Portraits in Moment Past
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“Leaning over a large sheet of paper, a piece of charcoal in hand, I draw the portraits of deceased loved ones. With my eyes closed, I revisit the lines of my memories, of those moments passed, the drawing being only a pretext to spend a moment with the deceased. The inaccuracy of the blind contour drawing exercise and the unfinished nature of the sketch express the erasure and reconstruction of what remains of these memories, while allowing a moment of mourning.
First presented in the summer of 2020 in a group show at the AVE gallery in Montreal, Portraits in Past Moments is a drawn collective discussion about loss. 
Since then, I have had the chance to adapt this art piece into a workshop format. It has been offered in person and virtually to various audiences (youth, seniors, health care personnel, grief support groups, etc.). The use of drawing transforms this difficult exercise into a moment of connection, to oneself and to others, where laughter and tears are welcome. By bringing this performance into the public sphere through a participatory performative approach, I hope to provide a space for conversation, sharing and acceptance of the vulnerability of loss.”

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Anne Isabelle Leonard

Anne Isabelle Leonard is an interdisciplinary artist, community builder and workshop leader. Firm believer of art and nature as an alternative source of education, Leonard dedicates her practice to bridging the gap between the human and more-than-human world. She holds a BFA from Concordia University (2015) Her art and curating work has been exhibited on 3 continents. In addition to her art practice, Leonard builds artistic communities enabling free expression and connection through creativity. She co-founded and has been running the free dance community Danser Dans l'Noir since 2017 and is the co-founder of the Outdoor Artist Collective which aims to redefine artistry by bridging art, community and nature.