Camryn Carnell
Waiting, 2020
Paper, selfies, glitter glue, heart-shaped chunky glitter, pearlescent powder, clear glossy modge podge, liquid glass gel, collaged plant images from secondhand books
Through inspiration from Mille-Fleur tapestry aesthetics and themes, I created a collection of sixteen 5”x6” collages, which feature myself inserted into garden imagery. These historic tapestries I have referenced all contain backgrounds full of plant life, to allude to the garden, which is the place of romance, courting, and conquering of women. I chose to borrow this aesthetic trope of plant life in order to subvert and abstract their original connotations. These collages are a recollection of my ongoing journey towards building an identity that feels most authentic to me. Additionally, these also serve as an honest and humorous admittance of my past and present internalized misogyny and heteronormativity that have induced me to shrink myself into a more “palatable” woman.
Through my embracing of the aspects of femininity that I resonate with, and allowing myself to take control of my sexuality, I am continually unlearning harmful and limiting narratives.
Camryn Carnell is an artist who is currently pursuing a BFA at the Alberta University of the Arts, with a drawing major. In her third year of study, she has sought to use her artistic practice as a mirror for her own personal and psychological healing. Through experimentation and play in multimedia, Camryn seeks to create works that explore abstraction and self-portraiture in order to gain a deeper understanding of her mental state and identity.