Farming in the Dust Bowl : Carol Bromley Meeres

Intricately layered with delicate details, textures and memories, the artworks in Farming in the Dust Bowl explores the histories of the dust bowl on the Canadian Prairies. In the 1930's, an intense period of drought swept across the Great Plains of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and parts of the United States. This helped to set the stage for the historical crisis known as the dust bowl - named for the clouds of dust that were so massive they turned the sky black for days, wiped out crops and livestock, swept through homes, and deeply changed the lives of many.

Carefully researched by Carol Bromley Meeres in consultation with archives across the prairies and family histories, each piece contains a unique reference to life during the dust bowl, highlighting stories of survival, innovation, and resilience during an economic, climate and social crisis. Adding to the rich historical references, the artworks combine three unique historical mediums - encaustic painting, cyanotypes, and photography. Through each thoughtful and insightful story told in artworks, Farming in the Dust Bowl asks us to reflect upon the delicate balance between economic and ecological life.