Alchemy Table Settings

For both Patti and Renée’s visit to PEC in 2022 their plan was to work ‘en plein air,’ (en plein air: capture the emotional and sensory dimensions of a particular landscape/place at a particular moment in time).  Both have made numerous sketches outdoors but have not actively worked on canvas exploring the immediacy of working in the moment in a certain place. Both artists are familiar with V. Jane Gordon and her book, Artist Inquiry, which captures much of what they wish to explore: “To work with inquiry method, you must be in the presence of your body. The method allows you to notice, to inspect and to fill your Inquiry Site Book with whatever makes the moment real and permanent” (V. Jane Gordon, Introduction). 

For Patti it was an opportunity to experiment on canvas with place, light and colour. It would be a continuing study of the ‘terroir’ of PEC and the local wineries. For Renée it is an opportunity to explore the impacts of the pandemic on her psyche and activities in a new and more freeing space. As with all Alchemy Residencies, the artists came with one idea and left with a new one. They collaborated for the first time on a single piece of art while continuing with their individual explorations. 

Redtail Vineyards

Patti and Renée were paired with Redtail Vineyard. To be honest Patti, who was familiar with the winery, was concerned about where they were going to be able to do their work. Generally, it would require unpacking and packing the car every single day they were at the winery, a time-consuming job that would cut into their creative process. It was also a 30-minute drive from where they were staying. 

Upon arrival for the first visit and introductions, both artists were pleased to find out that they had access to the large garage on the property and the beautiful owner’s house that was currently empty. The artists were able to bring everything on the first full day and leave it in the garage for the full two weeks of their explorations. The house gave the artists access to water which was very important for doing cyanotypes and access for other amenities (air-conditioned breaks during an extremely hot two weeks). 

We are extremely grateful for the generosity of the vineyard. 

Collaboration

This was a first-time artistic collaboration for both Patti and Renée. They have been collaborators and co-conspirators in the arts community in Hamilton since 1993 as co-workers, ED’s of their respective organizations and numerous arts advisory committees. 

As artists, they needed to put egos aside to work together, a difficult process, but very satisfying when accomplished.  Both artists have strong political beliefs, while Patti does not necessarily add this to her artwork, for Renée it is very important. Together they had to agree how political this work would be and to balance the creative message.

They spent time counter-mapping the county through the lens of the impact of colonization on the identity of the landscape. Starting with the cairn, a memorial  at the Carrying Place where, in 1787, the Chiefs of The Mississauga and Sir John Johnson, Superintendent of Indian Affairs, negotiated a treaty and The Mississauga agreed to cede land and a river on the isthmus which would facilitate travel between the Bay of Quinte from Lake Ontario, and around the county to places such as Waupoos, the only Indigenous named village or town in the county. The cairn, 'while hidden in plain sight' is overrun by bushes and is not very visible to the passerby. Nor are there any markers drawing visitors to the site.

The artists observed that while landmarks for the Loyalist colonizers where markedly present in the county, the naming of highways and on the quilted patterns dotting barns and homes, there was little to no public evidence of pre-contact and current Indigenous ownership or acknowledgement of the land. 

By counter mapping the landscape in their work, their collaboration resulted in a counter legacy to the predominant colonizer/settler landscaping and mark making in PEC.  The canvases include a land acknowledgment in the painting and noting their obligation as artists are claiming their role in re-shaping a predominant narrative of PEC. 

The work, “Acknowledge” that they created together involved Patti’s painting experience and Renée’s very creative collage and assemblage experience. Patti did the foundation painting of the Red Tail Vineyard landscape and topography of PEC with Renée’s input. After the painting was mostly completed Renée added some acrylic ‘skins*’ of work we photographed in the area. Renée also composed the land acknowledgment that was also ‘skinned’ to be added to the painting.