Laura Widmer: Threshold

T h r e s h ol d Laura Widmer Vernon Public Art Gallery July 30 - October 8, 2015

Threshold Artist Statement

Threshold considers the pivotal moments embedded in a lifetime, be they momentous occasions, or barely perceptible tipping points nestled in the gradual accumulation of everyday experiences that bring a shift to the way we understand and define ourselves as individuals within our world.

Whether formally recognized through public ceremony or quietly folded into the hidden recesses of our being, these moments of shift--our relative graduations, our personal triumphs and our tragedies--bring with them a transitional period of negotiation, a threshold of questions that we must traverse in order to grow. These threshold moments mark the simultaneous beginnings and endings that outline and describe the very shape of our lives.

I am intrigued by the abundance of pearls when we consider many such rites of passage. For example, across many cultures it is common for brides to be presented with pearls for their marriage ceremony, and within the Christian tradition, pearl gates are said to stand at the entrance to heaven. Perhaps pearls are used as symbols in these instances because they are evidence of transformation; a mere grain of sand can eventually be transformed into a rare and beautiful gemstone, spherical in form, and symbolic of perfection.

It is interesting to consider that pearls ultimately emerge as the result of an irritation, invasion or injury. The mollusks that produce pearls protect themselves from these threats by depositing concentric layers of calcium carbonate around the irritant that has breached the organism’s outer shell.

The iridescent and luminous sphere that we so revere is the product of this gradual, repetitive, layered protective response. It is possible, then, to describe a pearl in many ways. A pearl is an object of beauty. It is a rare gem, an item of portable wealth, and a marker of social status. It is a marvel of geometry. It is CaCO3. It is a symbol of perfection and purity. A pearl is a battle for survival. It is a treasure and it is a scar.

Laura Widmer 2015

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Cirrus, 2015, linocut, image: 36 x 24 in, paper: 40 x 30 in

Cumulus, 2015, linocut, image: 36 x 24 in, paper: 40 x 30 in

Laura Widmer lwidmer@uniserve.com www.laurawidmer.ca

Curriculum Vitae

Solo Exhibitions 2015 Threshold, Vernon Public Art Gallery, Vernon, BC Face to Face, Burnaby Art Gallery Offsite: McGill Library, Burnaby, BC 2013 The Character of Line, Penticton Art Gallery, Penticton, BC Selected Group Exhibitions 2015 Incisione al Femminile, Atelier Controsegno, Naples, Italy From the Matrix: Okanagan Printmakers, ARTE Funktional Gallery, Kelowna, BC 2014

Stand Out Prints, Highpoint Center for Printmaking, Minneapolis, MN Open Studio: National Printmaking Award Shortlisted Artists, Open Studio, Toronto, ON 100 Prints, Open Studio, Toronto, ON (Honourable Mention) International Printmaking Biennial of Douro, Douro Museum, Régua, Portugal The Print Show, John B. Aird Gallery, Toronto, ON THENANDNOWANDTHEN, Fina Gallery, UBC, Kelowna, BC Immoderation, Living Arts Centre, Mississauga, ON

2013

Global Print 2013, Lamego Museum and Douro Museum, Régua, Portugal Portraits in Print, Center for Contemporary Printmaking, Norwalk, CT Coe College Juried Print Show, Sinclair Galleries, Cedar Rapids, IA 100 Prints, Open Studio, Toronto, ON The Print Show, John B Aird Gallery, Toronto, ON Paper Exchanges, Lake Country Art Gallery, Lake Country, BC

2012

The Print Show, John B. Aird Gallery, Toronto, ON 100 Prints, Open Studio, Toronto, ON Proof Positive II, Vernon Public Art Gallery, Vernon, BC Twenty Twelve: BFA Graduation Exhibition, Vernon Public Art Gallery, Vernon, BC

2011

Boston Printmakers Print Biennial, Danforth Museum of Art, Framingham, MA (Muskat Award) 100 Prints, Open Studio, Toronto, ON Canadian Impressions, IDB Cultural Centre, Washington, DC Splitgraphic International Graphic Art Biennial V, Old City Hall, Split, Croatia Traditions and Transitions, Alternator Centre for Contemporary Arts, Kelowna, BC National Small Print Show, Creede Arts Council, Creede, CO 5

2010

100 Prints, Open Studio, Toronto, ON (First Prize) Penang International Print Exhibition, Penang State Art Gallery, Penang, Malaysia Category: Printmaking Group Exhibition, Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, IL Miniprint Finland International Triennial 2010, Lahti Art Museum, Lahti, Finland A4 Open International Contemporary Print Competition, Open Space Gallery, Cornwall, UK 9th Lessedra World Art Print Annual, Lessedra Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria International Miniature Print Exhibition, Ottawa School of Art, Ottawa, ON

