Of Earth and Sky by Pierrette Sherwood

BIOGRAPHY

Pierrette is a French-Canadian Métis with roots to the Nehiyawak First Nations (Plains Cree). She was raised on a dairy farmstead in LaSalle, Manitoba. She is a self-taught artist and has been drawn to art from a very young age. Her interest in reclaimed materials and metals led her to take a welding course at the Red River College in 2007, followed by a metal-smithing course at the Mechosin International School of the Arts in 2010. She is drawn to old agricultural implements and antiques, transforming rustic metal and found objects through sculpture, mosaic and assemblage.

She left the public service in 2012 to pursue her career as a professional artist and launched "Papillon Creations" in that same year to showcase her art and vintage to the public. She was later awarded first prize at a "Dragon's Den"-like contest initiated by the CDEM (Economic Development Corporation of Manitoba). Her art work has since garnered local and national media attention. In Fall 2016, she was featured as a guest artist in the television production of "Handcrafted Manitoba" and airing on the MTS On Demand network.

In 2023, Pierrette received the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Medal in recognition of her work with the Dawson Trail Arts and Heritage Project.

ARTIST STATEMENT

Having lived out of province for sixteen years, I returned to my roots with a deeper appreciation for the ties that bind the land to its people. The wild clover scent of the prairies carries memories of my youth. I am earthbound, inspired by nature’s cycles and her seasons, her endless renewal.
I aim to transform reclaimed materials from yesteryear into contemporary design. I am particularly drawn to antique farming machinery and tools. The inherent character of these pieces carries a sense of history and tradition. It beckons a respect for the past. I want to capture this essence and translate it into works that draw on nostalgia as well as one’s own relationship with the earth. Objects carry memories, stirring emotions that are often deeply rooted, and so my creative process can be at once provocative and self-reflective.
I challenge myself to work creatively with materials that I have readily accessible and will often initiate a work of art with the selection of a single, significant piece of scrap or object, like an agricultural disc or tool that I feel best resonates with my vision. I favour the raw qualities, textures, patinas and natural aging of materials over the application of color.
I have a strong affinity with birds, both from an artistic and spiritual point of view. They are nature’s song and possibly one of her most eloquent expressions. In moving forward, I would like to explore more mixed media, sculpture and artistic collaborations that resonate with themes of heritage, community and/or the environment.