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WAG Past Exhibitions
2025 Exhibitions
Kodansha Comics Manga Gallery |
Exhibition Run: Oct. 12, 2024 – Apr. 5, 2025 The Kodansha Manga Gallery showcases the intricacy and detail of the art of Japanese comics (manga) through full-page pen-and-ink story pages and full-color paintings and digital illustrations, courtesy of Kodansha Advanced Media. This exhibition addresses the range of both art styles and subject matter in manga’s diverse genres and features some of the most important titles in the medium, from classics such as Masamune Shirow’s Ghost in the Shell, Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira and Naoko Takeuchi’s Sailor Moon, to modern hits such as Hiroya Oku’s Inuyashiki and Hajime Isayama’s Attack on Titan.
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John Harvey: Recent Acquisitions |
 John Harvey (1928 - 2024), moved to Woodstock in 1953 to teach science at Woodstock Collegiate Institute. As an artist, Harvey was largely self-taught but took courses at the Parry Sound Night School in 1952. He was an active member of the Oxford County Art Association and an ardent supporter of Woodstock Art Gallery and the arts in Oxford County. |
2024 Exhibitions
Terry Graff: Avian Cyborgs |
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Photo Credit: Joseph Hartman Exhibition Run: Feb. 17 – Aug. 17, 2024 This national touring exhibition features paintings, collages, assemblages and sculptures in a darkly phantasmagorical techno-fantasy of whimsy and horror. Artist Terry Graff has been making sculptural assemblages of ducks out of machine parts and scrap materials since the early 1970s. The “avian cyborg” has become a persistent motif in his work, exploring the fraught relationship between nature and technology and what it’s like to live in a time of crisis. Avian Cyborgs was previously presented at the Cape Breton University Art Gallery and the Art Gallery of Sudbury, and will end its tour at the UNB Art Centre in fall 2024. An exhibition catalogue will be available to purchase from the Woodstock Art Gallery’s gift shop.
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Florence Carlyle Public Art Commission |
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Photo Credit: Stephan Cam Exhibition Run: May 11 – Aug. 17, 2024 The Florence Carlyle Sculpture Commission was launched in 2023 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Carlyle's death. The shortlisted artists for this project are:
The shortlisted artist have developed proposals for the project, which are on display in the Gallery's foyer. |
Creative Pathways: Emerging Artist Mentorship Program |
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Photo Credit: Stephan Cam Exhibition Run: May 11 – June 22, 2024 Creative Pathways is a hands-on mentorship program that pairs students with professional artists to collaboratively develop an exhibition at the Woodstock Art Gallery. The first cohort includes students from Woodstock Collegiate Institute's Specialist High Skills Major (SHMS) — Arts and Culture program with artist Lindsay Liboiron. Thank you to our sponsor!
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Inspired by... Mother and Daughter: Rita Giedre Bulova-Forrest and Irma Makariunaite |
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Photo Credit: Joseph Hartman Exhibition Run: Feb. 17 – June 22, 2024 Inspired By… Mother and Daughter features 11 artworks by Rita Giedre Bulova-Forrest, including geometric paintings from her earlier years (1987 to 1991) and works in fibre created at the end of her life (2003 to 2010). Bulova-Forrest’s work is presented alongside 12 mixed media artworks by her daughter Irma Makariunaite. The exhibition is Makariunaite’s tribute to her mother, whose art was a major inspiration to her own practice.
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Roxanne Tochor: I Am........ Driven by Colour |
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Photo Credit: Joseph Hartman Exhibition Run: Feb. 17 – April 27, 2024 I Am........ Driven By Colour is a sculptural installation created by Roxanne Tochor. Tochor shares how recycled items can create vibes and auras that are expressive and interactive to the eye, mind and beyond. The installation is made from more than 70 per cent reused materials, with cardboard as the main material. With brightly colored orbs, graffiti-inspired colours and rural atmosphere sculptures, the artist's goal is to create a fun and uplifting environment that is enjoyable for the whole family.
