I have had the most fun with this current exhibit at the Elora Centre for the Arts (ECFTA), called Response (and Responding) a collaborative art exhibit with Beverley Hawksley, Carmen Hickson, Tanya Zaryski and myself, Supria Karmakar.
Our process started in November/December of 2016 when Shelley Carter, a board member of the Elora Centre for the Arts suggested my name to the curatorial team as a possible artist to show in the gallery. I knew that I wanted to show with others - doing things as a group and in community is so much more meaningful. Beverley Hawksley was suggested as a possible creative partner, whose work I had become very familiar with and loved deeply; and I have also always admired Carmen Hickson and Tanya Zaryski's work, and so we were formed. I was delighted they said 'YES' to working together.
From there unfolded a series of emails and a few meetings, to discuss a possible theme for our collaborative. While discussing our process and the meaning of our works, it became very apparent that there was a common theme and thread in the way we each worked. We found that each one of us responds to our creative energies from within, and that this is a deep and sacred relationship with our creative muse; one in which we give ourselves over in complete trust and allowance. So that the works can be birthed organically and authentically in commune with our creative muse. We decided that our exhibit was going to be about RESPONDING, to our calling to create, both to produce individual works but we also knew we wanted to create work with each other, to have the opportunity to respond to each other's work by working together.
So in October 2017 we all got together at the beautiful home and studio of Beverley Hawksley and Sandy McLennan in Huntsville, Ontario. I remember the drive clearly, the beautiful fall colours were inspiring and I was filled with anticipation knowing we were going to work together in a creative unfolding for our group exhibit. Each one of us brought a piece of art work from either its rawest form or in the beginning stages to share with one another, with our creative muses. We did not know how the day was going to unfold. That was the first step in trusting the calling of our creative muse. It was a meeting of our creative muses as much as it was a day for us to work together. We spent the day over food and connection discussing our works, ideas, what we were being called to create and discovered a beautiful unfolding. Sandy McLennan took 4 hours + footage of our day together and created a beautiful short documentary called "4 in Response". The short film is a wonderful piece of work and captures the magic of our process. Thank you Sandy. The art works are still being exhibited at the Elora Centre for the Arts until March 8th, 75 Melville St. Elora. Very worth a drive to Elora for a visit.
Love to hear your comments and thoughts on this film and our process. Thanks to everyone that came out the night of the showing. For those that couldn't make it here is another opportunity to see the film: https://vimeo.com/251804502
Our process started in November/December of 2016 when Shelley Carter, a board member of the Elora Centre for the Arts suggested my name to the curatorial team as a possible artist to show in the gallery. I knew that I wanted to show with others - doing things as a group and in community is so much more meaningful. Beverley Hawksley was suggested as a possible creative partner, whose work I had become very familiar with and loved deeply; and I have also always admired Carmen Hickson and Tanya Zaryski's work, and so we were formed. I was delighted they said 'YES' to working together.
From there unfolded a series of emails and a few meetings, to discuss a possible theme for our collaborative. While discussing our process and the meaning of our works, it became very apparent that there was a common theme and thread in the way we each worked. We found that each one of us responds to our creative energies from within, and that this is a deep and sacred relationship with our creative muse; one in which we give ourselves over in complete trust and allowance. So that the works can be birthed organically and authentically in commune with our creative muse. We decided that our exhibit was going to be about RESPONDING, to our calling to create, both to produce individual works but we also knew we wanted to create work with each other, to have the opportunity to respond to each other's work by working together.
So in October 2017 we all got together at the beautiful home and studio of Beverley Hawksley and Sandy McLennan in Huntsville, Ontario. I remember the drive clearly, the beautiful fall colours were inspiring and I was filled with anticipation knowing we were going to work together in a creative unfolding for our group exhibit. Each one of us brought a piece of art work from either its rawest form or in the beginning stages to share with one another, with our creative muses. We did not know how the day was going to unfold. That was the first step in trusting the calling of our creative muse. It was a meeting of our creative muses as much as it was a day for us to work together. We spent the day over food and connection discussing our works, ideas, what we were being called to create and discovered a beautiful unfolding. Sandy McLennan took 4 hours + footage of our day together and created a beautiful short documentary called "4 in Response". The short film is a wonderful piece of work and captures the magic of our process. Thank you Sandy. The art works are still being exhibited at the Elora Centre for the Arts until March 8th, 75 Melville St. Elora. Very worth a drive to Elora for a visit.
Love to hear your comments and thoughts on this film and our process. Thanks to everyone that came out the night of the showing. For those that couldn't make it here is another opportunity to see the film: https://vimeo.com/251804502
