2009
Natalie Howard and Mackenzie Burke
Natalie Howard is originally from Truro, and studied painting and drawing at NSCAD University. During a semester exchange at RISD in Providence, Rhode Island, Natalie began studying the media arts, in particular animation and digital video compositing, and in recent work has been exploring the possibilities of Adobe Flash in creating interactive animations to be viewed on the web. The animations are composed of five vignettes representing scenes of environmental deterioration. The imagery for this work was taken from reading current new and media about issues such as the pacific garbage patch, space debris, the Sydney tar ponds, poisonous smoke from factories and nuclear radiation.

Mackenzie Burke is a NSCAD graduate, and works in a variety of media including painting, drawing, sculpture, sound, and writing. Much of Mackenzie’s work stems from a fascination with the complexity of oral traditions and the cultural importance of mythology and local lore.

During their residency at Ross Creek and working in collaboration, Natalie and Mackenzie created a series of narrative animations and videos based on small vignettes and quick ideas.

2008
Sojo Truth
An eclectic artist who often uses the detritus of contemporary society to make intricate items of power and beauty, Sojo was in residence at Ross Creek from September 2008 through January 2009. She is a graduate of NSCAD and originally from Canada’s west coast. She is currently moving between Ontario and Berlin.

Profile of Recent Artists in residence or on retreat 2008 May Colony

Annie Varnot – A sculptor and installation artist from Brooklyn, NY, Varnot worked on a project exploring structures and fragility with eggs. With an MFA in painting from UMASS, Amherst and a BFA from Skidmore College, Varnot has had exhibits through the US and residencies in both the US and France along with Ross Creek.

Christy Georg – a sculptor and artist  from Massachusetts developed sculpture and photography (Tide Seeker) at Ross Creek related to her work Nautical Body. With the following training:  Massachusetts College of Art, MFA  sculpture, 2003, Pacific Northwest College of Art, Glassblowing, 1999-2000 and Kansas City Art Institute, BFA sculpture, 1997. She has also taken part in residencies and colonies at MacDowell, Vermont Studio Centre and many other venues.

April Open Studio Week

Margi Hennen - attended NSCAD as a mature student, graduating in 1987 with a BFA in Textiles and Sculpture. She makes whimsical fabric figures with serious messages, from time to time interspersed with paper dolls and handmade books. Margi is an artist who makes the work and then figures out what it's all about- some of the time. The rest of the time she considers the making her part, and the figuring out the part of the viewer- and she feels that both should have fun in the process. This is not to say that she does not take her work seriously, but she is a firm believer in the role of humour, in art, in politics, and life.

Kathryn Belzer - lives with her husband, Ed, and a host of other creatures, on a small, mixed, horse-powered farm in the Musquodoboit Valley of Nova Scotia. Kathryn's main paid employment has been as a patternmaker for theatre, film, touring, and re-enactment companies. Doll making has been a life-long passion, including life-size figures and larger-than-life puppets.

Lynn Misner – has recently come back to Nova Scotia after travelling throughout Canada and getting her degree in Fine Arts from Mount Allison University. A painter, she is exploring the Canadian Landscape through bold strong colours and form. She is also a volunteer for our family art programs at Ross Creek.

Jacqueline Steudler – is an artist and art therapist who moved from Zurich Switzerland to NS in 2004. Educated in Switzerland, Jacqueline’s work is exhibited both in Europe and North America and she actively works as an art therapist in NS.

If you are an artist who would like specific information listed here, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate you.

Due to the constraints of staff time and privacy policies, The Ross Creek Centre for the Arts is unable to assist in research requests regarding specific artists beyond date of residency. Research inquiries specific to the Centre should be submitted in writing and will be responded to as time permits. Thank you.