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Play, Fall, Rest, Dance Blog

Attend the closing reception for “Play, Fall, Rest, Dance” on Thursday June 26 (7-10 pm) at grunt gallery. More details here.


Valerie Salez began her project at grunt gallery in late May, these are blog posts on the first week of work created by the youth:


Week 1

1st Day – Deshik (Click to read more…)

With a long white piece of paper and a blue marker he asked me to name birds…any kind.

Deshik knows every kind of bird. He would draw them quickly with appropriate distinguishing features while all the while citing facts about that specific bird.

1st Day – Amelie (Click to read more…)

Amelie has an extremely shy disposition yet there is a fierce strength to her.

Her style was fragile yet focused and determined.


1st Day – Isabelle (Click to read more…)

Isabelle was very overwhelmed with all the supplies and materials.

I asked her to quickly choose four things that she finds interesting.

She chose all things black, white, red and clear glass.


1st Day – Henry (Click to read more…)

Henry did not talk the whole time.

Not a word.

We played Glenn Gould and he set to work immediately.

Guest Artist – Solange

Solange participated in the PLAY FALL REST DANCE project last summer at Open Space Gallery.


Week 2

2nd Day – Deshik (Click to read more…)

Deshik does not have any pets.

Yet all he talks about and draws are animals and birds.

I promised I would bring my dog (Negrita) to the gallery so Deshik could meet her.

2-3 Day – Amelie (Click to read more…)

Soon she feels lost. “I dont know what to do now?”
She seems uninspired or bored.  We had talked about various options earlier.

I said, “I am not going to tell you what to do. It has to come from you. “
She fell silent and looked discouraged.

I said we can just sit here and if she is done with the project then we can just quit and the wall work is enough.

Before I could finish my sentence she said, “I want to paint one of those cubes.  Can I paint all over it?”

2nd Day – Isabelle (Click to read more…)

Isabelle is the dedicated sculpture / assembler of the Grunt group.

She loves colour, shape, pattern and texture.

2nd Day – Henry (Click to read more…)

I was speechless at his frenetic painting style and the re-visioned work.

And then Henry started to talk to me for the first time.

He took my hand, turned around to the opposite wall and walked us over to Amelies wallwork.

“Thats good.” Henry said.


3rd Day – Henry (Click to read more…)


The subject matter was that of any typical 12 year old……sci-fi, comic, warrior, fighting, robot beings.

But there was an intensity about the way he attacked the lines.

Also these were a few of many hundreds of drawings. Henry draws ALL THE TIME.

But only with pencil.


3rd Day – Deshik (Click to read more…)

Questions like, “Is the rattler hollow like a music rattler?”

Like, “What is the oldest animal alive?” & “What is the youngest?”

We did some research online.

He was fascinated with the still living, primitive fish the STURGEON.

It was only logical, to Deshik, that he BECOMES the STURGEON.

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