Hannah Nobert
Hannah Nobert (she/her) is a visual artist born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, located on Treaty 6 land, with a BFA from the University of Alberta. Through printmaking, painting and media arts, Hannah’s work explores the themes of memory, childhood, escapism and beautifying the mundane. Hannah enjoys working with sentimental objects such as tea cups, since they remind her of her memories of childhood tea parties and they provide comfort and rest through the act of slowing down and drinking tea. Hannah often employs a soft and subtle colour palette in her work as it brings feelings of calmness and tenderness which are common themes in her work. Hannah utilizes painterly techniques in her paintings as these more expressive brush strokes draw on her anxieties of growing up and facing the pressures of adulthood. Hannah is also interested in the process of book arts and the narratives employed through the relationships of text and image, where they work to enhance one another. Hannah is interested in the stories we share amongst our families and works to implement this in her practice.
Artist Statement
In my work I focus on the theme of memory, childhood, escapism and beautifying the mundane. In some of my work I recreate scenes such as a tea party from my memories of childhood. There is a sense of play and performance within these works as the figures reenact a scene taken from childhood memory in the contemporary body of an adult. Through expressionism, and at times a more child-like drawing style, the work becomes distorted with a darker tone added to them. This somber mood reflects my feelings as an adult looking back and reflecting on the innocence, but also complexity of childhood. In doing so, I hope my work resonates with feelings of nostalgia and anxiety. This anxiety is a projection of my own struggles with growing up and confronting the world as an adult. In addition to this, my work also focuses on beautifying the mundane and safe spaces such as my bedroom where I take time to reflect and contemplate on my current anxieties. There is a focus on self care, tenderness, and rest as I use these spaces to recover and recharge myself for my own mental well being. I hope the viewer is able to feel this tenderness and rest in the work and in turn give themselves the time they need to rest and recover. Ultimately, I hope the work fosters in the viewer a space of contemplation for them to dwell on their own childhood, along with considering this notion of rest, for the mind to recover mentally and physically from pressures of the outside world.
Ready for Ballet Class, 16.5” x 22.5”, Etching on Somerset, 2022
I want to Escape for a While, 24” x 30”, Oil on canvas, 2022
Quiet Comforts, 24”x 30”, Oil painting, 2022
Memory Attic, 14.5” x 19.5”, Etching on Fabriano, 2022
Rest, 32” x 6”, Silkscreen with Pochoir on Fabriano, 2023
