On Jan. 14, cre8ery opens its newest exhibit, Odds N’ Ends: The Everything Show!, a showcase described as “a little bit of this and a little bit of that.”

For years, cre8ery gallery and studio, located in the Exchange District, has exhibited the work of novice and veteran artists alike. Odds N’ Ends is a showcase of the community the gallery has cultivated, as the show includes the work of 75 cre8ery artists who specialize in abstract pieces, landscapes, portraits and more.

Gallery director Jordan Miller put up a Facebook poll. The results helped determine the theme for this show, which she sees as “a chance to have a variety of styles and artworks that would sum up our membership as a whole.”

The exhibition is done in a salon style, and each piece measures 24 by 24 inches. The sizing of the art is intentional, as Miller wanted every artist to be given an equal showcase.

“I wanted something that everybody felt like they could apply to,” Miller says.

Odds N’ Ends is indicative of cre8ery’s ethos. The community space provides artists with opportunities to enter and participate in the art world.

After finishing her fine-arts degree at the University of Manitoba, Miller started cre8ery in 2006 after noticing a need for more approachable galleries where new artists could comfortably start out.

Nearly two decades later, cre8ery boasts an open membership model where anyone can join for a modest fee. In doing so, the gallery continues to attract new artists.

One of these new artists is Carrie Paulicelli, whose abstract work is included in Odds N’ Ends. Paulicelli transitioned from a career in hairdressing to one in fine arts during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Paulicelli is a new artist and has not had the opportunity to show much of her work. With her foray into art, Paulicelli wants to create pieces that she “would hang in (her) own home.” Odds N’ Ends is her opportunity to demonstrate what these pieces might look like on someone’s wall.

Her piece featured in Odds N’ Ends is a preview of a solo exhibition in 2024 that will be the culmination of her development as an artist.

Paulicelli moved into the art world after feeling unsafe working around others during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although working alone has these, both Paulicelli and Miller point out that creating art can often be a lonely practice. To help manage these feelings of isolation, Miller has put focus on cre8ery as a community space.

“I think that’s important, because it’s a tough career to have and very isolating when you’re an artist,” Miller says. “I just really enjoy that close connection that I have to everyone.”

To mitigate COVID-19 risks, Miller has moved away from large meet-and-greets for artists due to cre8ery’s small capacity. Instead, Odds N’ Ends artists will individually be present in the gallery on select days to discuss their work.

Odds N’ Ends: The Everything Show! is on from Jan. 14 to 28 at cre8ery on the second floor of 125 Adelaide St. Planned artist days are listed on the cre8ery website.

Published in Volume 77, Number 14 of The Uniter (January 12, 2023)