I found myself taken back to a Canadian kitchen of the fifties the other day. Saltspring Island artists Melanie Thompson and Judith Barnett have collaborated on an installation in Port Moody Arts Centre which honours the memory of a Vancouver homemaker.
When Judith Barnett lived in Vancouver she became good friends with her neighbour, Mrs. Williams. They knew each other for twenty years and Mrs. Williams became a surrogate grandmother to her children. When the old lady died Judith was give some of her memorabilia, including a wooden box filled with carefully written recipes.
Some years later, after Judith had moved to Saltspring Island she met local artist Melanie Thompson and showed her the charming box of recipes. Melanie, a basket-maker inclined to dream up art pieces from unexpected materials, suggested they make work based on Mrs. Williams and her mid-Century homemaker’s life. Totally domestic in theme this show has turned out to be an amusing, heartfelt tribute to the housewife of that time, here in Vancouver.
It took me back to forgotten pastimes and economic necessities. I wish my sister Mary could have wandered around the show with me as I admired framed images which used dress patterns, or a frock covered in the elderly recipes. I’d forgotten how I saved recipes from the Vancouver Sun and ‘made do’ with the groceries on hand, made lampshades myself, and sewed and knitted and ‘made over’ as needed. I actually giggled when I spotted the shopping list written on a blackboard… Tang! canned mushroom soup, cream of wheat..
The sampler could have been my mother’s mantra.. read it.
So if you are of a certain age, like me, do make sure to check out this delightful show and admire all the thought-provoking and intricate work these two artists have put into this collaboration in honour of Judith’s long-gone neighbour Mrs. Williams.
The other day CBC’s Saturday morning ‘North by North-West’ show host Sheila MacKay interviewed Melanie Thompson in the Port Moody Art Centre’s Ann Kitching gallery. If you’d like to listen to Melanie’s description of the work that led up to this show click on the link below, and find minutes 25.48 to 40.00.
http://www.cbc.ca/listen/shows/north-by-northwest/episode/15537806
Here is a little biography of Melanie, taken from the CABC member website:
I wrote about Jeff Wilson’s show in the main gallery of PMAC the other day, this is the second current show, and a third show is ‘Nectar’, the work of Port Moody artist Deanna Fligg featuring acrylic paintings focussing on the Bee.
You have until next Thursday April 26th catch these three shows.
