April is here, and with it comes the annual SPARK Photo Festival, running for the entire month. As well as SPARK, you can look forward to a packed month with The Art School of Peterborough’s Art Auction masquerade party ‘Festa Carnevale’ (including an auction preview and a mask-making workshop on First Friday), Rob Niezen’s ‘Nocturnal Reflections’ at the Art Gallery of Northumberland, a group photography show at Acme Art and Sailboat Company, and Leigh Macdonald’s ‘Limn’ showing at Atelier Ludmila.
There will be a Curator’s talk at Artspace this month, and the 50/50 Art Draw is on the horizon. A call for entries is now open for Hartley Stephenson’s May show ‘Get Your Art On’ at the Mount Community Centre. Some new arts spaces have opened in Peterborough as well, including the Artisans Centre in Peterborough Square and The Green Lemon Gallery, a small new arts-friendly space that will host a group show in April opening on First Friday.
Of course, there is much more happening on Friday, April 5th in downtown Peterborough, as the First Friday event is alive and well. To keep informed, follow FirstFridayPtbo on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Artspace presents a Curator’s Talk on Krista Belle Stewart in April with 50/50 Art Draw coming in May
On Wednesday, April 3rd at 7 p.m, Jon Lockyer and Hannah Keating of Artspace will be giving a free tour of Krista Belle Stewart’s installation of ‘A Guest A Host A Ghost’.
During the presentation we will learn more about Belle-Stewart’s artistic practice and how Artspace brought her work to the gallery. Feel free to RSVP on Facebook or just show up. The event is free to attend and all are welcome.
Krista Belle Stewart is an artist and member of the Sylix Nation who works with video, land, performance, photography, textiles and sound, drawing out personal and political narratives inherent in archival materials while questioning their articulation in institutional histories. Her ‘A Guest A Host A Ghost’ exhibition continues at Artspace until April 18th.
In other Artspace news, the annual 50/50 Art Draw is fast approaching. The event will be on Saturday, May 4th at 7 p.m. and is always a fun night of music, door prizes, food and drink, and of course the exciting Art Draw, Fire Sale, and Silent Auction.
For the Art Draw, you buy a ticket and wait for your ticket number to called at random, and then select a piece of art from the wall. Everyone with a draw ticket goes home with a piece of art.
Tickets are $25 for the party and $100 for the Art Draw, available online at artspace-arc.org/shop/.
Artspace is located at 378 Aylmer Street in downtown Peterborough and offers barrier-free access (to all but Gallery 2) and free admission during regular open hours: 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.
Submissions now open for ‘Get Your Art On’ Victoria Day weekend art show at The Mount Community Centre
Get involved in this art show in the beautiful Austin Doran Hall (the former chapel) at The Mount Community Centre in Peterborough, taking place on the Victoria Day long weekend in May.
Whether you are a maker or someone who is interested in art, it will be a fun event featuring artists from all walks of life. All are welcome, and the fee to show your work is only $15. You can bring as many pieces as you want and there is no commission on art sales.
Get your art together this April, and Get Your Art On in May! Drop off will be between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 16th. An opening reception will be held on Friday, May 17th at 7:30 p.m. Art pick up and an open house takes place all day on Monday, May 20th (Victoria Day).
For more information, call Hartley Stephenson at 705-743-6042.
The Mount Community Centre is located at 1545 Monaghan Road in Peterborough.
Art Gallery of Northumberland presents ‘Nocturnal Reflections’ by Rob Niezen
The latest series by oil painter Rob Niezen is now on display at the Art Gallery of Northumberland and will continue until Sunday, May 5th.
City nights are lit up by streetlights and stoplights and storefronts glow and glitter across wet city streets in this series of urban nocturnes.
Don’t miss the opening reception to be held on Saturday, April 6th beginning at 1 p.m.
The Art Gallery of Northumberland is located at on the third floor of the west wing of Victoria Hall (55 King St. W., Cobourg). Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday to Friday and noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The gallery is closed on Mondays. For more information, visit www.artgalleryofnorthumberland.com.
SPARK Photo Festival takes over the region in April
The SPARK Photo Festival is in so many locations in the city of Peterborough and surrounding area that it might just take the whole month of April to catch it all!
With 40 exhibits spanning the city and county of Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, and Northumberland, the seventh annual SPARK is the first photography festival of its kind in Canada. It’s a good thing that SPARK pocket guides and catalogues are available at all exhibit locations.
SPARK has also partnered with Peterborough GreenUp to create two walking and two cycling tours in a brochure called SPARK SPiN available as a supplement to the pocket guide and catalogue.
The opening party and 2019 SPARK Juried Exhibit awards ceremony will take place on Friday, April 5th from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Peterborough Public Library. Meta4 Contemporary Craft Gallery will be hosting a SPARK-related workshop with Christopher Thorpe on the same evening as part of the First Friday art crawl.
For more detailed information about the festival, including a list of exhibits and oppening reception dates, visit www.sparkphotofestival.org.
The Art School of Peterborough’s Annual Art Auction ‘Festa Carnevale’, with preview and mask-making workshop on First Friday
The Art School of Peterborough is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2019 and this year’s Annual Art Auction, called ‘Festa Carnevale’, is Saturday, April 13th.
