Northern Crones art exhibit highlights female local artists
Keyano Art Gallery was abuzz with art lovers, who took in the works of five female local artists at the Northern Crones art exhibit on November 21, 2019. Featuring the works of Sharon Heading, Liana Wheeldon (who was out of town), Carmen Wells, Treasure Cooper, and Barbara Madden – the exhibit had about 45 pieces ranging in theme from wildlife to abstract.
Sharon Heading explains the unique name for the exhibition.
“The idea started with reclaiming the word ‘crone,’ which tends to (connote) someone wicked, elderly and in the woods – whereas we are very north, we are amazing women, and the idea is to show we love our art so we are the Northern Crones. And, it will always be the five of us as Northern Crones,” she said.
Treasure Cooper, who was born in Fort McMurray is a Metis artist. She draws inspiration from her Indigenous background with “a lot of colour,” and her radiant works showed just that.
Carmen Wells did a series based on “civilization and tradition.”
“I’ve played with the idea of how traditions have maybe created the base of civilization and craft as we know it.”
For Barbara Madden, telling the story of powerful women emerged as the theme.
“This is part bird part woman – something people have drawn and told stories about forever.”
Surprisingly, every time the ladies met to decide on a unifying theme before the exhibition, they ended up ignoring it, yet a unifying thread emerged once the pieces were mounted.
“It happens every time,” shared Heading with a laugh.
Stay tuned for the next installment from the Northern Crones.
