Hirsi explores a variety of traditional media (acrylic paint, graphite, oil and chalk pastel, watercolour, and charcoal), yet she’s unafraid to experiment with untraditional media (instant coffee and aerosol deodorant). For Hirsi, artwork is about process. When creating this series, she started with photographing intriguing sections of her basement walls. Hirsi translated these images to a canvas surface, and through mixed media, was able to capture the movement, depth, and texture of her childhood reserve home. Hirsi plays with colour and loose mark-making, creating an energetic surface that is hard to look away from. Each piece has a short description and distinct memory and emotion associated with it.

These paintings are inspired by Hirsi’s Granny’s home in Meath Park, and they also relate to the homes of her cousins in Wahpeton and James Smith. For Hirsi, the reserve basement is a starting point for conversations surrounding family, race, identity, and reconciliation. Hirsi would like to thank her teachers and mentors for believing in her and encouraging her to start and finish this body of work.