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Visual Elements 66: Annual Juried Exhibition |
 Photo Credit: Stephan Cam Exhibition Run: July 13 – Sept. 21, 2024 Jurors: Darryn Doull, Terry Graff and Lindsay Liboiron Visual Elements: Annual Juried Exhibition is a long-running celebration of artistic talent in Oxford County and the surrounding regions. This year’s exhibition features 34 works by 32 artists, exploring themes such as human creation, nature and storytelling through a variety of mediums and artistic styles.  Darryn Doull Darryn Doull is the Curator: Exhibitions & Programs, at the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery (2021 – present), with previous appointments as the Curator of Canadian Art at The Rooms Provincial Art Gallery in St. John’s, Nfld. (2018 – 2021) and as the Assistant Curator of the Judith & Norman Alix Art Gallery in Sarnia, Ont. (2010 – 2016). His curatorial approach brings artworks, objects and archives together to produce poly-vocal, socially engaged programming that is rooted in thorough research and collaboration. Recent projects include SOS: A Story of Survival, Part II: The Body (2023) and Part I: The Image (2022), Emily Pelstring: The Passion of the Hedge-Rider (2022) and Helloland! Art, War and the Wireless Imagination (2021, co-curated with Melony Ward). Doull graduated from the MVS Curatorial Studies program at the University of Toronto (2018) and received an Honours BFA at the University of Guelph (2010). He is currently based in Toronto, Ont.  Terry Graff Terry Graff is a full-time professional working artist who has maintained an active studio practice since 1975. The recipient of major sculpture commissions, acquisitions, grants, and awards, his work has been presented regionally, nationally, and internationally, and includes mixed media drawings, paintings, collages, assemblages, sculpture, kinetic works, and multi-media installations. Born in Cambridge (Galt), Ont., Graff studied Fine Art at the Doon School of Fine Arts and Fanshawe College of Applied Arts and Technology. He received a BA in Fine Art from the University of Guelph and a B.Ed in Visual Arts from the University of Western Ontario. He also studied art history, philosophy of art, media arts, and art education at Wayne State University, received a postgraduate diploma in Fine Art from the Jan Van Eyck Academie and holds an MA in Art Education from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. Along with his intensive studio practice, Graff has had a distinguished career as a curator, art educator, art writer, and gallery director. He has served as director of four public art galleries in four different provinces of Canada. He has curated over 200 exhibitions, authored numerous articles, catalogues, and books on both contemporary and historical art, and taught drawing and sculpture at Mount Allison University. In recognition of his various cultural contributions across Canada, he has received many awards and honours, including the Fanshawe College Distinguished Alumni Award, the Commemorative Medal for the Centennial of Saskatchewan, and two eagle feathers from the Mi’kmaq First Nation for his work in promoting the art of Indigenous artists. |
Matt Wallace: When your soul escapes where does it go? |
 Matt Wallace, 1_28, Toronto, 2015, silver gelatin print on resin coated paper, 35 mm film, 8” x 10”, photo courtesy the artist. Exhibition Run: July 13 - Sept. 21, 2024 Matt Wallace is a self-taught photographer born and raised in Woodstock. Prior to returning to his hometown, Wallace lived in Hamilton for more than a decade. This suite of photographs, intersecting Toronto and Hamilton, was a means for Wallace to observe the interactions of day-to-day life and the urban environment through the medium of film. By capturing these images with his camera, he provides the viewer with the opportunity to witness an elusive presence of sorts — the first phase of where the soul is at during its escape. |
Grand National Fibre Art Exhibition: Delights |
 Carole St. Amand, Migration (detail), 2022, wool, mohair, and silk on a linen backing, 50” x 29” Exhibition Run: Oct. 12, 2024 – Jan. 25, 2025 This national juried exhibition features works by professional fibre artists from across Canada, each expressing a particular delight that has great meaning to them, resulting in a diverse range of materials, techniques, ideas, concepts, and cheerful thoughts to get us all back on the path to living, having fun and enjoying the pleasures of life once again. |
2023 Exhibitions
Look Again: Form + Void |
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Photo Credit: Joseph Hartman Exhibition Run: Feb. 18, 2023 – Jan. 20, 2024 Look Again is a study in representation. It examines how an artist creates form and volume using a minimal amount of colour, how the use of negative space enhances an image, and how repetition and slight variations in a series alter how we interpret and understand what we are looking at. The selected artworks have muted or monochromatic palettes, and many are pared down to a few lines or a single focused object. There are works that draw us in and require examination, and others that need us to step back to see the whole. |
