Community Threads Exhibition Runs August 10 - September 14, 2025
On the evening of August 14th I attended the opening reception for Collective Threads, an open-call exhibition hosted by Arts Council Wood Buffalo (ACWB) at the Kirschner Family Community Art Gallery in MacDonald Island Park (MIP) — and wow! What a night.
This is the first time my work has been part of an exhibition, so that’s pretty neat and scary all at once. While I love the idea of finally sharing the art I’ve been creating over the past year… it’s a little like opening up my personal diary. My artworks are very much a commentary of my world experience at the moment, and I’ve been told they can be pretty dark. That’s why I add the glitter, gems and glow-in-the-dark paint! I don’t want to shy away from the hard feelings, I want to make them into art. Then at least they’re pretty.
Celebrating the Opening Reception on August 14th, 2025 at the Kirschner Family Community Art Gallery in MacDonald Island Park
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After receiving a diagnosis of ADHD at 35, I started looking at my past self with an entirely new understanding… which brought on very difficult feelings of grief, shame and embarrassment to work through. This piece now stands as a loving acceptance of my unawareness at the time.
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In the dead of winter when the days are the shortest, and I was off work dealing with mental burnout and some pretty tough life shit... this piece was creating. I channeled all of my emotional energy into this artwork while listening to The Cure and wallowing my little heart out - while still keeping my head above water.
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This artwork is a reflection on what we consume through television, movies, and the internet shapes our perception of the world. While technology and wide-spread communication can be beneficial - just like our diets, we need to find a healthy balance and watch our intake of fast-food.
It was an incredible feeling watching people interact with these pieces, using the black light flashlights to discover all the hidden glow-in-the-dark details. It was also a pleasure to visit and meet other local artists and view their work — we have such incredibly talented people in our community. I encourage you to stop by and check them all out! There are some stunning pieces.
Big thanks to Michelle from ACWB/MIP for putting this together and giving us a place to share our art with the community.
The exhibition runs until September 12, 2025 at the Kirschner Family Community Art Gallery, MacDonald Island Park, Fort McMurray.
While the show is on, I’ve got a limited run of glow-in-the-dark prints of Tides of Trauma and Remote Learning available, plus all three originals are for sale (ready to take home after the exhibition ends).
