Exhibitions and Artist-Led Art Talks

EXHIBITIONS & ART TALKS

Jessica Somers presents completed artworks through exhibitions held in galleries, community spaces, and educational venues. These exhibitions are paired with artist-led art talks that invite audiences to engage with the work through reflection, conversation, and learning. The artwork is positioned as both fine art and an educational tool, supporting dialogue around culture, land, and shared histories.

Exhibitions in Community and Educational Spaces

Exhibitions showcase original artworks in settings that welcome public engagement and learning.

These may include:

Galleries and cultural spaces
Schools and post-secondary institutions
Community centres and public venues

Each exhibition is approached with care and intention, ensuring the space supports respectful viewing and meaningful interaction with the artwork.

A Focal Point Artistry Indigenous art exhibition set up in a community space, such as a library or school hall, making Woodland style art accessible to the public.

Artist-Led Art Talks and Guided Discussions

Jessica offers artist-led art talks that explore the themes present in the work, including parallel histories and Mother Earth Sleeps.

Through guided discussion and storytelling, audiences are provided with cultural and artistic context that deepens understanding of the pieces and the ideas they carry.

Focal Point Artistry lead artist facilitating a guided discussion and art talk, engaging an audience in the stories and symbolism behind Indigenous Woodland style paintings.

Themes of Land, Knowledge, and Renewal

Art talks and exhibitions invite reflection on:

Indigenous knowledge systems
Land-based teachings
Cycles of rest, renewal, and balance

Audiences are encouraged to consider their relationship to the land and to one another, and how these relationships shape responsibility and care.

Artwork by Focal Point Artistry illustrating Indigenous themes of land connection, traditional knowledge transfer, and cultural renewal using Woodland style symbolism.

Facilitated Engagement and Community Conversation

Where appropriate, exhibitions may include:

Facilitated walkthroughs
Panel discussions
Community conversations

These formats create space for listening, dialogue, and respectful exchange, supporting deeper public engagement with the work.

Focal Point Artistry facilitator leading a community conversation and engagement session, using Indigenous art to spark dialogue among a diverse group of participants.

Accessible Entry Points for Diverse Audiences

Exhibitions and talks are designed to be accessible for:

Students
Educators
Community members
General public audiences

The approach allows individuals to engage at their own level, whether through visual experience, discussion, or reflective learning.

A diverse group of participants engaging in an entry-level Indigenous art workshop by Focal Point Artistry, demonstrating accessible cultural learning for people of all backgrounds.

Supporting Intergenerational Exchange

A key focus of exhibitions and art talks is intergenerational exchange.

By bringing together learners of different ages and backgrounds, these experiences support shared understanding, conversation, and the passing of knowledge in respectful ways.

An intergenerational art session facilitated by Focal Point Artistry, showing youth and Elders exchanging stories and cultural knowledge while painting.

Art as a Space for Learning and Dialogue

Exhibitions and art talks offered through Focal Point Artistry are not passive experiences. They are opportunities for learning, reflection, and connection.

Each presentation is shaped to honour the artwork, the space, and the people engaging with it.

A group of participants gathered in a safe learning space created by Focal Point Artistry to engage in open dialogue and reflection around Indigenous art.