Headwaters Arts exhibit interprets Dark into Light

By Brian Lockhart

The theme Dark into Light is the focus of Headwaters Arts exhibit currently on display at the Alton Mill Arts Centre.

Forty works are presented representing 27 artists. Works were juried before being allowed to hang in the gallery. The pieces represented a variety of mediums used by the artists.

The show's theme offers a wide latitude when it comes to interpreting what those words mean to different artists.

“The concept is up for interpretation,” explained Headwaters Arts president Margi Taylor-Self. “Every artist looks at these themes, because every show is themed. You could have taken a spiritual connotation on it, for example, or you could have taken something very basic, like it's been a long winter, very grey, and now we're coming into spring, and that's the light.”

Some visitors thought the theme might have to do with the pandemic; however, that was just a secondary thought from the artist. Although if they wanted, they could have used the pandemic as inspiration.

“Part of it is COVID,” Ms. Taylor-Self said. “We've come through a grueling time, and we've managed as an organization to continue showing and exhibiting our work. This is a juried show.

Members submit their work, and we have a committee that goes through each of the submissions and see how it relates to the theme and decide whether it should be exhibited or not. We're trying to achieve a certain standard. We also want to be inclusive. We want to include those artists that are just starting and those artists that have been doing it for a long time, so there's a gentle process.”

Artist Marnie Cooke has three works of art in the exhibit.

“I did of course consider the theme, but I didn't lose [the concept] what I wanted to do,” Marnie explained of her exhibited works. “The thing about abstract is I never know how it's going to go. I'm always tweaking and moving things around. I may have a theme in mind, but it's not my focus. I have my work, and I'm always fixing it. It's when you can't fix it any more – I get to a point where I don't want to change anything, and I know it's right.”

A walk through the exhibit features a wide range of works that see the theme in different ways. Artists used their own imagination when interpreting the theme and creating their own style of art that represents their thought and vision.

The exhibit had an opening reception on Saturday, February 18.

The Headwaters Arts Dark into Light exhibit will be on display at the Alton Mill Arts Centre through to March 19.