A new exhibition titled 'Seen/Unseen' has opened at the Midland Cultural Centre in Ontario, curated by Gayle Fortin. It features immersive fibre installations, atmospheric landscapes, and abstract works by four artists from The October Collective: Charlotte Williams, Amy Bagshaw, Pauline Bradshaw, and Lindsay Smail. Highlights include Bagshaw's site-specific fibre installation using industrial materials, an interactive 'Grounded Echoes Cairn' where visitors add inscribed stones, and QR codes linking to artists' stories. The exhibition runs alongside a Members' Exhibition and a community mural celebrating Quest Art School + Gallery's 30th anniversary.
The exhibition matters because it demonstrates how regional art centres foster community engagement and contemporary craft practices. By blending digital interaction (QR codes) with tactile participation (the cairn), it models innovative ways to connect audiences with art. It also spotlights fibre installation as a serious artistic medium and supports local artists, reinforcing the role of small galleries in nurturing reflective, participatory art experiences outside major urban centers.