Poppy’s Embrace
Jaymie Johnson + Keiko Lee-Hem
August 2023
Artist Statement
Inspired by the perfect pink and purple poppies growing in our gardens, and the refuge we each find in nature, we’ve transformed this space into the inside of a poppy flower. The experience is enriched by sounds recorded from our garden poppies, of bees busily collecting nectar and pollen, and birdsong in the distance.
We invite you to spend a few moments in this serene yet whimsical space of year-round summertime simplicity. May this poppy’s embrace offer a momentary escape from the busy-ness of the outside world, and a chance to be soothed by the refuge that nature offers our over-stimulated minds and bodies.
About the Artists
Jaymie Johnson is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice is rooted in investigating and building relationship with place through engagement with plants as subject matter and material. Her work spans drawing, printmaking, textiles, and community-engaged art.
Jaymie holds a BFA from Emily Carr University of Art + Design (2015) accompanied by mentorship in community engagement and public art from Sharon Kallis and Dr. Cameron Cartiere. She’s facilitated public art projects and participated in residencies and exhibitions throughout BC.
Jaymie is from the East Shore of Kootenay Lake and is grateful to currently reside in Nelson, BC, the təmxʷulaʔxʷ of the Sinixt, and land connected to the Ktunaxa, Syilx, and Métis.@jaymie.johnson
Keiko Lee-Hem’s art practice allows her to slow down and slip into the present moment, escaping the busy-ness and distraction of the modern world and the digital life of her day job. Her practice allows her quality time noticing, savouring and recording the exquisite design and detail of her natural surroundings and helps her cope with sadness and anxiety caused by the passing of time, made evident by the waxing and waning of her garden and the growing up of her child on a changing planet.
Keiko holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Emily Carr University, which formed the foundation for her work today as a freelance graphic designer. In recent years she returned to the tactile experience of drawing, paper cut and printmaking, partly as a way to escape the digital realm, but also as a means for savouring the seasonal beauty of her natural surroundings, and for arresting the passage of time.
@keiko.creative
This project is generously supported by the Canada Council for the Arts. The installation will be on view at Oxygen Art Centre until August 2024.
