The collection

A series of things that were once in a box,  now categorized according to shape, purpose  and / various associations. 

Preservation Desire To Fill is going on Tour!

If you know any spaces interested in scheduling our exhibit, please get in contact with the Maniroba Arts Network! 

http://www.manitobaartsnetwork.ca/preservation--desire-to-fill.html

The PHP & other work @DefSup's Urban Infill 2016

Thanks to fellow Satellite Studio Artist Collective Member Sam Shahsahabi for sharing this beautiful St. Paul Street exhibition space for this years Urban Infill.

Sam's wearable art went well with my artwork!

Stop by Thunder Bay Art Gallery before the 10th to see Preservation | Desire to Fill

"Preservation / Desire to Fill is a two-person exhibition featuring Susan Kachor Conlon and Carol Kajorinne. In their work, both artists recollect life events, family and the landscape of Northwestern Ontario. Connections of memory and loss infuse their work with a sense of time and place that offers subtle reminders of one’s mortality. Reflecting the passage of time through worn, decaying materials and objects associated with everyday use; this body of work explores universal themes of loss and preservation, death and rebirth, emptiness and ultimately, the desire to fill."

For more information about the show and gallery hours visit the art galleries website:
http://theag.ca/events/preservation-desire-to-fill-carol-kajorinne-and-susan-kachor-conlin/

Susan Kachor Conlon and Carol Kajorinne would like to acknowledge the support of the 

Ontario Arts Council's Northern Arts and Exhibition Assistance programs 

in the creation and exhibition of these works.

New work at DefSup

Be sure to stop by DefSup and take in the new exhibitions.  One of my newest works from the Preserving Harold Project are on display in the Sensibilia show.

https://www.facebook.com/events/531603773681652/

http://www.definitelysuperior.com/sensibilia/

Found an inspiring book on a friends shelf

This book "Pressence" contains a story, relatable to the Preserving Harold Project.

A glimpse of our show at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery

Carol and Susan would like to acknowledge the support of the Ontario Arts Council Northern Arts Program in the creation of the works in this exhibition.

Blanket of Snow: a work in progress

Here is an image that shows how the proportions of this artwork have been chosen to be similar to that of a door.

 And a close up of the developing textured layers:

Later I will post more details about these layers and thoughts as I create this piece.

Pieces of the PHP will be on display alongside the work of my good friend Susan in a two person exhibition!

Join us (Carol Kajorinne, Susan Kachor-Conlon, and curator Nadia Kurd) as we share some words about our exhibition "Preservation | Desire to Fill" Sept. 17th at 7:30pm at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery (1080 Keewatin St.).

Exhibition opens Sept. 11, 2015.
http://theag.ca/art/exhibitions/upcoming-exhibitions/

You can find the event on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/events/956936811015340/

Blanket of Snow, it's progress.

It's all about the hidden, unknown, neglected, forgotten, unrealized, discarded, unforeseen, blanket of snow.

Working on a new artpiece:

The acetate print on the left will be lit up in the empty space.

Many many layers to be added...

Barbed Wire

Wondering through the Pike Lake forest, traces of my family history is found in subtle ways. You cannot tell what animals once lived with in fence or how large the fence was. It's broken from trees falling onto it, leaving pieces of barbed wire stitched into the trees. I spent some time looking at the wire and how it was created- a simple but laboursome task I'm sure. I imagine it must of been the hand of my great-great-grandfather who wired it together. His hands touched many things here in the space I occupy.

I'm thrilled to have just submitted a grant proposal "Things and Beings" to the OAC, which will hopefully aid me in the exploration of this land, the objects and my history. 

The new muse while exploring the same theme..

Upon moving into the homestead on Pike Lake where my Mummu (Great Grandmother) grew up. I find myself again exploring my heritage and themes revolving around life cycles and rebirth. The land and home I live in are full of history, you can feel it.

Here are some photos recording my experience in the old space. They are in a sense sketches or samples of this new direction in my artworks. I continue to explore family- my ancestry and am connecting the life I'm cultivating to the past, and also to my future.

Pike Lake Forge: The homestead was in the family for over 100 years...

Creative ideas surrounding the same themes as the Preserving Harold Project have been developing. I'm not sure at this time how the name "Preserving Harold" could evolve yet stay related, but my good friend and artist Susan Kachor-Conlon and I continue having lengthy conversations regarding "Loss and Legacy" (as Susan also deals with similar themes surround life and preservation). The ideas I have at this moment are long term projects, which may take years to develop. I not only have to create on a large scale, I will have to hone my metalsmithing skills. It is a beautiful challenge. I just hope my need for earning a living doesn't over shadow my artistic needs.

