A Living Palette

A Living Palette presents the work of five artists taking inspiration from nature, biology and the environment. Judy Blake (Hanwell, New Brunswick), Jess Riva Cooper (Toronto, Ontario), Heather McCaig (Sussex, New Brunswick), Darlene Pratt (London, Ontario) and Alejandra Vera (Toronto, Ontario) each invite us into the world of the environment, natural organisms and their sources of life. Sometimes beautiful, sometimes irreverent — at times thought provoking, at others more reflective — this exhibition tackles issues of global warming, feminism, the male gaze, resistance and survival while pushing the boundaries of ceramic and glass techniques. While some of the subject matter may be difficult to digest, A Living Palette encourages the viewer to reflect on their connection with the living world. There are reminders of our significance in terms of our relationship with the Earth, and of our insignificance in the grand scheme of the greater universe. Above all else, this exhibition urges viewers to reconnect with their own place in nature and recognize the simultaneous beauty and sublime elements of our environments.