by Stephen Dafoe
It is not uncommon to find uncommon things on the shelves and showroom floor of Mercantile on 100 Avenue. Unusual and unique items are their stock and trade; however, a new collection by St. Albert artist Shirley Cordes Rogozinsky may be the most one-of-a-kind items to find their way to the store yet.
Made of doll parts, tin cans and other found pieces, the objets de art are both intriguing and smile-inducing.
Mercantile co-owner David Mills said Shirley Cordes Rogozinsky is a well know artist, particularly for her paintings; however, a Calgary gallery took a pass on showcasing the unique pieces now on display in his store.
“We are pretty honoured to be asked to have them here,” Mills said.
Of the pieces, Cordes Rogozinsky says the pieces all have their own history.
“In creating each piece, they have become the vessels for a new beginning, a new narrative,” the artist says in materials accompanying her display. “I share these assemblage pieces with you in the hopes they bring a smile or two; that you can guess the continuing story behind each one, and that you too may share a memory with some of the little pieces they are made up of.”
The display can be viewed at Mercantile during business hours Tuesday to Saturday. Each piece is available for purchase.
