This project is generously funded by the First Peoples Cultural Council.
Here you can see a prototype piece that I created. I created this to showcase what it was that I wanted to create. The wood spoke to me, suggesting that I create something rising from the bottom, something bright and light like the wood. I decided on a sunrise and went to drawing a sun within an outline of the live edge wood piece. This old piece of wood grew for years in our forests. Every year surviving to make another ring, Everyday using the sun to grow bigger. How many sunrises had it seen before it found it’s way to me? All the rings and character inside of it waiting to shine. I love working with the wood in a similar way to what my ancestors used it.
I plan to replicate this process using larger pieces of live-edge wood. I hope to find pieces of sustainably and responsibly sourced local wood. I am looking forward to working with Gary Oak, Cedar, Yew wood and other indigenous species. I plan to incorporate all my art skills into this project including, acrylic painting, acrylic pouring, knitting, weaving and carving. Even though I don’t expect to use all of my skills to create my final pieces I truly am looking forward to focusing on doing some basic creating.
I will keep you all updated on my progress once I receive the grant and get started on the project.