texture process,鈥� Roye says of her 鈥渉ands-on鈥� creative process, which is headed in a direction of more collage and larger wax pieces.
For more information contact: [email protected].听
Meet the artists at their 鈥淐elebrating Texture鈥� opening reception聽on July 10, 2-4 p.m. at the Foyer Gallery in the Squamish Public Library.听
