When life gives Highlands artist Veronica Abrenica lemons, she tosses them into a proverbial pot of ‘Chamba Chamba’ – a favourite saying of her Filipino uncle growing up that means ‘come what may’ – and continues to smile.
“It took a long time for me to teach myself that, no matter what happens, no matter the challenges, we can persevere. Come what may, approach it with a good attitude,” Abrenica said.
A COVID-19 transplant from Vaughan, Abrenica said she loves life in Haliburton County. She remembers visiting as a child, her parents venturing north for summer vacations at the Wigamog Inn, where they had a timeshare. Wanting to be closer to nature more permanently, Abrenica sought an escape.
She found a studio apartment in Minden that “spoke” to her artistic soul, moving here permanently in 2021.
With a penchant for art, Abrenica feels like she hit the jackpot relocating to the community relatively sight unseen, without knowing how deep the Highlands’ artistic roots run. One of her first discoveries was Fay Wilkinson’s art therapy classes in Minden.
“They were exactly what I needed to reinvigorate my creative spirit,” Abrenica said.
Bits and pieces she picked up from Fay, as well as her 11 years as a professional artist, will be on display this weekend at The Space in Haliburton as Abrenica prepares for her first solo art exhibit. Fittingly, she’s called it ‘Chamba Chamba’.
“My uncle would always say this while cooking – it basically means whatever resource you have, you put it in the pot and hope that it tastes good,” Abrenica said. “You have to activate the sweetness, sourness, bitterness – all the taste buds. So this show will be about activating the senses, peeling back the onion to show what makes someone human, sharing the soul.”
Her uncle passed away in 2021, so she’s using the exhibit to commemorate and honour his memory.
Describing herself as a performance artist, Abrenica said there will be various mediums showcased when the three-day exhibit opens Sept. 5. She will be leading in-person live performances Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 6 p.m., while also displaying multimedia, mixed media, and collage works on the gallery walls.
Abrenica considers the entire display a “living exhibit” that she’s encouraging all attendees to contribute to or move around, whether you’re an artist or not.
“The act of making art is beautiful – I love when people are in the moment. I love the mistakes, the quirkiness that comes out, because it’s authentic,” Abrenica said. “I’ve lived most of my life through my authenticity. The way everything is constructed in life, you feel like you have to fit in somewhere in this realm. But art allows you to go beyond that.
“We forget sometimes we’re human, we’re not robots. We’re meant to exist together, share one another’s stories. This is going to be my story, and I hope others will tell theirs too,” she added.
The dates are extra significant to Abrenica, as it’s the anniversary of her mother moving to Canada. She said the art will cover her mother’s story, too.
“It navigates the story of belonging. Everyone has their own journey, but I’m realizing more my Filipino upbringing is very tied into how I move through space, how I live my life,” Abrenica said.
The Space is open Sept. 5 from 5 to 7 p.m. and Sept. 6/7 from noon to 5 p.m., with performances at 6 p.m. Friday’s performance will take place at Blue Sky Yoga Studio.
