This May, there are interesting new exhibits featured at the Art Gallery of Peterborough, a talk at the Visual Arts Centre of Clarington by multidisciplinary artist Anne O’Callaghan, and Martha Eleen’s ‘Before Tomorrow’ opening at the Art Gallery of Bancroft.
The 50/50 Art Draw is happening at Artspace, with a preview night during the First Friday art crawl on May 4th. Also on May 4th, Christensen Fine Art launches a new show by abstract painter and installation artist Rowena Dykins, while Chey Greig and Joe Stable are featured at Acme. Later in the month, work by Tsēma Ighara is opening at Artspace.
There’s a creative disciplines workshop with Chrissy Poitras and Kyle Topping at Artspace and a Arts and Heritage Centre of Warkworth lantern-making workshop, and not to be forgotten are the inaugural Peterborough Arts Awards, coming up on May 25th during the Mayor’s Luncheon for the Arts which features guest speaker Wanda Nanibush of the Art Gallery of Ontario.
Finally, Public Energy Performing Arts is seeking a summer student as a program assistant in media and communications.
The Art Gallery of Bancroft presents ‘Before Tomorrow’ by Martha Eleen starting May 1
‘Before Tomorrow’ is a series of paintings by Martha Eleen illustrating the artist’s journey into abstraction. As her work is rooted in her life, this show also makes reference a period of time before during and after the death of her son. Martha is now in a place where she depicts her own internal landscape in her abstract canvasses.
Eleen’s paintings have received critical attention in the form of curatorial essays, reviews and publications, and have been exhibited in public galleries in Canada, U.S.A, Mexico, and Japan. Her work is represented in permanent collections including the Art Gallery of Ontario. She is an honours graduate of Emily Carr College of Art in Vancouver. Eleen lives in Toronto where she teaches painting and drawing at Toronto School of Art and is represented by Loop Gallery.
‘Before Tomorrow’ will be on display at the Art Gallery of Bancroft Tuesday, May 1st until Saturday, May 26th. Drop by the opening reception on Friday, May 4th at 7:30 p.m. to see the collection and perhaps discuss more about the process with the artist.
The gallery will also be offering “Ways of Seeing: Four different ways to enter a painting process”, a workshop with Eleen from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m on Sunday, May 6th. Contact the gallery for details.
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 (the gallery is also open on Mondays from mid-May through mid-October). For more information, visit www.artgallerybancroft.ca.
‘There is no map for the road I find myself upon’ by Rowena Dykins opens at Christensen Fine Art on May 4
Based in the Peterborough area, Rowena Dykins is an abstract painter and installation artist who captures movement and energy through the use of gesture, composition, and colour.
Her latest show, ‘There is no map for the road I find myself upon’, is informed by travel, change, and exploration. These bright striking paintings, sometimes almost topographical, are abstracted, poetic interpretations of places and rhythms in the natural environment.
An opening reception will be held during the First Friday Art Crawl on May 6th from 6 to 9 p.m. Drop in, get inspired by these dynamic paintings, and meet Rowena in person.
The exhibit continues until continues to Saturday, May 26th.
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.
Acme Art & Sailboat Co. presents works by Chey Greig and Joe Stable on May 4
Drop in on Acme Art and Sailboat Company in downtown Peterborough during the First Friday Art Crawl and see ‘Colour Drunk’, a series of colourful paintings by Chey Grieg.
A native of British Columbia, Greig is a Peterborough artist works predominantly in the medium of painting but also explores photography as an art form. Greig describes herself as a self-taught artist and is inspired by her late father andartist Levine Flexhaug, who is recognized as a pioneer and substantial contributor to the western Canadian art culture.
The opening will run from 6 to 11 p.m. on Friday, May 4th, when artist Joe Stable will also be featuring a new series of his copper works 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 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Artspace 50/50 Art Draw on May 5
Artspace’s annual fundraiser, the 50/50 Art Draw, takes place on Saturday, May 5th, with doors opening at 7 p.m. This event promises to be fun for all featuring the always exciting art draw, door prizes, music, snacks and drinks. Tickets for the party alone are $25, and for the art draw are $100.
