Metamorphosis Show at the Arbor Gallery, Vankleek Hill, Ontario

On April 11 2019, the show demonstrating seven artists' work breaking through concept and their discipline is on the road and this month, we are hosted at the Arbor Gallery in Vankleek Hill, Ontario.

It is exciting to work with these artists from the region who have very much pushed their own boundaries and demonstrated change in their materials, style and discipline.

In my submissions for metamorphosis, I explore the narrative of the destruction of St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church just steps away from my home studio in Aylmer, Quebec. The church experienced a fire in 2009 which destroyed most of the construction. The congregation needed to re-locate their worship at a local monastery while a long, slow clean-up of the site began. Each piece tells part of this story and the church and its congregation returned and grew stronger from the experience.

                                                    The Blaze 18" x 24" encaustic on wood panel

                                                The Aftermath 18" x 24" encaustic on wood panel

                                                The Renewal 18" x 24" encaustic on wood panel

I work in the encaustic medium of melted wax on a wood panel surface. In this tripditch I built the surface to achieve a relief.

In June, my works will travel to its final stop on the whistle blowing tour of the Ottawa Valley and travel to the library in Deep River, Ontario until the end of the month.

Description of The Blaze; The Aftermath; The Renewal
The first work travels back in time to the early morning of June 11, 2009 in front of St. Paul’s Church in Aylmer Qc where a fire is raging and destroys the landmark that was built in 1893. One stands witness, in the second work, to a hushed winter scene where the abandoned shell of the church stands. Six years have passed in time as one views the final work, testimony to the perserverence of the parishioners of the community of St. Paul’s. In March, 2015, St. Paul’s celebrated the opening of their new building incorporating the ruins of the façade as grande entrance, a rejuvenation of the community.
Linda Girard