Selected Awards and Honours 2014 Honourable Mention for linocut “Pearls”, Open Studio National Printmaking Awards, Toronto, ON 2012 DVC Purchase Award for lithograph “Between the Lines”, UBC, Kelowna, BC 2011 Muskat Studio Prize for linocut “Phansie Knahnsie”, Boston Printmakers North American Print Biennial, Danforth Museum of Art, Framingham, MA (Juror: Jim Dine) FCCS Travel Grant to Sofia, Bulgaria, UBC, Kelowna, BC 2010 First Prize for linocut “One of the Daves I Know”, Open Studio National Printmaking Awards, Toronto, ON Education / Residencies 2014 Artist in Residence, Banff Centre for the Arts, Banff, AB (April 20-May 10) 2012 Bachelor of Fine Arts, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC 2010 Toni Onley Artists’ Project Participant, Island Mountain Arts, Wells, BC. (July 17-25) 1993 Bachelor of Education, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PEI 1992 Bachelor of Arts (Honours English), University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON Related Experience TEACHING AND PRESENTATIONS 2015 Introduction to Printmaking Class, Okanagan School of the Arts, Shatford Centre, Penticton, BC

Printmaking Demonstration, Alcuin Society Wayzgoose, Vancouver Public Library, Vancouver, BC 2014 Local(i)ty Project Artist Talk with Carin Covin, Nora Curiston and Brenda Feist, Grand Forks Public Library, Grand Forks, BC Guest Instructor, Drawing and 2-D Practices, UBC Okanagan, Kelowna, BC (March 26 & 27) 2013 Printmaking Demonstration, Alcuin Society Wayzgoose, Vancouver Public Library, Vancouver, BC 2nd Judith Foster Printmaking Workshop, Penticton Art Gallery/Shatford Centre, Penticton, BC Printmaking Workshop (co-facilitated w Heather Leier), Lake Country Art Gallery, Lake Country, BC Introduction to Linocut Relief Printmaking Workshop, Kelowna Art Gallery, Kelowna, BC Panelist, Paper Exchanges Panel Discussion, Lake Country Art Gallery, Lake Country, BC 2011 1st Annual Judith Foster Printmaking Workshop, Penticton Art Gallery, Penticton, BC

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2010

“Making a Mark.” Presentation to 1000+ Incoming Students, Meet the Deans Orientation Session, UBC, Kelowna, BC

JURIES 2013 Art at Wharepuke Biennial International Print Show, Art at Wharepuke Gallery, Kerikeri, NZ 2011 10th Lessedra Art Print Annual, Lessedra Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria RELATED ACTIVITIES 2011-12 UBC Okanagan Public Art Advisory Committee Member, UBC, Kelowna, BC 2009-11 Printmaking Research Assistant, UBC Okanagan, Kelowna, BC 2009-10 Printmaking Studio Lab Monitor, UBC Okanagan, Kelowna, BC 2010 Print Assistant to visiting artist Takao Tanabe UBC, Kelowna, BC. (May 6 & 7) Articles, Reviews and Media 2014 Covin, Carin. Locality: A Curatorial Project. Vernon, BC: CC Publishing http://www.localityproject.weebly. com. Artist Interview: Laura Widmer”. Burnaby Art Gallery Blog. March 31, 2014. http://burnabyartgallery. tumblr.com

D’Amico, Stephanie. “Printmaking Roundtable”. Artbitch. April 28, 2014. http://www.artbitch.ca 2011 Williams, Sean-Michael. “Traditions and Transitions.” (video). Golden Phoenix Films and the Alternator Centre for Contemporary Art. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chKJMmOV5cc Wylie, Liz. “Traditions and Transition: A Group Printmaking Exhibition.” Galleries West. Volume 10, Number 3. Fall/Winter 2011. p 32.

Jacob, Jody. “UBC Fine Arts student wins top prize for printmakers.” Event Magazine. February 9, 2011. p 7.

2010 “Artist Laura Widmer wins top prize for Canadian Printmakers.” Akimbo. May 13, 2010. http://www.akimbo.ca/exhibitions/?id=19222

Turnbull, Glenna. “Fit to Print: UBC Okanagan student takes top prize in prestigious printmaking competition.” Event Magazine. June 9, 2010. p 1.

Collections Douro Museum, Régua, Portugal Museum of Graphic Art, Split, Croatia Penticton Art Gallery, Penticton, BC Touchstone Exploration Inc., Calgary, AB UBC Teaching Collection, Kelowna, BC UBC Public Art Collection, Kelowna, BC Universiti Sains Malaysia Permanent Collection, Penang, Malaysia

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This publication was produced in conjunction with the exhibition: Laura Widmer: Threshold Vernon Public Art Gallery, July 30 - October 8, 2015 Production: Vernon Public Art Gallery Cover Image: Lacunosus, 2015, linocut, image: 36 x 24 in, paper: 40 x 30 in Photography: Laura Widmer Printing: Get Smarter Copies, Vernon BC, Canada ISBN 978-1-927407-19-6

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