An exhibition in Gallery III, Sept 14 – Oct 21, 2022

From September 14 to October 21, Sivarulrasa Gallery is pleased to present SARAH ANDERSON: WHERE WE GO FROM HERE, an exhibition of new paintings by Ottawa-based artist Sarah Anderson. The show can be seen in-person during our regular Gallery hours: 11am-5pm Tuesdays to Saturdays; 11am-4pm Sundays.

Sarah Anderson works with techniques of abstraction. She sees colour as a powerful tool for the expression of emotion. Her paintings are deeply influenced by personal experiences, most commonly by themes of family and challenges attributed to reconciling relationships. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Ottawa in 2002. Her studio practice has been based at the Enriched Bread Artists (EBA) studios in Ottawa since 2005. Her work has been exhibited in solo and group shows in Ottawa and Toronto and is held in private and corporate collections in Canada, the United States, and Switzerland.

Artist Statement by Sarah Anderson

I’ve always been fascinated with the idea of human made, ‘unplanned’ paths. 

Whether to create a more direct route or to explore further into an area off a designated path, humans are constantly creating ‘unplanned’ paths. These are the paths created simply by repeated exposure to footsteps so much so that whatever ground covering existed, is worn away to form a new unplanned path. Communities allocate a lot of resources to create paths made of stone, rocks, cement and wood whether they are sidewalks, boardwalks or nature trails. However, humans seem intent on forging their own physical paths to either reach their destination faster or explore an area further, even if doing so can be destructive to the surrounding ecology.

My process of pouring paint directly on the surface or more recently pouring paint onto textiles such as burlap, thread and yarn, although haphazard to a certain extent, creates imagery of topography viewed from above. I enjoy the process of creating my own paths and trails by connecting the topographical shapes and images with various mixed media such as acrylic, watercolour, coloured pencils and more. The mark making is both an exploration of the painted surface and a way to maintain control over the imagery by creating the paths, connections and abstract grids.

A recent tragic event in my life made me lose my bearing on all aspects of life. In short, I was disoriented.

I elected to name the show ‘Where we go from here’ as opposed to my original instinctive response, which was to pose the question ‘Where do we go from here?’ The former implies hope and determination instead of a sense of being lost. The paths that I feel I’m creating in my paintings have helped find a new direction and resolve which has somewhat eased the sense of disorientation.

Artist Talk & Virtual Reception: Wednesday September 28, 7:00pm-8:00pm (Eastern Time). Artist Sarah Anderson will join us live via Zoom from her studio in Ottawa to talk about her work. You can join us from the comfort of your home – email us at [email protected] to register for this Zoom event.

Contact the Gallery: Call 613-256-8033 or email [email protected] for queries about the works below. For availability and pricing information, visit our Virtual Gallery under “New Arrivals: Gallery III“.