A trip to a distant desert inspired Kiki van der Heiden to stage an art show about journeying through time and space at Earth Temple.
During a family vacation, van der Heiden was struck at how a camel guide led them through the desert in the dark of night, using only the stars as a guide.
In 2020, she started watching the stars more closely at home during her early morning canoe commute between Robertson Island and her Earth Temple studio in Daajing Giids.
This Saturday, van der Heiden will host an artist talk alongside fellow fibre artist Erin Harris to explain Cosmic Resonance, their new art installation that explores the movement of comets and planets through time and space.
“Our stories will add to the understanding of the pieces and their movements,” she said. “It is such a unique installation.”
The exhibit will be up until March, and every week, van der Heiden will move certain pieces along the display to match their respective locations in space.
Harris created an intricate “fibre comet” to represent the moment of a comet named C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-Atlas. According to NASA, the comet passed within 70 million kilometres of Earth on Oct. 12.
The comet grew what scientists have dubbed an “anti-tail,” which looks something like a unicorn horn.
Just as the real comet is doing, Harris’ fibre creation will be moved closer and closer to van der Heiden’s piece, which represents the Milky Way.
While van der Heiden was inspired by the cosmos, Harris found inspiration in the earth and waters around us.
Harris says her fibre art is mostly made from found, gifted, or thrifted items. Harris spends a lot of her work life in nature, where she finds inspiration in the colours and shapes of her pieces.
A surprise guest joining the seasoned artists in the Cosmic Resonance exhibit. Ten-year-old Nora Pattison has been working alongside her mother, Harris, and will also have her work featured in the installation at Earth Temple.
“She is very excited but also nervous,” Harris said, speaking on Pattison’s behalf due to shyness.
“It’s understandable, as I am also nervous,” she added, laughing.
Van der Heiden explained that Pattison’s piece is a fibre comet, like her mother’s.
But the comet that Pattison drew inspiration from was recently seen from Earth and collided with the sun shortly before Halloween.
“It became one with the sun and is sprinkling its stardust into our universe, which I find beautiful,” van der Heiden said.
Van der Heiden will be joined by Harris and budding artist Pattison for the talk at Earth Temple on Saturday, Nov. 9 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Between now and March, Van der Heiden is hoping people will pop in and see the installation on weekends as the planets and comets keep moving.