The Visual Arts Centre of Clarington is pleased to present In These Threads, an exhibition by Bowmanville artist, Jane Eccles.

Since 2005, Jane Eccles has painted dresses lent to her by various women and their relatives because of their link to a significant event or memory. As part of her process, Eccles researches their stories, producing archival paintings inspired by the narratives of women from all walks of life, such as Canadian writer, Margaret Atwood, and local farm woman and civic leader, Helen Liss.

​Separated from their real subjects, the very clear absence of the female body in Eccles paintings turns her work into a feminist critique. The dresses are juxtaposed against Canadian landscapes and waterscapes often referencing various parts of southern Ontario where they were painted. They imply the absence of the female body in landscapes, portraits, and narratives amongst others. In These Threads is an exhibition that surveys Eccles long-standing practice and invites viewers to think about the missing narratives from past and present conversations.

Biography:

For over 35 years Bowmanville based artist, Jane Eccles has taught art and devoted her artistic practice to painting and performance. As an art educator, Eccles was awarded the Marshall McLuhan Award for Distinguished Teaching in 1992. Eccles retired from her teaching career in 2003 to practice art full time. Jane Eccles has been painting dresses since 2005, she researches their stories as part of her painting process and activates their narratives through performance and storytelling.

 Exhibition Programming:
Storytelling by Jane Eccles and a musical performance by Anne Walker
Saturday, March 9, 11 AM - 4 PM

The day after International Women's Day, the Visual Arts Centre of Clarington (VAC) and Clarington Museum and Archives will host a collaborative program that highlights women's stories from Clarington and beyond. In conjunction with the VAC Exhibition In These Threads, the day will start with a performative reading by artist, Jane Eccles narrating the stories of the women behind her dress paintings. Participants will then be invited to a musical performance by local singer-songwriter Anne Walker at the Clarington Museums and Archives. Walker’s music captures the spirit of rural Ontario life and the local women who were the backbone of it.

Schedule:
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM - Performative reading by Jane Eccles. Refreshments will be provided. Venue: The Visual Arts Centre of Clarington.
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM - Musical performance by local folk musician and songwriter, Anne Walker. Venue: Clarington Museum and Archives.