This January, we see a lot of bright abstract shows happening throughout the area, at the Art Gallery of Bancroft, Evans Contemporary, and Black Honey. A couple of shows in the spirit of the open studio, featuring artists at work, can be found at Star X and Coeur Nouveau, and one never knows what other nearby studios may open their doors on the evening of the Friday, January 5th.
A soiree on the same evening at Meta 4 Gallery will be happening, highlighting work done by students and instructors in their studio throughout the year, and Watson & Lou will be open late with refreshments as well.
There are a series of interesting workshops coming up at the Arts and Heritage Centre — who are currently accepting donations of recyclable goods to be made into masks, costumes, and massive puppets! Artspace presents ‘hochelaga rock’ by Hanna Claus, an interesting new take on an historic monument.
Artspace presents ‘hochelaga rock’ by Hanna Claus
Hanna Claus reminds us that some histories we will not find written in history books.
In this show, we are looking into the story of the Iroquois village encountered by Jaques Cousteau in 1535, which is commemorated by Hochelaga Rock. This story is but one side of history, and this commemoration but one way of remembering. Claus’s ‘hochelaga rock’ draws attention to this fact, and makes room for indigenous voices and world views outside the western structures of chronology and record.
An opening reception will be held on Friday, January 12th from 7 until 9 p.m., with the artist in attendance. An artist’s talk will be held the following day at Artspace at 1 p.m.
Artspace is an accessible space located at 378 Aylmer Street in downtown Peterborough. Regular hours of operation are Tuesday to Friday from noon to 6 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. Parking is available in the municipal lot on Hunter Street between Aylmer and George. For more information, call 705-748-3883 or visit artspace-arc.org.
The Arts and Heritage Centre invites you to participate in ‘Animating Warkworth by Night’
The Arts and Heritage Centre of Warkworth will be hosting a series of mask, costume and puppet-making workshops beginning on Saturday, January 27th and continuing through February into early March. These fun workshops will be overseen by costume designers and artists as participants create epic masks, costumes, and giant puppets!
The centre is currently seeking donations of materials they can reuse such as CDs, cardboard tubing, fabric, newspaper, shredded paper, flowers, feathers, beads, clean pop bottles, and coils of wire.
These items can be dropped in boxes located outside the Arts and Heritage Centre, located at 35 Church St. in Warkworth.
The workshop series ‘Animating Warkworth by Night’ will culminate in a showing at the Maple Syrup Festival in March and the main event this summer: parading them through town as part of Warkworth’s second annual ‘Warkworth by Night Festival’ on Saturday, June 2nd.
More upcoming workshops include dance (Bollywood and Bhangra, Cuban Salsa, International Folk dance, and more) and also lantern making.
Ah! Arts and Heritage Centre of Warkworth is located at 35 Church Street in downtown Warkworth. Hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. For more information about upcoming workshops and fees, visit ahcentre.ca or contact Rebecca Baptista, Arts Administrator, at info@ahcentre.ca or 705-925-4450.
Evans Contemporary presents ‘Garden of Earthly Delights’ by Peter Barron
This month Evans Contemporary will feature Peterborough-based artist Peter Barron. His brightly coloured abstracted series ‘Garden of Earthly Delights’ is definitely eye-catching. Landscapes and figures emerge from bold bright daubs of colour and tangled brushstrokes, creating images both abstract and representational.
First setting up his studio here in Peterborough in the early 1970s, Barron has shown his prints and paintings both nationally and internationally, and also been an active member of his local arts community. These paintings are done in acrylic and oil, on both canvas and panel.
Come out to the opening reception on Friday, January 5th from 6 p.m. until 11 p.m. The show will be on display in the gallery until Saturday, January 27th.
Evans Contemporary is located at #2 Banker’s Common in downtown Peterborough. For more information, visit www.evanscontemporary.com or contact Paolo Fortin at evanscontemporary@gmail.com.
Star X hosts Ann Jaeger
Ann Jaeger will be taking over Star X for the month of January, working on a new series of work for an upcoming exhibition.
Drop in and see her in action creating her mixed media work, and perhaps gain some insight into her process during the First Friday Art Crawl. A reception will be held on Friday, January 5th, from 6 to 11 p.m.
Star X is located at 129-1/2 Hunter St. West, 3rd floor, in downtown Peterborough. Hours of operation are Saturday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Coeur Nouveau hosts Andrew MacDonald and Sarah Gibeault
Artists Sarah Gibeault and Andrew MacDonald will be working in the Coeur Nouveau gallery space for the month of January, giving people an inside look into their artistic processes.
Drop by on Friday January 5th between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. to see what they are up to.
Coeur Nouveau is located on the 2nd floor of the Commerce Building at 129-1/2 Hunter St. West in downtown Peterborough.
Meta4 Gallery presents ‘Studio Soiree’, a tribute to students and instructors
Showing work from instructors and students over the year as a tribute to work done in their own studio, Meta4 will open its doors on the night of Friday. January 5th from 6 until 11 p.m.
Drop by for some light refreshments, mingle, and see what people have been up to in the studio.
Also, if you register for classes before January 12th, you will receive a $10 discount!
META4 Gallery is located at 164 Hunter St. West in downtown Peterborough. For more information, e-mail ptbo@meta4gallery.ca, call 705-874-9444, or visit www.meta4gallery.ca.
Black Honey features Robert Atyeo
The visual art of Robert Atyeo, who is known to many as a musician, will be on display this month at Black Honey.
Drop in for a coffee and check out these colourful pieces. The show continues through January into February, and a reception for the show will be held on Friday, February 2nd, as part of the February First Friday Art Crawl.
Black Honey is located at 217 Hunter St. West in downtown Peterborough. Find them online at www.blackhoneycafe.ca.
Art Gallery of Bancroft presents ‘Flow’ by Freddie Towe
Towe has been working with various art forms for the past three decades, beginning with video and film, then assemblage and sculpture, and eventually painting.
In 2015, Towe moved to the Bancroft area where she set up her studio. She shows her work at A Place For the Arts and Bridge Street.
“My work often speaks to my need for connection and of what can be discarded or over looked,” Towe says. “I work in this metaphor to find connection. The work contains figures, architecture, interiors, exteriors, urban, rural and extra-terrestrial landscapes central to my imagination. It talks about how lives can seem random, serendipitous, fitting together in only place and time.”
Drop by and see Towe’s latest abstract paintings at the Art Gallery of Bancroft.
The Art Gallery of Bancroft is located at 10 Flint Avenue in Bancroft. Hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday to Saturday. For more information, visit www.artgallerybancroft.ca.
