Draw We Are Together

×

Expand

Natalie Baird and Toby Gillies, “Draw we are together,” 2023, ink on paper (photo by Toby Gillies)

Occasionally, we are fortunate to meet people who will forever change our perception of the world. When Natalie Baird and Toby Gillies worked as artists-in-residence at Winnipeg's Misericordia Health Care Centre, they met one such extraordinary person. Edith Almadi, Hungarian-born and now in her nineties, was among their workshop participants. Despite grieving the loss of her only son in 2019 and with no family members in Canada, she transformed her loneliness into fairy tale-like drawings filled with hope, poetic magic, and wide-eyed wonder.

She had never even considered herself an artist. Almadi had been a nurse and a widow raising a child on her own. 

Yet her artwork and the stories they evoked so inspired Baird and Gillies that they began documenting her drawings, oral history, and memories. Although neither artist had any professional animation experience, the power of their collected material prompted them to pitch the story to the National Film Board of Canada and secure funding. 

The resulting film, Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying, has been released and coincides with an exhibition entitled Draw we are together, running until July 21 at Buhler Gallery located in St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg, Man. This show offers a glimpse of the immense effort behind the film, showcasing some of the approximately 8,000 drawings created by the two artists based on Almadi’s artwork. The highlight is the final seven-minute movie — a quiet and uplifting respite from hospital drama, grief and hubbub.

As the film unfolds, reality and imagination intertwine. A glowing sun fills the screen. But soon the sky dims and a red harvest moon rises above the earth’s green arc. Almadi’s trembling voiceover narrates: “It’s getting towards dark. / The city is sleeping. / Go to sleep as well, my son.” As she speaks, the moon emerges as a mythic figure of a boy. Sunrays encircle his face and outstretched wings allow him to fly through the night. 

What follows are not plot-driven scenes but dream-like vignettes evoking nature’s cycles. Just as mornings follow nights, Almadi’s conviction that she will be reunited with her son permeates her loss and fulfills his last birthday wish: “Just give me one of your drawings,” he asked a few months before passing. “Draw me and draw yourself, and draw we are together.” In this film, his wish is granted. As long as Almadi has imagination, she is never alone; she can soar through the skies and follow her son wherever he goes. 

×

Expand

Installation view, “Draw we are together,” (courtesy of Buhler Gallery)

This healing massage brings solace not just to gallery visitors but also to the two artists. Gillies and Baird, both in their thirties, have each experienced the loss of a parent. Almadi’s insight into overcoming the helplessness of losing a family member is an oasis of wisdom they wanted to capture accurately. They consulted Edith at every step and even managed to navigate COVID-19 restrictions by speaking with her through the window of her personal care home. 

Their efforts were rewarded – not only by the prestigious NFB production and a public exhibition that documents four years of labour but also by Almadi’s moving response. After watching the final film, she teared up and remarked, “It is just wonderful. It is so much like me. Not much. But I gave what I had, it’s all in there.” ■

The film, Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying, and the coinciding art exhibition, Draw we are together, are on now through July 21 at Buhler Gallery located in St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg, Man.

PS: Worried you missed something? See previous Galleries West stories here or sign up for our free biweekly newsletter.