CAROLLYNE YARDLEY is an interdisciplinary artist-researcher based on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the lək̓ʷəŋən speaking peoples known today as the Songhees and Xwsepsum (Esquimalt) Nations. She earned her MFA from Emily Carr University of Art + Design, where she was awarded the Governor General Academic Gold Medal, and holds a BA in Art History from the University of Victoria. Her research-creation practice is deeply influenced by a longstanding relationship with native and introduced urban animals whose territory includes her home. Most recently, she was awarded the Rosemary Fox Conservation Achievement Award, Sierra Club BC.
Carollyne with doe and fawn. June 29th, 2018. Photo credit: Anonymouse.
Yardley’s work has been showcased throughout Canada, including exhibitions in Montréal, Victoria, Vancouver, and Toronto, as well as internationally in Seattle. Her recent artistic research has been featured in publications such as Ecocene: Cappadocia Journal of Environmental Humanities and becoming-Feral, which creatively examines the relationships between humans and other animals. Additionally, she presented her paper titled “Squirrealism: Psychometry (IIC) in Artistic Practice” at the 2023 Multispecies Methods Research Symposium: Intuitive Interspecies Communication held at the University of Saskatchewan, focusing on multispecies interactions in urban settings.
In her community involvement, Carollyne volunteers with various environmental action groups dedicated to urban forest conservation. This commitment enriches her artistic endeavours and deepens her exploration of the complexities surrounding toxicity, regeneration, and the interconnectedness of multi-species communities.
Yardley has garnered all levels of press in Canada, featured by Canadian Art Magazine, Border Crossings, The Globe and Mail, The National Post, CTV News, CBC Radio, and the covers of several books and magazines. She was also successful in maintaining her registered trademark Carollyne® after being subjected to an expungement proceeding by a large U.S. toy manufacturer.