Lesley Turner
Bedrock III, 2024
Linen cloth, earth pigments, cotton thread 13" h x 13" w x 2" d
Vancouver Island, the rock I live on was scraped bare by moving ice during the last glacial age. A succession of plant and animal life built up the soil enabling us to live on this once bare rock. Linen cloth was placed on a granite bedrock boulder and painted with earth pigment. Responsive stitching highlights the marks left on the cloth.
Lesley Turner
Bedrock I, 2024
Linen cloth, earth pigments, cotton thread 17" h x 211/2" w
Vancouver Island, the rock I live on was scraped bare by moving ice during the last glacial age. A succession of plant and animal life built up the soil enabling us to live on this once bare rock. Linen cloth was placed on a granite bedrock boulder and painted with earth pigment. Responsive stitching highlights the marks left on the cloth.
Lesley Turner
The Snow Man, 2024
Fabric: cotton, wool, polyester. Thread: cotton, polyester, polyfilling, ink, glue, webbing, bark, wire, beads 31" h x 52" w x 1" d
This artist’s origin story is about meeting a Snow Man for the first time. Through cooperation, we became friends.
Lesley Turner
The Rooster, 2024
Fabric: cotton, hemp, polyester. Thread: cotton, polyester. Beads, feathers, glue, poly filling, webbing, wood, acrylic paint 22' h x 39" w x 1.5" d
This artist's origin story is about as a 2 year old my relationship with a rooster. I thought he looked beautiful but I was afraid of him. He pecked at me to make me stay with his flock of hens. I had to work out ways to get past him. In this story, my father unknowingly came to my rescue.
Lesley Turner
Winter Under the Maple Tree, 2024
Vintage crocheted bedspread, wool, silk, linen, cotton yarns 80" h x 65" w x 2" w
Creating art is my way of focusing on our bond with the natural world. In the sacrificial domestic linens of my Under the Maple series, I share the essence of a majestic Big Leaf Maple I see from my studio. This living artwork keeps me rooted in the ever-changing Pacific NW rainforest, where each season tells its story.
Lesley Turner
Fall Under the Maple Tree, 2023
Rayon table cloth, earth pigments, polyester and silk organza, cotton and polyester thread 82" h x 67" w x 0.5" d
Creating art is my way of focusing on our bond with the natural world. In the sacrificial domestic linens of my Under the Maple series, I share the essence of a majestic Big Leaf Maple I see from my studio. This living artwork keeps me rooted in the ever-changing Pacific NW rainforest, where each season tells its story.
Lesley Turner
Summer under the Maple Tree, 2023
Vintage cotton bedsheet, fabric paint, cotton threads 82" h x 71" w x 1" d
As an artist, I find inspiration in the everyday moments that often go unnoticed. The memory of being under the maple tree at the height of summer is one such moment. The warmth of the sun on my skin, the rustling of the leaves, and the sight of them fluttering in the gentle breeze all combine to create a sensory experience that connects me to the seasons and the cycle of life. Through my art, I hope to capture the essence of this moment and share it with others, allowing them to experience the same joy and tranquillity that I did. Creating art is my way of focusing on our bond with the natural world. In the sacrificial domestic linens of my Under the Maple series, I share the essence of a majestic Big Leaf Maple I see from my studio. This living artwork keeps me rooted in the ever-changing Pacific NW rainforest, where each season tells its story.
Lesley Turner
Pregnancy Mandala, 2022
Vintage wool blankets, worn garments, vintage cotton bedsheet 36" x 36"
Prehistory’s ancient reproduction symbols fell out of favor in many societies' cultural expressions. With the shift away from patriarchal views on life it is time to reacquaint ourselves with these still powerful symbols and to develop a new collection to enable us to honor those who give us new life.
Lesley Turner
Section, Township, Range, 2013
Wool, cotton, silk, linen, alpaca, hemp, polyester, mohair 36" h x 24 " w
In Canada the land holds the marks of European settlement. Nearly 150 years ago, twelve per cent of the earth’s land mass was divided by a straight-line grid system, a system now deeply ingrained in Western Canadian rural culture. A hierarchy of roads and fence lines marks the boundaries of land ownership. Land parcels have been passed from generation to generation and continue to be bought and sold. The boundaries of one’s place are still defined by those original Dominion Land Survey lines now deeply etched into the landscape.