Florence Carlyle: A Delicate Hand |
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Maxine Noel: Walks Beyond |
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Visual Elements 65: Annual Juried Exhibition |
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Photo Credit: Joseph Hartman Woodstock Art Gallery Exhibition Run: July 15, 2023 – September 23, 2023 Visual Elements: Annual Juried Exhibition is a long-running celebration of artistic talent in Oxford County and the surrounding regions. Now in its 65th year, the Woodstock Art Gallery has partnered with Lourdes University in Woodstock’s sister city of Sylvania, Ohio to celebrate this milestone. For the first time, this year’s exhibition features artists from both Canada and the United States. The Woodstock Art Gallery is excited to support this opportunity for cultural exchange and to share works from our sister city. This year’s exhibition features 39 works by 38 artists working in a wide variety of mediums, sizes and styles. The exhibition is available online through the Woodstock Art Gallery's digital tour app. |
In Dark Moments, There Is Hope: Corita Kent and Thelma Rosner |
 Photo Credit: Joseph Hartman Exhibition Run: July 15, 2023 – September 23, 2023 This exhibition features 12 screenprints in colour by Corita Kent (1918–1986), from the Moments series, on loan from the Sisters of St. Francis in Sylvania, Ohio, alongside 18 archival digital prints by Thelma Rosner (b.1941) from Elisabeth’s Book (A Holocaust Book), a series from the Woodstock Art Gallery Permanent collection Together, these prints reveal dark human experiences — however, a light of hope blossoms. Both series tell the story of using art as a means to survive through terrible circumstances. As Corita Kent once said, “Flowers grow out of dark moments.” |
New Impressions 3: High School Juried Exhibition and Friends of the Woodstock Art Gallery Legacy Scholarship |
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The Ekphrasis of Florence: Poetry in Japanese Form Inspired by the Work of Florence Carlyle |
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Photo Credit: Joseph Hartman Exhibition Run: July 15, 2023 – January 20, 2024 The Ekphrasis of Florence celebrates the body of work of one of Canada’s most acclaimed female artists of the late-19th and early-20th centuries and explores what it means to be a woman and an artist, then and now. Ekphrastic poetry is poetry written in response to visual art. This exhibition includes examples of Florence Carlyle’s still life, landscape, portraiture, and genre pieces alongside haiku, senryu and haibun poetry. |
Ron Shuebrook and Frances Thomas: In Conversation |
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Photo Credit: Joseph Hartman Exhibition Run: October 21, 2023 – January 20, 2024 Ron Shuebrook and Frances Thomas have each undertaken a serious engagement with abstraction. Both artists are highly skilled at manipulating paint to highlight wonderful connections between line, form, colour and scale. The intent of this exhibition is to highlight the avenues of abstraction unique to each artist, while finding commonalities and celebrating the differences. This exhibition and accompanying publication were co-produced with the MacLaren Art Centre. It will tour to the MacLaren Art Centre in the summer of 2024 and then onwards to the Art Gallery of Northumberland and the Art Gallery of Algoma in 2025. The Woodstock Art Gallery and MacLaren Art Centre extend their sincere thanks to the Olga Korper Gallery, the Peter Robertson Gallery, and all the private individuals who contributed to this important project. |
Nicholas Crombach: Landslip |
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Photo Credit: Joseph Hartman Exhibition Run: October 21, 2023 – January 20, 2024 Landslip echoes themes of geology and archaeology, revealing long lost stories through human intervention or erosion that occurs over millions of years. Like excavations, this exhibit looks at how scenes are treated, how objects are marked or processed, and how some things can become truly lost. |
Laura De Decker: Anatomy of a Qubit |
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Photo Credit: Joseph Hartman Exhibition Run: Oct. 21, 2023 – April 27, 2024 Laura De Decker has been developing and creating art related to quantum physics for several years. Anatomy of a Qubit is her recent book on quantum physics, created in collaboration with Dr. Electra Eleftheriadou and Stefan A. Rose. The book is unique in bringing together an understanding of quantum mechanics with colourful, geometric, abstract images. In addition to the book, four works from the Woodstock Art Gallery’s permanent collection created by De Decker are on display. |
Tony Urquhart: The Drawing Board |
