In his book ‘Adorning the Dark’, Andrew Peterson states, “Truth without beauty can be a weapon and Beauty without truth can be spineless.” However, Linda Rempel is a testament to the power of combining truth and beauty, just like lyric and melody in a song. Her art is not only beautiful due to her innate talent and technical skill, but also because of her profound understanding of art as a visual language. One aspect of her art practice that captivates me is her ability to amplify the beauty of everyday surroundings. For example, she takes something as simple as bird watching and transforms it into a captivating piece of art. Through her experimentation with composition and mediums, she brings out intricate details and vibrant colours, allowing viewers to appreciate the beauty that often goes unnoticed in our busy lives.
My Mom’s ties to her faith, family, and memories of her Mennonite upbringing, are the central sources of her inspiration. Her servant-hearted nature is evident in the way she treats her family and honours God in her life.
My mom recognizes where her strength comes from. She understands that she is first and foremost God’s handiwork and that He is the potter moulding the clay of her life. He shapes her for a specific purpose, not for self-fulfilment, but to bring wholeness, healing and light through her art. I deeply understand how passionate my mom is about creating art that seeks to understand, communicate, connect, and bring purpose to our collective, shared human experience.
-Written by Rhea Logan & Amy Wenger, Linda’s youngest daughters
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Which hood are you in?
First and foremost, I am grateful to my community for instilling in me a hands-on creative approach to life during my formative years. I spent my childhood in a Mennonite farming community in Southeastern Manitoba, approximately twenty minutes south of Winnipeg. The community’s primary focus on family, keeping the faith, and holding one another accountable in daily life greatly shaped my identity.
In 1980, my husband and I decided to leave our Mennonite way of life behind and “migrate” to Alberta. However, we soon realized that the process of leaving behind our familiar lifestyle was far more complex than simply packing our belongings and changing locations. Despite the challenges, we eventually settled down and constructed our own house on a piece of farmland, situated about ten minutes south of Seton SE in Calgary. This has been our home for many years now.
Throughout the years, we have witnessed our four daughters grow up and embark on their own journeys. Despite the changes and opportunities that have come our way, we have chosen to remain in our neighbourhood. Our decision is primarily driven by our desire to impart a sense of continuity and the importance of a sense of place in the lives of our eleven grandchildren.
Overall, our neighbourhood holds a special significance to us, as it has shaped our values and provided a strong foundation for our family.
What do you do?
I wish I could say that there is a world of difference between my everyday life and my art practice. But I know that is not true. In the reality of my everyday experience, the boundary between Life and Art is often indistinguishable. What, after all, is art? In its essence, is it not the work of our hands? As makers and creators, we all possess the ability to bring beauty and happiness into this world. I find resonance in Robert Pogue Harrison’s perspective on living an artful life: In his book, ‘Gardens: An Essay on the Human Condition’ Harrison reminds us that human happiness when fully realized, is often associated with a state of “garden existence” where “what is held most dear is brought into being through one’s own cultivating efforts.”
I cannot speak for everyone, but I know that for me, living a creative life involves the everyday activities I engage in to cultivate a personal culture of well-being and meaning for myself and for those around me. I believe that whatever we do leaves a mark and on dark days it is the memory of the beautiful that gives one strength to carry on. This is why I see value in arranging those wildflowers. Going the extra mile to plant the garden so you can watch it grow. Cooking the special meal even when your feet are already hurting. Baking the birthday cake. Making the prom dress. Cutting your own hair to save money during COVID-19 and finding out you are actually quite good at it. Feeling guilty about going thrift store shopping again, only to find the best World War II memoir ever. Making a terrible mess. Doing crafts with the grandchildren. Playing Man Tracker and Ten Cups (the game you invented). Taking the bus from Toronto to New York City and walking 50km up and down Manhattan to see the sights. Or, for that matter, rocking the cradle till the colicky baby is peacefully asleep. It’s art. It’s all art.
What are you currently working on?
In my studio practice, I focus on three main categories of art-making interests: Pattern Design & Printmaking, Drawing & Painting; and Contemporary Material Research Projects & Studies. These areas allow me to explore different ideas and concepts in my work.
For pattern design and printmaking, I utilize various hand drawings and digital iPhone app techniques to create visually striking images that are easy to convert into stencils for making screen prints and cyanotype prints on vintage linen or cotton. In my drawing and painting practice, I work to develop my own style and experiment with traditional mediums like pencil, ink, watercolour, and oil paint.
Furthermore, I am particularly passionate about engaging in contemporary material research studies where I use materials like masking tape, saran wrap, and wire to develop a human figurative form with the potential for movement and perhaps future animation. As a tactile visual learner, the practice of building the body from the inside out helps me to internalize and memorize knowledge of the human form.
My dream is to create evocative installations based on figurative form with the potential and strength to delve into contemporary social issues. My aim, on the other hand, is to combine my knowledge of the body with my understanding of human nature and to create and present work as a forum for thoughtful discussion to shed light on important topics that affect us all.
Overall, my studio practice is driven by a desire to explore different artistic techniques and materials as well as to use my artwork as a platform for addressing relevant societal and existential concerns.
Where can we find your work?
I post studio updates regularly on various social media sites:
Follow my website Blog for studio updates and stories about my work.
I am an active member of the Contextural Fibre Arts Co-operative. Find my artist page on the Contextural website.
For an informal view of my studio practice, you can follow me on my Instagram account.
Also, you can contact me by email.
