Art lovers are in for a treat with the new exhibit at the Art Gallery of Swift Current entitled The Archival Shore by Saskatchewan artist Gladys Wozny Siemens.
With deep love and focus on the natural world, Wozny Siemens provides some details on her work.
"Plaster casts that I have taken of animal tracks and textures and shapes that I find on the ground near my home. And I make a plaster cast, a part of nature you might say."
She says she incorporates this into her sculptures and has an interesting story of how she began with this form of artwork.
According to Wozny Siemens, where they live in Rush Lake 15 years ago, there were rumors of someone seeing a cougar. Out in her backyard, she noticed large paw prints and some tracks. Her husband at the time took pictures, but as a sculpture, she took a plaster cast of it. When she saw how detailed the cast was with the ridges in the pad and sharp claws, she says it seemed so real and interesting to look at.
As a student she studied at the University of Saskatchewan with sculpting as her major and in regard to her art, she says she did worry if it would be considered art to take something directly from nature and put it up on a wall.
Wozny Siemens details her artistic inspiration.
"I'm very interested in the natural world, I am very interested in nature and art, in my art anyway. There is lots of art around that deals with popular culture, but I am more interested in the natural world."
She says that she has always found nature and the natural world to be wonderous and hopes that people can keep connecting with the natural world. Doing this she says causes people to question their actions in dealing with nature and to reflect on their relationship with it.
Wozny Siemens will be speaking at a public reception taking place Friday, March 3rd at 7 pm at the Art Gallery of Swift Current. She says she will be speaking about how she got started as an artist and answering any questions people may have and says it's a chance for her to take her work out of her cluttered studio and have it on beautiful walls.
The Archival Shore exhibit will be on display at the Art Gallery of Swift Current until March 18th.
