elizabeth mackenzie

In residence: 2018

Elizabeth is currently working on a series of drawings that explore the ecological and political significance of invasive species proliferation in relation to settler colonialism. An ongoing engagement with ambivalence is reflected in the materials and processes she uses to produce these drawings. She wants to interrupt representation and create tension between a physical gesture and the illusion it creates.

In her words: “It was difficult to come back from my retreat and it’s been difficult to find my way back to art making since my return. To wake up in such a beautiful setting every day and remain in artist mode throughout my sojourn at Coppermoss Cottage and Retreat was a luxury indeed. A focus on Scotch Broom (Cytisus scoparius), an invasive plant whose name alludes to my settler ancestry, engaged me for the majority of my time away (although I was diverted by series of small abstract watercolours, as well). Retreat Co-Director Sadira Rodrigues helped me collect nearby specimens of broom plants which had very tenacious roots in the rocky soil. I used these to develop a series of monoprints, to which I added coloured pencil or watercolour. The sounds of the creek outside my windows while I drew, read and wrote was wonderfully restorative. Daily walks in the nearby forests were another highlight of my stay.”

Visit Elizabeth’s blog.

Elizabeth MacKenzie is a Vancouver-based artist whose current work in drawing interrogates portraiture as an ambiguous, shifting field of interaction and interpretation. Many, many years ago she studied at the Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto and then quite awhile after that she received her MFA from the University of Saskatchewan. Her drawing installations have been shown across Canada including exhibitions at the Mount Saint Vincent Art Gallery (Halifax), the Agnes Etherington Art Centre (Kingston), the Glenbow Museum (Calgary), the Mackenzie Art Gallery (Regina) and the Vancouver Art Gallery. Her videos have been presented in numerous screenings and exhibitions across Canada, United States and Europe. She maintains an ongoing commitment to collaborative and community-based art practices, critical writing and teaching.

Find Elizabeth’s website.

Elizabeth’s work on invasive species.  

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