Stephanie Kellett exhibition opens at Oxygen
By Contributor
The Oxygen Art Centre is pleased to be presenting an exhibition of new work by visual artist Stephanie Kellett. The exhibition will include a series of new paintings, a found object installation and an audio visual component.
As research and inspiration for the creation of ‘Re-Wilding: Fire Starter’, Kellett travelled with her partner, bear biologist and sound artist Robert E. Livingood to Chilko and Fish Lakes on the Chilcotin Platueau which lies between the Fraser River and Coastal Mountains of British Columbia.
Together they spent six weeks living in this biologically rich environment amongst coastal bears, wolves, wild horses and salmon runs . Kellett went to the plateau with the intention of re-wilding herself and to “still her mind” in the sublime beauty and deep quiet of the plateau.
However, what touched her deeply and has inspired her creative process was found in the mundane, in the daily act of gathering twigs for starting fires. This repetitive and simple act is the root of her new work and exhibition, Re-Wilding: Fire Starter.
Stephanie Kellett is originally from the Okanagan and now resides in Nelson.
She has studied fine arts at the University of British Columbia in the Okanagan and also the University of Victoria where she received a BA in Art History. During her time at the University of Victoria she was awarded the Faculty Scholarship and the Marlet Chapter IODE scholarship for her work. In 2014 she was a participant in the Toni Onley Art Project.
She has received funding from the Columbia Basin Trust and the Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance for several of her projects including Re-Wilding: Fire Starter of which this exhibition sees the completion of a major project grant.
The exhibition ‘Re-Wilding: Fire Starter’ will run from January 6th through to February 3rd, 2018. The gallery will be open Wednesdays to Saturdays from 1-5 p.m.
The Oxygen Art Centre will host an opening reception for the artist on Friday, January 5th from 7-9 p.m.
The artist will give a talk on her work on Saturday, January 20th from 4-5 p.m. Please join us! Admission is free and everyone is welcome.
