Coleen Davidson
Murmuration, 2025-2026
hand painted steam set silk, organza silk, machine embroidery variable - 168 " l x 52-60 " h x 0.8 " w
It is quite a sight to behold from late July to mid-September on the upper Bay of Fundy in NS. A massive migration of over 2 million shorebirds mostly semipalmated Sandpipers to stop to feed on the mudflats preparing for their 3 day non-stop flight to South America.
Coleen Davidson
Detail Dory Ghost Boat, 2025-2026
wood, linen, hand painted steam set silk, machine embroidery, hand embroidery full boat 84 " l x 4-19" w x 8.5 " h
detail of the stern
Coleen Davidson
Dory Ghost Boat, 2025-2026
Wooden dory boat frame to scale, linen, silk, embroidery floss, silk hand painted and stuffed silk fish variable 84' l x 4"-19" w x 8.5 " h
Ghost evokes the thousands of boats lost off Atlantic Canada, now resting on the ocean floor as habitats for marine life. Those lost are remembered on land, while their souls remain with the fish. My grandfather changed his family’s story by choosing not to fish for a living. The traditional dory is lightweight, flat-bottomed, high-sided, and stable in heavy seas and sustained coastal fishing for centuries, yet many lives were still lost.
Coleen Davidson
Splash, 2026
silk, machine embroidery, silver jewelry wire, chalcedony gemstones variable 12 " h x 10 " deep
This vessel is made from silk remants using machine embroidery and water soluable H2O begone. It evokes the waves splashing against the rocks at the beach.
Coleen Davidson
Swimmers, 2025, 2026
100 % silk, hand painted, steam set, machine embroidery variable 252 " l x 72" h x 4 " deep
As a lifelong swimmer, I draw on the embodied memory of freedom in water. Swimmers evokes bodies in motion beyond territorial boundaries, capturing the space, release, and joy of connecting with the natural world. Silk remnants and machine-embroidery thread become powerful swimmers’ bodies, evoking the freedom of open water and a return to our watery origins..
Coleen Davidson
Wave, 2025
Silk, hand painted steam set dye, machine embroidery variable 84-90" h x 80 " wide x 3.5 " deep
Wave draws attention to the vulnerable nature and inherent beauty of Nova Scotia’s marine and coastal environment and a celebration and a reminder of the fragile habitats unique to this region. My intent is to evoke a memory or feeling of water, movement, light, a suspended moment in time.
Coleen Davidson
Between the Tide – detail, 2025
100 % hand painted steam set silk (organza, habotai, silk satin) silver leaf, machine embroidery 7 panels variable sizes approx 30" w x 64" h (76 cm x 162 cm)
Between the Tide - detail view. The 3 dimensional soft sculture invites the viwer to immerse themselves in the intricate details of a tidal pool.
Coleen Davidson
Between the Tide, 2025
100% hand painted and steam set silk (organza, habotai, silk satin) silver leaf, machine embroidery 7 panels of variable sizes each approx 30" w x 64 " h (76cm w x 162 cm h)
Between the Tide seeks to capture the evocative moment of pause that occurs when the tide stands still - in between retreating and returning. In that fleeting interval the shoreline and tide ppols reveal what is left behind: a delicate microcosm teeming with treasures and biodiversity.
Coleen Davidson
Holding Space, 2025
handpainted silk, silver leaf, embroidery floss, machine embroidery 4" h x 3.5" w x 3.5" h (10.1 x 8.9 x 8.9 cm)
Holding Space is a weightless silk vessel formed from thread, silver leaf, and fabric remnants. Its open form suggests mutual care, receptivity, and freedom from territorial boundaries. By transforming waste fabric and leftover thread into a tactile, three-dimensional sculpture, the work reflects my practice of giving discarded materials new presence and meaning.
