Artist Tracey-Mae Chambers, on location at the McMaster Museum of Art in Hamilton, Ont.always has her hands busy. When she's at home in Hamilton, Ont., the artist is forever untangling red thread, she says. "I never stop," laughs Chambers — and as her fingers work, so does her mind.
"You think you're able to finally sort of look forward, and then all of a sudden that happens and it just sets you back. Well, it set me back as far as feeling isolated. And separate. I guess that's probably a better way: separate from other communities."At that point, Chambers was already in the planning stages of a new installation project. Connection and healing were going to be the themes.
Tracey-Mae Chambers created two installations for Guelph Museums. Completed in September, they're expected to remain in the space for six months. Entering the space this summer, Chambers was hit with emotion. "The chairs were so little," she says, and she was immediately reminded of her own children when they were that small. "All I was thinking was all these little people are not where they're supposed to be."