Lorraine Roy
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C.V.
“When
I was a child, I loved to roam the countryside, enthralled by
the feel of the sun and the earth. During those ramblings, I was
occasionally visited by surges of extraordinary joy and light.
For a few perfect moments, I felt that nature’s energy was
merged with my own being.
When I begin a new piece, I try to restore the essence of those
encounters to entice the spirit to move through me. Whether the
images are plant or abstract forms, the flow and power that they
represent are a positive message from the earth.”
Excerpt from Thames Art Gallery catalogue ‘Of the Land’,
1994
I was born in the French village of Pain-Court in Southwestern
Ontario. I lived for summer, wandering along the Thames River
and surrounding countryside, fascinated by plants and wildlife
in all their diversity. My strong interest in both the visual
arts and the sciences lead to a B.Sc. in Ornamental Horticulture.
And eventually, my early fascination with fabric techniques evolved
into a full time art profession, noted for a painterly approach
to textiles and threads.
All my work highlights the kindredness of nature and humanity.
In the past few years, the form, symbolism and mythology of trees
have been of particular interest. More recently, collaborations
with my photographer husband, Janusz Wrobel, have resulted in
works that blend and contrast ‘real images’ with other,
more imaginary elements drawn from a range of sources: science,
mythology, nature, architecture and poetry.
My
work
has
been
exhibited
widely
in
Canada,
the
US
and
abroad
and
is
part
of
numerous
public
and
private
collections,
including
the
Canadian
Department
of
Foreign
Affairs.
I
am
the
recipient
of
several
professional
Arts
Grants
from
the
Ontario
Arts
Council
and
the
Canada
Council.
I
now
live
and
work
in
Dundas,
Ontario.
MY
TECHNIQUE:
COLLAGE
WITH
NETS
The
technique
that
I
call
“collage
with
nets”
has
its
roots
in
my
love
of
hand-embroidery.
Needlepoint
was
my
first
love,
and
while
my
earliest
pieces
were
compelling
and
rich
I
always
felt
impatient
because
I
had
so
many
ideas
and
wanted
to
work
in
a
larger
format.
I
embarked
on
a
quest
for
a
technique
that
would
not
compromise
intensity
of
colour
and
texture,
while
allowing
the
freedom
of
line
and
shape
that
exists
in
the
world
of
painting.
I
begin
with
a
plain
fabric
ground.
On
this
surface
I
drop
hundreds,
sometimes
thousands
of
tiny
bits
of
cut
fabrics
and
threads
(of
any
kind
–
natural,
synthetic,
metallic)
until
I
reach
a
depth
and
texture
that
pleases
me.
I
then
pin
transparent
netting
on
top,
usually
nylon
tulle,
which
holds
everything
in
place.
The
layers
are
then
machine
stitched
together.
This
new
fabric
is
now
ready
for
further
surface
work:
machine
applique,
embroidery,
collage,
and,
more
recently,
photographic
transfers
from
my
photographer
husband’s
huge
collection
of
natural
images.
The
finished
surface
is
then
quilted
with
felt
or
cotton
batting
to
enhance
the
textures
and
lines.
I
do
not
frame
my
works
behind
glass
as
this
compromises
the
richness
of
the
fabric.
All
the
pieces
are
suspended
with
a
wooden
bar
at
the
back,
and
anchored
to
the
wall
by
one
or
two
small
nails.
The
sources
of
my
materials
are
many…
fabric
stores
supply
most
of
my
ground
materials
but
I
also
routinely
visit
second-hand
shops
and
knitting
stores.
My
friends
who
sew
give
me
their
scraps
(so
hard
to
throw
away!).
Over
twenty
years
I
have
accumulated
a
huge
collection
of
bits
and
pieces
from
all
over
the
world,
some
of
which
are
still
waiting
for
the
perfect
moment.
The
overall
effect
is
much
like
a
pointillist
or
impressionist
painting.
Over
time
I
have
developed
this
technique
to
the
point
where
I
can
now
produce
almost
any
image
that
can
be
painted
or
drawn.
With
a
thumbnail
drawing
as
a
guide,
I
work
on
the
surface
as
it
slowly
evolves
and
the
‘reality’
of
the
material
speaks
to
me.
2006
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