A new window display at the ACT Arts Centre is being installed to celebrate the centre’s 20th anniversary.
Called ‘Come Together – The Power of Connections’ was created by Vancouver-based artist Chantal Cardinal and will feature 12 vibrantly coloured felted wood panels, sourced from a farm on Barnston Island, and will be 16 foot by 18 foot in size.
The work will create a stained-glass effect when illuminated by both natural or artificial light and is inspired by the light rays and spectrum of a rainbow, symbolizing the centre’s core values of inclusivity and community and representing the diverse offerings of activities, initiatives, and community programs at the centre.
Starting with the shearing of the sheep’s fleece and collecting the wool, the project took eight months to complete. The wool was sorted, cleaned, washed, dried, and then dyed, before being assembled into the art piece at the Arts Society Factory in Vancouver.
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Cardinal, herself, is closely involved with the farm that supplies the wool, as she joins in the shearing of the sheep there every year and knows them by name.
The piece will be displayed prominently in the front-facing windows of the ACT building, to create an inviting and welcoming focal point for the community to enjoy.
‘Come Together – The Power of Connections’ is the result of an artist call released in March 2023, with Cardinal selected as the finalist by an advisory panel made up of: renowned Metis artist Lisa Shepherd; local artist and former City of Maple Ridge Public Art Committee Chair Susan Hayes; and City of Maple Ridge director of facilities, parks, and properties, Valoree Richmond.
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Cardinal is a full-time artist and creator of ‘FELT à la main with LOVE’, a brand that explores the textures and properties of wool to create beautiful and unique artifacts. Her work has been recognized and included in juried exhibitions across British Columbia, the USA, and the UK. She was awarded a Vancity public art commission for the Surrey City Centre Branch in 2017, and involved in an Artists in the Classroom, AIC, grant in 2020/21, through ArtStarts where she created ‘Living Walls: From Farm to Felt.’
In the recent years Cardinal has exhibited at The Gallery George, Plaskett Gallery, and The Cultch.
The free reception will take place in The ACT Arts Centre lobby, 11944 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, from 7-8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 12, and is open to the public.
It will feature a short artist talk, hands-on engagement, and the premiere of a special short film documenting the creative process.
