Wildfire up the Rocky: Artist Statement

These paintings and photos were produced over the last 7 years. But they really began in 2003 in Jasper National Park where I was a park interpreter for many years. This summer's conflagration in Jasper, my home for many years, has renewed my desire to show this work.

The valley of the Rocky River burned that summer. I watched at night from the shores of Talbot Lake and blessed this fire for all the good it would do for a favourite valley. In the years that followed, the grass grew thick, the elk thrived and the wolves dined. I have hiked, canoed and photographed that burn and others throughout BC ever since. The paintings started coming down the brush unbidden, as is my process with abstaction.

The photos, though intended simply as a record for painting, began to form a tender relationship of their own with the recovering land and so are included.

In 2015, Jasper’s Medicine Lake burned. The zinging energy and pulsing golden light of the recovering forest was palpable. The painting moved on from the night of the Rocky fire to the energy, colour and pattern of the resurgent forest.

Since then the fires in BC have drawn me to them. I have explored the regenerating landscape of Elephant Hill, Hanceville, White Lake, Wildwood, Spokin Lake, Gustafsen, Tunkwa, Loon Lake and Pressy Lake burns.

This show is a combination of my passion as a scientist for fire ecology and my long painterly relationship with abstraction and the Sublime.

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Show proposal for Wildfire on the Rocky by Jenny Clark

This body of work is ongoing and at present contains 43 paintings and a large collection of photographs. For the full body of work see the Fire Up The Rock gallery below this proposal in the gallery menu.

The paintings are basically three sizes:

10 large: 19x25” on paper, matted and framed dimensions are 25”x30”

16 medium: 14 are 16”x20” on canvas and 2 are 18 x18” on canvas. Framed dimensions will be only slightly larger as no mattes will be used.

24 small: ranging from 4x6” to 9x12”, on paper, board and canvas. Mattes on the paper pieces will be used so outer dimensions will vary.

10 photos, 5x7” matted and framed to 8x10”.

The whole body of work is intended to be shown but can be adapted to fit a smaller space with fewer pieces.

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CURRICULUM VITAE

Jenny Clark

#103, 1145 Hilda St

Victoria, BC

V8V 2Z5

email:aljeke@shaw.ca

website: jennyclarkart.ca

250 294 4540

EDUCATION

1991 Honours Diploma in Painting, Alberta College of Art, Calgary, AB

1978 Honours Bachelor of Science in Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria BC

AWARDS

1990 Liquitex Prize, Alberta College of Art

1989 Simon Chang and Phyllis Levine Foundation Scholarship

1988 Illingworth Kerr Scholarship

1987 Study Grant, Alberta Culture and Multiculturalism

1968 Canadian Legion Scholarship

1968 BC Provincial Study Grant

PROFESSIONAL

2004 Workshop Instructor: Exploring the Abstract Process

offered through Jasper Artists Guild, Jasper, AB

2003 Curator: Landbased: A Show of the Land, Showcase Gallery,

Jasper- Yellowhead Museum, Jasper, AB

2000 Workshop Instructor: Pollock for Kids

offered through Allied Arts Council, Pincher Creek, AB

1976 Instructor: Children’s Art Classes, Field, BC

1975 Instructor: Life Drawing Classes, Field, BC

1972 to 1975, 1981, 1987 to 1990 Instructor:

Taught art to children as a part of nature walks offered through the Jasper National Park Interpretive Program.

ORGANIZATIONS

2006 to present

Member , Interpretive Guides Association, Jasper AB

2009 to 2011

Member of CRD citizens’ advisory panel on parks and trails, Victoria, BC

2007 to present

Member Victoria Natural History Society

2006 to 2007

Member of the Board of Directors, Mountain Parks Heritage Interpretive Association, Banff, AB

2003 to 2004

Member of the Board of Directors, Jasper Artists Guild, Jasper, AB

2000 to 2016

Member, Jasper Artists Guild

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2018 Rock Bay Square coffee shop gallery.

2014 Shatterbox Café Victoria BC, Dec 1 to Jan 15

2007 On Going Conversation, Lebel Mansion Gallery, Pincher Creek AB, April 7 to 30

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2019 Open house Rock Bay Square Nov 21

2017 Open House Rock Bay Square, Nov 19 and 19th

2016 Open House Rock Bay Square, Nov 20 and 21st

2015 Open House Rock Bay Square, Nov 21 and 22nd

2014 Open House Rock Bay Square, Nov 23 and 24th

2013 Open House Rock Bay Square, Nov 25 and 26th

2012 Spring Collection, a two woman show with Claude Boocock at Brush Fire Gallery, Jasper, AB

2007 -2013 Summer Shows, Brush Fire Gallery, May to Oct.,Jasper , AB

2006 The Body Speaks, a two woman show with Claude Boocock at the Showcase Gallery, Jasper-Yellowhead Museum, Jasper AB, April 7-23

2005 Summer Show, Brush Fire Gallery, May to Oct., Jasper, AB

2004 Summer Show, Brush Fire Gallery, May to Oct., Jasper, AB

2003 Landbased: A Show of the Land, Showcase Gallery, Jasper- Yellowhead Museum, Jasper, AB, January

2003 Bella Nota, Brushfire Gallery, Jasper AB, March

2003 Brush Fire Gallery Summer Show, Jasper, AB, May to October

2003 Angels, Brush Fire Gallery, Jasper, AB, December

2002 Cinco de Mayo, Soft Rock Guerrilla Gallery, Jasper AB, May

2002 Jasper in January Show, Jasper-Yellowhead Museum, Jasper, AB

2001 A Beautiful You, Park Place Guerrilla Gallery, Jasper, AB

2000 Lebel Fundraiser Show, Pincher Creek, AB

1999 Lebel Fundraiser Show, Pincher Creek, AB

1998 Moss St. Paint In, Victoria, BC, July

1990 Christmas Show and Sale, Alberta College of Art, Calgary, AB

1990 One of a Kind Show, Alberta College of Art, Calgary, AB

1990 Square Deal Show, New Gallery, Calgary, AB

1990 AIDS Show, Alberta College of Art, Calgary, AB

1989 Christmas Show and Sale, Alberta College of Art, Calgary, AB

1988 Christmas Show and Sale, Alberta College of Art, Calgary, AB

1988 Emily Carr/Alberta College of Art Exchange Show, Vancouver, BC

1987 Christmas Show and Sale, Alberta College of Art, Calgary, AB

1983 Artists for Peace, Unitarian Church, Victoria, BC

COLLECTIONS

Adam Germaine, Edmonton, AB

Andre Verheije, Suncerely Day Spa, Calgary, AB

Primitive Clothing Inc., Calgary, AB

Decorator’s Den, Calgary, AB

GALLERIES

2002 to 2004, 2000-2001

Willock and Sax Gallery Sunrise Gallery, Jasper

Box 85, 305 WindflowerAve. Jasper AB, TOE 1E0

Waterton Lakes National Park, AB, T0K 2M0

2001 to 2016

Brushfire Gallery

Jasper Artists’ Guild

Jasper, Alberta