This is a good opportunity to get a great piece for a low price while supporting a local arts organization. There will also be the ‘fire sale’ at the end of the night, so if you are there to enjoy the fun but have not purchased a ticket for the Art Draw, you may well end up bidding on something during this part of the evening, which is open to everyone in attendance.
Artspace will be open for viewing during the First Friday Art Crawl on the evening of May 4th.
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.
Visual Arts Centre of Clarington hosts an artist talk with Anne O’Callaghan on May 6
Part of Anne O’Callaghan’s exhibition “Utopia! Who’s Listening Now” at the Visual Arts Centre of Clarington. (Photo: Jean-Michel Komarnicki)
In “Utopia! Who’s Listening Now”, Anne O’Callaghan’s current exhibition at the Visual Arts Centre of Clarington, the multidisciplinary artist takes on current issues of surveillance, propaganda, and communication.
O’Callaghan’s work explores ways in which artists effect change by addressing current political issues. Art and politics always have had an interesting relationship, and this show aims to subvert and deconstruct the ways in which corporations and institutions (such as the government) have developed and used surveillance and propaganda in recent times.
O’Callaghan will give a free artist talk from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 6th at the Visual Arts Centre, where she will discuss her installation with curator Sandy Saad. If you are in the area, drop by and check out this free event.
The exhibition is on now and continues until Sunday, May 20th.
The Visual Arts Centre of Clarington is located at 143 Simpson Ave in Bowmanville. Hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. from Tuesday to Thursday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Friday to Sunday. It is a partially accessible venue with an accessible washroom and a ramp to the front entrance with a manual, inward-opening door. Hours of operation are Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. For more information, visit www.vac.ca
‘Expanding Together’ Workshop at Artspace with Chrissy Poitras and Kyle Topping on May 12
Chrissy Poitras and Kyle Topping run Spark Box Studio, which is home to a residency program and their own studio practices. They frequently run workshops and are guest lecturers at OCAD University in Toronto and Queen’s University in Kingston.
‘Expanding Together’ at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 12th at Artspace is a free interactive workshop geared towards people in creative disciplines, and encourages sharing of information and discussion around a number of relevant topics from creative business management to other creative concerns. Run by these two arts dynamos, it promises to be both fun and informative.
For more information about Chrissy and Kyle, check out their website at sparkboxstudio.com and don’t miss the fun and informative ‘Business of Art Blog’ and ‘Art School Guide’.
Artspace is an accessible space located at 378 Aylmer Street in downtown Peterborough. 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.
Arts and Heritage Centre of Warkworth presents a sculptural lantern-making workshop on May 12 and 13
The Arts and Heritage Centre is presenting a two-day lantern-making workshop on May 12 and 13. (Photo courtesy Arts and Heritage Centre of Warkworth)
In preparation for the second annual “Warkworth by Night” family-friendly street festival on Saturday June 2nd, the Arts and Heritage Centre is presenting a two-day lantern-making workshop from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 12th and Sunday, May 13th at the Warkworth Town Hall Centre for the Arts (40 Main St., Warkworth).
Shadowland Theatre from Toronto Island along with The Branch Ranch in Warkworth (local specialists in all things twig) will be leading the workshop with the theme “flight & light / birds & insects”, a unique combination of basketry, sculpture, and theatrical magic.
The workshop costs $100, with all materials included. The workshop is limited to 20 participants, but a few spaces are still available. To register, visit ahcentre.ca.
Artspace Presents ‘future generations’ by Tsēma Igharas on May 25
Tsēma Igharas (formerly Tamara Skubovius) is an interdisciplinary artist and a member of the Tāłtān First Nation. In ‘future generations’, she takes on the conflicting ideologies between Tāłtān culture and tradition and the value systems imposed by colonialism regarding land and natural resources. These value systems are challenged by Igharas, and the impact they have had on indigenous cultures is made known.
‘future generations’ imagines possible futures for indigenous peoples. This show is an encouragement to care for oneself and the land, and acts as a means of education. By presenting strategies and gestures of resistance, Igharas encourages acts of decolonization. The opening of this show coincides with the launch of a publication focusing on the work of Igharas, written by Erin Sutherland and Jamie Isaac. This limited edition book will be available for sale through Artspace.
The opening reception will be held on Friday, May 25th from 7 to 10 p.m. The following day, Igharas will lead a free bead-making workshop at Artspace from 1 to 3 p.m. No previous experience is required.
