Chantel Gushue
MFA ’20 Fine Arts Low-Residency
I hail from a small seaside city frequented by tourists from mostly near who came for a man-made stretch of beach. The locally-made souvenirs on offer were nothing like those found in the boutiques of big cities. My childhood memory of those trinkets summons visions of found objects: mussel and clam shells, painted pebbles and lobster claws, all adorned with glitter and tat. Some of that was a trend of the time, but also a way to make a small token combed from the beach a little more special. This body of work imagines what a souvenir of my own creation would resemble and helps me question the embellishing I have been imparting on found objects in other series of my work. More than a reproduction; paint, beads and googly eyes have to been added to make the brooches “extra special”. When off the body, the magnetic clasp allows these souvenirs to be tacked to the fridge to be cherished alongside family photos and postcards from other adventures.
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Chantel Gushue is a visual artist based in Halifax, Canada. She received her BFA from NSCAD University (2003) and her MFA from MassArt (2020). A lover of geometry, science, and colour, Chantel’s work includes jewellery, drawings, and small sculpture installations. Holding dual diplomas in gemmology, her recent work reflects on her knowledge of gemstones and crystallography to draw connections between crystal growth and the human condition. Chantel has exhibited throughout North America and Europe, including upcoming exhibitions in Portugal and Romania. She is passionate about building community with other art jewellers.
