Michelle Forsyth

Ostinatos, 2007- ongoing

About the Work
This series of work, consisting primarily of hand cut paper pieces mounted on the ends of dressmakers pins tacked into the wall, is a spin off of my previous series, One Hundred Drawings. Each piece documents a site of disaster re-photographed by me years after the event has occurred. Part requiem and part obsession, these pieces are a testament to those who have suffered there in the past. Each piece made in Ostinatos has a counterpart that exists as part of One Hundred Drawings and although both series are drawn from images of the same site, each piece has been generated from a different photograph and bears a different vantage point. Throughout my travels to each site, I have noticed many flowers. While cut flowers have been placed on the sites to mark a loss and secure a memory, others have grown on the sites simultaneously hiding and healing the scars of each disastrous event.

June 17, 1958 (for my grandfather) (#1 from Ostinatos), 2007.
Paper, watercolor, casein, gouache, felt, beads and pins, 48 x 60 inches.
Installed at Deluge Contemporary Art, Victoria, BC.
[ private collection ]

On June 17, 1958, construction on the Second Narrows Bridge came to a halt when a large portion of its span collapsed into the inlet. Strapped to the bridge with harnesses, eighteen workers lost their lives. My grandfather was crab fishing in the inlet at the time and helped save some of the men that fell into the water. In the 1990's, the bridge was re-named the Ironworker’s Memorial Second Narrows Crossing as a tribute to the workers who lost their lives during its collapse. On both ends of the bridge are plaques commemorating the workers who died in the event. My piece depicts some small flowers located near the north end of the bridge.

November 10, 1979 (#2 from Ostinatos), 2007.
Paper, watercolor, casein, gouache, felt, beads and pins mounted on archival panel, 26 x 39 inch image, 30 x 43 inch frame.

At 11:53 pm on November 10, 1979, a train carrying styrene, toluene, propane, caustic soda, and chlorine derailed when passing through Mississauga, Ontario. An inadequately lubricated wheel bearing was the cause of the accident causing friction that ignited sparks and eventually got so hot that one pair of wheels fell off. The accident resulted in a huge explosion and fireball that reached 1,500 meters into the sky. A cloud of chlorine gas resulting from the accident caused the largest evacuation in peacetime history until Hurricane Katrina at more than 200,000 people. With the exception firefighters, who were exposed to the noxious fumes until the crisis was under control, there were no deaths from the accident. This work documents some flowering thistles at the site where the accident occurred.

November 10, 1979 (#2 from Ostinatos), 2007.
Paper, watercolor, casein, gouache, felt, beads and pins mounted on archival panel, 26 x 39 inch image, 30 x 43 inch frame.

April 15, 1912 (#3 from Ostinatos), 2007.
Paper, watercolor, casein, gouache, felt, beads and pins mounted on archival panel, 30 x 45 inch image, 34 x 49 inch frame.
[ private collection ]

This piece documents the flowers on gravesite holding Titanic victim 221, located in Fairview Cemetery in Halifax, NS. Three Canadian ships were involved in recovering the victims of the disaster. Of the 328 bodies recovered, Fairview cemetery holds the largest number of victims from this disaster. They are buried under unmarked graves identified only by numbers that refer to the order in which they were found.

April 15, 1912 (#3 from Ostinatos), 2007.
Paper, watercolor, casein, gouache, felt, beads and pins mounted on archival panel, 30 x 45 inch image, 34 x 49 inch frame.
[ private collection ]

September 17, 1949 (#4 from Ostinatos), 2008.
Paper, gouache, felt, beads and pins mounted on archival panel, 26 x 39 inch image, 30 x 43 inch frame.
[ private collection ]

On the morning of September 17, 1949, a small fire was discovered in a locked linen closet aboard the passenger ship known as the S.S. Noronic. Once unlocked in an attempt to fight the flames with a single fire extinguisher, the fire raged out of control. It only took ten minutes for the fire spread rapidly throughout the interior of the ship because the woods in the ship were regularly treated with a lemon oil that was highly flammable. During the incident most passengers were sleeping and roused to a choking black smoke and packed corridors. Several of them escaped by jumping into the frigid waters of the Toronto Harbor. Most of the bodies were burned beyond recognition making identifying them difficult. This piece documents some day lilies on the pier where the accident occurred. Nearby there is a plaque commemorating those who perished.