‘future generations’ will be on display at Artspace until Saturday, July 14th.
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.
Peterborough Arts Awards to be presented at the Mayor’s Luncheon for the Arts on May 25
The Electric City Culture Council will be presenting the inaugural Peterborough Arts Awards from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Friday, May 25th during the Mayor’s Luncheon for the Arts at McDonnel St. Activity Centre (577 McDonnel St., Peterborough).
Six awards of $2,000 each will be presented for outstanding achievement in the arts, in the categories of emerging artist, mid-career artist, senior artist, achievement by an Indigenous artist, arts champion, and arts catalyst.
The guest speaker at the luncheon will be Wanda Nanibush, Curator of Indigenous Art at the Art Gallery of Ontario.
The luncheon is open to the public and tickets are $40, available at www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-inaugural-peterborough-arts-awards-the-mayors-luncheon-for-the-arts-tickets-45143875547.
Three new exhibits on now at the Art Gallery of Peterborough
‘Extensions 1’ (2013) by Carolyn Code featuring polished cans and embroidery thread. (Photo courtesy Art Gallery of Peterborough)
Three new exhibits opened in April at the Art Gallery of Peterborough and are running until Sunday, June 24th.
‘These things I have seen:’ features works by Carolyn Code, Megan Ellen MacDonald, and Keita Morimoto, three artists who deal with materials and subject matter in ways that bring together past and present vernacular in new and interesting ways.
Bringing together commonplace household materials such as aluminum cans and embroidery thread, Carolyn Code creates contemporary art out of commonplace materials, and old techniques (such as traditional embroidery) are seen in a new light.
The paintings of Keita Morimoto and Megan Ellen MacDonald use traditional painting techniques to depict scenes that represent contemporary schools of thought such as the disruption of established power hierarchies, colour schemes, and traditional narratives — thus subverting the original sentiment behind the styles of representation.
There will be an exhibition tour and talk with the artists from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 10th.
‘Carpe Diem’ features works by J.C. Heywood from the gallery’s Permanent Collection. A master printmaker, Heywood trained at the Ontario College of Art where he studied woodblock and later discovered screenprinting. He went on to learn etching under Stanley William Hayter at Atelier 17 in Paris. He taught at Queen’s University in Kingston for 32 years and continued to explore, gaining new skills through technological shifts.
A visual treat, this series of brightly coloured and intricately textured prints from Heywood’s Millennium Works series is bound to put some bounce in your step. True to the title ‘Carpe Diem’, this selection of work is uplifting and inspiring, reminding us that life is to be lived and enjoyed as best we can.
‘Presence: Portraits from the Permanent Collection’ features works by Carl Beam, John B. Boyle, Rita Briansky, Sheila Butler, Michael Caines, K. M. Graham, David Hockney, Ivan Eyre, Stephen Livick, Norval Morrisseau, Daphne Odjig, Nobuo Kubota, Oskar Schlienger, John Scollard and Michael Snow.
This exhibit has a lot to offer. With a focus on representation of the human form, the exhibit provides food for thought as we see how the art of portraiture progresses and changes over time. A portrait can say a lot about the person who creates it, as well as who is being represented. Often a sign of the times, the portrait is very interesting to contemplate within social and historical context.
The Art Gallery of Peterborough is located at 250 Crescent Street in downtown Peterborough and is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday. It offers free admission, barrier-free access, and a gallery shop. Parking is available in the Del Crary lot. For more information, call 705-743-9179 or visit agp.on.ca.
Public Energy Performing Arts seeks summer student
The team at Public Energy Performing Arts is seeking a summer student to assist in the development, design and delivery of marketing and communication plans and campaigns for the organization’s 2018-2019 season and 25th anniversary year. (Photo: Public Energy / Facebook)
Public Energy Performing Arts is seeking a summer student for the position of Program Assistant in Media & Communications.
The successful candidate will assist in the development, design, and delivery of marketing and communication plans and campaigns for Public Energy Performing Arts’ 2018-2019 season and 25th anniversary year.
The opportunity is open to people aged 15 to 30 years old who are currently full-time students intending to return to their studies in the next school year.
The application deadline is May 11, 2018. For more information including a complete job description and how to apply, visit publicenergy.ca/about/job-opportunities/.
