The Shy, Novice and Closeted Art Show

with Janet Willie, LPN and Licensed Massage Therapist

The notion that good art is made by or through suffering is often debated, with examples and counterexamples flung about like food in the Faber College cafeteria (an excellent example, by the way, of cinematic art produced with minimal suffering). Yet it is plausible to observe that vulnerability and openness are mental states likely to unbar the gates of creativity, allowing good art to flow. Janet Willie, a shy and novice artist and professional Licensed Massage Therapist was introduced to art as therapy during a very dark period of her life. She came to this area in the late 1980s as the food manager for Hurricane Outward Bound School in Newry and currently works in end-of-life care. Her real passion however, is supporting shy, novice and closeted artists — which is how she describes herself — expose their creations to the world.

Every artist has their medium. With a roll of paper, a pot of acrylic paint and a pallet knife, Janet found she was able to release tension and depression in short inspiring spurts. She had never picked up a brush but was inexplicably able to plaster her feelings out onto blank paper — giving her some freedom, as well as a physical manifestation of her interior landscape to ponder. Janet discovered that she is a vessel for artistic expression to flow through, and that art can not only heal the artist, but can also bring meaning to others. This realization gave her the encouragement to crop and frame pieces of her work and put them up for sale. She found that people were attracted, repelled or both by the raw emotion of her pieces, and some (shockingly enough to Janet) sold! She then recognized that the struggle to create and the struggle to share one’s creations are two different challenges — that there must be many other

“closeted artists”.

THIS lead to the creation of the Shy, Novice and Closeted Art Show. Now in it’s 19th year, Janet has created a place for first-time and timid artists to share their works with others at her home and barn in downtown Bethel at 18 High Street. The show started back during the days of the Bethel Art Fair, a show for professional artists to exhibit and sell their works out on the Bethel common. Bethel Area Arts & Music (BAAM) has taken over the summer event called the Art Market, and moved it to Philbrook Place, across from the Sudbury Inn.

In the show, Janet supports all types of art in the community. Artists are mostly local, and her show has inspired a group of en plain air artists that show on the same day on Vernon Street, as well as other random artists who use Bethel’s sidewalks as their gallery. It’s a Bethel day of art appreciation! The call goes out in early June for artists and follows BAAM’s lead for the date. Not all the Shy/Novice pieces exhibited are for sale, some are just for show. It’s low-key and not for professionals, unless there is a work that doesn’t meet the professional catalogued requirements. The night before features an Art Soirée and Open House for the artists, their friends and family.

The show is a win-win situation — blossoming artists receive lots of support from each other, all art mediums are encouraged, all ages participate and all levels of experience are welcomed.

FMI on the Shy, Novice and Closeted Art show visit Facebook or call Janet at (208) 824-3889 or email Janet at janetwillie@yahoo.com