Jane Kenyon

In Near & Far, Jane Kenyon is inspired by the environment around her, be it natural or man-made. Although Kenyon is an enthusiastic traveler, rather than referring to distances travelled, Near & Far refers to viewpoints closer to home. By observing her surroundings from different perspectives, close or distant, she creates large colour-filled thread paintings which often come to resemble a different landscape altogether.

This exploration began a few years ago when an artwork which was inspired by a small rock formation in her yard started to resemble a satellite photograph. An avid walker, Kenyon will alternate her visual perspective from the distant light filtering through the forest, to the tiny lichen on the fallen trees, responding to the forest and the trees, both artistically and metaphorically.

A fibre artist today probes the history and significance of historical textiles, but also explores the relationships and possibilities in a contemporary world. Currently, Kenyon is exploring the creation of cloth with stitch only, Thread Painting. This requires a foundation (stabilizer) on which to stitch that can be dissolved at the end of the project.

Working in this way, the artist is essentially drawing and painting with thread, instead of using other traditional painting mediums. Building on the foundation of traditional embroidery and painting practices, a new art medium is created with new possibilities of design, expression, and ideology. Thread Painting creates incomparable detail, texture and reflective qualities not possible with any other technique or medium.

Much as Kenyon changes her visual perspective on her daily walks, the viewer of these works can move from near to far, changing perspective from intimate detail to distant impression, enriching our experience of the world that surrounds us.

Artist Talk: Saturday, October 22nd - 1:00 pm: there is no fee to attend