Rattles have become a symbol for creative and personal reflection on life’s transitions. Like a rite of passage, they announce “I Am Here.” It is this affirmation that continues to intrigue, challenge and support me in my work and life.
The rattles in I Am Here (Red Head 2021 exhibition) are constructed of materials collected over a lifetime. Pill bottles provide the core structure of each rattle, while other recycled bits and pieces from previous work are repurposed but not disguised. The elements used to create each rattle are documents of their history and their presence in the life of the artist.
Member since: Joined Red Head in 2017. Love the gallery space and wanted to exhibit experimental work without the pressure of a commercial space.
Number of exhibitions at the gallery: 3
Tell us a story about Red Head: The Creative Series, a time-limited project made possible by the Ontario Trillium Foundation, was facilitated by Jennifer Vong, the administrator at Red Head Gallery, and produced for both social media and a web site presence.
I spent a fun filled few weeks on a project with fellow Red Head member, Gillian Iles, as we explored places within Toronto that reflect both an urban and landscape sensibility. During this period of time Gillian and I chose three sites, created interventions that we documented and then removed all traces of the intervention at the site.
Lois Schklar has exhibited throughout Canada and the US. Her work has been recognized in both craft and fine art venues. In the craft community, she is best known for her burlap sculptures (1997 - 1998) and non-traditional dolls (Thirty Years of Dolls, 2011).
Schklar has received numerous grants from the Toronto Arts Council, the Canada Council, and the Ontario Arts Council for her mixed-media installations (2014 - 2024). Most recently, she was awarded a TAC Creation Grant for her 2025 exhibition, Obfuscated.
