uncharted waters
In October of 2024, I had the privilege of participating in the Arctic Circle Artist Residency. This was made possible with the generous support of the Canada Council for the Arts and The New Brunswick Arts Board, which has led to the creation of Uncharted Waters.
Experiencing the Arctic Circle is one thing, but experiencing it with a group of international artists who share your sense of wonder is something else entirely. Together, we watched as the Arctic revealed itself with its vast pastel skies, the quiet transition to polar night, the northern lights dancing like whispers in the dark. Each encounter with wildlife felt like a gift, and I’m still dreaming about it all.
Since returning from the Arctic, I've found myself in a reflective space, still trying to fully process the experience. I feel a weight to ensure that what I create and share will inspire others to see the Arctic’s fragility and the need to safeguard it for future generations. It’s as though I’ve been entrusted with a piece of the Arctic’s story, carrying it forward with the hope that it sparks a similar sense of care in others to preserve these frozen worlds. Honouring a place visibly impacted by forces beyond its control, I hope to be a voice for these landscapes who can’t speak for themselves.
At the heart of this body of work lies the belief that it is never too late for change. Every decision we make today leaves a mark on tomorrow. And in that recognition lies hope, the possibility that even the broken pieces of our world can be transformed into something beautiful and new. Uncharted Waters navigates the fragile balance between destruction and renewal, offering a reflection on how we can reshape what has been damaged.
Inspired by Arctic landscapes, this collection also engages with the broader environmental and political implications of our collective actions. The gouache-painted blocks of colour and photographs from my time in the Arctic, torn into strips that mimic jagged mountain peaks, glaciers, and waves, are reassembled into abstract landscapes that represent a land torn and shifting under the weight of human impact. These fragmented pieces symbolize the brokenness of our world. Yet, even in the act of tearing, there is a glimmer of hope—the potential to rebuild and create something beautiful from the destruction.
The collection also includes blind contour drawings of our expedition vessel, Antigua, created with coal I collected from Svalbard. The coal is a direct connection to the region’s mining history yet also ponders our lasting carbon footprint. This concept is further explored in the clay tiles I exposed to the Arctic elements. Over time, the tiles developed cracks, crystal formations, and subtle changes that echo the Arctic’s own fragility and how it is being reshaped by forces beyond its control.
In a world where it is often deemed too late, Uncharted Waters challenges such notions, reminding us that it is never too late to make positive change. In creating these works, I found them becoming a reflection of how my own actions influence the world we inhabit. Perhaps, in this sense, the broken pieces we see around us can still be turned into something new, something beautiful. And so, as we navigate these uncharted waters, I hold onto a quiet faith that this is where meaningful change begins.
