ARTIST STATEMENT: 

Hair holds significance in a variety of ways through different cultures. In some cultures, it is an object of power, in some an object of beauty. In Secret Keeper, I wanted to explore hair as an object of strength and knowledge. This drawing depicts a deep connection between two women, a mother and a daughter, whose bond has required strength and support throughout their lives together. For this piece, I thought about the sharing of stories through the ritual of a mother figure brushing her daughter’s hair in the evenings. As her daughter ages, her hair holds onto these stories and they grow along with her, providing knowledge, connection and strength. Both are then passed back to the mother later in life. Here, the hair is the focus of the drawing. It acts as both a shield and as a living entity that transfers strength, comfort and knowledge back to the mother. 

ARTIST BIOGRAPHY:

Kelly Isaak (she/her) is a figurative artist based in Mohkinstsis – Calgary. She holds a BFA from the Alberta University of the Arts (formerly Alberta College of Art and Design) and a B. Ed from the University of Calgary. 

Isaak’s current body of work is a collection of emotional, atmospheric drawings that explore memory and the body through the lens of the female gaze. The drawings combine tightly rendered figures with gestural marks and implied shapes. They demonstrate a sensitivity with the materials that Isaak has developed over time and through much refinement. 

kellyisaak.com
Instagram: @artbyisaak