Sheila Kernan | Around Town

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Shelia Kernan, "Staring at the Sun"

mixed media on canvas over board, 36 X 72 in. Courtesy of the Gallery.

Artist Statement:

"It is rare to find my work focusing on a specific location. Often my paintings combine many different photos from entirely different locations because I love the interplay between fantasy and reality. Typically I collage and montage imagery together until it no longer suggests a singular place. While this exhibition does provide pieces where I continue to do this. I also, played around with montaging different angles of a single location so that the place is recognizable. I wanted to take you on a journey “Around Town” specifically around the town of Banff and the places surrounding the town to some of my favorite spots. Consideration was given to the scenery driving to Banff from my home in Calgary as well.

I have always been intrigued by textures thick, thin, implied, mimicked or otherwise. I continually look for new ways to showcase them within my practice. And this collection does not disappoint. Inspired by the speckled grains of crayon and pencil crayon drawings, and watercolour like washes; I really wanted highlight how colours can blend and separate to leave suggestions of the substrate or surface behind. This effect really makes colours glow and the paintings feel alive. These watercolour washes can have a mind of their own and create the most remarkable moments giving the work such strength. Isolating them with a hard edge creates a real delineation between other mark making techniques. I had some wonderful remarkable breakthroughs and many happy moments while creating this collection."