Fresh!AiR artist in residence Amélie Brindamour is on the hunt for information about local mushrooms and where to find them.
Brindamour is the second artist in a series of three visiting artists for the 2018 Fresh! AIR artist-in-residence series at the Caetani Centre this summer, and is visiting the area from Montreal. This summer, she will conduct in-depth artistic research into the presence and characteristics of mushrooms in the Okanagan Valley, and the relationship between certain types of trees and fungi under the forest floor through the mycorrhizal network.
Brindamour is looking for input from locals in order to learn more about mushrooms in the Vernon area and where the good spots and trails to find them are located.
“Whether you are a professional or amateur mycologist, a recreational or commercial mushroom picker, or a mushroom enthusiast, please contact Amélie by email at abrindamour@gmail.com or contact the Caetani Centre at 250-275-1525. She would love to hear from you,” said Susan Brandoli, executive director in a release.
Brindamour holds a bachelor’s degree in visual arts and a master’s in art education from Concordia University, and works as an art teacher in various community settings and at the Cegep level. Her art practice explores issues related to the natural and urban environment through place-specific projects including installations, participatory performances, eat-art and photography. Recent projects in 2017 include a self-made mobile-bakery, presented at DARE-DARE Center for the diffusion of multidisciplinary art, Montreal, as well as the performative work The Temporary Woodland Postal Service, a mailing distribution service using an alternative sorting system, which took place during the Murmur Land Studio artist residency in Sherbrooke, Nova Scotia.
The Fresh! AiR program is a partnership between the Caetani Cultural Centre and the Allan Brooks Nature Centre. The theme combines art and the environment, exploring issues of conservation, nature, culture, social issues, etc. The artist receives a studio workspace located at the Allan Brooks Nature Centre, receiving support and guidance about North Okanagan flora and fauna, and while in our area they stay at the Caetani Cultural Centre.
The artist acknowledges the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, which last year invested $153 million to bring the arts to Canadians throughout the country.
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