Greeting Cards

Conni Filteau is German-Canadian artist, designer, and ‘craftesian’ currently living in Owen Sound. She explores the natural world from multiple perspectives, from geology (she is an avid collector and jewellery maker with gems), to the phenomenology of the living natural world. Through a lens of wonder and interconnection to the natural world, she has discovered he own interconnectedness and interdependence with the non-human world, and more specifically, with the more-than-human world.

 

The concept of "more-than-human" suggests that the world is not solely about humans but includes a multitude of other life forms and entities, each with its own significance and agency. It encourages a broader perspective that recognizes the intrinsic value of non-human life, ecosystems, and the Earth itself, beyond their utility to human beings.

 

Filteau’s intimate connection with the natural world, nurtured over years of canoeing and immersing herself in the serene embrace of water and wilderness, has been a lifelong source of inspiration. Her artistic journey began with a Canon AE1, gifted from her father on her 18th birthday, igniting her passion for photography. Today, as she documents the landscape, she does so as if a witness, crafting narratives with nature’s ever-changing tapestries and the creatures – seen and unseen – that inhabit it.

 

Guardians of Reflection

In Filteau’s pursuit to capture the ethereal beauty found in reflections, she says: “this series of photographs unfolded before me like an enchanting revelation.” Through contemplative observation and reframing, a hidden world was unveiled for her. Like we feel about ancient trees, silently watching and witnessing, “these images, as they materialized before my lens, took on the monumental presence of totemic beings – entities that exude strength, wisdom, and eternal vigilance.”

 

In this series, Filteau invites us into the possibility of a symbiotic relationship with our environment and the sentient beings that coexist alongside us. Evoking timeless presence and silent wisdom, her images blur the boundaries between the mundane and the mysterious, the unseen, the mystical.

 

"Through my lens, I seek to celebrate the profound connection between humanity and the natural world, reminding us that we are not merely observers but integral participants in the intricate dance of life on this beautiful planet. In the eyes of these guardians, we find reflections of our own existence, and in their eternal presence, a source of inspiration to cherish, protect, and preserve the wonders of our earthly home."