Grounded at The Rooms

On Friday, I had the pleasure of attending the opening of new exhibits in the art galleries at The Rooms in St. John's.  

A piece of mine is showing in the exhibit Grounding: In Celebration of The Rooms' 20th Anniversary, and I had some of my favourite people there with me to share the moment.  

It's hard to describe how I felt seeing my own artwork in this exhibit- there are so many special things happening here, that I felt really connected to the whole thing:

• My own artwork, Waterhaul, has been framed all in white by the art gallery staff, and pops on the deep blue wall.  It's hanging on a short wall by itself, quite prominently.
• Immediately to the right hangs a piece of art made by Arthur Lismer, one of the Group of Seven.  Wow.
• A little further to the right, Wesleyville native David Blackwood is represented by a large painting of my great-uncle-in-law's shed, and Bennett's High Island where Duke & I were standing when we got engaged to be married in 1997.
• further to the right again, is a large triptech painting by my close friend Tara Bryan, who purchased David Blackwood's little Wesleyville property a few years ago. 
• Mirroring Tara's painting of the Narrows in St. John's, is a very similar landscape in three woven panels that I was happy to vote to purchase as a recent art bank juror. 
• Also in the room, a couple of pieces by Anne Meredith Barry, who was very influencial to me while printing at St. Michael's Printshop years ago, who visited dory buff and bought my artwork, and whose son J Barry was my first drawing & design instructor in 1990.  
• My piece hanging in this exhibit and Tara's large Triptech both hung at Norton's Cove Cafe before being purchased or donated to The Rooms Permanent Collection.

The exhibit continues until October, and I would love to hear from you if you go see it!