Neighbourhood Sketchbook Project

Exhibition runs: March 9th – 24th, 2018
Opening reception: Friday, March 9, 6:00-9:00 PM

Neighbourhood Sketchbook Project features hand-bound and art-filled sketchbooks from members of ten Downtown Eastside organizations. Each sketchbook tells a story of the person who created it—the pages resonating with the joy, wisdom, and resilience of these artists and of their community.

The sketchbook is a medium that features the process of art-making while also becoming an art piece in and of itself. Experimental, freeing, and eclectic, this process makes way for the artist to take risks and to grow their creativity.

Much like a sketchbook, the Neighbourhood Sketchbook Project is a collective experiment. In an effort to honour the strength and vision of communities that comprise the Downtown Eastside, it also takes risks and remains open to possibilities. The project builds upon the tireless work of neighbours, workers, groups, and organizations who strive to build relationships and trust with the participating artists. Multiple considerations of access, support, and translation were mounted in order to meet community needs. This groundwork allowed us to bring something new to those for whom the neighbourhood is vital.

The work on display is the culmination of a series of workshops, where artists of the Downtown Eastside gathered to learn and experiment with various art-making techniques, guided by WePress artist facilitators. Artists lovingly composed content and artwork using block and letterpress printing, drawing, collage, Chinese brush painting, hand quilting and embroidery as well as their own innovations.

At the opening reception, visitors are invited to fashion their own sketchbooks as they draw inspiration from the featured collection to start a storytelling journey.

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This project is a collaboration of WePress, Gallery Gachet, and the Powell Street Festival Society, with participating organizations: Aboriginal Front Door, Carnegie Community Centre, Chinatown Concern Group, Culture Saves Lives and Spirit Sisters Prevention Response Team (SPRT), DTES SRO Collaborative and the Tenant Overdose Response Organizers (TORO) program, the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre, Oppenheimer Park, and Youth for Chinese Seniors.

We thank the Vancouver Foundation, Canada Council for the Arts, City of Vancouver, Province of British Columbia, BC Arts Council, BC Housing, the Community Arts Council of Vancouver, and Skookum Catering for their generous support of this project.

社區隨筆集項目
开幕庆祝!

Exhibition runs: March 9th to 24th, 2018 · 2018年3月9日-17日
Opening reception: Friday, March 9th, 6 to 9 pm
3月 9 日礼拜五, 晚上6 – 9 点
at the Gallery Gachet + WePress space
(9 W. Hastings Street, Vancouver)
Open Tuesday to Saturday 12–6 pm
葛柴特畫廊  & WePress (我們印刷館) – (9 W.喜士定街)
营业时间
礼拜二至礼拜五 12-6 pm
入场免费! 小食，点心提供。

社區隨筆集作品展匯集了來自市中心東區十個不同組織的成員的手工製作的藝術作品，每一本隨 筆集都承載了創作者的心路歷程 – 字裡行間透露出藝術家及其所在社區的歡欣、智慧和堅韌。

作為一種媒介，隨筆集的創作過程本身也被融入了藝術品之中，成為其不可或缺的一部分。或充 滿實驗色彩，或自由奔放，或不拘一格， 創作過程為藝術家開闢了冒險和創新的途徑。

恰如一個隨筆集，社區隨筆集項目本身也是一個集體性實驗。為褒揚市中心東區各社區的力量和 遠見，它同時承擔了一定的風險並保有開放的特性。此次展覽建立在社區成員，工作者， 各團體 和組織不懈努力之上，他們致力於同參與其中的藝術家們建立關聯和信任。為滿足社區需求，對 關於無障礙參與的途徑，支持和翻譯等因素均有多方考量。這項基礎工作使得我們能夠為與社區 唇齒相依的人民帶來新的體驗。

此次參展作品為一系列工作坊活動的結晶。每次工作坊，來自市中心東區的藝術家們相聚我們印 刷館，在藝術協調員的指導之下共同學習和嘗試各種藝術創作技巧。他們通過版畫印刷，繪畫， 拼貼畫，中國毛筆畫，手工縫紉，刺繡以及獨具匠心的創意精心構建藝術品的內容以及製作。

在開幕典禮上，參觀者將受邀製作屬於自己的作品集。他們將從參展作品中汲取靈感來講述自己 的心路歷程。