Expectant

About Expectant

This mixed-media contemporary assemblage resembles a vessel and is designed to be hung on a wall.

This striking composition by Alice Vander Vennen revisits a favourite form—the vessel depicted as a ‘canoe-like’ object. Vander Vennen’s artwork is made from carefully curated pieces of assembled ‘found’ objects—each one ‘tells’ a story.
She begins each sculptural composition with textiles, both new and archival, selected for their colour and design. Layer upon layer of textiles cut into squares are assembled along with found objects—copper, copper wire, piano hammers and stones. The colour palette is fresh and modern—bright copper, turquoise, navy, moss green, earth tones, white, black and pops of red. These framed pieces can be hung horizontally or vertically. The pieces are shaped into a vessel that resembles a canoe. Vessels are associated with the idea of taking a journey. This imagery speaks to our collective histories and the artist’s personal history as the daughter of Dutch parents who immigrated to Canada.

“So much of my work celebrates the work of women's hands, often drawing on the narrative woven through the centuries of their creations. The form of the vessel symbolizes the gathering of this work, embodying the mysteries of these narratives. “ Alice Vander Vennen

Alice Vander Vennen trained as a sculptor at Calvin College, USA and at the Ontario College of Art and Design. Her work is held in public, private and corporate collections both here and abroad. She lives and works in Cobourg, Ontario.