The Allen Sapp Gallery gift shop is currently featuring the work of Mervin artist Karlie King. Karlie was born and raised in Saskatchewan, but has spent much time in other parts of Canada and has travelled overseas. In 2009, Karlie returned to Saskatchewan, shortly after the birth of her first child.
She and her husband, Jay Kimball, moved into an old homestead house in Mervin, where they enjoy being new parents, gardening, renovating and creating art. Karlie was also part of the Art Mentorship Program run by Chapel Gallery in North Battleford.
"My art is determined and inspired by where I'm at in life - the present moment. For instance, my current artistic endeavours reflect a completely new way of working artistically. As a new mother, I no longer have the luxury of solitary art time or a controlled environment.
"Technically, in terms of ceramics, I mostly do slab work. I predominantly create tiles and most of my sculptural work and functional tableware is hand-built with slabs. In terms of construction, there's a bit of a crossover between my clay work and textile practice, because I often treat clay like fabric and use sewing principles to construct.
"In regards to surface, I typically try and let the clay speak for itself in terms of texture and colour. For instance, I'll create a sculpture using different clay bodies for colour variance rather than rely on glazes for this purpose. However, when I do use glaze it is very simple. I'll use the same surface treatment for an entire body or work. Similarly, the basis of much of my textile work is playing with colour and texture. The pattern may be simple but the colours and textures are what bring the textile to life."
The gallery is also partnering with the North Battleford Library for a reading by Bill Gallaher. Bill will be at the library May 17 from noon to 2 p.m. to give readings from The Horseman's Last Call and The Frog Lake Massacre. Bring your lunch; refreshments and dainties will be provided.
The Allen Sapp Gallery is located at 1 Railway Avenue and is open from noon to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. For more information, please contact the gallery at 445-1760. Support provided by the Saskatchewan Arts Board, the City of North Battleford, Saskatchewan Lotteries and RBC Wealth Management Dominion Securities - Rongve, Gabruch, Schell and Weikle Wealth Management.
