This month there are some interesting multidisciplinary shows at Artspace, as they partner with Trent University to bring us Lara Kramer’s ‘Phantom, stills & vibrations’ (opening on Saturday, March 3rd) and with Public Energy to bring us Jeneen Frei Njootli’s ‘I can’t make you those mitts because there is a hole in my heart and my hands hurt’, another performance-based exhibition.
The First Friday Art Crawl (March 2) in downtown Peterborough is once again bursting at the seams with art, music, and late-night markets at Watson & Lou and Meta4 Contemporary Craft Gallery. Salti Yoga (242 Hunter St. West) is joining in with a show of drawings by Anne Cavanagh from 6 to 9 p.m. and, at the same time, the new Creating Space art studio at 247 George St. North will add to the festivities with a drummer and belly-dance performance. These Friday night art-fests are great opportunities to meet artists and arts enthusiasts, as well as to get out and support the community.
March also features ‘Full circle’, a two-person exhibit at Christensen Fine Art showing recent work by Jane and Ron Eccles, ‘Vent’ by Laura Findlay at Evans Contemporary, painter John Climenhage at Star X Gallery, paintings by Holly Edwards at Acme Art and Sailboat Company, and an exhibit of new work by Andrew Cripps and artist-in-residence Connie Van Rijn at Coeur Nouveau. There will also be music and movie projections in the Banker’s Common adjoining Evans Contemporary.
Don’t miss out on the fun, and please remember there are a series of free events talks and workshops being hosted at Artspace and Trent during the first week of March.
‘Phantom, stills & vibrations’ by Lara Kramer at Artspace
An immersive installation by Lara Kramer entitled ‘Phantom, stills & vibrations’ is currently happening at Artspace. Trent University and Artspace have collaborated in making this show happen, as Kramer is the 2017-18 Ashley Fellow Artist In Residence at Trent.
Based in Montreal, Oji-Cree choreographer Lara Kramer is the artistic director of Lara Kramer Danse and her work often addresses political issues in Canada surrounding First Nations people. Accordingly, she has been recognised as a human rights advocate by the Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre. Using strong visuals and narrative in combination with movement, she creates pieces often linked to her own memory and aboriginal roots.
There will be an opening reception and performance on Saturday, March 3rd at 12 noon, with performances at 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. and a reception to follow. The installation continues until Friday, March 9th, with a closing reception from 7 to 10 p.m. (including a performance at 7:30 p.m.
A series of events and workshops related to Kramer’s work are also taking place during the first week of March. See the schedule on the Public Energy website at publicenergy.ca.
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.
Artspace presents ‘I can’t make you those mitts because there is a hole in my heart and my hands hurt’ by Jeneen Frei Njootli
Editor’s note: Njootli’s performance originally scheduled for March 16th has been rescheduled to March 15th. Also, the conversation between Njootli and Olivia Whetung originally scheduled for March 17th has been postponed until summer 2018 (a new date will be announced).
On Thursday, March 15th at 8 p.m., Artspace will present a special performance by Vuntut Gwitchin artist Jeneen Frei Njootli, marking the opening of her solo work ‘I can’t make you those mitts because there is a whole in my heart and my hands hurt’.
Engaging directly with Gwich’in territory and culture provides a radical grass roots methodology for Jeneen Frei Njootli.
Defined by the artist as ‘bushed theory’, the act of land-based living, and engaging in Gwich’in cultural traditions drives her practice.
In the gallery space, she uses sound, dust, grease and power tools, to represent this experience. Creating sonic landscapes and making marks, the artist leaves behind traces of labour, presence and motion.
The one-night-only performance is free, but space is limited. A reception will follow the performance. This show is presented in conjunction with Public Energy.
In other Artspace news, the annual 50/50 fundraiser is on the horizon. Look out for the call for artists to contribute and for ticket sales to begin. This event is always a lot of fun.
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.
Christensen Fine Art presents ‘Full Circle’ by Jane and Ron Eccles
‘Chinese Pot and Silver Dollars’ 30″x30″ by Jane Eccles, and ‘Untitled’, 30″x30′, by Ron Eccles. (Photos courtesy of Christensen Fine Art)
‘Full Circle’, an exhibition of works by Ron and Jane Eccles, opens from 6 to 8 p.m. during the First Friday Art Crawl at Christensen Fine Art in downtown Peterborough. The artists will be there in person and light refreshments will be served.
