While Natasha Smith was working on her current show, Containment & Growth, she tried to work intuitively, allowing her process, the surrounding landscape and her love of the primitive inform her work.
“Each panels holds a circular form that combines collage elements including natural and collected materials. Each work relates directly to an experience or memory of place,” said the Slocan Valley artist, who will be hosting an exhibition at the Dancing Bear Inn in Nelson tonight from 6 to 8 p.m.
“By juxtaposing elements and surfaces with contrasting natures: opaque and transparent, strong and subtle marks, textured and smooth surfaces, themes of fragility, strength, containment and growth are suggested,” she said.
Smith’s latest work is inspired by the time she spent walking the Slocan Valley Rail Trail that runs by her studio in Passmore.
The collection of paintings have complex, layered surfaces created with a technique originally developed for collaged printmaking plates (collagraphs). She found the plates were often as interesting as the prints.
Her semi-abstract works combines collage materials with various acrylic mediums on a wooden panel.
The show will run until early January at the Dancing Bear Inn at 171 Baker Street.
Smith holds a B.A. in printmaking and has been a practicing artist and teacher for the last 14 years. She was a founding member of what is now Oxygen Art Centre and offers classes there.
For more information contact natashasmithartist@gmail.com.