The Gulf Stream is vital to Ingrid Larssen, living on the northwest coast of Norway, and myself, residing here in Nova Scotia. It enables many living in coastal North Atlantic regions to enjoy a much more comfortable climate than they otherwise would. Both of us working in the medium of fibre, Ingrid makes ethereal sculptures with smocking silk forms that reference the sea while I create textile landscapes that capture life by the sea.
By combining our art, two artists from opposite shores of the Atlantic, both touched by the flow of the Gulf Stream, can express our concerns over climate change through representing its many attributes and contributions to not only our quality of life but our very existence in the Northern Hemisphere.
My fascination with the sea is rooted in my consciousness and my family’s existence for many generations and, with a skillful partner like Ingrid, I feel compelled to honour that heritage by sharing my passion with the world. Broken Pen is the first of the works I am making for our proposed 2022 joint exhibition.