September 17, 1949 (#4 from Ostinatos), 2008.
Paper, gouache, felt, beads and pins mounted on archival panel, 26 x 39 inch image, 30 x 43 inch frame.
[ private collection ]

December 6, 1917 (#5 from Ostinatos), 2008.
Color-Aid paper, 90 lb. Arches HP watercolor paper, Fabriano SP watercolor paper, Hahnemuhle photo ink jet paper, black sandpaper, silver paper, felt, screenprint, gouache, watercolor, sequins, Swarovski crystal beads, seed beads, dressmakers pins, hat pins, 42 x 63 x 6 inches.

At 9:04 on the morning of December 6, 1917, the Mont-Blanc, a French munitions ship inbound to Halifax, NS for a brief stop before heading off to the war in Europe collided with the outbound Imo, a Belgian reef ship. Due to the fact that the Mont-Blanc was carrying a load of gun cotton, TNT, and picric acid, the impact caused the ship to catch fire and blow up. The explosion had a devastating effect. It leveled much of northern Halifax and Dartmouth and caused 1,963 people to perish. Evidence of the disaster can still be found in Halifax including a broken window pane and a piece of wreckage that was driven into the wall from the blast. My piece documents some blooms on a tree above the site where the explosion took place.

November 7, 1940 (for Tubby) (#6 from Ostinatos), 2008.
Color-Aid paper, 90 lb. Arches HP watercolor paper, Fabriano SP watercolor paper, Hahnemuhle photo ink jet paper, felt, gouache, watercolor, sequins, beads, dressmakers pins, 144 x 72 inches.

On the morning of November 7, 1940, only four months after it opened to the public, the first Tacoma Narrows Bridge dramatically collapsed. The bridge, nicknamed “Galloping Gertie” for its undulating motion, attracted many visitors who would drive for miles to ride its swaying roadway. On a windy day, cars were reported to vanish and reappear several times during a single crossing. This piece documents some dandelions growing near the site of the collapse.

May 3, 1887 (#7 from Ostinatos), 2008
156 lb. Arches CP watercolor paper, Color-Aid paper, 90 lb. Arches HP watercolor paper, Hahnemuhle photo ink jet paper, felt, gouache, sequins, and thread, 28 x 42 inches.

Shortly before 6 pm on May 3, 1887, two explosions rocked the No. 1 Esplanade Mine, located just north of downtown Nanaimo, BC. The resulting fire and the carbon monoxide it produced resulted in the deaths of 147 miners and one rescuer. Near the entrance to the site is a memorial plaque listing the names of the miners that died in the accident. Of the dead listed are 53 Chinese immigrant workers known to the employers only by the numbers that were assigned to them. This piece depicts a tree with red berries located near this memorial plaque.

