Sister Sister An Exhibition Catalogue of New Work By Kathy Pick-Haida Gwaii Museum At Kay Llnagaay

My intent for this exhibition is to honour and celebrate our differences. At its core, my work explores my connection to others-especially my female friends-as well as to nature and ways of being. Developed over two years, this body of work has been a journey of expanding the creative possibilities with the materials l use.
The seed that grew into this show arrived at the beginning of the
transcendent
pandemic. At the time the whole world seemed in suspended animation.
art, nature, an
I felt afraid, lonely, and isolated, as many others did at the time. Ironically, kathy pick, artist that isolation also gave me time for reflection and the ability to focus on what was really important to me.
Sitting, walking on the beach and in the forest became a daily meditation.
The importance of physical connection with my women friends, my extended family of "sisters"-was a big absence at the time. I missed the common threads of unity, gathering discussions and stories. Throughout the pandemic I witnessed a troubling decline in the understanding
of equity. Racism and violence artistic path
became more pronounced, and it felt like the world was regressing when it came to personal rights, especially women’s rights the 1973 landmark growing Roe versus Wade, which granted American women the constitutional right to abortion was overturned. Additionally, travel bans, and advisories, became increasingly common and appeared to be connected to an intolerance of other people and their diverse ways of living.
My observation during that time literally ran me down a new artistic path. I find it difficult to describe my creative process, but my ideas are often drawn from the chattering in my mind how I see things connections, memories, dreams, vision, spirits, and of course, the state of the world. There are times of self-doubt and times of pure exhilaration when an idea and the materials come together seamlessly.
In this work before you, I aim to evoke a sense of transcendence and energy and inspiration drawn from the materials I use while honouring sisterhood and the fostering of a deeper understanding and tolerance of others.
Using a variety of materials - many of them collected throughout the islands I have made pieces that can stand alone or be seen as groupings similar, but not the same just as sisters are the work is also deeply biographical, and reflecting, where I have been what I’ve learned and how my techniques, materials and connections along with my deep love for Place and respect for all living things have shaped my creative journey.
Kathy Pick