ART FROM HERE
Photo: Dave Brown, LCR Photo Services.
There are: ribbons and swaths of vibrantly tinted organza; lavender and grey needle-felted sculptural pieces; a clear-plastic bag filled with rainbow-dyed pom-poms; and countless other handmade textile fragments and mass-produced supplies - each of which has its ultimate purpose in the large-scale, layered, and complex textile collages that will be featured in Marilyn Olson and Richard Boulet’s upcoming show. It is early January 2020, and I’m fortunate to visit these two artists’ shared studio in Edmonton. There is a sense of anticipation in this studio, where I am surrounded by their collaborative work and supplies.
Text appears in many formats in this work. Boulet has an active, daily writing practice. The subject of his writing is usually reflective, and summarizes how he is feeling each day. Many texts he develops find their way into his artwork. Often, the cross-stitched works feature neologisms, reflecting what Boulet calls an “alternate speech pattern for people with schizophrenia.” Several works feature multiple crocheted bookmarks made by Olson, arranged to form individual letters, shapes, and words.
The mental health benefits of handcraft are evident to these two artists. Olson, who has experience in garment construction and making leather horse bridles, takes her crafting with her on trips to dog shows, and on the bus. Boulet continually returns to cross-stitch as a means by which to manage anxiety. He always has needlework underway. For both artists, crafting is a routine pursuit and part of sustaining mental health.
The title of this exhibition makes reference to a perfect molecule. Boulet explains that this phrase is a positive affirmation: if a person has at least one perfect molecule in them,it is enough to give hope. Olson adds to this: if there is one molecule of perfect in the world, there must be others. A central message of this exhibition, Richard explains to me, is the credo “mental health for everyone,” and that art has been an important way for him to manage mental health. Marilyn adds “everything is art! There is art in everything - a bookmark, a doll’s dress, or a flower - you can find art in it.” Reflecting on the potency of these messages, the power of one perfect molecule – even inside of humans, as flawed as humans are – cannot be underestimated.
Artist statement is an excerpt of Mark Clintberg’s curatorial essay, “One molecule of perfect: the collaborative work of Marilyn Olson and Richard Boulet”, written for Richard and Marilyn’s works featured in the McMullen Gallery.