No matter what happens in my life, nature is a source of inspiration, of energy and of spiritual nourishment. Trees, with their strength and their silent presence, inspire me, comfort me and provide me with vitality, stability and peace. Sometimes, faced with the ugly realities of our world, I dream of being a tree.
This year, I was invited by two friends (Pierre Tessier, sculptor and Suzanne Ricard, glass artist) to be one of the two selected artists for 2015 to create an installation in the park they have created. By planting enough trees to make a forest, they have made a place of creation and exhibition of permanent works both International and Quebec Artists. Since 2000 the park has hosted sculptures by one or two artists each year. The other artist selected this year was born in India and has been a long term Quebec settler.
This installation is intended as a link between the different stages of my creative career and the inspirational approaches that feeds them,. They are as important as each other: photo taking, composition, processing of digital images, data transfer up to a woven document.
Having been invited by two friends (Pierre Tessier, sculptor and Suzanne Ricard, glass artist) who, in 20 years, planted enough trees to make a forest that has become a place of creation and exhibition of permanent works from international and Quebec artists. Since 2000, the park hosted sculptures by one or two artists each year. This year I am one of the two selected artists (the other artist born in India who have long settled in Quebec).
My challenge was to create a permanent sculptural work that would be installed in the forest at St-Pie-de-Guire. I created the idea, the stage, the project (five chairs and round table). The chairs are 1.5 times larger than the usual chairs. I designed textile patterns that have been laser-cut on the chair backs. All metal parts were made with the help of the workshop Essarts (bending and welding).
Jacques and I sanded all the edges and worked on the “rusty” finish by spraying a mixture of peroxide, vinegar and salt.
The technical team is composed of Pierre Essarts (father), Pierre (son) and François Tessier and Suzanne Ricard (who prepared the glass placed on the top of the table in order to seal the textile parts placed in the table).
I folded and placed over fifty weaves that tell the story about my professional path.
Essarts, July 2015