Havana 2019
For 5 weeks between December 21 and January 25, 2019, I am very pleased to say that La Moderna gallery in Havana, Cuba was host to my first international solo exhibition, titled Mono No Aware. Gallery director Magnolia Moré Abreu and her staff generously gave of their time, expertise and entire space to help mount this 55 piece mixed media collage exhibition.
The opening reception was held Friday evening December 21 to a very welcoming crowd of family, Cuban friends, dignitaries and others from Havana’s cultural community. In January I returned to La Moderna to conduct an artist’s talk for local artists and the general public. Following the talk, all were invited to stay and join me for a Collage Party in the centre of the gallery surrounded by inspiration….large tables were filled with an exciting and vast assortment of papers and materials, glue sticks and scissors, much to the delight of the participants.
Not an inch of space wasn’t covered - painters, printmakers, photographers, sculptors, art students, journalists and others worked side by side, happily squeezed in at tables, on the floor or working on their lap for the opportunity to produce and play. People even walked in off the street enticed by the music, activity and party atmosphere, and were welcomed to join in on the fun. It was a day I will long remember, and could become an annual event for me in Havana!
The exhibition itself was very well received by all and well attended throughout its lengthy run. Many new connections were made within the cultural community in Havana which may lead to other opportunities in the future. The intent of this exhibition personally was to obtain some major international exposure and challenge myself to create and produce a large amount of significant work. As well it was an opportunity to connect with other international artists and share our experiences as professional artists.
Of course there are many others during this process and journey that helped make this exhibition a success. Many thanks to my husband/roadie, Terry Danelley for his constant support and encouragement, Magnolia and everyone at the gallery for this incredible opportunity, my dear Cuban friends Yoan Barrios and his family, Jeff Gasenzer Jr/Sr at Fleet Galleries, Cindy Lange for invitations, Patrick White at Signcraft, Canal Habana for some valuable publicity, and last but certainly not least…. Canada Council for the Arts, who awarded me a generous travel grant which was so appreciated for an undertaking of this size. I am so blessed to have had this opportunity. I feel energized and ready, willing and able to tackle just about anything that may come my way in the future.
Also, all of the work is back safe and sound from Havana and I would love to make room in the studio for more, so if anyone is in need of a new piece or two to add to their collection or start one, please don’t hesitate to contact me for a studio visit. Go to my Contact page or call me at 1-204-453-8315.
