Denise Tierney — Artist in Residence
“The pandemic has been pivotal in changing the way we view, promote and distribute art.”
Meet Denise Tierney, this month’s Artist in Residence. From her studio in Nanaimo, BC, Denise explores ideas of memory, ritual, and tradition through her work in multiple mediums. We talked to her about the power of nostalgia, art as a reflection of societal change, and the allure of abandoned portraits in thrift stores.
Imprimo: Hi Denise, You’re answering our Artist in Residence interview from your studio in Nanaimo, BC. What’s the view from your window?
Denise Tierney: My studio is on the ground level of a multi-residential building located in our city centre. I look out beyond my patio to the sidewalk and the road. One of the things I love about my view is seeing the variety of dogs going for their walk down to the waterfront.
I: In your work, you explore ideas around nostalgia and ritual. Nostalgia gets a bad rap sometimes for use as a political tool. Paint us a more positive picture (if you feel there is one) of the role nostalgia plays in shaping our society and identity, and how that inspires your art.
DT: I am not interested in nostalgia as an over-romanticization of a period of time. I am more interested in the power of nostalgia to make social connections and to find and maintain meaning in life. Nostalgia helps to remind us of who we have been and then compare that to who we are today. It is a way of monitoring our progress through life and of giving us a sense of who we want to be in the future. I incorporate nostalgic “triggers” (the rotary phone, the tea cozy) as an invitation to consider the societal changes that we have collectively experienced.
I: On the subject of ritual: in one of your artist’s statements you note: “The pandemic seems to have accelerated the disappearance of ritual.” Has the pandemic also altered our relationship to art? How?
DT: The pandemic has been pivotal in changing the way we view, promote and distribute art. A decrease in physical engagement during lockdown resulted in the development of more sophisticated ways to digitally present art, thus reaching wider audiences and changing how people interact with art and culture.
Anecdotally, I’ve been told that art buyers are looking for work that has a happier feel. They want to laugh, relax, seek escape, find hope and/or feel connected.
I: Talk to us about the allure of discarded portraits in thrift stores.
DT: I have no emotional attachment to the subject. I know nothing of their life. Because of this, I am free to create my own narrative. I like to imagine the “story” of the individual and build an environment around them. I am also curious as to why the photos were abandoned. I like to think that I am restoring some of their subject’s essence through my work.
I: You created your artwork titled Scam after being approached online with a commission that turned out to be fraudulent. You didn’t fall for the scam. Why did you decide to create the piece for yourself anyway?
DT: Probably to acknowledge the experience — and to have a little fun. Because the painting was no longer a commission work, I could present the subject in a way that suited how I was feeling about the exposure to such a clever racket. I painted loosely with a palette knife using pulsing, florid pinks and reds.
I: We interview artists about their work every month. Many of them, when asked if there’s an unlikely skill they’ve acquired in service of their art, have responded: Patience. What role does patience play in the service of creativity?
DT: Oh this is a good one, and so timely. Currently, I have a few ideas percolating for a new series of work but nothing solid yet. This is one of the tougher states in my practice — thinking (overthinking!) but not yet manifesting. I recognize this beast because I have encountered it before. Lots of doubt and irritation for not producing even though I know that formulation of concept is a large part of my creative process. This is the time to practice patience and to have confidence that ideas are coalescing and the work is building — even if it is not yet in its physical form.
Additionally, there are times when I have a grand vision for a work but I do not yet have the skills in place to achieve the vision. When this happens, I put the idea or unfinished work aside and wait for my skills to catch up. And they inevitably do — if I am patient.
I: Past Artist in Residence Giovanni Senisi asks: “What is the longest amount of time you’ve ever devoted to a single artwork?”
DT: Do you mean “hands-on” time or “fermenting” time? I do have some promising work that has been put aside, unfinished, for over a year (refer to the answer above regarding “patience”). As for hands-on-to-completion work, it is hard to say…I never note the time that I spend on work so can’t even make a reasonable guess.
I: OK, quick-fire round: What artist(s), living or dead, would you most like to meet for coffee?
DT: Diego Velazquez, David Hockney, Artemisia Gentileschi and Kent Monkman.
I: Is there an unlikely skill you’ve acquired in service of your art?
DT: Entrepreneurial skills.
I: Can you remember the first piece you exhibited publicly?
DT: No, I can’t.
I: What’s the last gallery you visited?
DT: The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia in Halifax — because Kent Monkman.
