Abstract Canapé - Ingredient prompts were the colors - blue, tangerine and flamingo pink, the shapes - triangle, hexagon and circle and the numbers - 3, 6, and 9.

Over the past weekend, friends came together to celebrate the start of online creative gallery, Regeneration 2021, and the opening of our first online show, Gather. It is a beautiful and unique space. Do take a look. There are podcasts next to poetry. Written stories next to painted ones. There is music, photography, textiles and more.

Many of the pieces displayed were started as dailies from a 100-day challenge in The Creative’s Workshop and then in 100 more days, and in 100 more. This is the first time to see finished pieces side by side and to show off the creative work of the community as a whole both to us, the group members, but also to the greater world outside.

With any gathering and celebration, there was also the invitation to have food and drink to enjoy. This being an online affair, the idea was introduced that we all come up with our own cocktails and canapés and share our thinking and experience of flavors with the others.

I have been in bed with my foot elevated for the past week due to voluntary surgery, so acquiring and cooking was not going to happen for me. I had an idea of what I could do instead with my little sketchbook.

Given that a canapé is: a small piece of bread or pastry with a savory topping, I thought I’d make an abstract visual variation or two, by starting off designs with the ingredients of three colors, shapes and numbers chosen by the group.

My intention initially was to only use those nine elements on my page, but I soon turned them into a launching off point. I tried to include them if I could, but it was no big deal if I did or didn’t use them. The idea was to have fun making my canapés while listening to stories told while we were gathered.

I really enjoyed the creative process in making my abstract canapés. I put one thing down and then looked to see what could fit next. Not everything worked together, but it was fun playing!

Go explore the Regeneration 2021 gallery and then have some fun making something!