To be visited at the very top of the ascending gallery

Riverdale Farm in the heart of the city.

                                                                                                         Trying to find a bit of shade

                                                                     Looking at what's behind me in the collage gallery.

Today we had our first meeting with everyone at the gallery to discuss when we will reopen.

It was decided that next Tuesday June 30 we will be our first day back.

We are looking forward to seeing all of you sometime soon.

If any of you would like to come at a time when you could be assured of having the space to yourself

we would be happy to be here at 11am for you.

In the corner of the Genesis Gallery

Today we moved the plants from the east genesis gallery to the upstairs library.

In this different space each plant became revealed again

unique and exquisitely beautiful 

their energy surprising and overwhelming

quiet and contained.

They know how to be what they are.

Today the sky was high, the wind was strong, the air was fresh.

It may not be possible to bring order to the world but we can clean and order our own environment.

The act of cleaning is physical it pulls us into our body and quiets the mind.

At the end of the day there is real satisfaction. This was today.

puddles and clothespins

scissors and cups

holding together

cutting apart

as different as coffee and tea

reflecting choice

 A question to ponder

                                                                                                                                 West meets East

                                                                                                                       The dog park at Allan Gardens

This extraordinary painting by Luke Gilliam is framed under glass

  and reflects the the room it occupies.

The added layer seems to amplify the feeling of today... observing from the outside

'not quite there'

Today we sat on a bench in small alley which surprisingly faces exactly onto the back wall of the gallery.

This back wall has many windows. In one of them we had the idea to put a painting facing out

so that those people living in the surrounding condos or, as we did, decide to sit on a bench to have their coffee,

can discover and perhaps even be inspired to visit us.

Sorry we were late.

This is a gift of spacious

  Castillon writes:-

« Listening to Hania's music over and over, I began to dream of a single sequence shot that would follow her music floating in the wind of an unreal Icelandic landscape. I asked each dancer to give a personal interpretation of Hania's song. We were very lucky to succeed in this insane artistic performance despite the great cold (minus 7 celsius), it was such a moment of truth. Shot in Iceland on February 23, 2020. »

Directed by Neels Castillon
Music by Hania Rani
Dancers — Mellina Boubetra, Janina Sarantšina, Fanny Sage

Tis is the season for raking leaves and some of us are very enthusiastic about this task.

Unfortunately, the city has suspended the pick up of yard waste and so....

This morning we made a platform for the bags to sit on so that the grass and small flowers

will not be crushed while waiting, wrapping them with canvas in case of rain and tying them

'round with rope so that they will not fall and spill all over everywhere. Practical creativity.

Not particularly beautiful but somehow satisfying.

                                                                                                                        ...trying to find the light

...in memory of his beloved mother Georgia Boyd - December 1939 - March 27 2020

It seems that what can be expressed through art cannot be translated into words.

None of us spoke while we were working today

even though we have not seen each other together for many days.

But the work speaks for us in inexplicable ways.

It is a mystery.

Today we made this flyer for Stuart, the proprietor of our neighborhood cafe in hopes that he can stay open and solvent through this shutdown.

If you want to pick up a truly great coffee drop by B U L L D O G.

It seems we are all a bit confused and shy to follow the directions for COVID 19 but it is our duty to be responsible

not only for our self but for those who share the world with us, those we love and care for and those who are unknown.

Many lives depend upon our correct action,  this situation may be the shock needed to shift our awareness.

It gets easier if we are all in this together.   (that's why Sae and I are practicing and trying to get you onboard)

                                                                                                                                  ...it's not all bad

Today we walked and walked and remembered how good it is to breathe the air outside.

We are being asked by the conditions at hand to stay close to home and avoid crowds and travel.

A moment or two of this is advisable.

Often we think that it is important that someone share our opinions but not so with art.

In art we can appreciate our differences, in fact we celebrate them.

Maybe it is not so vital that we all think and say the same thing.

Maybe we can look and listen and learn.

The objects and subjects of the gallery basement.

After using collage with this Medieval set we went out on the street and photographed an old building in the state of demolition and salvation

and found that we had somehow created almost exactly the same construction as in the painting, (seen in our Feb 27th blog).

This was unconscious and therefore surprising, the way we take in impressions and remember them in our bodies.

                                                                                                                                                                   ... thanks to Eron Boyd