Heat Stroke and the Square Foot Show

Baited Hook Handmade^{School. Mixed-media on wooden panel. By Saskia van Kampen}

It must have been at least 40 degrees outside. All my tomatoes were rippened and ready to be made into sauce. So I went for it. With no air conditioning I made a giant pot of fresh sauce and almost passed out from

the heat and humidity. I had to lie down 3 times between chopping vegetables. My head became woozy and I thought I might throw up. 

Baited Hook HandmadeAWOL Square Foot Show at Twist Gallery, 2012. 

Unfortunatley that was the day of the Artist’s Reception for AWOL’s 10th Square Foot Show. I had been working for the last few months on the 3 pieces that I submitted and I didn’t want to miss the event. It was especially important to me because the Square Foot Show is the first gallery show that I have ever participated in. I wanted to see my paintings hanging on a gallery wall. How satisfying that would be.

I slunk downstairs where it is cool to try and recouperate. I drank water and juice and tried to rest. By 7:00 pm I was feeling well enough to climb onto the subway and head downtown with my friends to see the show. 

Baited Hook Handmade

^{The Hat. Mixed-media on wooden panel. By Saskia van Kampen}

We passed through the crowd of people milling about outside the Queen street venue, up the stairs and into the warehousey open space of Twist Gallery. It was packed with people, a DJ was spinning fantastic music and the art was completely overwhelming. Every square foot of wall space was sporting an original piece of art. Photography, sculpture, paintings, collage.... It was overwhelming to see just how much talent we have around us. I saw works by past blog interviewees, Kelly Grace and Lee Richmond. Seeing my work on the wall next to all of these talented artists gave me chills... 

Baited Hook HandmadeAWOL Square Foot Show at Twist Gallery, 2012. 

Chills then hot agian, then a wave of nausea. I was starting to feel woozy again. The crowds of people, the noise, the close air... it was not a good environment for someone who spent most of the day in bed with heat stroke. I needed to go home.

Baited Hook Handmade

^{Flock. Mixed-media on wooden panel. By Saskia van Kampen}

Even though I wasn’t feeling well, and my evening out was cut short, it was an honour to have my art, my heart really, hanging on the walls of a gallery along with all the other wonderfully inspiring works. Thanks AWOL and Twist Gallery.

Baited Hook Handmade^{AWOL Square Foot Show at Twist Gallery, 2012.}