Opening reception:
Friday, October 5 | 7:30 pm
Birch trees, white or paper birch (Betula) grows around the world at a Northern latitude. Birch bark has found use around the globe, from North American canoes to Scandinavian footwear to Russian baskets. Birch bark has an even longer history as a manuscript material found in India and further Afghanistan.
Finding a contemporary voice for a traditional material has its challenges. Starting with quilt patterns with a strong geometric design gave way to computer generated patterns with a stunning 3D visual depth. My respect for the materials has increased as I discover rich colours and textures that document the natural history of growth and decay. This exhibition shows my most recent influences and passion for this material.
Julie Lockau has been creating art since the early 2000s, and has been awarded several Ontario Craft Council grants. Julie’s work has been exhibited in galleries in Montreal, Ottawa, Haliburton, and Cobourg. Her works are held by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, and in the Canadian Embassies in Italy & Brazil. Julie’s creations are held in private collections in Canada, United States, and Mexico.
She has previously headlined exhibitions at the Art Gallery of Bancroft in 2000, and again in 2006. In the Art Gallery of Bancroft’s 2016 Annual Juried Exhibition, she was awarded Best-in-Class in the two-dimensional/mixed media category for her work “Bark Fossils”.
Julie Lockau resides with her family north of Bancroft.
A wall tapestry made from warm earthy colours of found natural materials is a serene, quiet piece of work for the eye and soul. In the past our Grandmothers sewed by hand. This tradition is not forgotten, all of the wall tapestries I make are sewn by hand, mostly using bright coloured thread to draw attention to the detail and care that goes into each piece.