Both Ron and Jane have a long history of involvement in the arts both as visual artists and as art educators. After leaving Peterborough, where they were quite involved in the arts community and in the early days of Artspace, Ron taught intaglio printmaking at the Ontario College of Art, while Jane headed the arts program at Bowmanville High School. Now focusing entirely on their artistic practices, they live and work from their home in Bowmanville. This show marks their return to the Peterborough scene.
Ron is best known for his meticulously composed abstract work, and Jane for her paintings highlighting the accomplishments of Canadian women, most notably for a series of paintings of dresses worn by the likes of Margaret Atwood and Karen Kaine.
The show will be on display until Saturday, March 24th.
Christensen Fine Art is located at 432 George Street North in downtown Peterborough. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. For more information, visit www.christensenfineart.com.
Evans Contemporary presents ‘Vent’ by Laura Findlay
Laura Findlay’s ‘Vent’ is a new series of paintings inspired by the creation and destruction of land masses, such as mountains, over periods of time that we as humans find virtually incomprehensible.
Findlay uses both additive and subtractive processes, by painting on the surface and also scratching and scraping and in doing so removing paint, to explore these processes of creation and destruction.
Her process mimics creation of new, and the crumbling away of old structures.
The active volcano is a powerful symbol of something that creates as well as destroys, and also is a source of awe to us and a testament to the power of nature.
The exhibit’s opening reception will be held at Evans Contemporary from 6 to 11 p.m. during the First Friday Art Crawl (March 2). There will also be music and movie projection in the Banker’s Common, and a free listening party at the Sapphire Room (137 Hunter St. W., Peterborough).
‘Vent’ will remain on display until Saturday, March 31st.
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.
Acme Art & Sailboat Company features Holly Edwards
Acme Art & Sailboat Company presents ‘Figures Explored’, a series of paintings by Lakefield-based artist Holly Edwards.
“Acrylics are my main medium supporting experiments with mixed media, such as soft pastels, oil sticks, ink, and paper cut-outs,” Holly writes on her website. “I paint a variety of subjects, but I most enjoy painting people.
“For me figurative art offers the greatest challenge: How can I capture an emotion, the surrounding space, the changing light in a contemporary manner? Figures become the outlet to allow myself to push the acrylic medium as far as possible, by glazing and layering, using bold brushstrokes and mark-making (pallet knives, ends of paintbrushes, sticks), with bold and contrasting colours, at times intentionally distorting perspective or human form, and sometimes mixing media in the process — and the process is ever changing, and never fully known.”
Drop in during the First Friday Art Crawl (March 2) from 6 to 11 p.m. to meet the artist, and also to see Joe Stable’s latest work on display in the Copper Closet.
Acme Art and Sailboat Company is located at 129-1/2 Hunter Street West, 3rd floor, in downtown Peterborough. Hours of operation are Thursday to Saturday from 12 until 3 p.m. or by appointment.
Star X presents paintings by John Climenhage
John Climenhage is a prolific painter based in Peterborough who is known for his striking depictions of landscapes, local scenes, and abstract compositions. You can be sure that this exhibition will provide a lot to see.
Don’t miss the opening from 6 to 11 p.m. during the First Friday Art Crawl (March 2).
Star X is located at 129-1/2 Hunter St. West, 3rd floor, in downtown Peterborough. Regular hours of operation are Saturday from 12 to 6 p.m.
Coeur Nouveau presents Connie Van Rijn in studio and new work by Andrew Cripps
This March, Connie Van Rijn will take over the inner room of the Coeur Nouveau and use it as a studio. The public will be able to stop in and see the artist in residence at work on her latest project.
In the foyer, there will be an exhibition of new work by Andrew Cripps, with an opening reception during the First Friday Art Crawl (March 2) from 6 to 11 p.m
Coeur Nouveau is located on the 2nd floor of the Commerce Building at 129-1/2 Hunter St. West in downtown Peterborough.
