Gerri Ann Siwek: Return to The Garden
to
Art Gallery of Regina 2420 Elphinstone St, Neil Balkwill Civic Arts Centre, Regina, Saskatchewan S4T 3N9
Gerri Ann Siwek: Return to The Garden
Artist's Statement:
No matter how far I venture off or wander in my art making, I always seem to return to the garden. The garden can appear as a complex earthly paradise or Eden. Other times, it can become an endeavour of toil with uninvited visitors. The garden is like a microcosm of the universe, containing and attracting a variety of species and organisms. All living things come together to create a biodiversity that makes the garden a good place. In these works, I explore gardens in various habitats: urban, prairie, grassland and farm. Many of the gardens I visit are in my own neighbourhood. I begin with drawing and enhance with watercolour and encaustic. Encaustic, molten beeswax and resin acts like a preservative of the paper and the painted image. I feel that the encaustic process also emulates the preservation of the garden and all of its diversity.
Gerri Ann Siwek is a Regina-based visual artist and arts educator. Working in mixed media and encaustic painting, Siwek explores themes of encounters with Nature and the Supernatural. She studied at the Ontario College of Art and Design, the Art Students League of New York and the University of Regina. She has taught workshops and exhibited throughout Canada and internationally. Her works of art are included in numerous private and public collections and can be viewed at www.gasiwek.ca.