Visual Arts students Bethany D’Souza and Ana Luiza Strazzi Nogueira interviewed artist Dana Edmonds whose work is being exhibited until Dec. 4 at Dawson’s Warren G. Flowers Art Gallery (2G.0 near the 4001 de Maisonneuve Boulevard West entrance). Here is the Q & A.

Were there any specific life experiences/personal realizations that inspired and motivated you to develop the exhibition Consumed Consequences on the themes of overconsumption and fast fashion? 

Dana Edmonds: It was after releasing my first solo album and giving birth to my son in Toronto that I was diagnosed with MS, Multiple Sclerosis. After the joy of bringing two of my loves into the world, my music and my child, I felt punished, as if my life were over.

I moved back to Montreal and stopped everything, focusing on my son and processing my grief from my diagnosis. During this time, I began noticing garbage on the streets, feeling both disgusted and intrigued at the same time. I started photographing and painting what I saw. With nothing left to lose, I finally gave myself permission to create freely. From there, everything began to open up.

My practice evolved into researching and exploring overconsumption, which led me to understand the devastating impact of fast fashion on the climate crisis. It even changed my own consuming habits, especially in fashion. I had always bought second-hand and participated in a swap club, but I stopped getting excited about cheap clothes after learning what I discovered.

The irony of life brought me full circle to art, from earning my Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) at NSCAD University, Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in Halifax, to finally being able to use my skills for an issue I care deeply about.

In Consumed Consequences, there are paintings that incorporate principles from graphic design, there are prints, a textile work, and also a music composition. How do you approach working with a variety of mediums/art approaches in your art practice? 

Dana Edmonds: It has been an intuitive process, honestly. Over the years, I have worked across multiple mediums, each reflecting a different stage of my life. It feels natural that I would eventually bring all of these experiences together to explore the themes that drive my current practice.

More recently, this has included textile and video work, as well as writing. I approach working with different mediums with curiosity and resourcefulness, embracing the challenge of learning new skills and finding ways to translate my ideas across formats. I’ve come to realize that all mediums follow the same underlying principles.

Like a puzzle, I examine how and why I would use a particular medium, then figure out a way to make it work—sometimes taking a course, sometimes teaching myself, often using YouTube as a resource. I make plenty of mistakes, but I learn as I go. Each medium serves as a tool to bring an idea to life, and each has its own unique purpose in my practice. I also believe it is important as an artist to experiment with many mediums. It is fascinating to see how a vision translates across them and to realize that your voice is never lost in the process.

What do you hope exhibition visitors will understand as the main message or consideration behind your art practice, and specifically the works in Consumed Consequences? 

Dana Edmonds: The main message I hope visitors take away from my practice, and specifically from Consumed Consequences as an act of resistance, is the importance of care, repair, consideration, and empathy in the way we consume.

My work invites viewers to reflect on the choices we make, particularly around fashion and overconsumption, and to recognize the social, environmental, and ethical impact of those choices. By highlighting the hidden consequences of fast fashion, I aim to foster awareness and encourage more thoughtful, responsible engagement with the things we buy and use. I also advocate for change, transparency, responsibility, sustainability, and fairness throughout the global fashion supply chain.