Gillian King

Lives and works in Ottawa, ON, Canada

Artist statement

Through abstract painting, I aim to connect ancient art practices to our changing geographical landscapes in order to address our mutual fragility, mortality, and histories with other living beings and the Earth. As a way to continue this conversation I draw from elements of ecology, palaeontology, and earth-based spirituality. My paintings are concerned with the codependency of all living things. Through alchemic methods I discover how materials interact and function together. I choose specific materials for their physical properties and their symbolic relevance to extract their pigments. I adopt printmaking techniques and fibre art processes to create repeating imprints of colour and form, using pigments derived from insects, rusted metals, plant and vegetable matter. These imprints inform and direct how each composition is finalized using oil and acrylic paint materials. Beginning outdoors, I grow and gather raw materials; earth sediments, plants, and flowers. In the studio, I use my hands to work with the materials in order to gain an intimate understanding of them and my function within local ecosystems. I use my physical body to apply these materials onto canvas. The awareness of time is key to my ritual: Each step of my painting process is an exercise in patience and intention that leads towards insights on how I move through the world.

Artwork

• Each Vertebrae a Stone, 2019. Cold Wax Medium, Oil, Raw Pigments, Rust Sediments, and Various Plant Materials (including Black Walnut, Onion Skins, Roses, Sumac, and Wildflowers) on Canvas
• Moon Marrow , 2019. Cold Wax Medium, Oil, Raw Pigments, Rust Sediments, and Various Plant Materials (including Black Walnut, Onion Skins, Roses, Sumac, and Wildflowers) on Canvas
• Terra, 2019. Cold Wax Medium, Oil, Raw Pigments, Rust Sediments, and Various Plant Materials (including Black Walnut, Onion Skins, Roses, Sumac, and Wildflowers) on Canvas
• Cecropia, 2019. Rust Sediments, Oil, and Various Natural Materials (including Black Walnut, Indigo, Onion Skins, and Sumac) on Canvas
• Lamb’s Ear, 2020. Rust Sediments, Oil, and Various Natural Materials (including Black Walnut, Indigo, Onion Skins, and Sumac) on Canvas
• Mollusciliary , 2020. Rust Sediments, Oil, and Various Natural Materials (including Black Walnut, Indigo, Onion Skins, and Sumac) on Canvas
• Alveoli, 2020. Rust Sediments, Oil, and Various Natural Materials (including Black Walnut, Indigo, Onion Skins, and Sumac) on Canvas
• Arachnoid, 2020. Rust Sediments, Oil, and Various Natural Materials (including Black Walnut, Indigo, Onion Skins, and Sumac) on Canvas