2026 has been a year of returning to showing my work more broadly than I had since before the pandemic and our move to the country. I went to Ottawa and Oakville for their art-in-the-park shows, participated in a faculty exhibition at the Haliburton School of Art & Design, and have had the honour of being juried in to the Orillia Museum of Art & History’s “Tradition, Transformed” Landscape Exhibition. I’ve joined the lovely group of artists showing work at The Muse Cafe & Gallery in Bancroft, and until December 1st I’m the guest artist at the Valley Artisan Co-op in Deep River. All of these are either entirely new to me, or things I haven’t done in the past 7 years - all very exciting!

A big part of the reason for this is the new body of work that I’m currently creating, and which I’m really enjoying sharing and discussing. The first piece in this new series is entitled “HOPE”; you can read more about it in my previous blog post here. This is not just one piece, but a theme I’ve been mulling for months now.

Hope is something that is both vital and often challenging. I decided the best way to consider it was to open conversations about what gives folks Hope or makes them feel Hopeful. To invite them to record a brief thought on one of the little bubble cards I’ve painted and cut out for just this purpose. All as a step towards my favourite idea right now: The Magical Hope Garden Project.

What is it? A multi-phase collaborative art project, where members of the community share their Hopeful thoughts on the small bubble cards, which I will use to create an immersive experience of HOPE, on display during the Madawaska Valley Studio Tour October 3-4, 2026. The cards will later be buried as part of the creation of a Magical Hope Garden. Put simply, the intent is to grow Hope.

After the Fall Studio Tour, a Magical Hope Garden will be started on our property. All of the Hope bubble cards will be buried in the soil of this garden. Over time, these Hopeful thoughts and intentions will become part of the soil, supporting the future plants that will grow there. Seeds will be collected from these plants, so that they can be shared with others to help spread the Hopeful vibes, and create a ripple effect of Magical Hope Gardens.

My intention is for this to be just the beginning. Stay tuned for upcoming ways that you can be a part of this community project to grow Hope!

You can sign up for my email newsletter here, to receive updates about this project, as well as information about where to see my artwork in person.

I look forward to connecting with many of you over the course of this Magical Hope Garden Project!

xo
Jessica