Dee Bailey | Portals

Jul. 3

Dee Bailey
Portals

The Focus Gallery, July 3 - August 1, 2020

These are my portals to nature. Entrances to whimsical Yukon landscapes. Gateways to our memories of time spent outdoors. Safe passages to the fantastical other-worldly. Comfort and peace in nature. Security within enchanted spaces. Yukon species as safe havens. Animals as guardians for this land. Yukon landscapes intertwined with dreamscapes. Nature’s organic and ornate patterns. Local nature infused with pieces of culture and heritage. Respect for this traditional land and its inhabitants.

This body of work began with a slight departure from my usual imagery as I made new discoveries during art residencies. After learning about some of my ancestry in Northern Europe, I incorporated ornate elements into my art. I respectfully added details from what I have learned from Indigenous cultures. As I walked away from my secure and structured life, I explored fantastical imagery. As current events developed and the pandemic became more real, my art became more surreal, and then reality followed. Safety and security became more prominent themes as time progressed.

My ultimate goal is to encourage viewers to reconnect with nature through art. I hope to present scenes that entice people to crave the silence and peace of these landscapes. I explore the fusion of sculpture and painting by creating with oil-based modelling clay to refresh painting genres. I’ve been developing new techniques for sculptural painting with clay since 2013.

I am grateful to be on the traditional territories of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation, and the Ta'an Kwäch'än Council. I appreciate being able to explore this sacred land and encourage everyone to leave natural spaces cleaner than we find them.

IN THE NEWS
Yukon News, In Portals, artist Dee Bailey finds safety, comfort in whimsical landscapes
CBC Radio, Yukon artist opens new show
Whitehorse Star, Isolation-era art exhibition opens today
What’s Up Yukon, Arts Underground is back with Dee Bailey’s Portals

Video Tour

DEE BAILEY
Deanna (Dee) Bailey completed fine art and biology studies in Alberta and moved to the Yukon in 2010. Dee’s strong love of nature and wildlife is often the subject matter of her art. Dee creates to reconnect people with nature through art.

Interested in fusing painting and sculpture, Dee has been developing techniques for sculptural painting with oil-based modelling clay since 2013. She aims to refresh landscape and wildlife painting genres.

Dee attended artist residencies in Tombstone Territorial Park (2019), Iceland (2018) and France (2015). In 2017 she was an artist on the Canada C3 voyage, travelling to promote reconciliation.

Website:
www.dbaileyart.com

Instagram:
www.instagram.com/DBailey.Art