Exhibitions

(un)familiar / (up)rooted

Chelsea Brant
June 12 - August 30, 2026

(un)familiar / (up)rooted, is a collective body of work established in 2022 and now making its Ontario debut at the Grimsby Public Art Gallery. Through the evocative metaphor of tropical houseplants, artist Chelsea Brant explores themes of change, grief, displacement, resilience, and belonging, tracing the emotional experience of adapting to unfamiliar environments while questioning what it means to feel rooted in place, in relationships, and in oneself. Emerging from a deeply transformative period in the artist’s life, the work reflects on loss, memory, healing, and growth through imagery that balances both beauty and uncertainty.

The exhibition revisits Brant’s original paintings alongside a new series of 2026 collages created from the same source imagery used to develop the paintings. These works reveal fragments of the artist’s process and uncover the layered foundations behind the original body of work. A newly developed companion piece to Sweet Dreams further expands themes of care, vulnerability, and emotional unease.

Drawing on Affect Theory, the exhibition considers how emotional experiences are often sensed and processed before they can be consciously articulated through language. Through layered mixed-media works incorporating sewn canvas, clay, collage, and painting, Brant creates immersive environments that blur the boundaries between memory and reality, comfort and discomfort, stillness and chaos. Rather than presenting fixed narratives, (un)familiar / (up)rooted invites viewers to reflect on experiences of home, loss, adaptation, and the ongoing human capacity for resilience and growth.

Special thanks to the Ontario Arts Council for their support.

Cross Pollination

Clear Eyes Collective

Sept 23, 2023 - Summer 2025


True community is inclusive and nurtures everyone, providing a safe space for all.

Cross Pollination is a commissioned mural by Clear Eyes Collective for the exterior outdoor exhibition platform of the Grimsby Public Art Gallery and Library. Over the course of the summer, the collective collaborated with the community by asking them to generate key words to inspire the artistic development and content of the mural. Some words were reflective of the physical characteristics of the Town of Grimsby; its connection with agriculture, proximity to Lake Ontario, and the Niagara escarpment. Others looked to honor less tangible connections like culture, multiculturalism, and LGBTQ2S+ allyship. After reviewing each prompt, and drawing from their own connection to the area, the collective refined their final design, culminating in Cross Polination, which was live painted onsite during the second annual Grimsby Arts Walk, September 23, 2023.  

Curated by Caitlin Sutherland

CLEAR EYES COLLECTIVE is a mural crew based out of Hamilton, Ontario made up of members Darian Poisson, Adam Bates and Josh Kellett. Their mission is to integrate the mysterious power of art into the plain cityscape, transforming ordinary spaces into an immersive gallery. Their approach to public art has always been rooted in creating vibrant visual environments that connect and uplift the community at large.

Clear Eyes Collective have been painting large-scale murals as a team for 10 years, and in that time they have had the opportunity to partner with local businesses, festivals, corporations and different municipalities and cities. They take tremendous care to make sure their designs are tailored to each project, while always maintaining a vibrant and bold style that naturally comes out of collaboration.