Kay Linley : The Work in Process

July 25 – 31
Saturday & Sunday: 6 – 8pm
Monday – Friday: 12 – 5pm

For the final instalment in our summer pop up exhibition series Kay Linley will share paintings and writing samples reflecting upon a formative kayak journey.

In 2018, I decided to undertake a pilgrimage of some magnitude. Over the course of 12 days, I kayaked approximately 1000 km’s on the interconnected waterways from south of Atlin, B.C. to Dawson City, Yukon. With no experience kayaking, and limited knowledge of the route, some would say the journey was a foolish one. However, it turned out to be exactly what I needed.

This exhibition includes seven paintings and select writing samples reflecting upon this formative journey; The Work in Process. This is a snap-shot of my current creations within a much larger body of work. My goal is to complete a book of creative non-fiction with 20-30 paintings as illustrations.

I am showing my uncompleted work in a vulnerable gesture to address my tendency to strive for completion/perfection before sharing with others. I learned from the kayaking trip that the process is the progress. It was each and every paddle stroke that not only culminated in 1000 km’s travelled, but more importantly provided me the personal transformation I was seeking. It was each and every interaction and relationship made along the way that remain imbedded in my memory as stories to share. It was each and every testing moment that offered me confidence, knowing that I can achieve considerable feats beyond my perceived limitations.

Kay Linley, 2020

Photo credit: Nessa Oliverio