Artist Statement
Mhairi Treharne’s practice explores the inherent resilience of an object of beauty, and its ability to carry stories and messages through the centuries. Treharne’s wall-based works incorporate painting, sculpture and making techniques. They are jewel-like objects which through her hand are imbued with stories which radiate a sense of magic, sacredness, danger, and a connection to another realm.
The landscape elements of her work are inspired by her upbring in rural Canada and more recently her life in the hills of Mid-Wales. More broadly, she draws upon the oral histories of her Welsh and Scottish heritage, and imagery from mediaeval religious paintings and ancient monuments.
Each tablet-like piece is crafted with great attention to detail, and features an integral frame, worked into the piece with either scorched decoration or metal wire. Treharne employs both oil paint and layers of gloss varnish, which serves to enhance each piece’s beauty and objecthood.
Biography
Mhairi Treharne was born in 1989 in Toronto to a Scottish mother and Welsh father.
Treharne was raised in the rural town of Minden, Ontario, Canada, immersed in iconic rural Canadian landscapes.
At sixteen, Treharne left home and lived in a language immersion program in Japan on a cultural exchange scholarship. Visual cues and references from this year weave throughout her work.
Later, Treharne lived in the Midwest of the United States, creating garments digitally for international clothing brands.
Upon relocating to the United Kingdom and undergoing a year of mentorship at The Newlyn School of Art in Cornwall, Treharne has exhibited her work throughout the United Kingdom, presented two solo exhibitions, and has been featured in publications internationally.
In 2021 Treharne became a mother, and in 2023 a mother of two. The experience of motherhood has been a great source of joy, growth, and inspiration.
Treharne works out of a studio in Builth Wells, Mid Wales.
Read Featured Review by
Artist & Chair of Wake Forest University: Dr. David Finn
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