Julie Rosvall: I am Torn & I am Mended

Julie Rosvall, Mrs. Trask’s Skirt (detail). Textile relief on cotton rag paper with hand spun hand dyed yarn, visible mending, 2025. Credit: document original.

Mended Surfaces: Repair, Risk, and Resilience in the Art of Julie Rosvall

February 21 – April 11, 2026
Opening Reception: February 21, 12 – 2pm
Artist Talk: March 28, 1pm
ARTSPLACE Gallery, Annapolis Royal, NS

ARTSPLACE Gallery is pleased to present new work by Julie Rosvall, a textile artist and printmaker based in the Gaspereau Valley near Wolfville, Nova Scotia. Rosvall’s practice brings together traditional textile knowledge and contemporary printmaking, resulting in intricate relief prints that capture the delicate textures and structural patterns of knitted and woven materials.

Trained in weaving, spinning, dyeing, and knitting, Rosvall transitioned to printmaking in 2010, inspired by the work of Canadian printmaker Betty Goodwin. Her evolving practice incorporates techniques such as soft ground etching and collagraphy, allowing textile surfaces to be translated into paper with remarkable sensitivity and depth. Throughout her career, Rosvall has remained deeply committed to fostering meaningful connections between art, nature, and community.

The works presented in the series I am Torn and I am Mended emerge from a period of technical risk and experimentation. As Rosvall began producing increasingly large-scale prints, the physical challenges of printing oversized paper resulted in creasing during the press process. While refining these methods with longtime mentor and printmaker Bonnie Baker, Rosvall produced several large proofs marked by these imperfections. Rather than discarding them, she treated the creases as points of possibility.

“This body of work invites viewers to reconsider damage and repair as sources of strength, offering a quiet meditation on vulnerability, adaptation, and the value of sustained attention and care,” said Sophie Paskins, Gallery Director.

By mending the damaged prints using textile repair techniques, Rosvall reframes error as transformation. The visible repairs function as metaphors for resilience, care, and continuation, drawing parallels between worn textiles and lived bodies.

About the Artist

Julie Rosvall is a textile artist and printmaker based in the Gaspereau Valley near Wolfville, Nova Scotia, on Glooscap lands that have been stewarded by the Mi’kmaq people who have lived and traveled along the natural river systems for thousands of years. Her intricate relief prints capture the delicate textures and patterns of knitted textiles, bridging her background in weaving, spinning, dyeing, and knitting with contemporary printmaking techniques. Inspired by renowned Canadian printmaker Betty Goodwin, Julie transitioned to printmaking in 2010, developing a unique practice that includes soft ground etching and collagraphy.

Julie’s work has been exhibited across Canada and internationally, with pieces in private collections as far away as Australia. She is deeply committed to fostering connections between art, nature, and community.

Also On View and Upcoming Exhibitions

Duality: Sarah Reesor and Ray Mackie
February 21 – April 11, 2026

Invitation to Our Journey: Carolle LeBlanc, Jacquie Savoie, Corinne Drapeau
February 21 – April 11, 2026

Simple Joys: Barbara Brown Conrod
February 21 – March 21, 2026

Snapshots: Vintage Photos Revisited – Tony Clark
March 28 – April 11, 2026
Opening Reception: March 28, 12 – 2pm

About ARTSPLACE

ARTSPLACE is a public Art Gallery that is operated by the Annapolis Region Community Arts Council, a registered charitable, community organization dedicated to encouraging and promoting the arts. Supported through the Province of Nova Scotia and the Canada Council for the Arts.

ARTSPLACE Gallery
396 St. George Street, Box 534
Annapolis Royal, NS B0S 1A0
www.arcac.ca
admin@arcac.ca
(902) 532-7069

Facebook @ARTSPLACEGallery
Instagram @arcac.artsplace

Accessibility:
ARTSPLACE Gallery has one accessible parking space at the front of the building and a ramped entrance. The Main, Library, and Mym Galleries, as well as the washroom, are all wheelchair accessible on one level. The Chapel Gallery is wheelchair accessible via an external ramp and is located on a lower level than the main galleries. The upstairs programming space is accessible by stairs only.

We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, and the Province of Nova Scotia through the Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage.