Chrissy Nickerson

“After O’Hara”

December 7th - December 24th 2024

Opening reception on Saturday December 7, 2024

Concourse By Elevation Gallery - Three Sisters

75 Dyrgas Gate, Three Sisters Mountain Village, Canmore AB

2-7 pm

the artist will attend

AFTER OHARA

Lake O’Hara, Yoho National Park, BC, Canada

The traditional lands of the Ktunaxa and Secwépemc First Nations: The lands, waters, and ice of Yoho National Park are ecologically, culturally, and historically significant.

“It was finally my turn to get up to Lake Ohara.  Thanks to the Whyte Museum celebrating 100 years since J.E.H. McDonald and the museum’s collaboration with the Alpine Club of Canada; I was one of 18 artists selected to participate.  I hiked for three days and spent 2 nights in the Elizabeth Parker hut.    I filled a sketchbook, an iPhone 9 with support material and completed a few plein air wood panels down by the lake to bring back to the studio.  

Before I went up to Lake Ohara, I poured over the new book “To See What He Saw” by Patricia Cucman and Stanley Munn, and studied maps of the area.  I planned my hiking loops and even read the back of the map for extra clarity.  I was ready.  By the time I was there, I knew what I was looking at and what some of the peak’s names were.  In my mind's eye I saw MacDonald’s work at the same time.  The Group of Sevens’ images are steeped deep into Canadian culture and this artist is no exception.  

Throughout my younger years,  I pushed back against being linked to Canada’s Algonquin school of fine art style.  It felt generic and I did not want to do my masters as a landscape painter so I waited on that…… I might have to keep waiting I guess, because I have embraced it along side my BFA and Environmental Planning Degrees.  Scenic Inheritance is in my blood, in my step and seeps into my studio practice.

Over the past few months I have been painting this body of work.    I made sure not to look at any images in the above mentioned book. However, I did return to the Whyte to revisit the exhibition of J.E.H. MacDonald.  I felt emotional.  My new body of work is intended to celebrate Canada’s National Parks, our pride in Mother Earth and of course show the viewer my individuality as an artist.  I paint like me. I celebrate paint, this place and this privileged honour to get to represent O’Hara with the long line of fellow artists before me.” ~Chrissy Nickerson~

Chrissy Nickerson is an artist who draws inspiration from the landscape.  Her work celebrates grandeur and simple beauty while drawing attention to issues relevant to the way in which we live, issues of habitat, natural resources and environmental planning.  Her paintings bring an awareness to the importance of proper research, consultation and thought as to how land is sold, planned and developed to maintain and nurture our urban forests, established parks and wilderness. 

Seizing opportunities to explore new landscapes she paints whenever she travels.  Frequent subjects are the Canadian Shield of her birth province of Ontario and the majestic Rockies of her mountain home in Canmore, Alberta as well as the Pacific and Atlantic coast of Maine where she summers.

Nickerson’s work is bold and contemporary, pushing the limits of landscape painting and the culture of such.  Educated in Europe, Graduate of NSCAD and Dalhousie University and with multiple residencies, one of which is the Banff Centre, she is represented in five galleries across Canada and one in the US.