Mélanie Paulin showcases NB art at Imaginature in Montreal

New Brunswick visual artist, Mélanie Paulin, recently had the opportunity to participate in Imaginature held in Montreal, April 11-12.

Part of the "Get a Sense of New Brunswick" campaign from Explore NB, the event gave attendees a multi-sensory experience, bringing the sights, sounds, and scents of New Brunswick to life with the goal of attracting visitors to New Brunswick.

“I was very excited to be invited to take part in this event,” exclaims Paulin, a contemporary artist from Moncton who works in textiles, printmaking, and installation. “I regularly engage the public in my artistic practice, but this was my first opportunity to do so outside of my home province and on a larger scale.”

Hosted at Oasis Immersion in Montreal, Imaginature was a free event that promised to take attendees on an enchanting sensory journey into the heart of New Brunswick. From the Bay of Fundy to the Acadian Peninsula, attendees got to walk through room after room of digital projections and tactile details, each space sharing a different part of New Brunswick’s natural beauty and rich culture. The experience extended out into the Palais de congrès, where visitors can meet the locals and learn more about all that New Brunswick has to offer.

Paulin hosted a two-day interactive workshop where participants took part in a collective rug hooking project, adapted from her ongoing work, The Water We Wear.

“I began by introducing the tradition of rug hooking, a craft with deep ties to the East Coast of Canada and Acadian culture,” says Paulin, who demonstrated the technique and invited participants to choose a piece of used clothing that resonated with them, incorporating it into the collective work. “I explained how my contemporary approach to rug hooking critically examines the textiles industry by symbolically slowing down the fast-fashion cycle—deconstructing and reconstructing materials with time, care, and labor.”

Paulin also gave an artist talk on both days, sharing insights into her practice and explaining how rug hooking has become central to The Water We Wear as a process of slow making and reconnection with materials.

“The feedback from attendees was a mix of curiosity and enthusiasm,” says Paulin, noting that the vast majority of participants had never heard of rug hooking, as it’s not a traditional craft in Quebec.

“Some participants were so delighted to learn a new textile medium that they stayed for one to two hours, completing entire sections, both kids and adults alike,” says Paulin.

Many attendees shared their own memories of textile work, such as needlework, crochet, tapestry, quilting, knitting, embroidery, sewing, and more from their youth or their home countries.

“This experience reinforced my belief that participatory art is vital to our communities,” says Paulin. “It provides an opportunity for people to engage with the creative process, letting go of self-criticism and perfectionism, and instead embracing the journey rather than focusing solely on the outcome.”

“I believe collective art has the power to foster a sense of community, promote social change, and create a climate of dialogue and understanding,” says Paulin, noting that while her artistic practice didn’t initially focus on collective creation, experiences like this continually reinforce the power of shared artmaking for her.

When asked what a memorable moment for her was, Paulin didn’t hesitate to share.

“A memorable moment occurred when a daughter and her elderly mother stopped by our table. Drawn in by the textiles and vibrant colours, the mother began sharing memories of her past as a talented seamstress. I watched her eyes light up as she took in the mix of patterns, colours, and textures spread out before her. I gently took her arm and guided her around the table to see the pieces created by participants, encouraging her to touch the fabrics and continue sharing her memories. I told her, “Your eyes are so full of light—kind and inviting.” She smiled and replied that she felt exactly the same. It felt like our souls were kindred through textiles.”