I've been recording with Ridley Funeral Home's Brad Jones since February 2022. I love recording with Brad, and highly recommend you subscribe to Life's Undertaking.
Last night, for the very first time, we took Life's Undertaking on the road. That road was Lake Shore Blvd W. #2422 to be precise. That's where you'll find Lakeshore Arts. Here's a fantastic write-up about the event from Toronto Scoop.
Lakeshore Arts, a strong supporter of the arts in Etobicoke, has provided a platform for emerging artist Dessa Ely to showcase her exceptional work. Yesterday evening at her exhibition titled “As Solid As Skin Can Be,” I had the privilege of experiencing Dessa’s extraordinary pieces that touched on themes of loss and grief. What made this event even more special was the first on-location recording of “Life’s Undertaking,” a podcast hosted by Brad Jones, Funeral Director at Ridley Funeral Home. Through their support and collaboration, Ridley Funeral Home has contributed greatly to the success of art initiatives like this one in our community.
Dessa Ely, a 19-year-old artist based in New York City and Toronto, is currently studying for a Bachelor of Fine Arts at The Cooper Union’s Fine Arts program. She works with various mediums to explore subjects like loss, racial identity and healing. Dessa uses her art to navigate and understand deep emotions, especially when it comes to grief. Her chlorophyll prints series is particularly powerful. As she explains to Brad in this episode of “Life’s Undertaking”, Dessa finds the impermanence of this medium fascinating because it naturally fades over time. She sees a connection between its transient nature and the process of grieving that comes with growing up.
Thank you to Toronto Scoop for covering this event, thank you to Lakeshore Arts for hosting, thank you to Dessa Ely for the beautiful art and thank you to Brad Jones and Ridley Funeral Home for making this great night happen.
Here's the episode of Life's Undertaking we recorded last night.
