UNDER THE COVERS: A Celebration of the Tunnel Book
Art exhibit at The Chapel Gallery in Victoria BC, from March 4th to 22nd, 2022
Jennifer Rae Forsyth - Arist Statement
I am a painter whose mediums include objects, images, and paint interchangeably. my paintings and mixed media works examine material culture, focusing on traces left in the urban environment, unusual collections, and organizational systems, often using everyday objects as subject, object, and substrate simultaneously. My materials combine fine art materials with objects I find in urban spaces, things I recycle, and abandoned items from the local Re-Use Centre, or second-hand stores.
My collage and mixed media assemblages rely on nostalgia and irreverence. In these I combine childhood memories, imaginary places, invented stories, pattern or decorative motif, and the mysterious beauty and symbolism of flowers. Using found images and objects in combination with rendered images and graffiti or ornate design I create new forms. These works refer to the emotions I glean from collected and often contradictory meanings of flowers. By pairing found objects with disparate imagery I hope to invoke a sense of wonder that evokes my own childhood. Growing up in the 1970’s and 80’s I spent days outdoors and with friends and siblings. We rode bicycles and roller skates in the wild space between home and the corner store or candy shop. These works are meant to be irreverent and fun.
I hope they invoke a sense of play and amusement for the viewer.
Instagram: @jennifer_rae_forsyth