Seven words of sisterhood

BY PATTY MINTZ

NovaNewsNow.com

Seven is good. It’s a word that slides smoothly off the tongue and conjures thoughts of good fortune.

For seven women artists from the Valley, the word is meaningful in a different way. “Seven” is the title and theme of a show on now in Halifax at Argyle Fine Art until Dec. 31.

The exhibit, says photographer and collage artist Deborah Nicholson of Kentville, is a collaboration that grew from seven words and phrases chosen by each artist. “The idea is that each artist offered a word or phrase and what it means to her and then each responded to the word artistically in her own medium.”

The result is a collection of about 50 new works, small and large, that are complex, original and diverse. Each reflects the individual interpretation of seven words: blue moon; coin; divine trash; earthen and urban: sitting on the fence; passing; serendipity; and speak, chosen by Pam Frail (mixed media jewellery); Marie Jardine (metalsmith); Angela Melanson (mixed media); Deborah Nicholson (photoworks); Pia Skaarer-Nielsen (fibre); Marilyn Rand (fibre); and writer Kelly Marie Redcliffe.

The women, who came to know each other through the Wolfville Farmers’ Market where they all, at one time or another, have presented their work, began to meet as a group last January.

“We were originally going with the concept of having a retail outlet. Four of us actually got down to looking at property. Then we had the idea to do a show together as a test market,” says Marilyn Rand, who teaches fibre arts and creates handspun wool and felted products from her flock of fibre sheep at Delhaven. At that point, the group grew to its current size.

“We were trying to come up with a theme and finally, due to lack of a theme, we each chose one,” says Pam Frail, a long-time jewellery-maker who, in October, received the Nora Goreham Trophy from the Nova Scotia Metal Arts Guild for “best piece” in the All Silver category.

“The words themselves have become very inspiring, particularly the way they connect to each other. The themes really wove themselves as I was working.”

Frail, who lives in Lakeville, specializes in crocheted metal and fibre jewellery. One of the pieces she has made for the show is a stunning mix of fine copper and sterling silver wire, cotton cord, ammonite fossil and pearls.

Water images are prominent

Redcliffe, a freelance writer, essayist and poet who lives in Kentville, wrote a collection of two essays and five poems inspired by ‘speak’, her chosen word. Gaspereau Press printed the slim volume, titled Watershed. For the finishing touch, Redcliffe hand-stitched the spine. “Water images are prominent in all of the works. The tides are a prominent image. It’s about connections.

“I needed to find something in (my) word that came from my core. That was the biggest challenge, so there would be an honest, true beginning,” says Redcliffe, who has a Masters degree in English Literature from Acadia University. Also known locally as manager of the Wolfville Farmers’ Market, she attends the group’s gatherings with her curious toddler Sam in tow.

Responding to Angela Melanson’s chosen phrase, ‘divine trash’, Deborah Nicholson created a photo-montage of felines, which is tied to an emotional local incident involving numerous cats, many of whom were euthanized under controversial circumstances.

Melanson’s own reaction to the word was far different. She created a felted fibre painting with a bicycle as the central image. “The original concept was outside of reuse, reduce, recycle. I like to add another I call ‘recraft’; recrafting something that already exists or has been found into something new and beautiful,” says the textile artist, who lives in an earthy home surrounded by woods on Melanson Mountain. The artist worked in Nova Scotia and Ontario as a costumer in various theatres for 11 years.

“I had traveled to the Netherlands where you see all kinds of beautiful bikes – some found in dumps and garbage cans - that are recrafted, spraypainted with flowers. As an artist looking for supplies I’ve gone dumpster diving looking for items,” says Melanson.

Unique opportunity

Marie Jardine, whose studio is in Canning, also works often with reclaimed materials. A multi-award winning metalsmith, her work now includes jewellery, sculpture, home décor and fountains. Her copper colouring techniques are highly prized. Jardine says the show presented her with a unique opportunity to delve into coin-making.

“I wanted to make coins for a long time. What I’m making for the show is flipping coins of copper and brass that people can carry in their pocket to help them make major decisions,” she says with a smile.

Pia Skaarer-Nielsen, a self-taught spinner and weaver who established a studio in her home in Hillaton near Canning, responded to Jardine’s chosen word by including coins in one of the woven hangings she includes in the show.

Skaarer-Nielsen, who is the proud owner of the largest number of inspirational words in the group – ‘earthen urban/sitting on the fence’ – says “that happened because I grew up in the city (Copenhagen, Denmark) and lived on the fourth floor my whole life until I moved here (to the country). It has been a struggle because my aversion to the city became very apparent.” She portrayed the balance of city versus country in three small stools with woven tops reminiscent of yin/yang.

One of Rand’s creations – a large knitted and felted wool dragon - could be viewed as a symbol of the good times the artists have had working together on the project.

“I’ve had fun,” Nicholson says brightly.

“It has been a sisterhood of support,” says Jardine. “We’ve been able to feed off each other’s energy,” and, adds Melanson, “critique each other and get feedback.”

Note: Argyle Fine Art is located at 1869 Upper Water Street, Halifax.