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Photo Credit: Joseph Hartman Exhibition Run: July 15, 2023 – May 4, 2024 Tony Urquhart was a renowned Canadian artist specializing in painting and printmaking. A prominent figure in the growing London art scene of the 1960s, Urquhart was a pioneer of Canadian abstract painting and played a large part in the foundation of the Canadian Artists Representation (CARFAC). Influenced by the art and landscapes seen on his frequent trips to Europe, Urquhart’s focus moved from paper and canvas to the three-dimensional. The works in this exhibit are a few of the many sketches and studies made in the early days of Urquhart’s career during his time in Europe and back home in Ontario. |
2022 Exhibitions
A Moment of Mindfulness |
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Photo Credit: Trish Roberts, Custom Concept Photography Exhibition Run: February 19, 2022 – January 21, 2023 Mindfulness is a way of being and thinking. We focus our attention on what is happening in our body, our mind, and our environment in the moment. This exhibition features selections from the Woodstock Art Gallery permanent collection that explore the concept of mindfulness from the perspectives of both artist and viewer. |
Fountain |
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Photo Credit: Joseph Hartman Exhibition Run: October 8, 2022 – January 21, 2023 This exhibit explores the unexpected connection between a downtown Woodstock landmark and renowned French artist Marcel Duchamp. The Maid of the Mist fountain is a centrepiece of Museum Square and was purchased in 1916 from J.L. Mott Iron Works — the same company that fabricated Duchamp’s controversial work, Fountain, a readymade sculpture of a porcelain urinal. Considered one of the most significant artworks of the 20th century, Duchamp’s Fountain profoundly changed the course of artmaking, moving the concept of art from that of an object to an idea. A reproduction of Fountain is on loan from the National Gallery of Canada for the exhibit. This project has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada. Ce projet a été rendu possible en partie grâce au gouvernement du Canada. |
Visual Elements 64: Annual Juried Exhibition |
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Photo Credit: Joseph Hartman Exhibition Run: July 16, 2022 – September 24, 2022 Visual Elements 64: Annual Juried Exhibition celebrates the breadth and diversity of talent that resides in Oxford County. This year’s exhibition will be presented in-person at the Woodstock Art Gallery and online as a virtual exhibition. |
Ruth Hartley: Form and Flowers |
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Photo Credit: Joseph Hartman Exhibition Run: July 16, 2022 – September 24, 2022 Ruth Hartley has created a new body of ceramic pieces inspired by the form, textures and patterns found in the natural world. Her elegant pottery is a gentle reminder of the restorative qualities imbedded in the earthy birth of spring and the sweet smells of summer. |
What Do You Want From Me? |
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Many Lives Mark This Place |
Photo Credit: Joseph Hartman Exhibition Run: February 19, 2022 – June 25, 2022 Long interested in people’s connection to their environment, John Hartman has embarked on a project to capture the intimate relationship Canadian authors have with their personal places of inspiration. Through this new series, Hartman has allowed his own reading interests to direct the choice of subjects who have in turn selected the backdrops to their portraits. The result is a new body of work which celebrates the richness of Canada’s literary fabric and speaks to the power of the imagination in experiencing (physically, emotionally and philosophically) the diverse landscape which links this massive country together. The exhibition is accompanied by a book, Many Lives Mark This Place. This truncated version of the exhibition was organized and circulated by the Woodstock Art Gallery, with a broader selection of work concurrently on view at the Confederation Centre for the Arts Gallery, Charlottetown, PEI. We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts. |
Common Collective: Controlled Burn |
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Bruce Flowers Public Art Commission |
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Photo Credit: Joseph Hartman Exhibition Run: March 22, 2022 – June 25, 2022 Artist and educator (Robert) Bruce Flowers passed away on September 10, 2018, and left the residual of his estate to the Woodstock Art Gallery with the provision that the funds be used “for the purpose of establishing an outside figurative sculpture garden.” On August 12, 2021, Woodstock City Council approved the renaming of the west side of Vansittart Park (at Ingersoll Ave) to Florence Carlyle Park, with a portion of the park designated as the Bruce Flowers Sculpture Garden. On September 12, 2021, the Woodstock Art Gallery launched the City of Woodstock’s first public art commission with a call for qualifications. The shortlisted artists from this call are David Bobier, Nicholas Crombach, Simon Frank and Patrick Thibert. Each artist was asked to create a proposal for a public artwork to not only recognize the contributions of Bruce Flowers, but also speak to the change in attitude and acceptance towards members of the local LGBTQQIP2SAA community. The request also emphasized a contemporary response considering the human form to address one or more of the following thematic options as related to this concept:
