What a night! On Thursday, October 23rd, our community came together for a reimagined take on our signature fundraiser, Metamorphosis - an evening filled with connection, celebration, and transformation. From the first warm welcome to the final joyful farewell, every moment reflected the heart of Hopewell: compassion, creativity, and collective care.

Guests were invited into a space designed to nourish both body and mind. At the forefront were our featured artists and their live pieces (explore them below), alongside our beloved Chefs and their thoughtfully curated menus - each dish a celebration of local talent and shared joy. Our treasured silent and live auctions added excitement and generosity to the evening, thanks to the incredible community leaders who donated.

One of the most meaningful moments was our reimagined raffle, which truly took flight this year. At the center of Parlour stood a striking nature installation: butterflies suspended from a canopy of branches. As the night unfolded, guests added their own affirmations to the tree, watching it bloom with messages of hope, resilience, and recovery - a living testament to our community’s shared power to heal.

Thank you for being a part of a night that reminded us how beautiful growth can be - especially when we do it together.

Welcomes, Mingling, and First Bites

Artist Spotlight

Throughout the evening, guests were invited to witness transformation in real time through the work of our featured artists. Each live piece unfolded as a reflection of growth, vulnerability, and creative resilience - echoing the journey of eating disorder recovery. Whether abstract or representational, bold or delicate, these works offered space for reflection, connection, and hope. We’re so grateful to these artists for sharing their talents and stories, and for helping us turn Metamorphosis into a living, breathing canvas of healing

Greta Gripp:

Greta’s medium is knitting. Greta came with a prepared panel composed of knitted layers; each knitted layer had an image or a text that related to our theme. In order to view each layer, guests pulled the yarn, in doing so the top knitted panel would unravel and a new knitted panel will be uncovered showing another image. This continued throughout the event until the last knitted panel is exposed, as you can see in the last image.

Marc Forgette

During the evening, Marc created two traditional Indigenous hand drums, live. Each drum was crafted using locally sourced white-tailed deer hide and natural materials, reflecting the connection to the land and respect for the animal’s spirit. These hand drums were completed during the evening and auctioned off to support Hopewell’s programming, offering attendees a unique opportunity to witness the making process and take home a meaningful piece of Indigenous artistry.

Samantha Woj

Samantha Woj is a physically disabled Canadian visual artist born with Ectrodactyly. A condition characterized by the absence or malformation of the fingers and toes. The absence of digits in her hands has impacted both her approach to sports and art. Inspired by her love for sports and art, Woj began using sports equipment, an unconventional paintbrush to capture the energy and movement found in sports. By rolling and gliding sports equipment across a canvas, Woj creates dynamic, abstract forms that reflect the spirit of sports and the sense of community they foster.

Kiana Simmons

Kiana Simmons is a queer, Ottawa based miniaturist. Through their business, Miniature Veg, they have hosted over 50 travelling polymer clay miniature food workshops since February 2024 across Canada & abroad. Kiana manages the Ottawa Miniature Gallery, and runs monthly workshops in Ottawa and other Ontario cities. Miniature Veg workshops will leave you feeling inspired to start exploring the incredible world of miniatures. For our event, Kiana created a miniature garden scene bursting with flowers and vegetables. Guests were able to watch the garden change and grow as the night progressed, and notice the tiny details that come together using a mix of materials, including wood, metal, polymer clay and everyday household items.

Tina St. John

And Of Course…

Thank You To Those Who Made Metamorphosis Possible 💛

Metamorphosis would not have been possible without the incredible dedication of our volunteers, committee members, and sponsors. From early planning to the final farewell, your care, creativity, and generosity shaped every detail of the evening. Volunteers brought warmth and energy to every guest interaction, our committee members guided the vision with heart and precision, and our sponsors made it all possible through their unwavering support. Together, you helped create a space where healing, hope, and transformation could truly take flight. Thank you for being the wings behind this unforgettable night.

Tina St. John is a multidisciplinary artist, songwriter, and advocate based in Ottawa. Her creative practice bridges sculpture, song, and storytelling as pathways to healing and self-integration. The sculpture she created reflected the tender process of transformation and recovery. Within the open form of a cage, a small bird-like figure stands poised at the threshold of freedom. Another bird takes flight above her — representing the self that dares to emerge.

One Ingredient - Transformed

Our well-known and beloved Chef’s made a return for this year’s event! Chef Tu Le and Chef Cam created two culinary journeys that our guests could experience, transforming a single ingredient over two dishes.

Tree of Kindness - $1,000 Prize

This year’s raffle took flight in a whole new way—literally. At the heart of Parlour stood our Tree of Kindness: a living installation of branches adorned with delicate butterflies and handwritten affirmations. Each raffle entry invited guests to contribute a message of hope, encouragement, or gratitude, transforming the tree into a vibrant symbol of collective healing. As the night unfolded, the tree blossomed with color and compassion, reminding us that recovery is not only possible—it’s powered by community, kindness, and the courage to grow.