FRANCINE POTVIN

Collage, drawing and sculpture

Vernissage Sunday October 19 at 2 p.m.

The notions of correspondence and interconnection lie at the heart of this new body of two-and three-dimensional works.According to the philosophy of Hildegard of Bingen,a foremother of ecofeminism, human beings do not exist for or by themselves. They are at work with and within the world. They respond to an ecological calling. All living beings are interconnected, forming a complex and interdependent web.Nourished by this key concept in biology and ecology, I gather, glean, and explore paper clay, organic material collage, collagraphy, and assemblage to create evocative images and compositions that resemble oversized talismans.Through formal experimentation, I discovered that by coating grape pomace from a local vineyard or the broom-like wood formed by “witch’s broom” disease with paper clay, I obtain shapes reminiscent of coral. In this way, I become a counterfeit coral maker.Unexpected correlations emerge between themineral and vegetal worlds of the earth and those from the sea—between microcosm and macrocosm—always with an underlying thread of reciprocity.Hildegard of Bingen invited us to contemplate the mysteries of a world infused with secret life. I seek to do the same.

Francine Potvin is a visual artist and retired teacher with a deep passion for wild flora and herbalism, a devoted gardener, and the mother of three young men.The intricate and sacred ties that bind all living beings are an endless source of inspiration for her. Deep ecology, ecofeminism, Buddhist philosophy, and yoga enrich her creative practice.Her approach is intuitive and multidisciplinary. Through her work, she offers up universes that celebrate the Anima Mundi. Since 1985, her work has been exhibited throughout Quebec and internationally.In 2017, Francine Potvin was an artist-in-residence for stage6 of the Canada C3 expedition. She is the recipient of several grants, notably from the Concordia University Part-Time Faculty Association, the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, the Canada Council for the Arts, and Parks Canada.Her works are included in the Prêt d’œuvres d’artcollection of the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, as well as in the collections of Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ), the National Bank of Canada, and Global Affairs Canada.