Artawa celebrates 10 years with packed Resonance X showcase

After moving back to her hometown of Ottawa, Kina Forney wanted to create a safe, accessible space for local creatives to gather and find belonging.

Forney, a lifelong creative who also teaches at the Ottawa School of Art, wanted to cultivate a place where she could connect with fellow artists.

It started as just that — a monthly or so gathering with local artist friends, meeting at a coffee shop to just sit together and sketch or paint for a few hours.

Eventually, it evolved into something bigger: Artawa.

Artawa is a grassroots collective that brings artists together to let people share ideas, develop connections, celebrate individual creative expression and foster creativity without barriers.

On Nov. 5, Artawa celebrated its 10-year anniversary with an art show, Resonance X, at Beyond the Pale Brewery in City Centre.

Orchestrated by Forney, Resonance X showcased works from artists all across the city prompted by the night’s theme: resonance.

“I wanted it to be coming from a really pure place,” said Forney. “You want people to have that creative, artistic license as well as to take the prompt and do what it means to them. That was pretty much the whole idea.”

It was a night to showcase personal works relating to a connection to the local landscape, community or a memory.

There were 168 pieces displayed, depicting everything from OC Transpo blues to mushrooms to wildlife.

Artist Ryan Browne said his piece incorporated his personal style while also speaking to the Ottawa experience. His painting illustrated an OC Transpo bus shelter and a shadowed figure waiting in the gloom while a bus’s taillights drive off in the distance.

“There’s something for me about waiting for the bus in the middle of November. That just says Ottawa,” said Browne. “That’s Ottawa to me. That’s memory, that’s resonance.”

Beyond the Pale was flooded with visitors. Forney estimated that around 500 people came out to support local art. Even the patio was packed, despite the night’s cool temperature.

Over 40 paintings were sold the night of the event, which was sponsored by the City of Ottawa, Wallack’s and the Urban Art Collective.

Sabine Modder, one of the artists whose work was on display, recalls the effect the pandemic had on her and how she reconnected to the theme of resonance.

“I had a lot to get out because I had so much pent-up emotion and everything,” said Modder. “I couldn’t go out and socialize. I couldn’t connect with people. So I had to connect with my art.”

Modder stressed that online connections aren’t the same as actually being in a space with other like-minded people.

“I wish I’d actually known about (Artawa) ages ago because I would have shown up,” she said. “If I had known about it earlier, I would definitely have taken advantage because I would have needed it more then than I do now.”

Sara Primsa believes these accessible, free spaces for artists are invaluable.

“That’s why I feel so passionate about communities,” said Prisma. “I think it’s an important part of bringing people in.”

“Giving people opportunities to self-discover and feel more comfortable with themselves and encourage each other to feel more comfortable about themselves… together, I think we have the power to help society,” she said.

People took their time admiring the displayed art, appreciating pieces produced by people of all walks of life — younger, older, disabled, people of colour. They lingered in front of individual works, taking in details and engaging with the stories behind them.

For participating artist Elisabeth Baechlin, the turnout was incredible.

“I’m surprised how busy it is. I haven’t been here on a (Thursday) before, so it’s even crazier than normal.” said Baechlin.

After the initial showcasing of the artwork, there was a segment of live music where Forney came on stage to join with the band, playing cello.

The performance added another layer to an evening centred around creative expression, with Forney taking part not only as the collective’s founder but as a multi-skilled artist herself.

Ten years after those informal coffee shop meetings, Artawa has grown into a community that gives Ottawa artists a place to connect, share their work and feel connected and supported.

“It was an overwhelmingly positive response. Everyone was happy and excited to see the art on the walls and the whole space was vibrating,” said Forney.

“I think the best part was that the artists got to identify themselves…I feel like so many people made great connections and that’s what it’s about.”

The remaining Artawa works will be displayed until January 2027.