Corynn Kokolakis, a Toronto-based artist exhibiting in Haliburton from now until Sept. 7, likes to paint with oil because it gives her time away from her other responsibilities, such as caregiving.
“It [oil painting] forces you to engage with it consistently until something is finished, which allows me to remove myself from other responsibilities. So it was like a break,” Kokolakis said..
The exhibit is called ‘M(y)otherwork’, and is a series of paintings that aim to show the maintenance and emotional labour involved in motherhood. Kokolakis’ composition and vigorous brushwork allow the viewer to see from the perspective of the mother, or “Mama Bear”, as it’s looking down from that viewpoint that the nuances of caregiving and identity are revealed.
Kokolakis describes herself as a figurative artist at heart, meaning that she paints people and figures. “There’s a bit of influence from the female impressionists as well, who dealt with private space and sort of domestic themes,” Kokolakis said. She referenced Berthe Morisot and Mary Cassatt, the female impressionist painters of the 19th and early 20th century.
Laurie Jones, curator of Rails End, decided to do an exhibition on Kokolakis because she liked her brushwork. “What she’s looking at is really important to feminism, into how we look at the family,” Jones said.
Kokolakis recently gave an artist’s talk and answered questions. Kokolakis mentioned how she tried to capture moments that were part of development. She touched on the relationship between caregiver and caregiving.
“They’re part of a negotiation that the relationship between caregiving and caregiver is. You may not have children, but you were a child, and somebody was providing care for you. I try to capture the relationships more than the people themselves,” Kokolakis said.
She’s asked how her adult children respond to her work. “They actually kind of don’t care,” she replied.
The artist’s connection to Haliburton County runs deep; a cottager, camper and paddler. Kokolakis recently completed her Master’s degree in Fine Arts at the Ontario College of Art University last year. She is recently back from a threeweek residency in Vermont, to further hone her craft and vision.
“There are unspoken aspects of being a ‘good mom’ and M(y)otherwork explores that.”
