Canada Inspires Us

A post I wrote for the Blackberry Artist's Society blog.
Canada Inspires Us:

Although we are a Tri Cities Port Moody-based artist cooperative, our members are inspired by a whole lot more than their immediate environs.

Take this incredible mixed media piece by artist, Vicki Allesia for example. It's entitled "Future of Attawapiskat" and here's its story from the artist herself.

"Future of Attawapiskat was inspired by a Vancouver Sun article and photo of the Attawapiskat reserve regarding the struggles of the band and the government to achieve a basic standard of living on this neglected reserve. Although the photo portrayed the cold bleakness and desperation of the isolated community, my eye was drawn to the warm colours and interesting shapes of the dilapidated structures.  Reading about the convoluted issues made me realize that there is a depth and complexity in the situation that I tried to portray through interesting textures created with used dryer sheets, frayed cotton, tissue paper and excerpts torn from the Vancouver Sun article itself.  I deepened and warmed the original colours that had drawn my interest and set the whole in varying shades of white. The final flecks of gold indicate a flicker of hope for progress."