Thru the Wilds

About Thru the Wilds

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

The beautifully crafted compositions of Alice Vander Vennen have found an audience both here and abroad. The Canadian artist uses ‘found’ objects to create her own aesthetic, a distinctive visual language expressed in sculptural framed artworks. Using layer upon layer of textiles, Vander Vennen adds a curated assortment of materials —burnished copper, and copper wire among them. In this piece, three squares appear stacked one above the other. A botanical motif can be found in each square. The colour palette is a striking mix of black, white, copper, gold, moss green, and gray with pops of red. These framed pieces can be hung horizontally or vertically.

“I was actually trained as a sculptor. I’m always working with positive and negative space. The colour field is created with textiles—some old, some new. I’m often thinking about the different cultures that the textiles came from. It feels like a visual poem.” 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.