Throughout the pandemic I have spoken to several women & read much about job losses that have disproportianately affected women. Whether due to family obligations, company downsizing or other means, it has changed the course of life for so many women.
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For me, I lost all of my in-person teaching and several exhibit opportunities. But, thankfully it also created time to focus on my painting & studies & to accept an invitation to mentor other artists through LevellingUp.
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If you are one of those women in Canada who has lost employment, I would love to paint your portrait & share your story (all I need is a sentence or two). If you know someone, please share this with them as I believe these stories are important.
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#WomansWorkProject
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This week I received the exciting news that the 'Extraordinary Women' project will be featured by Rachel Notley in the 15th Annual Art from the Unknown exhibit. My work will be showcased in the virtual gallery from November 4 to 18 where they will open up voting for The People's Choice Award. If you'd like to vote, please visit bit.ly/AFTU2021-gallery. Huge gratitude to Rachel and her team for their incredible support of artists in Alberta.
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I am in my new studio space! When the pandemic began, I gave up this space for my daughter after I used for many years but was never quite right for a studio. I loved the size but wasn't happy with the wall colour or the fact that it had carpet on the floors. So...when my daughter had to leave her campus and come home, we mixed up a batch of paint using whatever we had in our home and it created this lovely grey-green shade, one that is often used in galleries and studios as a neutral backdrop. Three of my neighbors were taking items to the trash so I was able to salvage an armchair (I love the shape and colour), a fireplace mantle and a peeling kitchen chair...love them all. My husband then replaced the ancient carpet with a composite waterproof flooring and we were able to repurpose baseboards from another space. The carpet initially belonged in a playroom when my girls were children and I think it's absolutely perfect. This is my favourite way to decorate...reuse, recycle and salvage. I already feel so at home here and very, very grateful as I need beautiful spaces to ignite my creativity. :)
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(Clockwise: Angela Hewitt, Wanda Koop, Ami McKay and Jenn Grant)
One of my favourite quotes on this month's 'Extraordinary Women' project was:
"I think if you can find something you love doing...
and if you work hard and give it all you've got,
you will have a happy life no matter what else happens.
~ Angela Hewitt, pianist
To see this project so far and to learn more about the women included, please visit my website here.
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I received the most beautiful poem as inspiration for the People's Poetry Festival that was held at LOFT112. The words reminded me of a photograph that I had taken of my daughter...soft blush complexion, a wistful, almost poignant expression, cherry glow on her lips. I chose a golden background inspired by the words "dawn's glow" where I inscribed lines from the poem and included chamomile flowers to represent the tea and a feeling of nostalgia. What a lovely project this was to collaborate on.
Lost Love
By: Angelica Ng
Laughter caught between the lines,
of a gently unfolded love letter,
its elbow creases signed with lip prints,
its complexion a shade of soft blush.
With the moon as the only witness,
to steam rising off freshly brewed tea,
heat wraps a blanket around the breeze,
and warms our dancing fingertips.
Nestling in the sherpa folds of here and now,
sheltered in the nook of this moment,
we pray we won’t be forgotten,
in the fate that is dawn’s hour.
Like collectors of ephemera,
grasping on to the finest threads,
lines that tear the quickest,
when the chamomile grows cold.
A developing photograph,
film still wet under a cherry glow,
fuzzy as a peach around the edges,
begging the light of day to stay back.
The touch of this memory,
so gentle it isn’t real,
so genuine it isn’t imagined.
I remember,
don’t you?
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Airdrie CityView news and airdrieLIFE magazine featured the 'Coast-to-Coast' mural that I created for Luxstone Senior Living in spring. It was such a joy to work on this project collaboratively with the community. The articles can be read here and here.
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The winner of last month's portrait draw was Ana Zanella! What a privilege it was to paint her as we met through the first LevellingUp! group I was privileged to mentor and then unexpectedly met in person at a gallery opening. Thank you, Ana, for letting me paint you. :)
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As noted in ARABELLA magazine, I am so excited to be mentoring a new group of artists through LevellingUp...it's been wonderful to see artists connecting through our group meetings, creating bodies of work, begin exhibiting, be interviewed...I believe that we all succeed when we work together, collaborating and sharing in community with one another.
Besides monthly meetings, there are also artist demos and talks throughout the month. We discuss questions about creating a thriving art career, building a brand and managing your time as well as figuring out how to reach your goals as an artist.
Monthly memberships are available and also include free interactive panel discussions on composition, commissions & more. For more information visit LevellingUp.
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