The Gallery at Casa – Winter Exhibition

Main Gallery

A Study in Sea Flesh; or, The Undeliverable, Nameless Perils of the Whale – Mary-Anne McTrowe

Throughout my body of work subjects have continued to emerge that are in some state of transformation; they are, or are in the process of becoming, something else. I am interested in how things that are familiar to us can be made unfamiliar, and how a change in context can render something temporarily strange and perhaps even unrecognizable. Over the past dozen years or so my textile explorations have included using crochet and weaving to encode information, the crocheting of cozies for everyday objects, and the use of appliqué and embroidery to present large- and small-scale texts. One recurring subject is that of the globster- a mass of rotting sea-flesh that washes up on the seashore from time to time. Often initially un- or mis-identified (and usually classified as a sea monster), upon closer examination the globster is usually later found to be the remains of a shark, or a whale without its skeleton.

A Study in Sea Flesh could be a coulee landscape, a body, a pile of blankets, a mound of garbage, a replica of organic material thriving or moribund, or a terribly misshapen afghan or rug. It is not modelled after any particular globster, but it was inspired by and is approximately one-half scale of the Chilean Sea Blob of 2003.

Ruin & Reclamation Reiterated – Beany Dootjes

The works here began with the creation of watercolour drawings and fabric-based centipedes for Ruin & Reclamation, a group exhibition by the Potemkin Collective held at the Singer Clothing building in 2009. Utilizing a quilt her mother made from suit samples, men’s suit pants, and a recycled dictionary, Dootjes addressed gender construction and the art vs. craft debate. These themes continued in Ruin & Reclamation: Revisited at the Bowman Centres Centre in 2010–11 where she introduced bedbugs made from repurposed curtains, silk ties, and silk pants.

In Ruin & Reclamation: Reiterated, Dootjes builds on this body of work, adding head lice, earwigs, a spider, and collages detailing the history of the project. As with earlier iterations, Dootjes deconstructs symbols of male-dominated structures using women’s handiwork, commonly relegated to the domestic sphere, sourcing and employing items associated with men’s business attire.

Perhaps what is most fascinating is the visceral reaction viewers have to these creepy-crawlies. Torn between the attractiveness of the materials and the repulsion evoked by parasites and creatures often found in basements or crawlspaces, visitors find themselves simultaneously feeling unsettled or even anxious while wanting to approach. Scale plays a role in showcasing hours of labour coupled with the enlargement of diminutive, unsettling insects.

Project Space

Visual Journey – Maria Riviere

My art is a reflection about life; it encompasses concepts and processes providing a connection between the visible and invisible. I integrate the visual narrative, political and social issues, women’s vulnerability, confusion, contradictions, and a personal experience of nomadic life that can resonate with millions of people.

The processes are very important in my art, and, in the process of creating, time fades away while my mind and body work united. The feeling of developing an idea, imagining possibilities, letting the material, objects, and subject talk to me, and making observations and associations is just the start of the whole process. Throughout the processes, the media, thoughts, and technical knowledge intertwine with critical views and cultural issues. I enjoy working with different art mediums, traditional and digital media, but the initial approach to make art is very similar; I create plans, research subjects and methods, analyze possibilities, and start to work in an organized manner, always letting my ideas grow as I connect deeply with the materials, the subject, and objectives of my work. I love working with natural materials, which spring the energy and mystery of the universe. As well, l I like to draw spontaneously without any self-criticism.

Passage Gallery

Wild Abandon – Bev Mazurick

Information coming soon

Concourse Gallery

Chromatic Foliage – Jordan Mudrack

I began this project after spending more time than usual outdoors this summer. I would sit in the shade of a growing, white poplar tree, and as I looked up at the tree, I noticed the sun would course through the veins of the leaves. I immediately knew I had to replicate what I was seeing. With practice, I found a method that worked, using different colors and lights to hold onto the season longer than mother nature usually allows. I started looking at almost every tree everywhere I went, hungry for more leaves. As summer turned to fall, a trip to British Columbia allowed me to see the changing colors of almost every tree along the journey, and it made the trip stand out in my memory so much more. I wanted to attempt to collect a leaf from every tree and capture the timeless essence of Mother Nature.

