Beaverbrook Art Gallery hosted a morning of mindfulness where participants could get exercise through a yoga class surrounded by art pieces.
On Sunday, Oct. 1, yoga instructor Tammy Ward led her class at the biggest art gallery in Fredericton. The event, named Morning of Mindfulness, was the first yoga event at the gallery.
“Art and yoga are connected,” said Ward.
The gallery’s event coordinators like to incorporate fundraising activities throughout the year. These fundraisers are hosted by volunteers in the community who offer their time and skills to host fun events.
Rachel Forrestall, development assistant of the Beaverbrook Art Gallery, has aided in the organization of several events hosted at the gallery.
She is responsible for the gallery’s fundraising and development and is always seeking volunteers in the community to donate their time and perform events in the gallery.
“We have a lot of people that volunteer for the gallery or give to the gallery in different ways using their skills in a creative way,” said Forestall.
Ward has a personal connection with art and is a friend of the gallery. She grew up as a dancer and studied classical ballet for a big part of her life. During her second year of university, she taught fitness classes. Since then, she has studied several forms of exercise.
“It suddenly became a lifelong progression of studying different types of modalities for exercise,” she said.
Ward is a retired police officer and a full-time yoga instructor.
She said there are countless benefits to yoga, the mindfulness and meditation aspects are her most valued.
“I teach because so many people look at yoga on a physical plane and there is so much more to us as human beings than just what you see,” she said.
Ward said it is important to focus on our minds — to be able to sit quietly, reflect through a form of meditation and take care of our mental health. She added yoga is an art form and when practiced, can bring “great peace and calmness.”
“I think it’s really important to focus on our inner self and learn to be still and take care of our minds,” she said.
Ward said the Beaverbrook Art Gallery is a beautiful and calm place where people can go to observe and talk about art.
“The space is beautiful, the energy is beautiful, and the environment is captivating,” she said.
She said when yoga and art are connected, a sense of utter calmness is reached. Both are a perfect pair.
“I like to think of movements as an art, so is yoga, a movement of art,” she said.