 Pike Lake Forge: The homestead was in the family for over 100 years...: Here's a photograph of Pike Lake - the homestead where my Great-great grandfather raised Mummu (seen below). Mummu would have been …

PHP on display at The AG

Well, three pieces from the Preserving Harold Project are currently on display at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery (1080 Keewatin St., Thunder Bay). 

The show is spectacular and runs until Jan 4th, be sure to see it!

The creation of these works was funded by the Ontario Arts Council Northern Arts Program.

"Harold's House"

In my shop I don't have a white wall to photograph upon -- but I thought what an interesting context this painting is in. Behind the locked door it leans upon is my storage...

The Art of Carol Kajorinne: The Development of My Artistic Process

The Art of Carol Kajorinne: The Development of My Artistic Process:                  


 I am a multidisciplinary artist with a strong focus on metalwork.  For years, I practiced the art of drawing and painting en-plein-air; recording the sun set and rise.  Now, as I manipulate steel using a torch or forge, I transform this element of light/sun I was once studying in my paintings and drawings into the actual tool I use to create my artwork. 

    It was while working on the Preserving Harold Project (PHP) that I began incorporating steel into my artistic process.  My artistic process is an integral part of my artwork, lending to the overall essence I aim for.  The steel hangers created for the PHP were not only functional, but also decorative and meaningful; at times resembling roots which I relate to the invisible connections that hold everything together.  My mental process also developed, becoming more meaningful and present as I heated and pounded the steel and thought about Harold, his house, and family members.  The process of blacksmithing also relates to a common theme of rebirth that permeates my work, as all elements (water, air, earth, fire) are required when transforming steel.

DEBRIS: Vulnerable Voices

I'm working on a new project and "Vulnerable Voices" could potentially be a title for it.  I never know titles until a project is complete.  I commute daily 1/2hr-45min. and so I began bringing along a sound recorder in attempt to capture moments.  The idea is for me to say anything and everything that comes into my mindspace.  I think often in images, so sometimes I'll explain what it is I'm seeing.  It's awkward and at times I feel too vulnerable that I do hold some things in.  Mostly out of the fear someone in particular may hear it.  Some things I think about are bigger than me and involve others that may or may not wish to reveal reality.  It's not even that I feel they would hate what I have to say, but I do know it would make them feel uncomfortable… "My Un-comforting Thoughts" .

I have a couple of telephones set aside which I believe one was my grandparents --it's pretty antique, and another one that was my parents.  I intend to ad them into "Debris"-an installation art project I'm working on with the Satellite Studio members (The Satellite Studio Artist Collective (myself, Marianne Kyryluk, Sam Shahsahabi, and Riaz Mehmood) are recipients of an OAC Visual Arts Project grant for Debris!).

I will be adding the captured moments into one or two of these phones for people to listen in on… and the interesting part will be: if I end up leaving it legible.. obviously me… or will I distort and cover up reality? This project stems from my frustration about family and people in general and how we feed into a life of Playing Pretend.  Will I continue playing along and hide myself?  Perhaps I'll use both phones, and one will be the Pretend me talking to my Grandparents, and the other will be "Real"?  Or perhaps one will only be used that has distorted moments mixed in with legible?

The Art of Carol Kajorinne - a new blog

Well, I know I haven't updated anything about the Preserving Harold Project, but I've been busy working on artwork to sell at Art's Gallery and continually developing my display.  It's also been extremely cold up here in NW Ontario, so the Stairs are coming along very slowly... Hopefully soon I will have some photos to share with you!

In the meantime, I've been working on my online presence, and have created a main Blog "The Art of Carol Kajorinne" which links viewers to all of my projects (PHP), artwork (Pike Lake Forge), my bio, and more all in one place!

http://carolkajorinne.blogspot.ca

Pike Lake Forge

  

Well, I started a new Blog for Pike Lake Forge: http://pikelakeforge.blogspot.ca!

It was while working on the PHP that I realized my love for working with steel.  I love its functional qualities, and how you can make something so hard become soft, elegant, and organic.  

Follow the blog, and see what we're up to, what we have created for sale at Art's Gallery or as commissions for people, and watch our adventure! This Aug. we're hoping to travel to the ABANA conference in Delaware and I'm sure you'll see us posting images of the experience :)  

Thanks for reading!

Meat forks by Kriev "Flora" steel mirror by Carol.

Kriev (left) and Carol (right) forging.