Welcoming Artist in Residence, Shay Hucklebridge!
We’re delighted to welcome Shay Hucklebridge to EE’s studio as our next Artist in Residence! Shay will be with us from March 29th – May 10th. We can’t wait to see what she gets up to!
“Our understanding of the world is inherently tied to the landscapes we inhabit. These landscapes shape our perceptions, our cultural identities, and the narratives we construct about ourselves and the world around us. The project of this residency will explore the interplay between local environment, mythology, and the nuanced experiences of individuals, with a specific focus on the natural history of Newfoundland. Art serves as a translator between external stimuli and inner experiences, an interpretive tool that helps fold reality into narrative. At the heart of this project is the creation of a symbolic narrative that brings the audience into my own internal life and perspective. The bridging of internal and external experiences is universal, since human perception is limited and unreliable. However, for those who are ‘othered,’ it can become a way of negotiating a reality that may not always be accommodating and a means of building internal protective structures out of dreams, beliefs, and fantasies. I am interested in how this phenomenon holds not only for individuals but also on a broader social scale. Materially, this project will take the form of watercolour paintings that document, fuse, and reshuffle elements of the tundra and taiga of Newfoundland while incorporating symbolism drawn from both mythology and modern culture. The goal is to encourage viewers to reconsider their own perceptions of place, identity, and narrative, particularly within the context of the North American landscape, which has no place in the mythological canon of western culture that forms the basis of mainstream understandings of fantasy and storytelling.”
Keep an eye out for updates on Shay’s work in the studio, and an upcoming talk from her!