Some Do Magic And Some Do Harm: Nomi Chi

Opening August 8 at 7pm. An illustrator, painter and tattoo artist, Nomi Chi's imagery crossing the boundaries between paper, canvas and people, "can be a bit of a daunting task." Her work suggests she's up to it. (See it at nomi-chi.com.) No matter the medium, her style is consistent: fluid forms, weighted and curving lines and exploratory colours (turquoises, bright blues, dry and wet reds, clay-grey). Chi's human and animal figures wear wounds and marks of decay, but they're still very much alive and powerful. "My interest in animals, dissections, etc., is rooted in my childhood and an early interest in biology," she explains. "I lived in Ontario when I was younger, and spent a lot of time outdoors hiking with my dad and studying nature." Though she's not spiritual---"not even a little bit"---Chi is "passionate" about science and describes herself as "a very conflicted person and I'm pretty sure that's why my art is the way it is." ?Sean Flinn