Winnipeg, Manitoba
When I first saw Gillian King’s work, I got goosebumps. Her work is so beautifully intuitive and organic, it’s as if the materials she uses in her work are speaking to you from the canvas. Using natural colors from the Earth, even animal ashes and rust in her pieces, she creates work that speaks to your primal self with a tenderness that’s out of this world. I can go on and on, but let’s get her to do the talking…
What’s your first memory of art making?
My grandmother was a painter and she would bring me how-to drawing books. I remember her teaching me how to draw a lion.
How did you find the medium you currently work in? Do you ever switch it up?
I initially thought I was going to be a ceramic artist. The rawness and sensuality of the medium really calls to me and I became interested in paint for the same reasons. I spent the majority of my undergrad learning how to paint with oils. In grad school, I became interested in how paints are made and the origins of materials. This led me to incorporate natural materials like animal ashes, dirt, charcoal and later learning how to collect, grow, and extract plant pigments through eco-printing and natural dye processes.
“I am endlessly fascinated and continue to learn so much from the complexities of plants.”
Alevoli by Gillian King, 60 x 48 inches, 2020
Rust Sediments, Oil, and various natural materials including Black Walnut, Cochineal, Indigo, Madder Root, Onion Skins, and Sumac on Canvas.
How do you feel about artists working in more mediums than one? Do you think it’s better for artists to stick with one medium?
I believe that artists should follow their intuition.
Do you have a degree in art or are you self-taught? If you received a degree in art, did you go straight into art making full time or was it a different journey?
I have a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts from the University of Manitoba (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) and a Master's of Fine Arts from the University of Ottawa (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada). I have also sought out teachings from experienced natural dyers, printmakers, and ceramic artists.
“I like the stability of having other employment and I find that those experiences inform my art practice.”
For the past two years, I have been working as a Creative Arts Instructor in long term care which has been an incredibly rewarding and challenging experience, prompting me to pursue my Art Therapy certification. This direction into Art Therapy has shed light on many of my studio processes and interests and it allows me to combine my fascination for art as a visual communicator and connecting with people.
Arachnoid by Gillian King, 60 x 48 inches, 2020
Rust Sediments, Oil, and various natural materials including Black Walnut, Indigo, Onion Skins, and Sumac on Canvas.
When was the “a-ha!” moment where you decided to take on art as a career? Tell me your “I am an artist” story!
I was in a ceramics class at the Winnipeg Art Gallery studios when my teacher was telling me about her art school experiences. That was the moment when I realized that I could pursue art making in a serious way and I applied for my BFA.
Tell me about your creative space! Do you have an in-home studio or do you rent a space? Do you prefer one over the other if you’ve experienced both types of spaces? Is your studio messy or organized?
I create large artworks and have a very intensive painting process so right now I have a studio in downtown Ottawa that I share with my close friend and photographer Olivia Johnston. I used to keep a messy studio and have transitioned to a very tidy, organized space because it helps me feel calm.
“I dream of a studio space at home where I can have easy access to my dye garden, plenty of light and room to work.”
Do you work on multiple pieces at once? What are you currently working on? What inspires your work?
I have always worked on multiple artworks at once. My paintings begin by growing and gathering plant materials and I dye my canvases in batches. I often joke that I am ‘batch cooking’. I am finishing up a series of paintings that will be shown at the Ottawa Art Gallery Annex in spring 2021.
“I am inspired by the plants in my garden, behaviours and patterns of organisms in nature, and the human condition.”
Lamb’s Ear by Gillian King, 60 x 48 inches, 2020
Rust Sediments, Oil, and various natural materials including Black Walnut, Cochineal, Indigo, Onion Skins, and Sumac on Canvas.
How do you balance real life and art making? Do you schedule your creative time? Do you create everyday?
I absolutely schedule my studio time. I keep a busy schedule, especially now that I am factoring work in long term care, art therapy school, and studio time. It is a necessity.
What message do you hope comes across through your artwork?
My paintings are a way for me to process ideas of my mortality, interconnectivity, and the relationship of my body to the world. I hope viewers find both familiarity and intrigue within my paintings.
You can feast your eyes on more of Gillian’s work on her website and follow her on Instagram for endless inspiration and whenever you need a dose of Earth.