Carly Waito's small oil paintings indulge a lifelong fascination with the natural world – especially the little parts we feel compelled to pick up and keep. Her meticulously detailed renderings of mineral specimens draw the viewer in, encouraging close inspection of the material qualities of the subjects. They explore the common impulse to possess pieces of the natural world which we find beautiful or curious and to assign complex layers of value to these objects based on a range of factors, such as rarity, historical context, personal memories, scientific significance, and subjective notions of beauty. They are an extension of her interest in natural history, collecting, curiosity, wonder, and the appeal of small things.

 

Carly was born in 1981 in Manitouwadge, Ontario, and raised in Thunder Bay. After completing a Bachelor of Design degree in Industrial Design at The Ontario College of Art and Design in 2005, she co-founded the ceramic design studio coe&waito with Alissa Coe. She is currently based in Toronto.

She is represented in Toronto by Narwhal Art Projects.

Please visit carlywaito.blogspot.com for updates, inspirations, and other projects.

More information about coe&waito can be found at coeandwaito.com.

C.V.

*Photo by Andrew Waller