Like: Connected Online. Exhibited irl.
An evening surrounded by the magic of human connection, creative freedom and high spirits: on the 21st of May 2026, I attended the private viewing of the art exhibition, Like: Connected Online. Exhibited Irl. Set up in the light and spacious Kit Form on Jamaica Street, Bristol, the art of a group of friends who met online, Ellie Kerr-Smiley, Ellis King, Flo Lee, Heidi Clawson, Jasmine Rosten-Edwards, Katie Jones, Lucy Pass and Michelle Heron, was proudly displayed; it was an evening full of deep conversation and delicious wine that will inspire me for a long time to come.
As the title of this exhibition suggests, this group of artists had originally met each other online, and the private viewing was the first time they had all met in person. Their individual work was displayed together, rather than having their own walls or spaces. They started with no theme and no plan, just trust in themselves and the creative process. This freedom really paid off as their pieces, although different in style and subject, worked fantastically together. In this display, the strength of their connection and friendship shone through.
That’s what I feel like this collection embodied: human connection and the human experience. From our emotional inner worlds to what makes up the external world around us, this was all shown separately in each piece of art. Put together, it built a picture of the everyday life that most of us experience. The differences in their artistic styles complemented one another beautifully, while their shared abstract inspirations wove a unifying thread through all bodies of work.
Jasmine was the first artist I met that evening, and she was incredibly welcoming, showing me around the exhibition. In her portraits, she aimed to portray black men in a positive light. Sometimes painting on an artist’s palette or even a skateboard, Jasmine described the man in these portraits as taking a gentle and passive stance. Her work took abstract inspiration from artists such as Pablo Picasso.
In comparison, Ellis took a more realistic approach in her art, rather than an abstract one. Her work sought to expose the inner turmoil that everyone experiences but keeps private. In each of these portraits, I was pulled into the abyss of the woman’s eyes, feeling, not just seeing, an inner world gripped by exhaustion, insecurities and hopelessness. In bravely exposing these feelings, Ellis unites us in what she described as a “universal but private experience”.
Ellis’s work contrasted well with Michelle’s, who painted exteriors of the buildings we pass every day. This is one example of how their artwork intertwined and shaped each other, showing both our inner and outer worlds. Michelle’s paintings portrayed the “disappearing high street”, showing fantastic, intricate details in the buildings most of us are familiar with. She described loving laundrettes for their lighting and general vintage feeling.
Another landscape artist, Heidi, painted more natural spaces, with what she described as “dramatic landscapes” engrossed by storms that created a dark atmosphere. In these pieces, there was a small house, often with a small light or fairy lights, representing safety in a storm. The lights in or on these houses represent leaving a light on for those you have lost, a reminder that they are still with you in some way and are never left behind or forgotten. I described to Heidi how much this spoke to me as someone who is grieving two wonderful rabbits. Here, we discovered we both shared the joy of loving rabbits but also the deep sadness of losing them.
Moving into more vibrant art with Ellie’s work, nature was still incorporated with the use of flowers for symbolism of resilience, strength and delicacy. She also described how they follow a similar cycle of growth and rebirth to women. Her painting, Patience, stood out to me as it brought a sense of calm.
Like Ellie, Lucy brought a sense of vibrancy to her work, underpinned by strong abstract influences. Her piece, Lag, was especially striking; it gave me the impression that she was dismantling the human head and reassembling it in a new and intriguing way. I was reminded of how societal beauty standards can pull our sense of self apart, making us lose sight of who we really are.
Katie was another portrait artist and was one of the women who helped put this exhibition together. Her piece, New Hardware Installed, based on her experiences of breaking her leg, was an incredibly vulnerable piece showing the emotional turmoil that comes with exhaustion from pain and missing out on much of life.
Lastly, we have Flo, who was credited by the other artists as the one who brought them all together. Her work was described as “innocence corrupted”, with incredibly hard-hitting pieces, such as Paper Hat, showing strong emotion in children. When I first laid eyes on this piece, I was instantly hit with emotion so strong that I nearly burst into tears. I am so impressed with how she was able to convey so much emotion in one piece.
The whole evening was a very joyful experience, surrounded by incredible art and women who uplifted and supported each other. I was moved by the strength of their connection, the pride they had in each other and the depths in which they spoke. They proved what women can do when they stick together and make things happen for themselves. With a buzz of excitement and accomplishment in the air, it was impossible to leave that exhibition without feeling elated. Although the exhibition is now over, you can find the artists’ work below:
Katie Jones
@katiejones_somerset
Flo Lee
@florenceleeandco
Jasmine Rosten-Edwards
@oneoffto25
www.oneoffto25.com/collections/r-edwards
Ellis King
@elliskingart
Lucy Pass
@lucy.pass.artist
Michelle Heron
@michelleheron.art
Ellie Kerr-Smiley
@elliekerrsmiley
Heidi Clawson
@heidiclawsonart
Written by Emily Shields
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