Holly Hildebrand

Summer! Longer light and the promise of new energy and thoughtful transformation perhaps, despite the sadness, stress and grief we are all experiencing world wide.

A lot has happened over the winter and spring. Last summer our collaborative creative group The Dreamers worked/payed together at the Northern Lights Bluegrass School and Festival to create a large outdoor cloth crankie theatre. It was a joy to create again with fellow artists Sherron Burns, Oriol Dancer and Birgit Lessing and we had an amazing week infusing our 30 foot cloth scroll with the images telling the story of the rich history of the Ness Creek festival sight . Performing the piece live by campfire light to amazing live music was absolutely magical!

 We continued our collaborations with a winter installation outdoors on the patio of the Chapel Gallery overlooking the North Saskatchewan river valley with a snow and ice installation called Winter Dreaming. Another energizing creative adventure with evening crankie theatre performances and music by Raven She Hollers. Such fun!

Now I am on to new projects and ideas and that means a flurry of ideas in sketchbooks. More crankie theatres, more portraits and an interest in continuing on with some of the animal imagery I began using in my exhibition pieces. And of course, there will be new plant growth that will soon vie for my attention! I'm not sure where it will all take me but I am up for the adventure.

I have taken a step back in my involvement with  B.E.A.T.S. (Building Expression & Awareness through Theatre and Sound, see my links if you would like to learn more). I am still involved in some creative activities as the program adapts to all the new ways to operate and will post more about new developments in the future. We all can use some fun, positive and creative ways to build and  maintain good mental health.

As we slowly move towards spring I continue to consider the direction and intention of my own personal art practice. I love to make stuff! I love to collaborate, share and explore. I truly believe in the importance and benefits of living a creative life. 

As always, may you find your creative joy and be kind to yourself, in turn, creating kindness for the world.

Holly

Summer 2023