Sometimes you need a little pick me up to get you through the day. For most, it's a cup of strong coffee in the morning. For Gavin Quinn, it means picking up a paintbrush. As the founder of Outsider Insight, a support service for artists dealing with mental health issues, he manages his daily mental health struggles with art. His latest solo show, Daily Grind, is currently up at Elle's Bistro, culminating in a wrap party on April 25 from 6-9pm. The show is a long time coming, showing samples of Quinn's work from the past three years—a mix of raw photography and abstract art, contrasting stark black and white schemes with splashes of colour.
"The show title is about trying day in and day out to do it right," he says. "I combat illness with creativity. Outsider Insight is about art and peer support as preventative tools—practice your craft and use it to stay well."
The show is an honest look into Quinn's mind, with shots from his day-to-day life or whatever he happens to be thinking and feeling in the moment. "4am," a large Pollock-esque painting, is a literal expression of the moment. "I jumped out of bed at 4am thinking I had to finish this painting." For a self-taught artist, it's an impressive collection of work demonstrating a stylistic consistency which, over the years, has matured in execution. The work is for sale—you can get a little more pick-me-up with your usual coffee.
Daily Grind
Saturday, April 24 at 6pm
Elle’s Bistro, 1678 Barrington Street
