Milled Wood

Destiny Swiderski // 2015

spruce blocks
Mill Woods Seniors & Multicultural Centre

About

Milled Wood creates an intimate space within a busy setting. Off-cuts of 2×4 spruce were cut, sanded, and stained to reproduce an optical illusion of Mill Creek Ravine. The artist strove to immerse the viewer in a sensory experience – walking along trails wrapped by dense deciduous trees. Extensive mapping techniques were used to plan and organize the more than 8,400 wood “pixels”. Each tells its own story of time, place, and growth – the knots and rings are still visible through the stain. The mural’s construction also has an auditory effect – the different wall thicknesses create “sound pockets” within the space. To fully experience this artwork, it should be viewed with the naked eye and through a camera lens as you walk in front of it.

Destiny Swiderski

Destiny Swiderski (b. 1981, Winnipeg, Manitoba) is a Métis Canadian artist who currently lives and works in Coombs, British Columbia. She is known for site-specific installation art that utilizes everyday materials that follow a precise algorithm.

Destiny Swiderski grew up north of Winnipeg in Selkirk, Manitoba. Her studies began at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg in 2002. Swiderski received her Bachelors of Environmental Design in Architecture in 2007. Her studies in Architecture led her to create architectural installations at the Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto, ON. She has worked for Architecture and Urban Design firms in the west and is currently self-employed as she is embracing her career as a Public Artist.

Swiderski’s work uses everyday manufactured materials such as drinking straws, casino dice, and pieces of milled wood to create large scale sculptures that have a three dimensional quality. Her work involves using repetition of one material to explore its new characteristics when applied to an image. Her process is extracted from the landscape to the deep-rooted history that resides in that particular place. Capturing experience is the essence of all of her artworks.

Destiny’s experience working in Architecture has allowed her to be exposed to numerous clients, cultures, and places around Canada. Her extensive knowledge of materials and construction methods allow her to manage, consult, and construct large pieces of art for others to enjoy and interact with. These ideas all stream into how public art can be a vehicle for placemaking.