Artist Statement
Wherever I am; in nature, a vintage store, passing a pile of debris, and a myriad of other places I often find myself asking, “What is that?” Whether it be animal parts (bones, fur, hides), feathers, a splash of color on a fabric, be rusty hardware, a growth of fungi, bark or leaves. What I am most attracted to is the item itself, or a peculiarity I see being expressed in one of these artifacts, organics, salvage and textiles.
Each life size assemblage begins with its own narrative. The construction process for every piece presents a different set of challenges. My own interests in anthropology, philosophy, flora and fauna are what guide me.
Each of the finished pieces, in their unique form, crossover from otherworldly to whimsical.
One of my greatest inspirations is the late Alexander McQueen, a fashion designer and iconic artist. He was known for his technical abilities, subversive artistry and theatrical shows. Another important imprint for my work was from the 5000-specimen collection that was on display at North America’s oldest museum, the Niagara Falls Museum.
Artist Bio
A resident of the Yukon for more than 25 years, Catherine Jamnicky first began showing her art in 2015 in Whitehorse, Yukon.
Born in Montreal, Catherine’s inquisitive nature was sparked at a young age by her parents, who were keen visitors to natural history museums. Catherine’s family took many vacations but what most inspired her were the wilderness adventures.
Catherine finds inspiration for her work on her world travels and while taking in the vastness and pristine beauty of the Yukon, either in her kayak on the many lakes, or hiking with friends on the trails that crisscross the territory.
Catherine’s 3-D art pieces weave a story of their own by unifying a variety of artifacts, organics, textiles, salvage, and animal materials into her figurative compositions.
To date a few pieces of Catherine’s works have sold to clients in Canada, Japan and the US, she has also been in a number of juried shows.
Experience
2015-2017 Chair and artist member at Yukon Artists at Work, Whitehorse, Yukon
2018- present Member Yukon Arts Society, Whitehorse, Yukon
2020 Juror for Cranberry Fair, Whitehorse Yukon
Exhibition History
2016 Creativi Tea, Yukon Artists at Work, Whitehorse, Yukon
2017 Circumpolar Duet, Yukon Artists at Work, Whitehorse, Yukon
2017 Sticks and Stones, Yukon Artists at Work, Whitehorse, Yukon
2019 Wuthering Beauty, Arts Undergound, Whitehorse, Yukon
2019 Art House Carcross, also includes artist demonstrations, Carcross, Yukon
2020 Civilizations Fabriquees, Arts Underground, Whitehorse, Yukon
Publications
CBC Radio, 2020, Personal Interview, Mid-day Café
Antarctic Poetry Exhibition, 2018, has published a photo of my sculptural piece As Above, So Below on their Facebook page.
Circumpolar Duet, 2017, featured artwork on promotional material for the show.
Yukon News, 2016 featured artwork as background for article on Creativi Tea exhibition.
