Arts Mosaic Gallery is filled with grains, seeds of life, that have fascinated Winnipeg artist Naomi Gerrard in her childhood and as an accomplished artist.
Art lovers, students and seasoned artists, you don’t want to miss this very unique show. Gerrard has brought a large body of work to Virden. It fills the gallery in visual story in this, her ninth show in two-and-a-half years.
The techniques she uses include collage. She makes her own paper and sometimes uses paper fibres to create texture on paper or canvas. In addition, she incorporates thread, yarn, cloth, plaster and prairie seeds, sand and natural materials. Colour is an integral element in her work.
Naomi grew up on a farm in Pennsylvania. She trained as a registered nurse and completed her B.F.A. in art at the University of Minnesota before immigrating to Canada in 1980 with her Canadian husband, Jon Gerrard and three children.
Tuesday, Oct. 1, Gerrard was in the Arts Mosaic Gallery unpacking her pieces.
She explained that her 22 years of rural life, west of Winnipeg, rekindled her interest in the grains she played in as the daughter of a dairy farmer.
“I really got excited about the grains again. I collected the grains that were farmed in those fields. It started sneaking into my art. About five years ago I decided to pull out of the galleries that were showing my work and just concentrate on this project.”
Gerrard not only maintained her 30-piece collection, replacing the works that sold, but has grown her collection to 50 pieces. They will hang in the Piano Nobile Gallery in the Winnipeg Concert Hall.
“I wanted a solo, three-month show there, which I got… I’m pretty pleased with that.”
Her work will be displayed in November, 2020 through February 2021. But, you can see it here in Virden, throughout October, where pieces will also be for sale.
