Fierce Female Artists

In Dialogue with the Collection: Fierce Female Artists

Salmon Arm Art Gallery Show 2025

I would like to start by thanking and acknowledging Alice Montoya.  

Alice Montjoy is Haida, born and raised on Haida Gwaii. Alice said, “I was about eight years old when I saw a teenage girl knitting a sweater for herself. I was amazed. Then she showed me her crocheted doilies. I asked my mom to teach me, and she taught me to cast on.”  

I was inspired by the knitted hat that Alice knitted.  Her story reminded my of my Mother’s.  Like Alice, my mother learned to knit at a young age.  Her knitting followed her everywhere through out her life.  Susan knit garments, hats, gloves, scarves and blankets for herself, family and friends.  She loved to knit with different yarns and explored countless patterns.  Susan loved the challenge of complicated patterns!

Sadly, I did not inherit the ‘knitting’ gene from my mother.  My own creative interest was in visual arts.  Making and creating was always encouraged in my family.  Whether you were a knitter, painter, dancer or musician filling your time with an interest was fostered.  Like my mother’s knitting bag,  my art has  followed me everywhere.   My art ‘stuff’ is always accessible.  Like a knitter I can work contentedly on my own or in the company of others.  I can work with concentration for hours or briefly when an opportunity arises.  I love to share my art.  I appreciate all artful efforts.  I am always exploring how to further enhance my art journey.

My Sister’s Sweater

Mixed Media on Paper

28 by 26
A Rose by any other name is still a Rose!  Rose was my Muse for a series of paintings.  I used the portrait from my, "A Rose" painting to create acrylic skins to laying in other paintings.  The paintings in the series are, "Sisters", "My Sister's Sweater", and "The Three Sisters".  My mother had knit my sister a beautiful blue sweater.

Since moving to Salmon Arm in December 2023, I have had the opportunity to meet and to plein aire paint with some amazing artists who shared my interest in painting outside on location in a landscape setting.  It’s no small feat walking and exploring with all your art ‘stuff’.  To then set up and paint for several hours.  As artists, you have to bring everything you will need, even a hat to protect you from the sun, rain, snow and cold.  I was inspired to paint my painter pals in their hats.

Cathy’s Hat

20 by 16

Acrylics on Panel

Patti’s Hat

16 by 20

Acrylics on Panel

I painted this of my mom wearing her favourite toque that she had knit herself.

Susan’s Hat

16 by 20

Acrylics on Canvas

Diane’s Hat

20 by 16

Acrylics on panel

I like to sometimes ‘repurpose’ my art.  I wanted to create a hat that combined knitting and painting.  So, I deconstructed a sweater and wove strips of my paintings on paper thru the sweater pieces.  When I had compiled enough ‘fabric’ I cut out pieces to create a Bucket Hat.  I then sewed the hat together by hand.  The hat is lined with one of my mom’s silk scarves.