Shary Boyle facts for kids

Shary Boyle (born May 26, 1972) is a Canadian artist. She creates art using many different methods. These include sculpture (especially with ceramics), drawing, painting, and performance art. Shary Boyle lives and works in the city of Toronto.

Shary Boyle's Early Life and Learning

Shary Boyle was born in Scarborough, Ontario. She was the youngest of five children. She went to Wexford Collegiate School for the Arts. There she studied art and music theatre.

After high school, she attended the Ontario College of Art. She graduated in 1994. When she was younger, Shary Boyle was part of the Toronto punk music scene. She even sang in a band! Her early interest in music led her to design costumes and posters. She also made small, copied magazines called 'zines. These 'zines and drawings were later put into a book called "Witness My Shame."

In 1998, she started working with a special type of clay called Sculpey. Later, in 2002, an artist named Vivian Hausle taught her about porcelain. She also learned a technique called lace draping. This helps create delicate lace-like patterns in clay.

Exploring Art with Shary Boyle

Shary Boyle creates art in many ways. She is known for her art that tells stories. Her work often uses symbols that can be very personal. She is especially famous for her porcelain sculptures of people.

Her first series of porcelain figures was made between 2002 and 2006. She used old molds and traditional porcelain lace methods. Her sculptures explored how decoration and women's roles are connected. This series was shown in an exhibition called Lace Figures in 2006. Shary Boyle's early work with porcelain helped bring ceramics back into modern art. She showed that "hobby-craft" could be important art.

Notable Exhibitions and Shows

Shary Boyle has had many important art shows. In 2006, she had a show with Ben Reeves in Toronto. In 2008, her solo show The History of Light was held in Alberta.

In 2009, her work was shown with artist Shuvinai Ashoona. This exhibition was called Noise Ghost. In 2010, Shary Boyle's first national touring show, Flesh and Blood, opened. This show included 28 pieces. There were sculptures, installations, paintings, and projections.

Collaborations and International Recognition

A big moment in her career was participating in the Venice Biennial. Since then, she has had many solo shows. She has also worked with other artists. For example, she collaborated with video artist Emily Vey Duke. Their 10-year project was called Shary Boyle & Emily Vey Duke: The Illuminations Project.

She also worked with Shuvinai Ashoona again in 2015. They traveled to Kinngait Studios to create art together. Their drawings and sculptures were shown in an exhibition called Universal Cobra. This show took place in Montreal and Toronto.

Shary Boyle's art has been shown around the world. She took part in Ceramix in the Netherlands and France in 2016. She also participated in the Gyeonggi International Ceramic Biennale in Seoul, South Korea, in 2017. She also helped organize an exhibition called Earthlings in Calgary in 2017.

Live Performances and Stage Design

Besides her sculptures, Shary Boyle also performs with musicians. She creates shadow scenes and "live" drawings. These are projected onto a stage using old overhead projectors. In 2006, she performed at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles. She also toured with musician Doug Paisley.

She has worked with famous musicians like Feist, Peaches, and Christine Fellows. In 2012, she and Christine Fellows created a theater piece called Everything Under the Moon. In 2014, they worked together again on Spell to Bring Lost Creature Home. They performed this show across the Northwest Territories and Canada. In 2016, Shary Boyle designed her first stage set for a show called Voix de Ville!.

Public Art and Recent Exhibitions

In 2019, her public artwork Cracked Wheat was installed. You can see it in front of the Gardiner Museum in Toronto. In 2021, the Gardiner Museum held a solo exhibition for her. It was called Outside the Palace of Me. This show included drawings, ceramic sculptures, mirrors, and music. It explored her feelings about global problems. In 2023, Outside the Palace of Me traveled to the Vancouver Art Gallery.

Art Collections and Residencies

Shary Boyle's art is part of many public and private collections. These include the National Gallery of Canada and the Art Gallery of Ontario. She worked with a gallery in Toronto until 2014, when she decided to work independently.

Shary Boyle also gives talks and leads art programs. In 2014, she was a lead teacher at The Universe and Other Systems residency. In 2016, she visited artists in Nunavik. She invited two artists, John Kurok and Pierre Aupilardjuk, to join her for a ceramic residency in Alberta.

Awards and Special Recognitions

Shary Boyle has received many awards and honors for her art.

• She had a special residency in London, UK, in 2007.
• She was a finalist for the Sobey Art Award in 2007 and 2009.
• She won the Gershon Iskowitz Prize in 2009.
• She received the Hnatyshyn Foundation Visual Arts Award in 2010.
• She represented Canada at the 2013 Venice Biennale.
• She received an honorary doctorate from OCAD U in Toronto in 2021.