Experienced Materials

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Janet Patterson, "Embellished re-purposed shoe," 2021

mixed media

In Experienced Materials, the artworks all feature items marked by their previous employments. Nicole Bauberger and Janet Patterson share an interest in art made from found or upcycled materials, which plays out in their own bodies of work. Patterson creates sculptures that incorporate anything from old shoes to wasp nests; Bauberger works with found glass and roadside tire fragments.

Bauberger and Patterson are grateful to be supported in this shared curatorial project through the Yukon Emerging Artist program offered by the Yukon Arts Centre and supported by the RBC Foundation. While Bauberger is the mentor and Patterson the mentee, it is proving beneficial to both. “Janet is so capable!” says Bauberger. “I’m also learning a lot from her.”

Among other things, the show will include a bear made from cardboard packaging by Linda Leon, a dress hand sewn from Bauberger’s household film plastic, Leslie Leong’s vessels made from dress patterns, embellished and upcycled small furniture by Dee Bailey, and creations by Susanne Hausermann using old jeans and CDs.

The opening will be kept small, with four groups of six guests each in half hour visits. Members of the public can register for a slot to attend the opening by going to: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/experienced-materials-opening-reception-tickets-163423539205.

As a lead-up to the exhibit and related to it, Patterson and Bauberger are producing a new Artist in the Window series of residencies, funding by the Yukon government’s Great Yukon Summer initiative. Most of the six participating artists are working in repurposed and upcycled materials and some of those pieces will find themselves in the September show. Bauberger also plans to host a workshop in creating with unconventional materials. She will offer a drop-in class on painting in nail polish on old wood on September 4 from 2-4 p.m. at the gallery. Other artists may offer workshops too, details to follow.