In Sense opens Friday
Penticton artist Skyler Punnett was watching the inauguration of President Donald Trump when he was overwhelmed by a feeling of frustration.
“I was actually working out and watching his inauguration and thought, ‘I’ve got to do something.’ I pretty much came up with the most puerile thing I could think of,” Punnett said.
His piece “Trumpet” became a representation of that feeling, displaying a cherublike Trump sticking a trumpet where the sun doesn’t shine, with a bird nearby bearing a similarity to the Twitter logo — it is one of the more pointed pieces of his upcoming, first-ever solo exhibition at the Penticton Art Gallery.
“I love it, it is a great outlet for frustration, but it’s such a tough thing,” Punnett said. “At the same time feeling like we’re all contributing to the divisions that are happening instead of building bridges.”
Much of his work in the exhibition explores his career as an illustrator and evolution as an artist up to now, having returned to work as an artist in his hometown.
The name “In Sense” came out of a discussion with friend, collaborator and Vancouver musician Mike Rosen.
Rosen put together a 20-minute ambient music piece that will act as the background soundscape for the show.
“(Rosen) was talking about how the show wanted to have that sensory smell, so I said yeah, maybe we’ll call it ‘In Sense,’” Punnett said. “That started making me think about what is the sense that I’m going for. It wasn’t sight, sound, taste or touch, it was the sense of belonging and being in a place that has history and connection to it.”
After attending Emily Carr University and working as an art director and illustrator in Vancouver until returning to Penticton in 2016, Punnett was debating his future and continuing a career as a full-time artist in the Okanagan.
“Am I going to work as an artist? A graphic artist? As a designer? Or am I going to do something else that I’m woefully unqualified for,” Punnett said with a laugh. “It’s been a solid year of doing my own business and it’s great, it’s working.”
Punnett’s grandmother helped start the gallery where his work will be exhibited, his roots related to the Leir family heralded as longtime founders and supporters of the arts in Penticton. His return home has him closer to his family, but he also found a closer connection to the community through his work.
“It is a community and feeling. There’s so much to contribute to in a smaller town. You can do that in a city, but I’m just not wired for a city scale. I wouldn’t notice that contribution,” Punnett said.
“I think also I just love the land. A lot of the show is the flora and fauna of the Okanagan.”
He was able to get involved in many projects and Penticton residents have likely encountered his work whether they know it or not.
Punnett runs the renowned and reoccurring speaker series Pecha Kucha, he recently put together the signature artwork for the Meadowlark Nature Festival, has designed labels for popular Cannery Brewing beer cans and is involved in the shared office space at Cowork Penticton.
“In Sense” opens at the Penticton Art Gallery Friday with a reception from 7-9 p.m., which is free to attend.