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PROJECTS Installations Text Work Ostinatos One Hundred Drawings Small Watercolors Sunday Paintings Florescence Paper Sculptures Trauma Paintings Water + Aquariums Prints + Multiples SELECTED EXHIBITIONS Canopy Cutters Field Work Tacoma Contemporary Then & There Paperwork Sundays Young Painters				Prev \| Next *Ostinatos,* 2007- ongoing About the Work This series of work, consisting primarily of hand cut paper pieces mounted on the ends of dressmakers pins tacked into the wall, is a spin off of my previous series, One Hundred Drawings. Each piece documents a site of disaster re-photographed by me years after the event has occurred. Part requiem and part obsession, these pieces are a testament to those who have suffered there in the past. Each piece made in Ostinatos has a counterpart that exists as part of One Hundred Drawings and although both series are drawn from images of the same site, each piece has been generated from a different photograph and bears a different vantage point. Throughout my travels to each site, I have noticed many flowers. While cut flowers have been placed on the sites to mark a loss and secure a memory, others have grown on the sites simultaneously hiding and healing the scars of each disastrous event. *June 17, 1958 (for my grandfather)* (#1 from Ostinatos), 2007. Paper, watercolor, casein, gouache, felt, beads and pins, 48 x 60 inches. Installed at Deluge Contemporary Art, Victoria, BC. [ private collection ] On June 17, 1958, construction on the Second Narrows Bridge came to a halt when a large portion of its span collapsed into the inlet. Strapped to the bridge with harnesses, eighteen workers lost their lives. My grandfather was crab fishing in the inlet at the time and helped save some of the men that fell into the water. In the 1990's, the bridge was re-named the Ironworker’s Memorial Second Narrows Crossing as a tribute to the workers who lost their lives during its collapse. On both ends of the bridge are plaques commemorating the workers who died in the event. My piece depicts some small flowers located near the north end of the bridge. *June 17, 1958 (for my grandfather)* (#1 from Ostinatos), 2007. Paper, watercolor, casein, gouache, felt, beads and pins, 48 x 60 inches. Installed at Deluge Contemporary Art, Victoria, BC. [ private collection ] *June 17, 1958 (for my grandfather)* (#1 from Ostinatos), 2007. Paper, watercolor, casein, gouache, felt, beads and pins, 48 x 60 inches. Installed at Deluge Contemporary Art, Victoria, BC. [ private collection ] *June 17, 1958 (for my grandfather)* (#1 from Ostinatos), 2007. Paper, watercolor, casein, gouache, felt, beads and pins, 48 x 60 inches. Installed at Deluge Contemporary Art, Victoria, BC. [ private collection ] *June 17, 1958 (for my grandfather)* (#1 from Ostinatos), 2007. Paper, watercolor, casein, gouache, felt, beads and pins, 48 x 60 inches. Installed at Deluge Contemporary Art, Victoria, BC. [ private collection ] November 10, 1979 (#2 from Ostinatos), 2007. Paper, watercolor, casein, gouache, felt, beads and pins mounted on archival panel, 26 x 39 inch image, 30 x 43 inch frame. At 11:53 pm on November 10, 1979, a train carrying styrene, toluene, propane, caustic soda, and chlorine derailed when passing through Mississauga, Ontario. An inadequately lubricated wheel bearing was the cause of the accident causing friction that ignited sparks and eventually got so hot that one pair of wheels fell off. The accident resulted in a huge explosion and fireball that reached 1,500 meters into the sky. A cloud of chlorine gas resulting from the accident caused the largest evacuation in peacetime history until Hurricane Katrina at more than 200,000 people. With the exception firefighters, who were exposed to the noxious fumes until the crisis was under control, there were no deaths from the accident. This work documents some flowering thistles at the site where the accident occurred. November 10, 1979 (#2 from Ostinatos), 2007. Paper, watercolor, casein, gouache, felt, beads and pins mounted on archival panel, 26 x 39 inch image, 30 x 43 inch frame. November 10, 1979 (#2 from Ostinatos), 2007. Paper, watercolor, casein, gouache, felt, beads and pins mounted on archival panel, 26 x 39 inch image, 30 x 43 inch frame. April 15, 1912 (#3 from Ostinatos), 2007. Paper, watercolor, casein, gouache, felt, beads and pins mounted on archival panel, 30 x 45 inch image, 34 x 49 inch frame. [ private collection ] This piece documents the flowers on gravesite holding Titanic victim 221, located in Fairview Cemetery in Halifax, NS. Three