ARTSCO collaborating with COHA to bring you two great workshops

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Central Okanagan Hospice Association (COHA) in partnership with the Arts Council of the Central Okanagan (ARTSCO) are pleased to present two workshops, painting and poetry, that explore personal journeys through death and grief.

These workshops accompany the art exhibition “Expression of Death: Personal Journeys” at the Alternator Centre for Contemporary Art Oct 26th – Nov 12th with the opening reception being held October 28th at 7pm.

Last year’s “Expressions of Death” exhibition was so well received – over 850 people came out to see the show – that COHA and ARTSCO wanted to expand the reach of this exhibition in the community and invite people to personally engage with artistic expressions of their own journeys.

Destanne Norris is an artist based in Vernon whose artistic practice reflects on the death of her daughter Leah and weaves this journey through a presentation and workshop titled “Life, Healing and Art” on Saturday, Nov 5th for 1 – 4pm.

“When I worked with Destanne on an exhibition at the Lake Country Art Gallery, Destanne did a presentation about how Leah’s inspired her painting and how it helped her to process her grief. It was very moving and powerful”, explains Katie Brennan, ARTSCO’s Executive Director.

Following Norris’ presentation participants will be led through painting exercises to memorialize their lost loved one or explore their relationship with death.

The poetry workshop titled “Beginnings and Endings: The Creation of Meaning” will be led by Cole Mash, a member of and regular performer at the Inspired Word Cafe who is currently pursuing graduate work at UBC Okanagan also delves into death and dying.

“I think it’s important people come together and talk about a stigmatized subject, and participants are given the opportunity to share their own narratives and relationships to death in addition to being provided with a tool or medium (writing or art) in which to explore the subject” explains Mash.

Mash will lead participants through 3 workshop sessions to develop of a piece of poetry from concept to completion that explores their own personal expression and relationship to the topic of death.

No previous arts experience is necessary for either workshop, nor a personal experience with grief.  

Norris’ presentation for “Life, Healing & Art” will go from 1 – 2:30pm at the Alternator is free charge with limited seating. Participants are asked to pre-register by contacting COHA, 250-763-5511 or [email protected]

The”Life, Healing & Art” painting workshop with Norris will run from 2:30pm – 4pm in the Drawing and Painting room at the RCA. There is a $25 materials fee. Seating is limited. Contact COHA, 250-763-5511 or [email protected] to register.

“Beginnings and Endings: The Creation of Meaning” poetry workshop series with Cole Masch will run Nov 18th, 25th and Dec 2nd from 9:30am – 12:30pm at COHA located at 204 – 1456 St. Paul. This workshop is free of charge with limited seating. To register contact COHA, 250-763-5511 or [email protected].