“I hope for the final project to be something that’s continually being reworked,” responded Traill College artist–in-residence, Wendy Trusler when asked about her evolving work, Voices at Hand. It’s an archive of nearly 4,000 letters that span more than 200 years of correspondence and has been showcased at the downtown college during Ms. Trusler’s residency.

Ms. Trusler is a local artist and a longtime friend of Trent University, having previously been hosted at Trent twice before by Gzowski College in 2012 and Lady Eaton College in 2013.

Over the course of her current residency, Ms. Trusler engaged her audiences in captivating readings of various letters that transported her visitors back in time. She encouraged people to interact with the history infused in her work and had people guess what year certain letters were written.

Principal of Traill College Dr. Michael Eamon also shared his enthusiasm for the residency and its benefits for both the college and the local community.

“Part of the revitalization of Traill as Trent University’s downtown college includes the fostering of greater relations with local artists and performers,” Professor Eamon observed. “Wendy and her work offer a great bridge between the university and greater Peterborough community.”

Follow Wendy Trusler and Voices at Hand as it continues to evolve and grow on Facebook, Twitter, and its dedicated blog. She also has a personal website that hosts her entire collection of work.