Copper plates and the smell of garlic arenSA国际影视传媒檛 typically associated with visual art but one Yellowknife artist, inspired by ItalySA国际影视传媒檚 renaissance period, has made a set of paintings using just that.

Jen Walden, a local artist, had her work, dubbed the SA国际影视传媒淐opper CollectionSA国际影视传媒�, on display at The Gallery on 47th Street on June 23.

Yellowknifer asked why she paints on copper to which she replied, SA国际影视传媒淏ecause itSA国际影视传媒檚 so much fun,SA国际影视传媒� she said jokingly, before giving a serious answer.

SA国际影视传媒淭here is a light quality to the paintings when youSA国际影视传媒檙e working on copper that you cannot achieve on canvas,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

She explained that the paint sits on the surface of the copper and doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 absorb the paint which creates a similar effect as painting with oil.

Walden said she studied traditional renaissance art in Italy for four months in 2014 under a teacher who frequently painted on copper. Inspired by her work, she decided to experiment when she returned home.

She said it wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 a simple process to do it effectively.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 been many years of figuring it out,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 not straightforward.SA国际影视传媒�

One of the components she uses in her paintings is garlic juice. She said that the benefit of using the substance is that it helps the paint to spread across the copper and has only a single trade-off.

SA国际影视传媒淢y entire studio will really strongly smell like garlic,SA国际影视传媒� she said with a laugh.

She explained that without the juice, the paint bunches up into little balls when directly applied onto copper.

Inside the gallery was a board that further showed why she uses garlic juice. One benefit of coating the copper with it is that the mild amount of acid in it etches the surface of the metal, forming a chemical bond which ensures the longevity of the painting.

Does she still cook with and eat garlic, considering sheSA国际影视传媒檚 surrounded by the odor often?

SA国际影视传媒淭otally, though I can tell you, cooked garlic smells way better than raw garlic,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淏ut I have my studio garlic and then thereSA国际影视传媒檚 my kitchen garlic.

SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 really like to reuse the garlic from my studio in my kitchen.SA国际影视传媒