Layers of the Land
This past autumn, I was invited to attend the NG Art Creative Residency in Provence, France, an opportunity that aligns with a meaningful turning point in my practice. This experience was made possible by the generous support of the Canada Council of the Arts and the Greater Saint John Professional Artists Fund.
As an artist of Acadian descent, I’m increasingly drawn to exploring themes of heritage, displacement, and return through my work. Spending time in Provence carried deep personal significance, connecting me to the land of my ancestors. Immersed in this landscape, I experienced a sense of homecoming that has informed the direction of my practice, and the ongoing body of work titled Layers of the Land.
This work has allowed me to explore a new approach that deepens my connection to my Acadian heritage. Layers of the Land is about more than the stories embedded in the land of my ancestors; it’s an homage to the collective history of the Acadian people, to the many hands and lives that have shaped the land over generations. It considers how, through the quiet acts of those who came before us, we continue to weave our own stories into the fabric of the land.
My great-grandmother’s tradition of repurposing unwanted clothing into quilts, for example, is not just a personal memory. It is a reflection of how many Acadians, out of necessity and creativity, have found ways to transform what others left behind into something valuable and lasting. This act of reclamation is a shared legacy of resilience, sustainability, and ingenuity. It embodies the spirit of Acadians, a spirit of adaptation, of making do with what is available, and of honouring the land through practical, meaningful work.
In Layers of the Land, I seek to honour these traditions, those of my great-grandmother and the countless others who, in their own ways, have shaped the land and its culture. Through the use of foraged and natural materials, alongside traditional Acadian crafts, this project explores the layers of history, memory, and culture over time. By reflecting on how these materials connect to our shared past, I aim to create a dialogue between the Acadian communities of New Brunswick and Provence, considering how our collective heritage is shaped by the land and the materials we gather from it. Through these materials, I seek to honour the stories embedded in the land—stories of resilience, adaptation, and connection that have been passed down through generations and continue to shape our cultural landscape today.
This project includes conversations with members of the Acadian community, both in Provence and New Brunswick, focused on their personal experiences of Acadian identity, heritage, and connection. With their consent, these conversations will uncover the deep ties that bind individuals to their ancestral roots, as well as the complexities of what it means to remember, honour, and sometimes forget one’s heritage. The voices of these community members serve as a foundational thread, woven into the project and guiding the development of the work. These stories, rich in personal histories and collective memory, become an essential part of the art, helping to shape the pieces both visually and thematically. Through these voices, I aim to capture the essence of what it means to belong to this shared heritage, transforming these reflections into works that are as much about identity as they are about the land that sustains it.
As this project unfolds, I explore how each material informs the final work, allowing the process itself to guide the outcome. By using natural materials, I aim to reflect the ephemeral nature of both memory and culture, creating work that is both timeless and fleeting. Through Layers of the Land, I explore how tradition, memory, and landscape shape my work and artistic identity, creating art that is rooted in a meaningful dialogue between past, present, and future.
