For years Tumbleweed Gallery has been known for displaying art in spaces other than at the gallery itself. In Penticton they show art at the Penticton Lakeside Resort, Hillside Winery and Bistro, Blenz and The Bench Market to name a few.
This time, Tumbleweed is partnering with Kevin Smith, owner of Kettle Valley Memorial, and will be mounting an exhibition of paintings by Kelowna artist Jolene Mackie at his funeral home.
But why show art at a funeral home?
香蕉视频直播淚t is our hope that by presenting this art exhibit, we will help make death less of a taboo and that we might also bring more awareness to how we live,香蕉视频直播� said Prema Harris, of Tumbleweed Gallery.
From Jan. 31 through March 28, Kettle Valley Memorial will present Seeds of Hope. This is the first solo exhibition of Mackie香蕉视频直播檚 work since the COVID shutdown. It is especially meaningful to her and is dedicated to her mother who passed away in June 2022.
Her work is exhibited widely throughout the Okanagan Valley and B.C.
Aside from paintings on the usual canvas or board, Mackie香蕉视频直播檚 murals can be seen on the walls of the administration offices at Naramata Centre, at the Vernon City parkade, on the ceiling of the Kelowna CMHA and at the BC Children香蕉视频直播檚 Hospital Teck Acute Care Centre in Vancouver.
What drew Mackie to the arts was the freedom it gave her to ponder her existence.
香蕉视频直播淢y paintings have become a vessel for my feelings and how I process and understand the world. My creative practice is deeply rooted in my mortality香蕉视频直播 am this being, this lump of flesh that has consciousness! And yet this body is so temporary. Everything is so ephemeral.香蕉视频直播�
The central figure often found in Mackie香蕉视频直播檚 paintings is a backpack-toting robot bearing a heart on his bib. She admits this is her alter ego - this 香蕉视频直播渃urious little investigator香蕉视频直播� has somewhere to take me; he香蕉视频直播檚 got something to show me.香蕉视频直播�
It was one such painting that Smith, owner of Kettle Valley Memorial purchased from Tumbleweed Gallery a few years ago. He describes the piece entitled A Moment to Ponder as 香蕉视频直播渧ery cool - there香蕉视频直播檚 this robot, roaming around in the universe - sort of like what it must be after we pass on.香蕉视频直播�
The painting now hangs in the viewing room at Kettle Valley Memorial, where it gives solace to visitors grieving the loss of a loved one.
The public香蕉视频直播檚 response to Mackie香蕉视频直播檚 painting gave Smith the idea of inviting her to have an art show in his premises. 香蕉视频直播淧erhaps there is a different thing that a funeral home can do or be in a community,香蕉视频直播� he said.
Preparing for this exhibition has been very helpful in shepherding Mackie through the sadness of her mother香蕉视频直播檚 death. Each painting in this body of work is embellished with beads from her mother香蕉视频直播檚 collection, some with less detail and density than others.
香蕉视频直播淭his exhibit is a culmination of a lot of thoughts about life and death. If my work can lend someone a moment of joy, if it be can be a reminder that beautiful things can come from dark places, that for me will be the measure of success.香蕉视频直播�
In Penticton, more of Jolene Mackie香蕉视频直播檚 paintings can be seen at the Tumbleweed Gallery, Blenz Coffee Shop and Honey Toast.
The public is invited to the opening reception at Kettle Valley Memorial, 461 Dawson Avenue, on Tuesday, Jan. 31, from 4 to 7 p.m.
For more information, visit www.tumbleweedgallery.ca.
To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.
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