Letting go and getting stronger

Exchange District

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 20/03/2024 (765 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There’s an art to letting go.

Cre8ery Gallery executive director Jordan Miller — who has owned and operated the Exchange District art gallery for just over two decades — has launched her first solo exhibit in the space since 2015.

Titled Letting Go and running until April 2, the show is currently on display in cre8ery’s main gallery, on the second floor at 125 Adelaide St. in the Exchange District.

The exhibit features 61 pieces overall — although some art had already been sold.

“I had to let them go,” said Miller, who holds a bachelor of fine arts degree from the University of Manitoba, said, adding that certain works had to be removed from the final show entirely once she realized they didn’t work with its esthetic.

But that’s what the exhibit is aiming to represent, she said — moving on from the past and accepting present times — the good, the bad, and the complicated.

All of the art in Letting Go is representative of the St. Andrews resident’s own emotions or experiences over the course of the past several years. The ink and acrylic pieces were created over the course of the past several months, from September 2023 through February 2024.

In 2018, Miller began experiencing chronic fatigue, which limited her ability to attend events in the inner city. Then, came the COVID-19 pandemic — which continues to keep the 45-year-old in what can be a very isolated environment, she said, as she is high-risk.

“I identify right now with the circle (style of art) and how our path keeps going and going, and circling back to the same thing over and over,” she explained. “And yes, my job is kind of social. I get to see a lot of people, so it kind of helps in that way. I wear a mask to keep myself safe and I hope that other people will keep me safe, too. But it’s not always the case, and so I’ve had to let go of that, as well.”

Because of this, the emotions reflected in the collection range from very tense and uncomfortable to flowing and joyful.

One example of the former is Queen Bee, an abstract piece which uses honeycomb shapes to represent Miller’s experience of “protecting the hive,” the hive in question being cre8ery.

“We have a note up (in the gallery) that says I’m at risk and people can choose to (wear a mask) or not, and the consequences of their actions down the road could be that somebody makes me sick and I end up closing … So those kinds of things are concerning,” Miller said. “So I’ve been trying to protect the hive. Most people understand, so it’s really been kind of nice and you sort of get to know who is interested in protecting you and who doesn’t really care.

“I have to think about those things every day. And so when I step into my studio, I’m trying to let go of everything that’s around me in the outside world, and really immerse myself in my own.”

Those feeling are representing by the flip side of the show’s styles, she said — pieces which reflect peace and elation.

“I just absolutely loved my time in the studio. There was one night, it was one of my first days off of work where I knew I had a few weeks, and (the piece) was called Acceptance. And I was sort of dancing along to music … I love cre8ery, but my true happy place is where I make art.”

All the works in Letting Go are for sale, and a list is currently available on Miller’s blog: www.jordanlmiller.com

Cre8ery is open Tuesday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Miller will be present at the gallery during regular hours over the course of Letting Go’s run, as well as evenings, by appointment, before 7 p.m. (Masks are strongly recommended.)

Miller, along with an artist colleague, also hosts Monday art live streams through Instagram (@jordanmillerartist), encouraging those interested to pick up a brush and ask questions through the app’s chat function.