The auction, the largest fundraiser of the year for the not-for-profit organization, takes place at 6 p.m. in the spacious atrium at Princess Gardens (100 Charlotte St., Peterborough).
Co-hosted by Catherine Hanrahan and Ben van Veen, there will be a silent auction, pop-up entertainment from the Peterborough Academy of Circus Arts, and a live auction with original works from local artists Brian Atyeo, Christine Baayen, Audrey Bain, David Baker, Debra Bannister, Peter Barron, Leanne Baird, Jocasta Boone, Pam Buckler, Anne Cavanagh, Nancy R. Chalut, John Climenhage, Daniel Crawford, Dorothy Cruickshank, Art Cunanan, Joan Desira, Katie Ellement, Brianna Gosselin, Richard Hayman, Roz Hermant, Jose Miguel Hernandez Autorino, David Hickey, Karen Hjort-jensen, Dwayne James, Jenni Johnston, Bill Lockington, Sandy MacFarlane, Lucy Manley, Lisa Martini-Dunk, Rob Niezen, Micky Renders, Bronson Smith, Susan Taylor-Stevenson, Victoria Wallace, Megan Ward, and Gail West.
Advance tickets are $15 available at artschoolptbo.org/art-auction-2019/. Tickets will also be available at the door for $20 ($10 for members).
On Friday, April 5th from 6 to 9 p.m. during the First Friday art crawl, The Art School of Peterborough will host a preview of the items in the auction. This is a great way to see what will be up for auction and to purchase your advance door tickets.
There will also be a free mask-making workshop from 7 to 9 p.m. on First Friday. The auction party is masquerade themed, so participants can make their own mask to wear to the event! Drop-ins are welcome.
The Art School of Peterborough is located at 174A Charlotte Street in downtown Peterborough.
The Launch Gallery features ‘Bronson and Cole’ by Katie Ellement and Heather Doughty
As part of the SPARK Photo Festival, The Art School of Peterborough will feature ‘Bronson and Cole’, a fun series of images by Katie Ellement and Heather Doughty featuring canine Bronson and human friend Cole as they explore life.
Receptions for the exhibit will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on Friday, April 12th, with sweet treats provided by April & August Cookie Co., and again from 7 to 9 p.m. on Friday, April 26th. Photos will be available for purchase.
The exhibit will be on display for the month of April at the Launch Gallery at The Art School of Peterborough (174A Charlotte St., Peterborough). Hours are 1 to 4 p.m. from Wednesday to Sunday (closed on Monday and Tuesday).
Artisans Centre opens in Peterborough Square
Now open in Peterborough Square in downtown Peterborough, the not-for-profit Artisans Centre is the result of a number of guilds coming together and making something of their collective knowledge.
From the wood turners, potters, gourd artists, and weavers and spinners there is a lot to be learned, though classes are not limited these skills alone. The Artisans Centre provides space and tools for a wide variety of artisans who will now be able to use the space and share their skills with the wider community.
This centre is an exciting new endeavour and resource within the creative community. Classes are now available, and a call for entry is now open for the ARTISANity spring sale that takes place at the Marshlands Centre in Lakefield in May.
The Artisans Centre is located in Unit 3 of Peterborough Square at 360 George St. N. North in downtown Peterborough. For more information, call 705-775-1797, email info@artisanscentre.ca, or visit www.artisanscentre.ca.
Acme Art and Sailboat Co. presents group photography show ‘un-sensored F8-shutter FIZZLE’
‘un-sensored F8-shutter FIZZLE’ is a group photography show taking place during the First Friday art crawl from 6 to 10 p.m. on April 5th at Acme Art and Sailboat Co.
The exhibit includes photography by Alex Pendergast, Wayne Eardley, Davey Warren, Wayne Ferguson, Scott Cisco, Marlon Hazlewood, Esther Vincent, and Paul Hodgkinson.
Refreshments will be provided, and new work by Joe Stable will be presented 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 variable, please check Acme’s Facebook page.
Atelier Ludmila presents ‘Limn’ by Leigh MacDonald
Come out for the opening reception of Leigh Macdonald’s ‘Limn’ at Atelier Ludmila during the First Friday art crawl on April 5th from 6 to 10 p.m.
This series of bold paintings is inspired by Kandinsky, Basquiat, and Campion. The opening will include theatrical elements, so be ready for anything!
The gallery is open for three Saturdays in April, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 6th, 13th, and 20th. There will also be a closing party on Friday, April 26th from 7 to 11 p.m.
Operated by artistic director Laurel Paluck, the Atelier Ludmila Gallery and The Drawing Room are located on the second floor of the Commerce Building (129 1/2 Hunter St. W., Peterborough). For more information, visit atelierludmila.com.
Green Lemon Gallery opens in downtown Peterborough featuring works by Shannon Taylor and Charlotte Di Carlo
Green Lemon Gallery, a tiny new gallery and art-friendly space, has sprung up in downtown Peterborough.
Conveniently located close to Black Honey, the space is a fun venue for small workshops and art-making events.
The space will be featuring a small group show this April with works by me and by Charlotte Di Carlo. It will will be open during the First Friday art crawl on April 5th.
The Green Lemon Gallery is located at 219 Hunter Street West in downtown Peterborough.
