In late July we packed up the car and headed for Canada. I’m lucky enough to live relatively close to the border and it’s a beautiful drive through Western Mass and Vermont. First, we headed to Quebec City where my partner in life led an Improv workshop – you can read about his interesting work here. We also met up with friends, ate a lot of good food, saw some art, and walked the city. If you haven’t been there yet, put it on your list of must-see cities. Next, we headed to Montreal where I got to meet my Instagram friend and fellow brain project artist Monica Brinkman at the solo show of another artist, Tina Struthers. I’m in love with both these women’s art work and they’ve been a wonderful source of information and support about the Brain Project, having both participated last year. Heaps of gratitude to them for their generosity of spirit. Their Brain project brains pictured below along with a photo of Monica in front of Tina’s work. Last stop Toronto, where we had only a day and a half in which to see as many brains as possible in the streets. The Brain Project raises funds and awareness for Alzheimer’s care and research. See my last blog post for my personal story about the brain I created in loving memory of my stepmother. Below are just a few of my favorite brains I snapped along the way, including me with Mei Chan-Long – another generous spirit who came and met me at her fabulous metal brain sculpture. Yes, we do have our feet in the water! It was a thrill to see my brain on display in the Distillery District and I got to meet and talk with a few admirers along the way. The brains are on display until August 31st. If you have any chance of getting to Toronto before them, I highly recommend giving yourself a couple of days to journey through the streets. My partner dubbed it the Brain Project Tour of Toronto. ALSO, visit The Brain Project website here and VOTE for the People's Choice Award. I'll leave you with a few photos of my Brain below.
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In exactly 9 days I will be arriving in Toronto where I will get to see my Brain Project sculpture on the streets of the city - live and in person! How thrilling to see my first international exhibition and to be a part of this large effort to increase awareness about, and funding for, Alzheimer's care and research. This is the 2nd year of the Brain Project an awareness building and fundraising effort launched by the Baycrest Foundation. 100 artists were selected to design a brain sculpture for the project and their work is now displayed on the streets of Toronto through the end of August. In September, the brains go on sale to benefit Baycrest programs. I could not be more thrilled to be participating this year. Photos of my completed brain sculpture - both sides - are below. Read on to find out more about my stepmother Elaine who was the inspiration behind my involvement. My piece is titled 'Not Forgotten'. It started as a collage of fabric and was then embellished with hand embroidery, beads and trim exploring the thread connecting past and present. It was inspired by Elaine who suffered from dementia in her final years. The last time I saw her she didn’t recognize me. After asking for my name, she smiled and said : “Laura… that’s one of my favorite names.” I knew then that somewhere deep inside her she had not forgotten. Elaine was a fearless explorer and traveler and below are some photos that are just a snapshot of her intrepid spirit. They were taken in 1986 when she embarked on an around-the-world trip with her best friend Sandra, stopping off in Pakistan to see me and my husband where we were living for two years. During the visit we traveled up the rugged Karakorum Highway to the mountainous town of Gilgit. A trip that not many western women in their 60s would have taken. Did I say fearless? I can't think of a better word for her. I once asked her what made her so brave and she told me that after she lost my father suddenly in a plane crash she realized the worst thing she could imagine had already happened to her, and to be afraid of anything after that was pointless. I miss her still...
Visit my piece on the Brain Project, vote for your favorite artist brain and donate too, if you can, to this important work. And, thanks for being here and sharing in my journey. If you're not already in my Inner Circle you can join here! - I send out a newsy email about once a month. |
AuthorChronicling my adventures as a Neuro Artist. I love to make work centered on our magnificent brains and learn about how it all works in the process.. Archives
February 2023
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