Wood & Whimsy
Wood & Whimsy is a two-artist exhibition featuring the work of Jocelyn Winterburn and Shauna Marie Revering Kay (SMRK Art) — two contemporary painters inspired by the organic forms, textures, and stories embedded in wood and its life cycle. Though their subject matter is shared, their artistic voices are beautifully distinct: Winterburn often reveals hidden animal forms within detailed acrylic studies, while Kay uses exaggeration and abstraction to reimagine the spirit of driftwood in bold colour and texture.
Winterburn demonstrates her masterful command of acrylics, in a muted and soothing palette. For the keen and patient viewer, there is more to these works of art than first meets the eye, as creatures begin to emerge from images of timber that has been twisted and turned by the ocean, for example, a bear looks to the sea…a wolf howls. What at first may seem to be simply flotsam thrown to the shore, Winterburn’s paintings transform the weathered wood into a story of creative imagination, and we are invited to feel a deeper connection with the natural world.
This exhibit also features a poetic dimension — original verse written by Winterburn that capture the journey from sapling to towering tree, to the gentle and unique driftwood that is the focal point of many of the painted works.
Kay’s driftwood interpretation in acrylic remains true to the organic meandering and serpentine shapes, to the range of textures from water-worn satin smooth to gnarled and battered bark, all the while presenting bold and contemporary form and colour. Each piece reminds the viewer of the strength and scale of a once-majestic living organism, and the choice of colour and exaggerated line and textural details convey the innate beauty of driftwood that comes from the tribulations, trials, and tossing of rough seas. The history of The Tree is not forgotten, but it is the driftwood’s presence that is celebrated in unexpected colour combinations and flowing brushstrokes. Together, these visual and poetic works create a layered and emotionally resonant exploration of memory, transformation, and the enduring soul of natural forms.