Bruce Flowers Sculpture Garden Commission: Virtual Artist Talk: |
Recent Acquisitions: Lee Claremont |
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Glenn Elliott: Hyperreal |
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Photo Credit: Joseph Hartman Exhibition Run: October 8, 2022 – June 24, 2023 In the early-1970s, Glenn Elliott made a series of hyperreal, largescale, homoerotic pop sculptures. Since 1990 the Woodstock Art Gallery has been in possession of Jeans. This exhibition pulls together works from the series which put Jeans in context with a t-shirt, leather jacket, cowboy boots, and more. |
Difficult |
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Photo Credit: Joseph Hartman Exhibition Run: October 8, 2022 – June 24, 2023 Inspired by the recent acquisition of largescale paintings from Tony Scherman's Difficult Women series, this exhibition will highlight "difficult" works in the Woodstock Art Gallery's permanent collection which are problematic or challenging in terms of content, subject matter and presentation. |
Our Furry Friends |
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Photo Credit: Joseph Hartman Exhibition Run: October 8, 2022 – June 24, 2023 Our Furry Friends combines artworks of cats and dogs from the Woodstock Art Gallery's permanent collection with photographs and artifacts from the Woodstock Museum National Historic Site to celebrate the animal companions of our past, present, and creative imaginations. |
Of a Feather |
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Photo Credit: Joseph Hartman Exhibition Run: October 8, 2022 – June 24, 2023 Birds have long been a fascination of the human imagination. These nine artworks from the Woodstock Art Gallery’s permanent collection speak to a wide geographic area as well as a diversity of cultural perspectives. Across these works, the bird is rendered more than just a humble creature of flesh and feather, but is transmuted through the artist’s brush or chisel into an expression of the human spirit. Whatever our physical differences, artists have long sought to convey that birds and humans are of a feather. |
2021 Exhibitions
My Favourite Artwork |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: August 3, 2021 – January 22, 2022 Curators: Mary Reid, Director/Curator, Julia de Kwant, Curatorial/Collections Assistant, and Nell Wheal, Head of Collections This exhibition features artwork from the Woodstock Art Gallery's permanent collection selected by members of the community along with volunteers, staff and board members. This project was started at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and has evolved into a celebration of art as a source of connection and community. Sponsored by Kingsmen Group Inc. |
Ten Years in the Building: The John White Co. Ltd. |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: August 3, 2021 – January 22, 2022 Curator: Julia deKwant This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Woodstock Art Gallery's move to the historic John White Building. With artifacts and photographs from the Woodstock Museum NHS and Oxford County Archives, this exhibition traces the building's history of commerce and enterprise with the formation of the John White Co. Ltd., which spanned three generations of the White family and 100 years. Virtual Curator Talk: The History of the John White Building: |
Visual Elements 63: Annual Juried Exhibition |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: August 3, 2021 – January 22, 2022 Jurors: Daniel Cairo, Andrew Kear and Jaquie Poole Visual Elements 63: Annual Juried Exhibition celebrates the breadth and diversity of talent that resides in Oxford County. This year’s exhibition will be presented in-person at the Woodstock Art Gallery and online as a virtual exhibition. Funded by Oxford Community Foundation through the B & R George Fund and the Ross & Fran McElroy Fund. |
Daniel Cairo: Painting Woodstock |
Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: August 3, 2021 – January 22, 2022 Local artist Daniel Cairo has been painting highly realistic scenes of Woodstock since 2019. This exhibition is the culmination of Cairo's two year project. |
The Woodstock Camera Club Presents |
Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: August 3, 2021 – January 8, 2022 Exhibition Coordinator: Alayne Brisson This exhibition features the winning entries from the Woodstock Camera Club's annual contests, as well as photographers of the year, images of the year and rookies of the year. This year the club held three open contests, one photo art contest and three themed contests: COVID-19 — Staying Home; Water — In Any Form; and Doors, Gates, Entrances. Webinar: Photographic Practice in Canada: |
Crossroads: 2021 Grand National Fibre Art Exhibition |
