On Gathered Leaves: An Open Letter to Sonia Del Re and Kirsten Appleyard of the National Gallery of Canada

Today, July 9, 2026, I had the pleasure of pre-recording a conversation with Dr. Sonia Del Re, Senior Curator of Prints and Drawings at the National Gallery of Canada, for The Blue Hour. The interview will air on Tuesday, July 14, at 2 p.m. Pacific on CiTR 101.9 FM. In anticipation of that conversation, I wanted to return to a letter I sent last fall, after having had the privilege of giving docent tours of Gathered Leaves at the Audain Art Museum in Whistler. The reflection below also grew out of my earlier meditation on Inception, which became part of the way I introduced visitors to the exhibition. And now, as Gathered Leaves continues its journey, the exhibition will be on display at The Rooms Provincial Art Gallery in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, from September 19, 2026, to January 3, 2027. Originally sent Friday, November 14, 2025 Dear Sonia and Kirsten, For weeks, I have wanted to reach out to extend my sincere thanks for the extraordinary opportunity and privilege of…