A Chromatic Life, featuring my and Anna Clarey’s recent work continues at Westland Gallery until October 13. During the exhibition, I’m sharing images and related pieces of prose around some of my works.
If you are not able to make it out in person, you can view A Chromatic Life online here.
A Moon to Lift this Fox
Setting out early one morning for a hike from our rental cottage on the Bruce Peninsula this summer, I cut through the trees lining the back of the property. As I passed through a tall sweeping gathering of conifers next to the road, I happened upon the still and silent body of a small fox. She was in the lowest branches of the tallest tree; tidily curled inwards on herself, gazing unseeingly upwards. My heart split open, imagining how she must have intersected with some car passing through the night. I thought of her creeping off the road and up into the safety of these cradling boughs to hide. The weighty vision of finding her there remained with me for weeks after, until I felt compelled to make a painting to honour her.
It was comforting to illustrate this little fox finding her way into the swaying skirts of kindly trees that held her gently off the ground through her earthly release.
“Until loved well enough by moon and the night; you were released into the poetry of your dreaming.”
A Chromatic Life
Anna Clarey & Erica Dornbusch
September 18th – October 13th
Artist Talk: Wednesday, Oct. 3rd at 7 pm
Westland Gallery
156 Wortley Road
London, ON