Mhairi Treharne was born in Toronto in 1989, and was raised in rural Ontario, immersed in the grand Canadian landscape. At sixteen she left home to take part in a language immersion programme in Japan as part of a cultural exchange scholarship. Visual cues and references from this extraordinary year of her life are now threaded throughout her art practice. Having relocated to the United Kingdom and undergone a year of mentorship and study at The Newlyn School of Art in Cornwall, Treharne has presented two solo exhibitions in the UK, and has been featured in international publications. She works at her studio in Builth Wells, Mid Wales.
Mhairi’s practice explores the inherent resilience of beautiful objects, and their ability to carry stories throughout the centuries. Her jewel-like objects, which incorporate painting, sculpture and various making techniques, are imbued with stories which radiate a sense of magic, sacredness and danger. The landscape elements within her work are inspired by her upbring in Canada and more recently her life in the hills of Mid-Wales. More broadly, she draws upon the oral histories of her Welsh and Scottish heritage, and imagery from mediaeval paintings and monuments. Each tablet-like artwork features an integral frame, worked into the piece with either scorched decoration or metal wire, and she employs both oil paint and layers of gloss varnish to enhance each piece’s beauty and objecthood.