Canadian ships were involved in recovering the victims of the disaster. Of the 328 bodies recovered, Fairview cemetery holds the largest number of victims from this disaster. They are buried under unmarked graves identified only by numbers that refer to the order in which they were found. April 15, 1912 (#3 from Ostinatos), 2007. Paper, watercolor, casein, gouache, felt, beads and pins mounted on archival panel, 30 x 45 inch image, 34 x 49 inch frame. [ private collection ] April 15, 1912 (#3 from Ostinatos), 2007. Paper, watercolor, casein, gouache, felt, beads and pins mounted on archival panel, 30 x 45 inch image, 34 x 49 inch frame. [ private collection ] September 17, 1949 (#4 from Ostinatos), 2008. Paper, gouache, felt, beads and pins mounted on archival panel, 26 x 39 inch image, 30 x 43 inch frame. [ private collection ] On the morning of September 17, 1949, a small fire was discovered in a locked linen closet aboard the passenger ship known as the S.S. Noronic. Once unlocked in an attempt to fight the flames with a single fire extinguisher, the fire raged out of control. It only took ten minutes for the fire spread rapidly throughout the interior of the ship because the woods in the ship were regularly treated with a lemon oil that was highly flammable. During the incident most passengers were sleeping and roused to a choking black smoke and packed corridors. Several of them escaped by jumping into the frigid waters of the Toronto Harbor. Most of the bodies were burned beyond recognition making identifying them difficult. This piece documents some day lilies on the pier where the accident occurred. Nearby there is a plaque commemorating those who perished. September 17, 1949 (#4 from Ostinatos), 2008. Paper, gouache, felt, beads and pins mounted on archival panel, 26 x 39 inch image, 30 x 43 inch frame. [ private collection ] September 17, 1949 (#4 from Ostinatos), 2008. Paper, gouache, felt, beads and pins mounted on archival panel, 26 x 39 inch image, 30 x 43 inch frame. [ private collection ] September 17, 1949 (#4 from Ostinatos), 2008. Paper, gouache, felt, beads and pins mounted on archival panel, 26 x 39 inch image, 30 x 43 inch frame. [ private collection ] December 6, 1917 (#5 from Ostinatos), 2008. Color-Aid paper, 90 lb. Arches HP watercolor paper, Fabriano SP watercolor paper, Hahnemuhle photo ink jet paper, black sandpaper, silver paper, felt, screenprint, gouache, watercolor, sequins, Swarovski crystal beads, seed beads, dressmakers pins, hat pins, 42 x 63 x 6 inches. At 9:04 on the morning of December 6, 1917, the Mont-Blanc, a French munitions ship inbound to Halifax, NS for a brief stop before heading off to the war in Europe collided with the outbound Imo, a Belgian reef ship. Due to the fact that the Mont-Blanc was carrying a load of gun cotton, TNT, and picric acid, the impact caused the ship to catch fire and blow up. The explosion had a devastating effect. It leveled much of northern Halifax and Dartmouth and caused 1,963 people to perish. Evidence of the disaster can still be found in Halifax including a broken window pane and a piece of wreckage that was driven into the wall from the blast. My piece documents some blooms on a tree above the site where the explosion took place. December 6, 1917 (#5 from Ostinatos), 2008. Color-Aid paper, 90 lb. Arches HP watercolor paper, Fabriano SP watercolor paper, Hahnemuhle photo ink jet paper, black sandpaper, silver paper, felt, screenprint, gouache, watercolor, sequins, Swarovski crystal beads, seed beads, dressmakers pins, hat pins, 42 x 63 x 6 inches. December 6, 1917 (#5 from Ostinatos), 2008. Color-Aid paper, 90 lb. Arches HP watercolor paper, Fabriano SP watercolor paper, Hahnemuhle photo ink jet paper, black sandpaper, silver paper, felt, screenprint, gouache, watercolor, sequins, Swarovski crystal beads, seed beads, dressmakers pins, hat pins, 42 x 63 x 6 inches. December 6, 1917 (#5 from Ostinatos), 2008. Color-Aid paper, 90 lb. Arches HP watercolor paper, Fabriano SP watercolor paper, Hahnemuhle photo ink jet paper, black sandpaper, silver paper, felt, screenprint, gouache, watercolor, sequins, Swarovski crystal beads, seed beads, dressmakers pins, hat pins, 42 x 63 x 6 inches. December 6, 1917 (#5 from Ostinatos), 2008. Color-Aid paper, 90 lb. Arches HP watercolor paper, Fabriano SP watercolor paper, Hahnemuhle photo ink jet paper, black sandpaper, silver paper, felt, screenprint, gouache, watercolor, sequins, Swarovski crystal beads, seed beads, dressmakers pins, hat pins, 42 x 63 x 6 inches. December 6, 1917 (#5 from Ostinatos), 2008. Color-Aid paper, 90 lb. Arches HP