Moontree Art: Emily van Lidth de Jeude - CV

CURRENT WORK

The MAMA Project MAMA is a traveling art project that empowers mothers by inspiring and facilitating expression and dialogue about motherhood. MAMA celebrates our common experience as well as the significance of our occupation in the development of humanity, and, by provoking thought and conversation about this, MAMA empowers us to feel pride in our work. In knowing our own significance, we are better role-models for our children, and also better able to provide strong roots for each new generation. The show has been installed 3 times in British Columbia in 2010, and in Port Townsend, Washington, in 2011. Various versions of the accompanying SuperMAMA performance have been performed on Bowen Island, in Victoria, Colwood, and Vancouver, WA.

In 2011, I traveled the length of the US west coast, interviewing more mothers about their experiences, and hope to have the resulting paintings and recordings ready for late 2012. This will effectively double the size of the MAMA installation, or can be shown as a separate installation, on its own. http://mamaproject.com

I have been invited by artists in a few other countries to bring this work abroad, and to interview mothers in their own languages. Once I find funding and gallery-interests in those countries, I will tour this project as widely as possible.

OTHER RECENT WORKS

2009 – Plastic Bag Art: In an effort to highlight our culture’s reliance on and over-use of plastic, at a time when plastic bags are being rejected across North America, the artist created a plastic bag kite, a plastic bag pathway, and a 16-foot-high plastic bag tree. These were installed on Bowen Island as commentary on the Municipality’s controversial use of large amounts of public funds to purchase and install a synthetic turf playing field. 4 other artists helped with the labour of these projects, but wished to remain anonymous.

2007 - present (ongoing) – Wild Food: on a regular basis, the artist and her intrepid followers (children) head out into the wilderness to gather a new food, which will be harvested, prepared if necessary, and eaten by the whole family. Some of the highlights so far have been cattail shoots, maple blossoms, banana slugs, and sea lettuce. Sometimes we come back empty-handed! Everything is documented and researched as far as the children’s interest carries it. The artist also leads wild food walks and workshops, locally. This is an important part of the family's unschooling lifestyle. Meanwhile, we post many of our adventures on http://feralfood.blogspot.com

2004 - present – The Living Year: a poetic and visual journey through the seasons, as they transpire in British Columbia’s temperate rainforest. This is a book in the making; daily macro photos of plant life as it presents throughout the seasons, as well as poems reflecting on the changes of the passing year.

1998 - present – The Sealkie Songs: A collection of songs, stories, prints, drawings, handmade books, and paintings, which will someday take the form of an installation/performance work. The work relates the female experience to ancient stories of the seal people. Songs performed regularly at local (Bowen Island) events.

Not Hippos! A comical children’s book, in rhyming verse, with fold-out pages. Currently only a hand-bound book, but perhaps one day commercially-published.

2002 - present (on hold because of MAMA Project) – The Talking Tent: An event in which the artist sits in a tent and records stories about locals’ experience of Bowen Island. The stories, snapshots, and names of the participants are collected with the intention of one day producing a book of community memories.

2005 - present (annual) – The Rickshaw Masquerade: A community gathering! Full masquerade finery with local/wild food and music to share as the evening progresses. Many elaborate handmade masks and costumes are involved. This party was described in Vancouver Magazine: http://glave.com/wp-content/uploads/vm_turfwar_nov08.pdf

MEMBERSHIPS

• Vancouver Art Gallery
• National Museum of Women in the Arts
• Bowen Island Arts Council
• Bowen Island Nature Club (board member)

WORKS PUBLISHED/RECOGNISED/EXHIBITED

MURAL/WINDOWPAINTING CONTRACTS

GRAPHIC DESIGN

2012 Happily Never After event poster design 2012 Stop Smart Meters Bowen poster, website, and logo design 2011 Caitlin Frost event poster designs

WEBSITE DESIGN

JUROR'S CHOICE AWARDS

OTHER WORK AND TEACHING EXPERIENCE

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE

LANGUAGES

English (first language)
Dutch (fluent: written/spoken)
French (fluent: written/spoken)
German (presently learning – not yet fluent)

EDUCATION