Making moments

I had the great pleasure to meet up with Ariel Sharratt on a summery afternoon in September. She was heading to a pottery class that evening and we started chatting about the excitements and frustrations of being a beginner. “It’s my second week so we’ll see how it goes,” she proclaimed. 

Growing up in Montague, Ariel was active in the arts, dance, and theatre. “I was also into music in high school, but I had other career ideas.” Though she didn’t know it then, Ariel would go on to become a professional musician, multi-disciplinary artist, and an arts administrator. “As a kid, I wanted to work in a factory when I grew up because I loved making things!” Ariel still loves making things and spends her time learning new skills and honing her crafts. Though not on a factory line, she has spent her life making things and making moments. 

Ariel has a master’s degree from the Ontario College of Art and Design University (OCADU) and worked at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) during her time in Toronto. “We bought our home up east during that time, so I was back and forth between here and there.” Along with her formal education, Ariel is a highly self-motivated and self-directed learner. “I love trying new things and I taught myself animation during the pandemic.” She is keen to put those new skills to practice in music videos in the months to come. “Music videos are such a fun place to play with animation!”

A self-proclaimed DIY musician, Ariel is a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and interdisciplinary artist. “I am particularly interested in where technology and craft meet.” You can find Ariel in that space where technology and craft meet as she explores a variety of modalities, disciplines, and genres. From sewing to computer programing, she is a curious and passionate learner who is always integrating what she learns and sees around her. “Integrations and collaborations help us see that the thing we created is greater than the sum of its parts.”

As part of The Burning Hell band, Ariel toured extensively in Europe, Australia, and Canada. 

The Burning Hell band will be celebrating their 15th university in the fall with the release of a new album and an Australian tour in January. “We have been so fortunate to showcase our work through Music PEI and to have built relationships with agents and others around the world.”

“We lived in Germany and Newfoundland, and eventually made our way back to PEI a decade ago.” While living in St. John’s, Ariel founded the Lawnya Vawnya Festival. “I really love bringing ideas to life by bringing people together.” Not only is she a fan of bringing people together on stage, but she is also fond of big dinner parties and hosting folks around her table. “I just love big dinner parties where we get to enjoy nourishment from the food and the people.”

Ariel often collaborates with friends and fellow artists to create wonderfully weird works of art through music. “I love integrations and seeing how different things can work together.” Through a series of stories about friends and fellow musicians, Ariel demonstrated her impeccable ability to make magical moments. “I do my best to practice observing and appreciating the small moments.”

Affectionately known as the “snowbird studio”, she has spent a couple of winters renting a house in Europe with her partner and inviting other musicians into the immersive space. “We pack up all our equipment and invite people to come create and record with us.” The impact and influence of her artistic contributions are widely spread. 

Along with those many musical undertakings, Ariel is also the Artistic Director of the Souris Show Hall. “It’s really important to me to build programming that highlights original music.” As the oldest cinema on the Island, they have also recently revived the movie night. “We now have a songwriter in residence and I’m really excited to see the programming throughout the upcoming season.” Ariel leads the team in curating a wide range of arts and culture activities year-round. “It has become such a vibrant hub in our community.”

For curiosity-driven people like Ariel, there is always something more to learn so I was interested to know what may be coming next. Her pragmatic answer was: “I’m highly motivated to learn some basic motor vehicle maintenance!” Her creative answer was that she is interested in exploring the farm equipment and growth that have occurred on the land around her home. “There is evidence of settlement [by humans] and elements of nature that can be seen throughout the human-made components, which is a compelling meeting place to explore.”