If someone introduced Sarah Brunt to you as an innovative, accomplished quiller, you might wonder what, exactly, that means. A visit to Rainforest Arts, where her works are featured until the end of April, will introduce you to a unique art form she’s pushing to a new level.
Quilling is the art of scrolling coloured paper strips into tight reels or circles, which are hardened and brightened by dipping and curing in mod podge (an artist’s adhesive, sealant and finish). Brunt glues these circles to canvasses, creating intricate, colourful designs.
Starting out, she created pieces that were similar to other quillers’ works. But it wasn’t long before she struck out on a style all her own, arranging the circles on two dimensional panels instead of building the usual three-dimensional forms.
“It just sort of evolved that way,” she said. “This quilling is something that I’ll stick with for the rest of my life. I feel most at home making this art.”
Vibrant colour is a hallmark of Brunt’s compositions. “I am most inspired by colour,” she said. “Generally the first thing that comes to mind for me is colour. I love bright colours and colours that contrast well together.”
Drop by the gallery April 24 between noon and 3 p.m. to meet Brunt and see a quilling demo. You can also see an online demo at RainforestArts.ca under the Demos tab.
Rainforest Arts is located at 9871 Willow St. in Chemainus. More information is available at RainforestArts.ca, 250-246-4861 or info@rainforestarts.ca.
craig-spence@shaw.ca