Island artist highlights healing power of human connection in new exhibit

Island artist Emily Howard is hoping to showcase the healing power of human connection with her exhibit, The Texture of Healing.

"The whole kind of idea behind it is, what healing energy ... would look like if you could see it," Howard said.

Healing energy

The exhibit will include one large installation and 15 smaller paintings which aim to imagine what healing energy might physically look like when it is transferred between two people.

Howard was first inspired to start the project in 2018 after attending a benefit for a friend who had been diagnosed with cancer.

Just for that brief moment when you're exchanging that really great kind of connective energy, you can kind of almost heal yourself momentarily.— Emily Howard

"It was one of those moments where I could almost — if I stretch my imagination — see the energy in the room. Because everyone was almost desperately trying to push their most healing energy toward her," Howard said.

The idea of human connection as a means of healing is something Howard is inspired by in her daily life — not only as an artist but as a hairstylist who interacts with many people every day.

"Just for that brief moment when you're exchanging that really great kind of connective energy, you can kind of almost heal yourself momentarily," she said.

Opportunity to raise money

In addition to exploring what healing could look like while it takes place, Howard wanted take advantage of the exhibit as an opportunity to raise money for a good cause.

Visitors can acquire paintings from the show or an unframed watercolour which will also be displayed during the exhibit, for a set price. All proceeds from the show will go to the Lennon House. 

She hopes the exhibit helps visitors feel motivated to further connect with the people around them and see how positive energy can help people to recover emotionally and physically.

"I would absolutely love if people just walked out of there feeling a little bit lighter and feeling like they connected," she said.

The exhibit will be dedicated in the memory of Howard's sister Anna. 

Howard will be there for opening night March 20 at The Guild from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m.

In case Islanders aren't able to make opening night, they can still check it out until March 31.

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