In this episode of The Tree Planters Podcast, we return to the Red Earth Gallery at St. Paul’s Centre to explore Phase 3 of the Art of Reconciliation project. Created during 2021–2023, this round unfolds against an intense period in Canadian public life: the discovery of unmarked graves at former residential schools, the establishment of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and the shared vulnerability of the COVID-19 pandemic. These events shaped how Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists entered the work, influencing both the themes they carried forward and the questions they were able to ask.

Phase 3 stands apart in the project’s story. The artists had already spent years building relationships across earlier rounds, and by this stage they were navigating a moment when public awareness, grief, and responsibility converged in ways that couldn’t be ignored. Their works respond to this shift—reflecting on isolation and interdependence, the obligations of witnessing, the reopening of suppressed histories, and the personal work required to reconcile with truth. Many pieces engage directly with the broader social context: the trauma resurfacing as unmarked graves came to national attention, the disruptions of the pandemic, and the renewed conversations about land, water, and returning to teachings.

Our discussion follows the artwork sequence and the stories behind it, considering how this round marks a turning point. Rather than focusing solely on learning or initial awareness, Phase 3 reflects a deeper stage of the process—one rooted in vulnerability, honesty, and the recognition that reconciliation requires personal transformation as well as structural change. Together, we look at how the artists interpret this moment, and how their work contributes to an ongoing effort to understand, repair, and build relationships in Simcoe County and beyond.

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