fbpx
FOLLOW

Frances Solar

Artist Statement

I find the improvised play of the masculine materials with the traditional feminine techniques & forms free standing sculpture & wall mounted work is endlessly entertaining & challenging.It is very satisfying to be able to transcend the inherent qualities of the metallic materials often associated with weight & rigidity and create forms that are sensual & flowing in appearance. I love the challenge of working with all the weird ‘junk’ that I have collected (or been given) over the years and then re-inventing new uses & forms for them. I like to wander thru hardware stores,junk yards they always seem to have interesting stuff to discover.I have no idea why the attraction to bike cogs, washers, industrial scrap, old keys & coins.

Inspiration

She has been a traditional weaver & textile artist for many years, and applying the same techniques & ideas to industrial materials is a natural progression of her work. She began working with copper as its warm color has always attracted her. Copper wire is easily available in many colors, and just like traditional fibers it is flexible,can be manipulated,patinated etc. She now has more freedom to design & improvise on the loom as she weaves & the resulting wire cloth can be shaped into a sculptural form that has no real function other with than being something beautiful with wonderful colors, and textures .She names them ‘vessels’ rather than ‘baskets’ as the latter word implies a function. In designing ‘Rumple’,she explores the pliability of the material to create these sculptural reliefs that also reference the visual aesthetics of the copper wire vessels.These vertical wall hangings are initially woven flat on the loom, then later shaped by hand into deep vertical folds.As the panels are bent and twisted , the piece takes on an exciting energy, and the flatness is transformed into a metal wall sculpture with a lively, dynamic and colourfully vibrant surface.

Training

Frances Solar is mostly self taught as a weaver, but her B of Interior Design, U of Manitoba gave her an excellent training in color and design. In 1995, ’97 &’ 99 she attended Basket Focus Conferences in Toronto & the Okanagan, taking workshops with John Garrett, Dorothy Gill Barnes, Arline Fisch, all of whom set her off in exciting new directions.

squamish arts council artist Frances Solar portfolio featured

Our Partners

Squamish Arts acknowledges that the land on which we live, work and recreate is the unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples, particularly the territories of the Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) Nation. It is our responsibility to honour their ancestry by being an ally to the present.

Community Event Calendar

Terms & Conditions

Event Eligibility: Only events related to public art and cultural activities located in Squamish, BC will be considered for inclusion in the calendar. The event should align with the purpose and focus of Squamish Art’s mission and vision.

Submission Accuracy: The submitter is responsible for providing accurate and up-to-date information about the event, including the event title, date, time, location, description, and any additional relevant details.

Ownership and Permissions: By submitting an event to the calendar, the submitter confirms that they have the necessary rights and permissions to promote the event and its associated content, including any images or multimedia files.

Event Approval: Submission does not guarantee automatic inclusion in the public art calendar. The calendar administrators reserve the right to review and approve each event before it is published. Approved events will be added to the calendar in a timely manner.

Editing and Removal: The calendar administrators reserve the right to edit event details, including the event title, description, date, time, and location, to ensure accuracy and consistency. The administrators also reserve the right to remove an event from the calendar at any time without prior notice.

Pricing Guidelines: Submitters must either be a member or pay a non-refundable fee of $10 for each event submitted. Membership details and fee payment instructions will be provided separately.

Public Accessibility: The public art calendar is available to the general public. By submitting an event, the submitter acknowledges that the event details will be visible to anyone accessing the calendar.

Content Guidelines: Event submissions must adhere to the guidelines of respectful and inclusive language. The calendar administrators reserve the right to reject or modify event submissions that contain offensive, discriminatory, or inappropriate content.

Liability: The calendar administrators are not responsible for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions in the event details provided by the submitter. The submitter agrees to hold the administrators harmless from any claims or liabilities arising from the inclusion or exclusion of an event in the calendar.

Data Privacy: Personal information collected during the event submission process will be handled in accordance with applicable data protection laws and the privacy policy of the public art calendar.

Modifications to Terms and Conditions: The calendar administrators may update or modify these terms and conditions at any time. It is the responsibility of the submitter to review the terms periodically and ensure compliance.

By submitting an event to the public art calendar, the submitter agrees to comply with these terms and conditions.