Artist Statement

The goal of my collage work, once an idea is formed, is to create densely saturated imagery that convey small stories that are the foundation of the piece. I love the idea of an observer thinking “I never noticed that before”... I do enjoy using iconic and revered images as well as every day throwaways that are at once beautiful while invisible. The images are culled, then each is cut to its essence whether a Beatles' cover or a Picasso or a First Edition Book cover, stamps, currency, and my own photographs or collages etc.

As the process unfolds, the piece looks like a “tattered pop-culture topographical map” where I edit, refine, tear away... akin to working with clay... where the completed piece looks nothing like the original starting point. The process is detailed and time consuming. And I get lost in the flow when the pieces are evolving. The completed piece is then scanned or photographed and printed on high quality archival paper. These prints are far more beautiful than the original tattered work; the density of the paper coupled with the large amount of ink used, turns the image into a hybrid of a painting and photo. The individual pieces seemingly all connected.

Biography

Jamey Piedalue was born in Montreal in the early 1960’s. A graduate of McGill University, he studied both film and art history. As a student of industrial relations during the the 70’s and 80’s, Jamey became deeply involved in social justice and issues of poverty and homelessness. After graduation, he moved to Toronto where he completed a Masters in Sociology from York University. He immediately began a long career of advocacy and action on behalf vulnerable populations. He currently resides in Musquodoboit Harbour, Nova Scotia after having left a 30+ year career in mental health policy and direct suicide-intervention.

As a result of years of dealing mental trauma and suicide-intervention, Jamey was diagnosed with crippling PTSD in the mid-2010’s. During his course of treatment, he began a therapeutic course of art therapy and thus embarked on his journey as an artist working the mediums of collage and photography. His work delves into provocative juxtapositions of pop culture images, industrial decay, and historical injustice. Through collage, he explores significant political and social issues of our century, while his photography resonates with the beauty of the ordinary as well as insightful commentary on the industrial and commercial landscapes that define our urban core.