“Transitions,” an exhibit of new work by the five fibre artists that make up the group “Soulplay,” opens on January 29 at Almonte’s Mississippi Valley Textile Museum.
by Michael Rikley-Lancaster
Artists Sharon Collins, Barbara Carroll, Ann Dunlap, Carolyn Gibbs and Jo-Ann Zorzi all live and work in the Ottawa Valley. They use a variety of techniques, types of fibre, and approaches to create wall art that draws on both the external worlds of nature and travel and the internal worlds of imagination, emotion and political experience. Their interpretations range from whimsical, to evocative, to social commentary.
“Transitions” includes both collective and individual work by the members of Soulplay. As a group they offer two series: Forest and Water. “Forest” explores the temporal transitions in
the life of a forest, from seeds, to seedlings, to full-grown trees, to decaying trees, to the destruction of forest fires. “Water” captures the spatial transitions of water on its journey from glacier, to lake, to river, to estuary, to ocean. The exhibit also highlights the diversity of the individual styles and inspirations of Soulplay members with each offering a mini-series of work that captures some aspect of transitions or passages. Barbara Carroll explores the process of personal transformation. Sharon Collins depicts transitions of seasons and hypnosis. Carolyn Gibbs captures seasonal variations. Ann Dunlap focuses on changes in the way everyday sights and experiences are interpreted and reinterpreted at different times and under different circumstances. Jo-Ann Zorzi explores passages in space and time within each of her pieces.
Transitions runs from Tuesday, January 29 to Saturday, February 23 and is located in the Norah Rosamond Hughes Gallery at the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum
3 Rosamond Street East Almonte, Ontario