SPOTLIGHT: Walking art tour brings mindfulness to Windsor’s streets
Downtown Windsor is home to many impressive murals (Photo by Laryssa Brooks)
Names: April Morris and Sophie Hinch
Claim to Fame: April Morris, artist and arts educator, and Sophie Hinch, education and public programs coordinator for the AGW, brought mindfulness to Windsor earlier this month with Walking the City, an AGW tour of urban spaces and art.
The Backstory: It started with a walk and an empty lounge.
Sophie Hinch found herself staring at blank walls in the AGW just days before the pandemic shut the gallery down.
“There was this little unused space, this room on the third floor. There were a few chairs, and nothing on the walls. And I thought, ‘We’re an art gallery. There should be art up there,’” Sophie explained.
This thought quickly became a plan to fill the space with community art. But with the pandemic, Sophie said, “everything got flipped upside down.”
April Morris was the perfect solution. “I’m an artist where walking is a huge part of my practice, so we came up with running a workshop to invite people to join me on my walks,” April explained.
“It’s mindfulness about your city. How does it make you feel, and why do you feel that way? We don’t always check in with that,” she added.
Art created on the tour will be added to the community exhibit. But, April explained, “You don’t have to be an artist to be curious about your city. Whatever you create, it will spark some discussion about why you’re drawn to it.”
L-R: Sophie Hinch and April Morris stand in front of a sculpture outside the Art Gallery of Windsor (AGW) (Photo by Laryssa Brooks)
The Highlights: April has worked with the AGW many times. After an internship, she said, “I maintained my relationship pretty closely over the years teaching art camps and … different art here.”
Sophie has similar expertise. “I did my studies … and right after graduation, I started working at … a small community arts hub. Then I did everything: working with artists, setting up shows and traveling all over Windsor and Essex County.”
It was through this work that she met April. “We’ve been in the same circles, the same arts organizations, for a long time,” Sophie said.
The Impact: For Walking the City, “I didn’t know what the response would be … it’s something that we’ve never done before,” said Sophie. But a Sat., Sept. 19 session sold out, and one planned for Sept. 26 has only a few tickets left.
Cherry Hamilton, Maegan Bradt, Kaylynn Karbowski and Heather Skeates hold up their art outside the AGW (Photo by Laryssa Brooks)
Participants have taken photos, sketched flowers, and even just listed what they’ve seen. “I loved the murals. They were beautiful,” shared Cherry Hamilton, a tour guest. “It was a great thing to do with my friends and granddaughters,” added guest Heather Skeates.
The tour has given both participants and the AGW a chance to grow. “The community is ready and eager to get back out and excited about the direction we’re going in at the art gallery,” said Sophie. “We’re excited to see what this fall brings.”
Tickets for the tour on Sat., Sept. 26 can be purchased online through Eventbrite.
