Zoom Connections

March 26 - May 28


Exhibition Summary

This unusual artist support group was created by COVID. The pandemic was a tough time, but good things came out of it.

The group started in January 2021, after we had already been locked in our homes/studios for a year. Mary Bennet, a mixed media artist and organizer from Vancouver, invited several people to join her for a biweekly zoom artists support group. Teresa Morton and Judy Villett joined and spread the call. Joanne Brown, Fran Friesen and Trish Graham responded. The group was open to anyone working on art making.


Our goals were simple:
First: To share what we were doing in our workrooms /studios.
Second: To discuss problems, and suggest solutions.
Third: To support each other during the pandemic.  It was companionship during a time of no exhibitions, openings or sales. We could not forecast the duration of the pandemic, but we could help each other get through it.
As we learned how to screen-share, take turns and not interrupt each other on zoom, we also learned how to share our passions, joys, frustrations, triumphs and disappointments.

Recently, we decided that it’s time to celebrate this serendipitous union by presenting our work in a group exhibition. Five members’ work would highlight five different techniques: chalk pastels, woodcut printing, tapestry weaving, acrylic paint/alcohol ink, textile/mixed media.

The premise for our exhibition was to choose a photographic image from submissions by the five of us that represents this area, the Lower Mainland.
The group selected a sunrise photo taken by Judy, looking east up the Fraser River, with a lace-like silhouette of leafless trees in the foreground. It symbolizes our shared love of nature.
The image could be stylized, abstracted or kept realistic.

We agreed that all five pieces based on the photo must be 16” x 20” or under and that they would be clustered together to form the heart of the exhibition. Each artist would then provide a collection of their current work to show how diverse we are.

A tentative group set up for support during a very difficult time has matured into deep friendship. This exhibition is a celebration of our continued creativity and respect for each other’s work, and is one of the very good things to come out of the COVID times.
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