Locally inspired: New West artist gets show at the main library

Sherida Charles is sitting in front of one of the prettiest Zoom backdrops: her own art. The shapes are simple, but the work shows its complexities – there’s a striking piece that looks like a shell, but upon closer inspection appears to be the twirling of a thick vine.

While she uses only a handful of colours in these creations, they’re incredibly striking. What’s more, they’re all made with something that’s commonly used as flooring material.

“This is a piece of lino,” she says, holding up the material to the screen. “It’s a relatively inexpensive material, and you can carve it. So, if you can see, there’s these sort of grooves, right?” Picking up a roller, she demonstrates how she puts ink onto the lino, and the design gets stamped onto paper. “The reason why it became popular is because it’s easier to carve and it’s a 20th century invention.”

It’s a technique you’ll be able to take a closer look at when you visit the main branch of the library this month. Charles’s show, Locations in Linocut, is on display throughout the month of June.

"I had seen a work by [Piet] Mondrian when I went to Spain in 2019, and I had been quite impressed because he looked so simple,” Charles explains. “When you actually see the work, it's quite amazing."

She brought that inspiration back with her, and began to take pictures of local signs and places that use red, yellow and blue.

Charles loves the medium as she finds it very hands-on, but having taught art for 28 years, she’s more than capable of navigating her way through other methods of expression. “I had to do photos, I had to do drawing, painting, imprint making, I had to do sculpture, and it really diversified me.”

Having spent time looking at the local signs and spaces, Charles hopes people understand how inspiring New Westminster can be.

“Local things can be interesting; we’re still used to looking at famous French artists and American artists, but there’s some really cool material in our own neighbourhood.” One immediate example Charles points to is the Quay. “There’s the interesting tugboats, there’s the tin soldier, and that’s what I hope people will see. I do think artists need to focus on where they are,” she says.

For more information about Charles’s work, or to buy one of her prints, make sure to give her a follow on Twitter and Instagram – you can also get in touch with her through her website.