Pamela Swainson

Artist Bio

I was born in Manitoba to parents who were children of Icelandic immigrants. After my early years under the expansive prairie skies, I came east in a series of moves that found me in the Fine Arts Program at Mount Allison in the early 70’s. As with many women, my art practice was on hold with family commitments and outside work. Since 2007 I have returned, happily, to my art practice. I now live on a farm in the Cobequid Mountains with my partner and an assortment of furred and feathered creatures.

I have participated in a number of local exhibits in Nova Scotia including Tatamagouche and Truro. I have had both solo & two person shows as well as a number of public and private commissions.

Artist Statement

My earliest memories are of being in both the quiet and the intensity of the natural world. Even when necessity dictated an urban address, I craved the peace and spaciousness of the country. I celebrate the environment around me on a daily basis and am passionate about sustainable living. Caring for the earth is a kind of subtext in my work whether literally or as inspiration.

Knitting is one of my sources of inspiration. As I knit, turning string into cloth, I see the transformational process everywhere. Sheep eat grass, fed by the sun. We gather the wool and knit the sun into garments that keep us warm. So, I would say that wool gathering is part of my process. For some pieces, an idea begins to take form and I have learned to give it time to develop. This is often by paying attention to dreams and random synchronicities.