To get creativity to spark and engage people to make art together Mary Kroetsch has started an art pop-up.
It’s called Tīma Happening. Tīma is an old English term for time. Happening refers to spontaneous events.
Tīma Happening is happening Saturday at The Common on 28 Wilson St. from 1 to 3 p.m.
It is free and people are welcome to bring art projects they are working on or start something new. Bring any art supplies you need and Kroetsch will bring some too.
There will be opportunities to embroider, colour and help work on Kroetsch’s projects.
Kroetsch is a Guelph mixed media artist and uses embroidery, photos and other mediums to create her art.
“There's not a lot happening for artists like myself, who are all over the place, and like to explore and not cost anything to go and connect,” she said.
She’s used to working on art projects alone in her studio so she thought Tīma Happening would be a great way to bring Guelph artists together.
“I think it's something I need. And I think something other people need,” said Kroetsch. During the pandemic there were many people, artists included, who were isolated. She thinks we haven’t fully got over the impacts of being isolated. The pop-up could help bring people together, socialize and create art together.
In the last year there have been six pop-ups and with this resurgence of the event she hopes to capture more attention to draw people to participate.
By the time people graduate from fine arts schools sometimes they don’t know what’s next. It’s a bit of a limbo and Kroetsch thinks artists lose a bit of their momentum if they don’t have a creative outlet.
“I also think there's a lot of people who have been artists all their life and just didn't know it,” she said.
People of any age, gender and ability can participate in Tīma Happening. Kroetsch is happy to teach art to those who join.
The thing about creativity is there are “no rules” to it, she said. Artists are welcome to come sit down for a coffee with her to talk about what they want to create.
Since it's a pop-up event it can happen at any time, anywhere. Kroetsch is hoping to have Tīma Happening at least once a month at different times and places in Guelph.
Accessibility also means having a variety of times accessible for people’s schedules so they have time to meet and make art.
“But we also have to make sure that the people we're trying to get to see our art, buy our art or work with us to make art also have the ability to get to places and spaces in their own time frame,” said Kroetsch.
As Tīma Happening grows she hopes it serves as a place for people to wind-down after work by socializing and creating art.
To know more about the pop-up and when the events are check the website or social media.