This body of work will explore the colors and contrast of nature through leaves throughout the seasons: all the way through from spring, to summer, to fall, and eventually even winter. The details within the leaves, the change of color, and the texture all create such beautiful imagery and I hope the beauty I see will translate to viewers of this exhibition.

Focus Gallery

Transcending Separation – Jade Olszewski

This collection of mixed-media artworks explores the semi-abstract realm of guardian angels and guides, offering a bridge between the seen and unseen. Inspired by the diversity of spiritual traditions, the work celebrates the idea that while we may interpret or experience ethereal beings differently—seeing them as angels, owls, or a Phoenix—we are all connected and can learn from one another. These paintings invite viewers to transcend division, embrace open-mindedness, and recognize that our varied experiences are simply facets of the same universal truth.

Created intuitively in a meditative state, each piece is infused with prayer, Reiki, Light Language, and the high vibrational frequency of 963 Hz music to activate the pineal gland, raise consciousness, and awaken intuition. A signature element in every painting is the use of gold, symbolizing the refining process we all undergo in life. Like gold, we are subjected to intense heat so that impurities rise to the surface, allowing us to become more pure and reconnect with our true essence. Each painting is created to a specific song played on repeat, with the title written on the back of the canvas to carry its energetic connection. Layered textures and mixed media bring depth, dimension, and playfulness, making these artworks more than visual; they are energetic portals meant to inspire connection, foster understanding, and bring people together.

Textile Showcase

To Write – Morgan Jayne Tunow

Legend has it that a monster, the embodiment of evil, lives beneath the Carpathian Mountains of Ukraine. Once a year, the monster sends its henchmen to earth to see how many pysanky were made. If we didn’t make enough, they would return to loosen the chains, unleashing evil upon the world. However, if we did make enough, the chains would be tightened, protecting the world and its inhabitants from harm.

Pysanka (singular) and pysanky (plural), derived from the Ukrainian verb pysaty meaning “to write,” are traditional wax-resist dyed eggs. Originally created by Slavic peoples during Pagan times to celebrate the sun and the rebirth of spring, pysanky were believed to hold magical powers, offering protection and good fortune to the recipient. With the rise of Christianity, they became part of Ukrainian Easter traditions, featuring increasingly intricate designs. Soviet religious suppression in the 20th century led to the decline of pysanka-making, the destruction of collections, and the loss of generational knowledge. Despite this, Ukrainian artists in Ukraine and the diaspora persevered. Since the 2022 Russian invasion, pysanky have come to symbolize peace and solidarity, and in December 2024, UNESCO recognized pysanky as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, emphasizing their cultural significance and enduring resilience.

Platform Project Space

Mending Relations – Natalia Smith

My work embodies an intimate connection with geological ecosystems, encouraging the idea of coexisting with the natural world rather than dominating it. Through painted narratives and utopic imaginings in which hierarchical structures do not exist, my work dismantles the notion that women and nature are inherently chaotic and in need of control. Instead, I aim to highlight an organic and symbiotic relationship between women and land, to liberate both entities from social, economic, and political structures of oppression.

I work primarily in painting though my art practice also encompasses printmaking and textiles. I am inspired by occurrences in my everyday life, including mundane domestic rituals, autobiographical narratives, and phenomenological experiences in nature. I use memories and photographic references of flora and fauna in the creation of my pieces. I often incorporate the human figure into my paintings using myself as a model, setting up the camera and capturing poses I envision for an image. By entangling the figure and environmental elements together, my intention is to harness the synergy and force these two entities create while also channeling the peacefulness and emancipation felt in a natural space distinct from an institutional one.

Saokitapi Gallery

Wolf Trail On The War Trail – John Pepion

My Blackfoot name is Wolf Trail, a moniker that also embodies a central character in my artistic endeavors. My work delves into the multifaceted identity of a contemporary Blackfoot individual, weaving together narratives from our creation stories, Kutoyis stories, our history of conflict, and the contemporary challenges we face. I’m deeply rooted in the Blackfoot tradition of war art, drawing inspiration from the rich visual legacy of pictographs, painted lodges, war shirts, winter counts, and ledger art. These forms served as powerful means of storytelling and historical record-keeping, and my work seeks to carry this tradition forward.