leaning in

Opening & CWSE Open House: Monday Oct 2, 5:30-7PM
CWSE Hallway Gallery, OISE, 252 Bloor Street West, 2nd Floor
Exhibition runs until January 26, 2018
Open Daily from 9AM-6PM
FREE & Wheelchair accessible.

leaning in acts as a narrative viewing of nine artists lives: Koren Bellman, Katie Caslick, Jeanette Doyon, Tammy Francis, Kathy Keenan, John Lai, Drew Smith, Linda Sofranko and Candace Wilkins. For this exhibition, the group focussed on developing ideas around personal growth, the subconscious, release, new life, faith, friends, a seven-year plan and nature.

The work for leaning in, like most of the artwork created at NEXTDOOR, is process-based.  I think leaning in is a purposeful, and radical, act.  I believe leaning in, at its core, means that individuals choose to be present and to give energy to themselves or another.  To lean in means to make space and time for something or someone.  The idea of leaning in requires thought and purpose. In a society that is so fast-paced and so short of time, do we have time to lean in to what is important to us, what we are curious about, what we are missing?  I invite you to take a moment to lean in to what we have created here and to reflect on what leaning in means to you.

It’s time to get radical about how we spend our time and how we engage in community.  What is your passion and how do you radicalize it?  Making what has been free for me available to my community is radical!  And there are people who want to do the same thing as I do and we find each other.

How do you want to spend your time?  What do you allow yourself to do? What is your truth? What is privilege?  What is art?  What is living?  How can you be present when being alone is painful? 

What I really love about facilitating this art group is that it’s about exploring ourselves through the process of making art. It’s not about what the artwork looks like at the end of the day. We do share skills here, and we do have visiting artists, but it’s not an art class. It’s more about connecting with community, engaging in dialogue, and creating inclusive space.
 
All I want to do is be messy.  All I want is to hang out and not be alone.  Let’s make art!  Let’s lean into being.  I live here and the stats are…   how can I make things more comfortable for me… how can I take a deep breath? Bob Marley.  Oil pastels.  Free canvas & paint.  Just create.  Open the door. Connect. Nourish. Accept. No judgement. Welcome & invite.  My agenda is to paint. Explore & be open & curious.   Lean in.


 NEXTDOOR is a community art studio facilitated by Candace Wilkins and was conceived by Candace Wilkins, Pam Patterson and Matthew Christie.  We are a part of the Art Hive movement. NEXTDOOR meets in the John Howard Society building in Belleville Ontario and welcomes everyone as artists.

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