Happy New Year and DECADE!
It seems fitting that I start something fresh and new heading into 2020 and I am so exhilarated to announce that it is my first gallery show titled Bottled Feelings.
It has been months in planning as it started as a Kickstarter campaign (read older blogpost), became a successfully funded project, and from there I have been working on the back end to find a gallery, sort the anonymous feelings, design the exhibit itself, and of course, hand letter the bottles.
Proud to present this collection of Bottled Feelings from February 7-29, 2020, at the Urban Gallery in Toronto.
Gallery manager Calvin Hambrook and curator/art consultant Allen Shugar gently took me under their wing giving me much insight into this unknown territory of creating a gallery show, and for that I have deep gratitude.
Notes and Intentions for the Exhibit
The show is interactive, each bottle is numbered and 80% of the bottles have a back story behind their feeling, these stories can be viewed via scanning a QR code that is placed beside each bottle OR there is an analog experience with booklets that have the stories in sequence. Be a part of the exhibit after your experience, before you leave, submit a provided ballot card to let us know (anonymously) which feeling you related to most, after the show I will create a summary of the exhibit, and also reveal the Top 3 most relatable feelings to validate for the people that submitted that they are definitely not on their own.
My intention for the collection was/is never to sell them individually, they are a set that defines a moment in time. My hope is for it to go travelling to different places, or purchased as a whole installation. This exhibit will carry the hashtag #bottledfeelingsyyz , if I could write my own story, which I believe we all can, I would welcome the opportunities to go to other cities/countries and create a Bottled Feelings Exhibit for the residents in those places. What would the #bottledfeelingshkg look like with all the political turmoil happening? What would the "#bottledfeelingsdbx (Dubai) bottles read being such a wealthy and conservative country? I am a person that believes we are all trying to be understood and heard and validated, I often wonder if we all have something we can connect over and relate to, even if they are things that are too hard to say.
Come and See Me! I would love to hear your thoughts!
I will not be able to be there every day the show is open but I will be there opening weekend:
Fri Feb 7, 5-7pm - Sat Feb 8, 12-2pm and the Meet The Artist event on Sat, Feb 22, 2-5pm
Limited edition Bottled Feelings prints, journals and pins will be available at the show for purchase, and on Feb 22, at the Meet the Artist event I will have hard copies of my book Extraordinary Hand Lettering for purchase as well.
Please double check gallery hours before you make your way to the exhibit, Thursdays-Saturdays the show is open until 8pm. Hope to see you there!