watercolor paper, Fabriano SP watercolor paper, Hahnemuhle photo ink jet paper, black sandpaper, silver paper, felt, screenprint, gouache, watercolor, sequins, Swarovski crystal beads, seed beads, dressmakers pins, hat pins, 42 x 63 x 6 inches. December 6, 1917 (#5 from Ostinatos), 2008. Color-Aid paper, 90 lb. Arches HP watercolor paper, Fabriano SP watercolor paper, Hahnemuhle photo ink jet paper, black sandpaper, silver paper, felt, screenprint, gouache, watercolor, sequins, Swarovski crystal beads, seed beads, dressmakers pins, hat pins, 42 x 63 x 6 inches. November 7, 1940 (for Tubby) (#6 from Ostinatos), 2008. Color-Aid paper, 90 lb. Arches HP watercolor paper, Fabriano SP watercolor paper, Hahnemuhle photo ink jet paper, felt, gouache, watercolor, sequins, beads, dressmakers pins, 144 x 72 inches. On the morning of November 7, 1940, only four months after it opened to the public, the first Tacoma Narrows Bridge dramatically collapsed. The bridge, nicknamed “Galloping Gertie” for its undulating motion, attracted many visitors who would drive for miles to ride its swaying roadway. On a windy day, cars were reported to vanish and reappear several times during a single crossing. This piece documents some dandelions growing near the site of the collapse. November 7, 1940 (for Tubby) (#6 from Ostinatos), 2008. Color-Aid paper, 90 lb. Arches HP watercolor paper, Fabriano SP watercolor paper, Hahnemuhle photo ink jet paper, felt, gouache, watercolor, sequins, beads, dressmakers pins, 144 x 72 inches. November 7, 1940 (for Tubby) (#6 from Ostinatos), 2008. Color-Aid paper, 90 lb. Arches HP watercolor paper, Fabriano SP watercolor paper, Hahnemuhle photo ink jet paper, felt, gouache, watercolor, sequins, beads, dressmakers pins, 144 x 72 inches. November 7, 1940 (for Tubby) (#6 from Ostinatos), 2008. Color-Aid paper, 90 lb. Arches HP watercolor paper, Fabriano SP watercolor paper, Hahnemuhle photo ink jet paper, felt, gouache, watercolor, sequins, beads, dressmakers pins, 144 x 72 inches. November 7, 1940 (for Tubby) (#6 from Ostinatos), 2008. Color-Aid paper, 90 lb. Arches HP watercolor paper, Fabriano SP watercolor paper, Hahnemuhle photo ink jet paper, felt, gouache, watercolor, sequins, beads, dressmakers pins, 144 x 72 inches. November 7, 1940 (for Tubby) (#6 from Ostinatos), 2008. Color-Aid paper, 90 lb. Arches HP watercolor paper, Fabriano SP watercolor paper, Hahnemuhle photo ink jet paper, felt, gouache, watercolor, sequins, beads, dressmakers pins, 144 x 72 inches. November 7, 1940 (for Tubby) (#6 from Ostinatos), 2008. Color-Aid paper, 90 lb. Arches HP watercolor paper, Fabriano SP watercolor paper, Hahnemuhle photo ink jet paper, felt, gouache, watercolor, sequins, beads, dressmakers pins, 144 x 72 inches. November 7, 1940 (for Tubby) (#6 from Ostinatos), 2008. Color-Aid paper, 90 lb. Arches HP watercolor paper, Fabriano SP watercolor paper, Hahnemuhle photo ink jet paper, felt, gouache, watercolor, sequins, beads, dressmakers pins, 144 x 72 inches. November 7, 1940 (for Tubby) (#6 from Ostinatos), 2008. Color-Aid paper, 90 lb. Arches HP watercolor paper, Fabriano SP watercolor paper, Hahnemuhle photo ink jet paper, felt, gouache, watercolor, sequins, beads, dressmakers pins, 144 x 72 inches. May 3, 1887 (#7 from Ostinatos), 2008 156 lb. Arches CP watercolor paper, Color-Aid paper, 90 lb. Arches HP watercolor paper, Hahnemuhle photo ink jet paper, felt, gouache, sequins, and thread, 28 x 42 inches. Shortly before 6 pm on May 3, 1887, two explosions rocked the No. 1 Esplanade Mine, located just north of downtown Nanaimo, BC. The resulting fire and the carbon monoxide it produced resulted in the deaths of 147 miners and one rescuer. Near the entrance to the site is a memorial plaque listing the names of the miners that died in the accident. Of the dead listed are 53 Chinese immigrant workers known to the employers only by the numbers that were assigned to them. This piece depicts a tree with red berries located near this memorial plaque. May 3, 1887 (#7 from Ostinatos), 2008 156 lb. Arches CP watercolor paper, Color-Aid paper, 90 lb. Arches HP watercolor paper, Hahnemuhle photo ink jet paper, felt, gouache, sequins, and thread, 28 x 42 inches. May 3, 1887 (#7 from Ostinatos), 2008 156 lb. Arches CP watercolor paper, Color-Aid paper, 90 lb. Arches HP watercolor paper, Hahnemuhle photo ink jet paper, felt, gouache, sequins, and thread, 28 x 42 inches. May 3, 1887 (#7 from Ostinatos), 2008 156 lb. Arches CP watercolor paper, Color-Aid paper, 90 lb. Arches HP watercolor paper, Hahnemuhle photo ink jet paper, felt, gouache, sequins, and thread, 28 x 42 inches.