Layered wilderness
Katrina Ebuenga, Contributor
There is a moment of silent tension between human and animal in the Canadian wilderness.
Samantha Walrod, an Edmonton-based artist, captures this intimate encounter in her layered mixed-media portraits, depicting a single animal caught in motion.
In her solo exhibition, Off The Beaten Path, held at Newzones Gallery of Contemporary Art in Calgary from Sept. 12 to Oct. 10, Walrod freezes the interaction between the human and animal gaze.
Drawing inspiration from her real-life experiences, Walrod produces multi-layered artworks that focus on the captivating qualities and gestures of the animal emerging from the unknown wilderness.
“I love luminosity and transparency that is created through layering tissue papers, gel mediums, and paint,” says Walrod. “There’s a certain history of the marks that are underneath the top layers.”
Walrod’s work focuses on singular animals, as well as blooming floral branches made up of a variety of lively patterns and materials. In this solo exhibition with Newzones Gallery, however, her focus is on the direct perspective of the unknown distance between human and animal.
Whether it is a bear, elk, or wolf, the fleeting moment is captured through her ever-changing and layered approach to medium.
“I’ve always worked with mixed media, I’ve always worked with layering, and I’ve always been interested in that luminosity that’s created by layering,” explains Walrod. “It’s just my bag. It’s what I do—I love it.”
Her approach to mixed media blends elements that work in unison with one another, while also preserving the integrity of each element as an independent piece of the puzzle. Walrod’s technique includes various forms of paint, photography, ink, and paper materials that craft textile layers, which create a story all their own.
“I start with the idea, which is the flower and the branches, but then I just let it go and put paint down and see what happens,” she explains. “I’m always pleasantly surprised by the result.”
By playing with a medium that has the ability to foster its own narrative, Walrod crafts complex material-driven pieces that come to life despite being still moments.
With a preference for viewing the animals she depicts from a safe distance, Walrod finds the unique experience very exciting, especially as the animals come to the roadside. Travelling often to Jasper and Banff, she has also developed an interest in studying animal bridges and overpasses, where animals and humans can safely cross paths together.
This interest, coupled with her appreciation for the Canadian Rockies, has become the focal point of her work, especially with her solo exhibition.
“I feel very lucky when I see [these crossings]—I think it’s very spiritual,” she says.
For Walrod, despite that initial moment of tension, the gaze shared between viewer and animal becomes the distinctive experience that she draws from. On top of having nature as a vessel for her inspiration, constantly working and improving her craft in the studio is something that is very important to her.
“I’ve been doing it for so many years, and to see what happens when materials are layered together, doing something new and unexpected is still exciting,” she says.
Painting professionally at Newzones Gallery since 2008, Walrod has honed her skills in experimenting with all sorts of materials and layering. With a background in Fine Arts and teaching at the University of Alberta, Walrod has always had a love and passion for painting.
“When you get to see the work in person, even more so than online, it is really worth seeing in the gallery,” she explains.
Located along 11 Ave, Newzones Gallery of Contemporary Art has been a cultural hub for over 30 years, showcasing more than 300 different exhibitions since its inception.
Founded by Helen and Tamar Zenith in 1992, the contemporary gallery has been a spotlight for international and local artists, with a high emphasis on the importance of creating a space for Canadian art and artists.
In addition to her exhibition, Walrod will be giving an in-depth talk about her art and artistic journey on Sept. 26 between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. at Newzones Gallery. Viewers will have the opportunity to see her work up close and hear more about her work.
“I think it’s so important that people of all stripes go in person to galleries because it’s such a different experience than on a computer and/or on a phone.”
