My First Solo Gallery Show
A break between visitors – me, in the LaHave Bakery gallery space.
This summer marked my first solo gallery show – and first in-person showing of more than a few pieces of my original work. It was fantastic to be in a room filled with my paintings, to meet so many visitors, and to see their responses to the art. I’m excited to continue along this journey and see where it leads!
The show was held at the Above the Water Gallery (LaHave Bakery Gallery, 2nd floor above the famous bakery), which is an absolutely beautiful space looking out over the water and filled with natural light.
A beautiful setting
The LaHave Bakery is a major draw to both tourists and locals. It’s a fabulous old building with a bookstore, craft co-op, bakery, natural/local grocery, and restaurant. There is a dock with privately-owned boats coming and going, and outdoor picnic/seating area next to a small beach for families and friends to gather.
Plus, there are many other artists and artisans who have shops and galleries in LaHave, Nova Scotia – including Melissa Morisson Jewellery, Westcote Bell Pottery, and Daytime People Clothing.
Overall, LaHave is filled with a warm and eclectic mix of things, a beautiful coastal setting, and it’s a quick hop on the ferry to Rose Bay, Kingsburg, and Lunenburg. I thoroughly enjoyed spending a few days there – not to mention the beautiful winding commute along the coast that I got to drive each morning!
A mix of visitors
Visitors to the show were a mix of friends/neighbours, locals who came specifically to see the show, and curious bakery customers coming up to take a look.
Walking Between Worlds – New Paintings by Michelle Darwin, art show poster.
It was wonderful to meet so many people in person and hear their reactions and thoughts about the various paintings on display. Some loved the interior room scenes, others the landscapes, and others the houses and newest pieces. I heard a lot of comments about warmth, calmness, light, and my use of colour.
I now think it must be the highest reward to see someone stop in their tracks with an “ohh” and be completely moved by one (or several) of my paintings.
New paintings
The focus of the show was my most recent work – the Late Afternoon Series and my new acrylic paintings, both of which will be released online in September – probably as a joint collection. I look forward to sharing them with you.
The gallery space is quite large, but the walls are interrupted by old beams, doorways, and windows, which worked out well and allowed me to create groupings of different bodies of work. I placed two long tables of smaller originals, prints, and cards in the centre of the room.
All-in-all, the show was a solid success. Thank you to everyone who came out to see the work, and to anyone who collected originals or prints. Your support is enormously appreciated ♥
Artist’s Note:
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Go behind-the-scenes of the new collection and see how I created these pieces – from initial sketch through to finished painting!
