Art and Found

Martha Milne

On Tuesday, March 12, my curiosity was piqued when crossing the Adàwe bridge over the Rideau River. There, leaning against the railing, was a large unopened zip-lock plastic bag. While many others had passed it by, I opened the bag to find a package and poster inside. The poster, in large print, read “FREE ART!.” I had just gotten lucky!

I was thrilled with my find, and excited about returning home to open the package.

My friend Barbara Szatanski, an Ottawa artist and jeweller, had told me about the annual International Art and Found Day happening on March 12, although, at the time, I didn’t pay close attention to the date. Szatanski works under the business name BDaszled Deszigns and regularly exhibits her work at the Art in Strathcona Park show, held every August.

On International Art and Found Day, artists worldwide leave free works of art around their neighborhoods for residents to find. In 2015, Courtney Senior, a Toronto-based artist, started leaving her art in her community. She wasn’t ready to sell her pieces but wanted to share them with others. And to help people feel comfortable about picking up strange packages, she created the hashtag #ArtandFound – and also inserted personal notes explaining the project. Other artists learned about Art and Found through word of mouth and social media, and soon were expressing an interest in participating.

The Art and Found Day became international in 2021. That year, there were more than 1,225 artists in 49 countries participating.

My Art and Found package contained two pieces of abstract art created from wool and silk in a process called nuno felting and an invitation to reach out to Sandy Hill printmaker and fibre artist Luigina Baratto via Instagram. I messaged my thanks and contacted Baratto again later for this article.

Baratto’s participation in the Art and Found Day was partly about breaking into the art scene. “For me,” she said, “making art is not about selling it; it’s about having fun and having others enjoy and appreciate it. It’s always a pleasant surprise when someone buys something I’ve created.”

Participating in the event was also about trying something new and for strangers to see her artwork. Baratto left two art packages, one close to Working Title on Laurier Avenue East and the other on a bench beside the Rideau River, as well as the one I found.

“I wanted to provide people joy in their day,” she added.

Meanwhile, Szatanski left six art packages around her Elmvale Acres neighbourhood. This year was her first time participating, too. Her motivation, like Baratto’s, was to share the joy of her creation without the pressure of selling her work. Szatanski explained, “Art and Found Day is a wonderful initiative that brings delight to artists and to those who find their art, on the same day. It’s fantastic to see how this day has grown to include so many artists from different nations.”

While you’ll have to wait until March 12, 2025 to find free artwork randomly placed around Sandy Hill, you won’t need to wait that long to find art locally. This year’s Art in Strathcona Park event, organized by Ottawa’s Mental Illness Caregivers Association of Canada, will be held on August 10. While there, look for Szatanski’s BDaszled Deszigns among the many talented artists displaying their work. Someday soon, I hope we’ll see Luigina Baratto’s art exhibited there, too.