This town is small will present Messages from the Cosmic Field by Renée Laprise at the Charlottetown Library Learning Centre from January 22–April 15. 

Following a series of personal life events, the PEI-based artist has been exploring the spirituality and symbolism of the starfield as a way to heal and find meaning. Depictions of the cosmos have been used since ancient times to represent the non-physical plane, encouraging contemplation about the intangible and vast notions of space, time and spirituality. In exploring these themes in Messages from the Cosmic Field, Laprise looks to make connections to a realm much bigger than herself.

Messages from the Cosmic Field is a recent iteration of The Cosmic Field, a series of 78 paintings that were displayed in a grid at the Hilda Woolnough Gallery in Charlottetown and also made available as the Cosmic Portal Oracle deck. The deck, similar to a tarot deck, uses imagery and prompt words that are then interpreted as messages by its users.

Messages from the Cosmic Field shows two groupings of the original paintings paired with prompt words, meant to evoke two distinct messages. Visitors are encouraged to sit with the pieces and allow the messages to come to them. No two individuals will interpret the meanings in the same way, highlighting how each person has their own distinct perspective and guiding the viewer to make connections between their conscious and intuitive knowledge.

Born and raised in Southern Ontario, Laprise has a BFA from the University of Toronto and currently lives and creates in PEI. The stories told in each painting are inspired by her past and present-day experiences intermingled with nature and local PEI landscapes. Underlying all of her work is an intense interest in mystical interconnection of the physical and non-physical realms.

reneelaprisearts.com