Farrell Hollers current piece at the Art Gallery of Grande Prairie on Thursday, July 23, 2020. Excerpts from a Journal is a visual poem acting as personal response to COVID-19.
The Art Gallery of Grande Prairie has collaborated with children’s book author Sue Farrell Holler to create an engaging piece for “The Curve: Community Art Installation.”
Farrell Holler’s young adult novel “Cold White Sun” won the R. Ross Annett Award for Children’s Literature. She’s a current and past finalist for a High Plains Book Award and Governor General’s Literary Award, respectively.
Her current piece, “Excerpts from a Journal,” is a visual poem acting as personal response to COVID-19.
“I’m very inspired by people, places and events,” Farrell Holler said. “Something about that makes me want to capture those moments and share them with other people.”
“With the visual poem, I’ve never considered words, the shape of words and how they can create something new,” she added. “The experience of creating the poem has been a huge eye-opener for me.”
Jeffrey Erbach, executive director of the Art Gallery of Grande Prairie, said they wanted to exhibit art work by local artists, especially Farrell Holler.
He added that as a visual arts organization, it’s important to capture literary work and Sue is an extraordinary writer.
“It was a “natural fit” for us to approach her about her evolving piece in the gallery,” Erbach said.
The piece is an excerpt from a journal providing Farrell Holler’s personal contemplations about the pandemic, including a regularly updated side bar with notes.
“When we think about March things were different,” he said.
Erbach says present displays serve as review for future generations, with this time period being a “cultural archive” of people’s thoughts and feelings.
In her earlier days, Farrell Holler was keen on science but never denied her artistic side. As a kid, she wrote and drew on walls in her parent’s home.
“My parents weren’t too appreciative of that,” she laughed. “And now for me to actually see my words on a wall, I wish my parents were around and I could tell them it was early training.”
During her adult life, she has recognized creativity in science and notes that “many scientists are creative.” After her involvement as the Regional Events Facilitator for the Writers’ Guild of Alberta, she was asked to create “Excerpts from a Journal.”
“It’s been a wonderful experience,” she said. “It’s amazing to see the creativity and the art coming out of the Peace Country.”
Farrell Holler expressed that many individuals can be too shy to share their work; this is a way for others to learn more about them and their stories. In the future, she wants to be remembered for simplicity, inspiring others to challenge critics and create openly.
“Just do it and cast away doubts and create for the sake of creating and for yourself first,” she said.
When asked about her personal mantra, she said, “What connects us as humans and what sets us apart is story, and that’s what ‘The Curve’ is about and the more that we do the closer we become as a population and more human we become.”
Her upcoming children’s picture book, “Raven, Rabbit, Deer,” for kids ages three to seven, is scheduled for publication in November.
More information on Sues’ written installation and the rest of the community submissions as part of “The Curve” can be found at the Art Gallery of Grande Prairie’s Facebook page.
