This page was exported from The Auroran [ http://www.newspapers-online.com/auroran ] Export date:Sat Oct 4 10:20:34 2025 / +0000 GMT ___________________________________________________ Title: Constellations spark imagination in Cultural Centre exhibition by Emily Carriere --------------------------------------------------- Constellations have sparked the imagination for millennia. In them, our imaginations tend to run wild. What we see might not be the same as the vision of the person next to us. Our interpretations are unique and individual, often determined by our environment and the people around us. What you see in the work of Emily Carriere is very much determined on your perspective and while it might be some time before you're able to stand in front of her vibrant pieces, now being hosted by the Aurora Cultural Centre at Town Hall in a solo exhibition and sale called “Constellations”, you can experience it online in the Cultural Centre's virtual gallery through February 5. Constellations is a series of vivid mixed-media pieces by Ms. Carriere that combine acrylic with vinyl. Abstract images, they are cut and layered in intricate patterns and shapes that have depth, sometimes iridescence, and often reflect the viewer. Ms. Carrier, who specialized in Art History at the University of Ontario, struck upon her method quite by accident. Passionate about print media, including silk screening and lithography, when she graduated she didn't have access to a print studio, a press, or other essentials key for the medium. But what she did have was a job as a graphic designer in the signage industry, one which gave her plenty of access to excess printed vinyl from the sign-making process. “I had all these tools and materials I hadn't been exposed to before, but it was what I had in front of me and I took my knowledge from school to build up imagery through layers like you do through print-making and applied it to these new materials. Through exploration and examination, I was able to come up with my own art-making practice purely out of circumstances. “It was absolutely exhilarating. It was like I found a whole new medium, but it was based on ideas of classical art-making. You feel like you're just reinventing, which is wonderful. You can't reinvent the wheel, you're just doing the same thing over and over again, which is wonderful, but it felt like I discovered something and I have embraced that feeling and continued to experiment with different mediums to see how I can take traditional art-making and apply these new industrial techniques.” Constellations, as installed on the second floor of Town Hall, very much shows the evolution and exploration of the artist, from new shapes and forms, to transitions in colour palates, each with something to catch the eye. She is artistically inspired by everything around her, she says, particularly forms found in nature such as cell structures, and even architecture and jewellery. “It is an amalgamation of many different inspirations and I feel maybe that abstract nature and collage aspect leaves many entry points for viewers,” she says. “I want them to leave with a sense of wonderment, awe and excitement. I feel like when you see the pieces virtually, it is lovely, but when you see them in person, they are a little more active. There is a 3-D nature to them and shadow play when you physically move around the piece. It takes on part of the parts of the room and motion and when you're moving around the piece, it will reflect yourself and your surroundings.” With that being said, while circumstances do not yet allow a return to an in-person exhibition at Town Hall, Ms. Carriere says she has been “blown away” by the efforts the Cultural Centre has put in to create a virtual gallery experience, from their 360-degree tours to “Art Bytes” which allow Ms. Carriere to speak to various pieces in the show. “The fact that there is this available is just definitely keeping it so much more approachable and accessible for the community. It allows this to still happen, which is so exciting. Myself and the Aurora Cultural Centre are also trying to reach out through social media, trying to just show how this is still happening. It may not be in person, but there is the lovely virtual aspect. “It is still a journey. I am always striving to continue and grow my art practice, but definitely when I started playing with these new mediums, that's when I felt I had really found my personal voice in the art world, where I felt I could contribute something new and interesting and that really sparked me to want to apply for shows, to start showing my work and getting it out there. It was a daunting step, but it was really exciting and it feels good to have something unique to show and share.” For more information on Constellations, including the virtual gallery tour and opportunities to call some of the pieces your own, visit auroraculturalcentre.ca/constellations.  By Brock WeirEditorLocal Journalism Initiative Reporter --------------------------------------------------- Images: --------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------- Post date: 2021-12-09 21:38:46 Post date GMT: 2021-12-10 02:38:46 Post modified date: 2021-12-09 21:43:14 Post modified date GMT: 2021-12-10 02:43:14 ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Export of Post and Page as text file has been powered by [ Universal Post Manager ] plugin from www.gconverters.com