Embellished Unknown: Allison Bajt & Carly Hynes
APRIL 2025, OPEN Thurs-Sat 11am-6pm
Inspired by the Taoist concepts of beauty and interconnection, ‘Embellished Unknown’ is the theme of this residency, which features artists Allison Bajt and Carly Hynes. Embellish means to ‘make more attractive through the addition of decorative details or features,' and the concept speaks to both artists' approach to art through the use of beads, textiles, found objects, rocks and stones, and gold and copper leaf. These subtle aspects of their practices make their art an act of reverence, exploration, and harmony — each piece acting as an invitation to surrender to the unknown with openness and joy. This residency intends to bring a sense of ornateness and extravagance to Sparrow Artspace and remind us that every object we interact with may express the universe’s inherent sacredness if we are present to its form and function. Join us in decorating the spaces within and without.
Carly Hynes
Carly Hynes is a multidisciplinary artist based in Calgary, Alberta, who has a deep connection to her work with fibre materials. Her art celebrates the magic found in everyday life. She focuses on embellishments and decorations, transforming the mundane into the sacred. When she is not obsessively stitching in her studio, Carly writes folk songs and sings harmonies with the Calgary rock band Tad and the Toads.
Creating with fibre is a language I have inherited and refined since my childhood. I practice techniques that embody personal and collective histories, and my narrative comes together with materials that connect me to the generations of women who have stitched, woven, and nurtured through their craft. My work celebrates and explores the harmony and possibilities between place and space. I see the act of embellishment and decoration as sparking joy and creating beauty. This magic connects us to the present moment, and it is here, in the present moment, that the freedom to create the world we seek is found—one thread, one stitch, one breath at a time.
Allison Bajt
As a self-taught artist, painting has been a stronghold for Allison’s exploration of meditation and yogic philosophy, and her pieces are informed by art nouveau, art deco, and Quaker ethos and design principles. She has lived, taught, and travelled overseas, with Germany as home base and a global diaspora of poets, creators, and innovators as inspiration.
