A pink throne, plants and a list of loved ones: A filmmaker's pandemic happy place

CBC Manitoba's Creator Network asked local artists to imagine their happy place as we mark the one-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. Here is one of several projects we will share in the coming weeks.

I live in a 958-square-foot apartment. Space is precious and I want to be inspired by my surroundings, particularly as we pass the one-year anniversary of the pandemic in Manitoba.

I am a filmmaker, writerand actor. Creativity is my passion and purpose. But the pandemic threatened to snuff out my creative fire.

To help cope withthe confines of being stuck at home, I transformed my space into apersonal art gallery that helps me stay focused and pushes me creatively.

For the past year, I've been organizing and reorganizing my apartment in an effort to have each space trigger happy memories of art and life. It has helped keep my creative fires stoked.

Filled with thrift-store furniture, pastel hues and a lot of wicker and copper, my place is artsy. (That's what my friends always say, anyway.)

Artsy makes sense.

Every corner of my third floor home is populated with personal treasures that transport me from my apartment to places with people and to moments of happier times. Dried flowers remind me of opening night screenings of my films. My slate board takes me back to the excitement and exhaustion of film shoot days.

I also have things that make me dream about the new memories I'll be making when this is all over.

Welcome to my personal happy place, Joanne's Maison. Mayyou find or create your own corners of creative bliss.

Throne life

My bigpink queen chair is one of my favourite places in my apartment. It sits in the corner of my living room. It's where I relax, listen to music on my old radio, and play my ukulele in the sunlight.

The space is decorated with things that spark creativity and positivity. I have woodwork made by a local artist that makes me dream of mountains. And on the wall, there's a letter from the mayor congratulating me on winning the emerging filmmaker award from the Gimli Film Festival in 2020. It reaffirms that I'm good at what I do.

At home, at work

My desk (let's be real, it's a dining table) changes every day. It sits in the middle of my apartment in front of the balcony window. My plants are my co-workers, and Ihave a lot of co-workers. Every morning I select a few plants, set them on my table and we enjoy the sunlight. My motto: Bringing things to life requires life.

Music-making

The den, a.k.a. my studio, is home to my piano, half-sized guitar, headphonesand camera setup. It's a little corner away from windows so I have complete privacy, and I can easily get lost in my own world as I write songs and dream big.

A single spotlight, dried roses and stacks of notes remind me of late nights spent rehearsing at the theatre.

My studio is tucked away in a corner and doesn't get a lot of sunlight, making it feel very different from the rest of my home. I happily retreat to my studio corner when I need to change things up a bit.

Dream Space

My bedroom and the curated objects within remind me of many happy times.

My director's chair and film slate, which I bring to every set, each hold inspirational memories.

On my vision board a wipe board right beside my bed I write daily prompts, which I change from time to time. I remind myself to take the time I need to rest my brain and my heart, that deadlines are flexible, and all art is subjective and valid. Under #teamjoanne, I have listed the people wholove me unconditionally.

I'm a very social person, so isolation hasn't been easy for me. Sleeping and waking to these reminders helps me.

A room with my view

My balcony has saved me. The fresh air, the skyand the bustle of the world beyond my four walls brings me joy.

Even on cold days, I find myself staring out of the window and looking at the sky. The sunsets and stars inspire me.

Last summer, I spent hours outside, nestled in my comfy chair, working on a TV tray. The sights, smellsand sounds of naturebroke up the monotony of Zoom calls and ad nauseam meetings.

Joanne Robertsis an award-winning Canadian filmmaker and TV, film and theatre actress. Most recently, she has appeared in the Crave seriesEdgar(2020) and the feature filmI Propose We Never See Each Other Again After Tonight(2020). She is also the 2020 recipient of theEmerging Filmmaker Pitch Competition from the Gimli Film Festival. Her short film, Anak, about a mother-daughter relationship, is currently in production.