Metamorphosis: Transformation Through Art

The artists featured in OAG’s Metamorphosis group exhibition explored nature’s extraordinary capacity for adaptation. Drawing on imagery such as the life cycles of insects and used these natural processes as powerful metaphors for transformation. At its core, Metamorphosis is a reflection on change, growth, and evolution—ideas that resonate throughout the entire exhibition.

This is the 8th exhibition featuring works created through Creative Space—an ongoing collaboration between the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre and the Ottawa Art Gallery. The studio program offers a welcoming and inclusive space where artmaking is embraced as a tool for wellness, personal expression, and community connection.

Metamorphosis highlights the dynamic and tactile practice of linocut printmaking. Much like the cycles of nature, the printmaking process involves phases of carving, layering, inking, and pressing—each stage requiring patience, reflection, and an openness to change. Artists here have drawn inspiration from nature in both literal and abstract ways, considering how the environment transforms over time, and how that mirrors their own journeys through art and life.

One of the artists in the 2025 exhibition shared her impressions of the linoleum carving process, describing it as both demanding and unexpectedly rewarding. She spoke about the need to make intentional decisions while also having to surrender to the linoleum and how difficult it can be to work with. For this artist, the act of carving became almost more meaningful than the final print itself. It offered a meditative (creative!) space that nurtured patience, exchange, and reflection.

What sets Metamorphosis apart is the collaborative spirit behind each piece. The works on display were created in community—participants learned the techniques together, supported one another through trial and error, and celebrated each other’s progress. In many ways, the exhibition, whichoffers insight into the technical process and transformations that occur along the way, is as much about the finished pieces as it is about the collective creative process.

Metamorphosis, made possible with the generous support of TD, also a supporter of Creative Space, is on view on Levels 0 and 1 of the Ottawa Art Gallery until June 4^th 2025.

Art and Wellness at OAG

Connecting art and wellness is part of OAG’s mission. As a community-driven space, OAG offers more than exhibitions—it provides opportunities for healing, learning, and connections through invaluable partnerships:

When Art and Health Unite: HeARTcare Symposium Sparks Collective Action | Ottawa Art Gallery

Creating Kindness: Ottawa Art Gallery, Giant Tiger, and Kids Help Phone Partner in Support of Youth Mental Health | Ottawa Art Gallery

Ottawa Art Gallery and TD Announce Funding for Creative Space | Ottawa Art Gallery