Bella Venable

Using fabrics and printmaking methods, I create work based around art as a ritual for grief. Using surrealism and interactions between human and non-human, my work sits in a liminal space born from my loss. I believe that through talking about grief publicly, my work can create a safe space for those who also experience this.

Growing up, my creativity was nurtured by my grandmother, Carolyn Kenny, but It wasn’t until her death years later that I learned that these childhood moments came from a deep knowledge of art and healing, gained from years of learning and practice. Drawing on her Indigenous heritage (Choctaw and Haida) and talents as a musician, she developed a music therapy practice she called “The Field of Play.” Now, using my own artistic practice, I use the tools she created to help with my grief, finding a voice through art when words are not Read More →