Two different art mediums with one common theme at Kerrobert Gallery

By Joan Janzen

Two Saskatchewan artists have combined their very different mediums with one common theme entitled “Passing” Exploring the cycle of life from different perspectives. The exhibit features art by Joanne Bolen and Olivia Maney, which will be on display from August 30th until October 28th at the Kerrobert Courtroom Gallery. Both artists reside near Melfort; however some of the locals in Kerrobert and Kindersley may have met Olivia when she and her husband and daughter lived in Kindersley more than a decade ago.

Olivia Maney, left, and Joanne Bolen, right. Olivia’s art is on display at the Kerrobert Courtroom Gallery. It began with a 45-year-old quilt which her mother had given to her. Joannes paintings recreate images of actual places that have fallen into decay and abandonment.

Olivia said, “Joanne’s pieces capture the deterioration side of the exhibit, while my art is really colourful and simple, making something new out of something old.” And their individual stories help enrich their art.

The two ladies met in 2018 and the following year began working together in Joanne’s studio. “We both have a love for old decaying beautiful places and spent a lot of time taking photos and digging into old farm yards,” Olivia said. “We considered doing a show together on what we’ve been working on individually.” The end result was two very different art mediums with one common theme.

Joanne has a deep love of abandoned places. Since 2021 she has been captivated by photographs of actual places that have fallen into decay and abandonment, which she recreates in her paintings. “The colours I use are close to the original image, but I like to punch them up to add my own perspective,” she said. She imagines what these real places were like in their glory days, and is amazed at how quickly they deteriorate.

Olivia’s pieces began with a quilt she had for over twenty years. The quilt had been gifted to her mother forty-five years ago. At that time a community was built of many different families who all met in one home as they started a church. Each block represented one family or individual from the community church and depicted an image of their home.

“I’ve never had the heart to throw it away, yet it couldn’t be repaired,” Olivia explained. “I cut it up and repurposed it into pillows. Each painting is a depiction of what each individual block would have looked like originally.”

“These old places are deafeningly quiet inside,” Joanne said.

“Yes, if walls could talk, you would find there’s life everywhere,” Olivia chimed in. “It’s kind of nice to show together since we know each other’s work so well. It’s always easier to talk about someone else’s work rather than your own.”

Joanne’s acrylic paintings, rich in detail and realism, depict scenes of abandonment and decay. And Olivia’s acrylic works represent the original state of repurposed quilt blocks, which are simple, yet rich in meaning and construction.

Nevertheless, both artists are capturing places in motion within the endless cycle of life.