Summer 2020 Newsletter - 'Riding the Wave'

The Science of Wellbeing

McBride Contemporary

Restoration Hardware and General Public

August, 14, 2020

Greetings! It’s been a while since reaching out via a newsletter and I can only imagine how each one of you, thus far, has navigated the wild ride of 2020.

Even though we are experiencing similar global challenges, we each have unique angles and perspectives on what is happening around us, as we attend to the reality of our own personal lives. More than ever, it is proving important that we connect with our own sense of balance, our anchors, our stability within, and move forward from that space.

Personally, these past many months have been both invigorating and challenging. I found that my usual ways of keeping balanced were not available in the same ways as before. The less time I focused on taking some quiet time for myself, the more hectic my mind got and the more the craziness in the world around me seemed to escalate. But whenever I did stop to take a break from all the whirling and swirling around me and focus inwardly, if even for 10 minutes, I would feel a huge shift happen in me, and a feeling of peace and gratitude would often arise.

THE SCIENCE OF WELLBEING

I was lucky enough, during the quarantine period, to come across a fantastic 10-week online course, entitled ‘The Science of Wellbeing’, offered by a professor at Yale University. Enrolling in this course was, by far, the best thing I did! It is a clear and concise sharing of collected research, indicating the most effective ways to steer oneself towards true wellbeing and happiness. It proved to be a valuable guiding compass, while navigating the different personal and collective storms that came knocking.

The course, in general, was very good for reminding me what goals are healthy ones to set out after and how certain tools could be of tremendous help in attain those worth-while focuses.

The first 6 weeks are dedicated to learning about the research and the last 4 weeks are focused on implementing and developing long-term habits that stay with the participants well beyond the course. It’s really a fantastic class and I highly recommend it to everyone! (www.coursera.org/learn/the-science-of-well-being)

MCBRIDE CONTEMPORARY

On a creative note, the month of July and August have been busy, with the launching of a few art projects. On July 16th, McBride Contemporary put together an art salon, supporting and celebrating the local talent that resides here in Montreal. It includes an impressive number of artists.

My small format painting, Solar Sun-kissed, hangs alongside painters I admire and respect. It's a fun show to see in person! And a colourful reminder of the visual arts community here in our city. (www.mcbridecontemporain.com)

The exhibition is up until August 22nd and the gallery (372 Saint Catherine St. #414, in the Belgo building) is open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays (from 12pm-5pm), which means there are exactly 6 more days to catch it!

RESTORATION HARDWARE and GENERAL PUBLIC

I am happy to share the news that 5 of my paintings were recently launched by Restoration Hardware, the world's leading luxury home furnishings purveyor (via General Public Art). For more information on the paintings chosen to be made available on their platform, take a peek here: www.bit.ly/rh-veronasorensen.

And I am honoured to be a featured artist with General Public, an innovative California based consumer-art company (www.generalpublic.art). They have been wonderful to work with!

Keep safe, balanced and creative! All my best, Verona.