Artist Statement
My recent series, “pique assiette” mosaics, reassembles broken English bone china, in particular the teacup. Teacups tell a story of women’s place in Western history, of the British class system and colonialism.
There is something cathartic about smashing these symbols of oppression, keeping them out of landfills and re-purposing these little shards of beauty.
In addition, my annual series "What the Garden Couldn't Swallow", assembles objects that surface from my small post-WW2 urban garden. Year after year, the gardens reveal the lives lived and the indigestible nature of man-made materials.
Biography
Sandy Kowalik is a Fine Art honours graduate of the Ontario College of Art and holds a diploma in pottery from Holland College School of Visual Arts. A native of Hamilton, Ontario, she has made her permanent home in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island since 1986.
Kowalik’s paintings and sculpture can be found in public and private collections worldwide, including the Canada Council Art Bank, PEI Art Bank, and the Confederation Centre of the Arts permanent collection.
As an active member of the PEI Arts community for decades, Sandy has organized and participated in exhibitions, taught, served on arts boards, and researched/ wrote about artists, with a focus on women’s art. After 10 years managing the Dunes Island Art Gallery, Brackley Beach, PEI, she is now focusing full-time on her own art.