Breaking down the content of how objects connect to memories, Chloe McKim explores what individual moments mean and how they have affected the life she lives. Always having a beautifully influential and authentic bond with her Grandmother, hearing stories of her family raised and living on a farm in the prairies of Saskatchewan, the generational origins of craft in Chloe’s family has inspired her own development of craft. Drawing aspects from this culture of sewing, mending and refurbishing items instead of discarding them has given her a strong appreciation for those traditions. This piece is honouring her grandmother’s countless moments and time spent in her loft. Creating a space where when submerged, the viewer can feel the similar sense of nostalgia, ease, and permanence as she does.
“The art that I create is a reflection of the person and the artist that I have become. As a collector, I am always influenced by the everyday experiences we share and the aftermath they form. Memory objects and the distortion from creating works by memory allow me to push the ideas of these fragments of time and replace them with what I treasure. I may not remember every intricate detail, which allows me to become more imaginative, and subconsciously allows me to create the object how I need it to be. By recreating mundane objects, I am expressing the importance these items and moments have on us as they pass through our daily lives. Creating very unique and rare 3D still life scenes out of clay and more specifically porcelain shows the permanence of objects, although in a moment’s time, if fumbled or held carelessly, they can instantly shatter between our fingers.”