Reflections of "Return to the Sea: a Solo Exhibition"
- Andrea Chloe
- Mar 29
- 4 min read
A month has passed since the gallery show, and I've finally recovered from that severe flu. Since the end of the show, I've been taking the time to reflect on everything that led up to the show and the event itself.
When I was approached to do a solo exhibition 8 months ago, I didn't believe I could do it.
On paper, I had all of my art pieces in a collection in my tiny bedroom, and meticulously wrote down every description. I just had to come up with the show theme, and send in an application to Gallery 222. The fact that the name of the gallery carried my lucky angel numbers was not lost on me, and as I already consider myself to be an extremely lucky individual, I gave it a shot and sent an email with images of my work.
A few months later, I received the green light to have my pieces ready. It was my time to shine. I fondly thought back to my previous experience at McMichael Canadian Art Collection, working as a gift shop sales representative—all those times sneaking into the gallery, viewing the setup process, and taking mental notes had paid off. I took inventory of every piece, printed my write-ups, carefully priced each art piece with help from the curator, and went as far as creating a layout for where each piece was to sit in the space available. The only thing I needed to do was have ads and event posters... and thankfully, my graphic design experience came in handy. But I didn't stop there; I also curated an exhibition playlist and books to add to the show.
The entire physical set up was a whole new experience that makes me appreciate those behind the scenes workers a bit more. I learned how to attach wires to the canvases for the first time, had an execution plan that went very smoothly, and finished set up two whole days in advance ahead of the show - all the while preparing for a three day Toronto Night Market pop up just a few blocks down the street.
The opening day on the family day/valentine's day weekend arrived, and I was already a bundle of nerves. My throat suddenly felt tight and my hands were starting to go cold. I had been told by Rachel, the curator, that it was normal to feel under the weather immediately after opening day, and reminded me not to push myself. The ancestral altar I set up to honour my grandparents sat at the entry, and I poured warm water into the offering cups for comfort, quietly hoped that everything would be okay, before drinking from my own cup.
In hindsight, there was a lot that may have contributed to my illness that lasted for 3-4 weeks; Toronto was in the middle of winter, and a severe snowfall was standing in the way of a successful opening day; The flu was going around, and severe anxiety had settled into my body, which I suspect had something to do with the idea of having my art (that had been private up until this point in my creative career) exposed to this degree; I had done a lot of the bulk work without taking proper meals in between breaks.
Thankfully, the opening day was a success with 30-40+ visitors, and even more over the following two weeks. My closest friends, professional associates, community members, and chosen family attended and brought many sweet treats. I've never felt so loved, so cherished, and so supported until that moment - and then something within me healed. The little girl inside me, who always dreamed of being a famous artist and hosting her own solo exhibition, finally saw one of her wishes had come true. We even successfully sold two original pieces!
I know there are a few readers here wondering if they're able to do the same. I promise you, it's possible. If you are an emerging and aspiring artist looking to host your own exhibition, here is some guidance for you to follow:
Drink plenty of water, eat full and nutritious meals, and get plenty of rest well before planning and executing your show. Plenty of Vitamin C is your friend. (Don't make the same mistakes I made!)
Take inventory and name all your pieces with pricing in advance.
If you're not sure how to price it, ask your curator and those in your circle how much they're willing to pay for a piece - do not undervalue your work.
Have at least 2 people present with you who can help with set up.
Organize your art in clearly labeled boxes with write ups inside, and keep those boxes until the end of the show... do not throw them out!
Make sure you know what you want on the poster with clear and concise information, it'll help make the advertising consistent and production will be smoother. (Title of the show, subtitles if needed, artist name, dates and time of show, and several pieces from your show for visuals).
Have a layout of where you want your pieces to sit, and make sure the flow of the art "tells a story". What opening pieces do you want to introduce with? Which pieces should sit at the end? Which pieces should be grouped together?
How interactive/ experiential do you want the space to be? Do you want people to sit and linger in the space? What will this look and feel like?
Will you have a mini gallery gift shop with images from the show? (This can be optional but for me, it was a no brainer. I definitely wanted a mini shop to conclude the show, but do what feels right for you.)
Have some sort of script to follow when promoting on social media (This is something I wish I did.)
With the conclusion of the exhibition, I wish to express my deepest gratitude to my mentors, including my professors, friends, and fellow artists and art enthusiasts in my community, for their belief in me, their encouragement, and their support. This experience has been incredibly healing, and I hope to carry forward what I've learned into future exhibitions. I promise you will not see the last of me as I continue to make a splash within Toronto's vibrant art scene.
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