Studer champions nature at latest cre8ery exhibit

Crescentwood

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This article was published 06/11/2024 (366 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It all comes back to nature for Anja Studer.

The Crescentwood resident is the current exhibitor at cre8ery gallery (125 Adelaide St.) with her show titled The Ghosts We Create. The exhibit opened on Oct. 31 and will run until Nov. 12.

A lifelong wildlife lover and environmentalist, Studer — who was born and raised in Switzerland — invites visitors to her showcase to “contemplate the fragility of nature and the haunting reality of wildlife extinction.”

“The exhibition’s abstract watercolour landscapes and intricate graphite illustrations evoke a sense of loss and urgency to protect wildlife before it vanishes,” a statement for the show reads.

The exhibit was, in part, inspired by her residency at the Venezia Contemporanea Program in Venice, Italy, last year, which she said was an amazing experience.

“I applied for the artists’ residency in 2023 in Venice, and I had to have an environmental topic,” Studer, 49, said.

“Because of my passion for environmental protection and wildlife protection, it was a good fit.”

Studer’s cre8ery show will also include a limited edition of papercuts, which pay homage to traditional Swiss papercutting and embody an overarching message of conservation and preserving the planet.

Whether it’s the mountains she grew up knowing or the ocean floor she learned about, Studer said iconic diver Jacques Cousteau was a big influence on her growing up.

“Jacques Cousteau warned us we were destroying the ocean and its species, and he’d say we need to protect what we love,” Studer said.

When it comes to the dynamic of selling a creation, Studer said it’s an honour when someone wants to buy one of her pieces.

“I feel very honoured because that means one of my pieces of art will become part of someone’s home, part of their everyday life,” she said.

“And if they don’t know you, it means it’s all about the art, which is very special.”

10 per cent of Studer’s exhibit sales will be donated to the Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre, an organization dedicated to treating and rehabilitating injured and orphaned wildlife.

Go online at www.cre8ery.com for more information.