[The New Regular] Cindy Scott | How a Global Pandemic Helped New Brunswick Artists Expand Their Reach
For a small province, New Brunswick has always punched above its weight in the art world. There is no shortage of talent in this province, with a vast number of accomplished artists both past and present.
It would be great to see more national recognition for both emerging and seasoned artists alike. As the producer of a number of art shows and festivals, I think artists can benefit from a virtual show that is curated and well promoted across the country - that’s one of the reasons I decided to present Isolation 2020.
New Brunswick-based artist Karen Butler O’Brien’s painting titled “Weathered Ride” sold during Isolation 2020. (Submitted by Cindy Scott)
In early April, as the world continued to shut down and news of COVID-19 infections and deaths climbed in Canada and globally, I was inspired by the daily creativity emerging in the arts world. Online performances were making their way to our desktops and free concerts from major venues around the world were plentiful, but I started wondering how the pandemic was going to impact visual artists’ ability to sell their art, especially New Brunswick artists.
Online art shows and galleries have been around for years, but I wanted to create an online buying experience that was more dynamic - one that allowed the consumer to meet the artists and tour their studios or places of inspiration. Isolation 2020 was meant to fit this need.
The question I found myself trying to answer was: How does one create a unique, online art experience that delivers all the pleasures of a vernissage, the intimacy of a studio tour and the sense of adventure of gallery visits right to your desktop?
We created it by having four artists introduce their work during a live Zoom opening reception on May 13. It was a huge success, with 100 people joining the reception and almost $20,000 of art sold in the first five days. Most artists went on to submit new pieces once they sold out. Even though the marketing and promotion for the show was very basic, the network of buyers was both national and international. Clearly, people were ready to buy art.
New Brunswick artist Colin Hugh Smith's painting titled “Kobe” sold during Isolation 2020 . (Submitted by Cindy Scott)
The 12 Eastern-Canadian artists who participated also agreed to open their studio to anyone who wanted to do a Skype, Zoom or FaceTime call to meet them directly, get a closeup look at their art, or to just ask questions. Each artist submitted three pieces of freshly created art, typically created during the pandemic, and a short video introducing themselves, their studio or their place of creative inspiration.
A screen grab from the Zoom opening cocktail reception. (Submitted by Cindy Scott)
Buying directly from the artists, or meeting them during the buying process, has always given me a deeper connection, providing a new and often memorable experience that becomes connected to the art. I get a better understanding of the creative inspirations and more appreciation of the technique and style, and I’m sure others do as well.
The feedback on the videos and the artist introductions were very well received, and no doubt instrumental in selling a number of pieces. The video that received the most reaction was one submitted by a photographer who introduced us to Sea Dog Cove in Summerville, N.B. The video of her kayaking around the cove on a calm, foggy morning was a perfect introduction to New Brunswick.
New Brunswick-based photographer Liane Thibodeau kayaks in the Sea Dog Cove. (Submitted by Cindy Scott)
Virtual art shows will never completely replace the experience of wandering into a gallery or artist studio, but with the ever-increasing amount of technology at our fingertips, we can certainly make the experience of a virtual show very gratifying. And, the benefit of expanding the audience around the globe is certainly a goal worth exploring. Many of the new behaviours we adopted as a result of the pandemic will be with us for years to come, and I certainly hope our enjoyment of buying and selling art online will be one of them.
—Cindy Scott
Cindy has enjoyed a life-long appreciation of art and artists. She has actively collected and proudly displayed works from numerous Eastern-Canadian artists for many years. With a background in communications, she had a successful career in the Ottawa technology industry and in event management. She has combined her talent for promotion and her passion for art by organizing a number of small art shows in New Brunswick and Ontario. Two recent initiatives, The Summerville Art Festival and Isolation-2020.com were both huge successes and showcased art from across eastern Canada.