artist in residence

Cat Candow wants to break out from the tradition of sending postcards only during trips and start creating cards to send from home.

As global border closures due to the pandemic cut off her travel even after three years, Candow plans to do a series of postcards of Fredericton during her residency for the Fredericton Arts Alliance, Sept. 5–11.

“I would like to create images using all of the techniques I usually use, including embroidery, painting, photography, and lacemaking,” she said. “I’ll try to find out new ways to layer, combine, and finish them digitally.”

Candow has enjoyed creating, sending, and receiving postcards immensely since her first school trip
in fifth grade. She is fascinated by the image of the place, and by the feelings and emotions that each photograph captures.

Candow, who studied a variety of fibre arts while growing up in Germany, came to Canada as an exchange student to study fashion design at NBCCD. She returned to Fredericton after completing her journey around the world to sew, create art, and occasionally lead workshops.

On Sept. 10, she will host an in-person workshop at the Fredericton Botanic Garden Resource Centre
at 1 p.m. She wants to encourage participants to explore the colors and textures around them in
nature while teaching them to embellish a printed photograph with embroidery and beads. “I hope to get people interested in playing and creating with me, using embroidery on photographs.”

The Fredericton Arts Alliance is grateful for the support of the City of Fredericton and Downtown Fredericton in making these residencies possible.