2020: A Year in Reflection
When I began the 2020 Skyscape Series it was due to my love of the prairie skyline and all the colour and drama that plays out everyday. I never could have imagined how that year would turn out. As the year went on my body of work started to take on it's own narrative, meaning, and intent. As the year progressed and restrictions blurred our day to day lives together it became so important to capture the ever-changing envirment that surrounds us and that it is something that joins us all together. While we may have been in quarantine or have limited outings we could always look up and know that others are seeing the same thing. It became a symbol and reminder of all of the hope and optimism that comes with change. And now when we look back on the difficulties of 2020 we are reminded that the beauty and resilience of the world around us is equally reflected in ourselves.
I had always planned on creating a book with all of the paintings included in it but it became equally important to continue the narrative change into my book and have community engagement. Now I want the book to be something to be cherished, an important anthropological documentation of our collective experience. Whether it is an experience that is good, bad, amazing, devastating, or an unexpected silver lining, they are all important experiences to be captured.
My goal is that no matter where you are in life or what your background is that you can go through this book and there will be other stories that you identify with and ones that really resonate with. Like the skies, this book should help bring us together. Knowing that we aren't alone and we all have shared experiences.
Every story does need to connect with a date so everyone will need to give a date that their experience happened or a date that they identify that experience with.
My hope to connect with as diverse of a group as I can and connect to every part of Alberta as I can.
Your story should be done in your first language.
F.A.Q.
Do you have more questions that I can help with? Please feel free to email me at: misty@mistyringart.com
Q. Can I submit more than one experience?
A. Yes, you can but I can't promise that I will be able to do more than one experience but I will certainly try.
Q. What happens if you get too many submissions for the same date?
A. The book will be fairly large and should be able to accommodate many stories while still remaining visually pleasing.
Solution 1: If they submitted another experience with a different date, I would take their other experience on the less busy date.
Solution 2: I would add an additional page for that date
Solution 3: I would highlight the experience in a different spot of the book
Q. What if I don't live in Alberta, can I still share my experience?
A. Absolutely! While it is focused on Albertans, in 2020 the world shared a collective experience and it is only fitting that everyone is invited to tell their story.
Q. I know someone that doesn't speak English but wants to participate. Can I email you their story or fill in the survey in that language?
A. Yes! You can email me at misty@mistyringart.com or they/you can fill in the survey as they have relayed their story to you. I do appreciate providing the translation if possible.
Q. What happens if you get stories that aren't in English and don't have translations attached to them?
A. While I appreciate having both, I will hire a translator to ensure they are accurately represented.
Q. Can I email you a voice recording of my story or are you able to facilitate a meeting with myself or a group of people to record us telling our stories?
A. Yes, you can email me your recordings.
June 14, 2020
Got my new studio puppy, a beautiful liver dalmatian added to the family after 1.5 years of planning.
- Misty, Edmonton
December 25, 2020
Christmas was actually nicer than expected. It was nice to not be stressed travelling from place to place and spending it just with my household. We were still able to see everyone via Google Meets which wasn't too bad.
- Misty, Edmonton
July 24, 2020
For 4 months during the first wave my home's guestroom was my office. It was never a room I spent much time in before, but for those 4 months it was the majority of my world day-in and day-out. Aside from lacking air-conditioning and being 5-10 degrees Celsius warmer than the outdoor temperature during summer, it served me well and kept me safe through MANY meltdowns, deadlines, conference calls, and virtual meetings.
I never dreamed that I would be sad to leave working from home - but packing up my makeshift command station, I felt sad - like moving out of an apartment or saying goodbye to a car.
- Kim, Edmonton
August 23, 2020
My grandpa passed away today and I won't be able to travel to support my grandma or go to his funeral. This is the second death this year and not even related to COVID-19. A third one is to happen later in the year.
- Misty, Edmonton