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Photo Credit: Trish Roberts, Custom Concept PhotographyExhibition Run: October 16, 2021 – February 21, 2022 On view at the Woodstock Museum National Historic Site The 2021 Grand National Fibre Art Exhibition is a stunning display of 48 fibre art pieces juried by Tracey Aubin, Debora Barlow and Judy Villett, interpreting the titular theme, Crossroads. This exhibition is hosted by the Woodstock Art Gallery in partnership with the Woodstock Museum NHS. Crossroads: Virtual Artist Talk: |
Surreal Dreamscapes |
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2020 Exhibitions
Animals of the Arctic: Caribou & Seals |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: November 14, 2020 – June 26, 2021 (Extended to January 22, 2022) Curators: Julia deKwant, Curatorial/Collections Assistant and Mary Reid, Director/Curator This exhibition showcases select works from the Woodstock Art Gallery’s 2016 acquisition of 231 works from the Museum of Inuit Art, now permanently closed. The drawings highlight the traditional way of life for the Inuit through the hunting of caribou and seals. |
‘Blazes Along the Trail’: Exploring David Milne’s Imaginative Vision |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: November 14, 2020 – June 26, 2021 Curator: Christopher Finn Organized and Circulated by the Art Gallery of Windsor David Milne’s significance as an early twentieth century Canadian modernist artist rests on his focussed and deeply personal artmaking strategies informed by an innovative aesthetic and stylistic approach. The selection of works featured in this exhibition reveals the range of David Milne’s inspiration in exploring media which supported his painting while also fostering new considerations in his approach to his art-making. The Woodstock Art Gallery would like to acknowledge the funding provided by the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage, Exhibition Circulation Fund – Museum Assistance Program.
Virtual Curator Talk: |
Dance Me to the End of Love |
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Given Her Due: Oxford County Women Artists 1880–1980 |
 Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: February 15, 2020 – June 27, 2020 (Extended to October 10, 2020) Curators: Carolyn Hickey, Head of Collections and Mary Reid, Director/Curator Guest Researcher: Julia de Kwant, Curatorial/Collections Assistant This exhibition explores the work of the talented, and sometimes overlooked, female artists of this region including Eva Bradshaw, Betty McArthur, Jaquie Poole, Fryke Oostenbrug, Blanche Longworth, Violet Erie (Smiley) Edwards, Donna (Ryan) Hetherington, and many more. 3D Virtual Tour:
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Winter is Coming |
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Plates of Printers |
Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: February 15 – March 28, 2020 (Extended to October 10, 2020) Curator: Connor MacKinnon, Assistant Curator of Education Featuring recent acquisitions to the Woodstock Art Gallery permanent collection as well as the work of local printmakers, Plates of Printers presents original printing plates alongside their corresponding prints. The intention of this exhibition is to provide education about printmaking by revealing the 'before' and 'after' and the translation from physical to impression. |
2019 Exhibitions
Walk On: A Woodstock Installation by John McEwen |
Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: November 2, 2019 – June 27, 2020 (Extended to October 10, 2020) Curator: Mary Reid, Director/Curator Although there is some debate on who created the very first “installation work” in Canada, John McEwen is certainly one of the primary contenders of this distinction. It is from these early explorations of sculpture and space that began some 45+ years ago that McEwen has continued his investigation of understanding how we perceive and interact with inert forms and shapes. The works presented in this exhibition trace John McEwen’s sculpture practice throughout his career. Many of the pieces have been recently donated to the Woodstock Art Gallery. Artist Profile:
3D Virtual Tour:
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Life on the Back of a Turtle: Woodlands and Plains Indigenous Art |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: February 16, 2019 – January 25, 2020 Curator: Maxine Noel, C.M. In the histories of the Anishinaabe peoples, Turtle Island began as a piece of earth placed on the back of a turtle. The soil began to grow, creating the Place of the Great Turtle’s Back. A large private collection representing the past fifty years of artwork created on Turtle Island will be exhibited together for the first time. The exhibition features the artwork of over forty artists including: Norval Morrisseau, Daphne Odjig, and Carl Beam. In Conversation With... Podcast: Curator Maxine Noel and artist Rick Beaver sat down with CKPC podcast host Rob Curwain to talk about the Life on the Back of the Turtle exhibition and their personal experience as artists. Exhibition Brochure: Click here to download an accessible PDF. 3D Virtual Tour: |
Dancing on the Grave: Dil Hildebrand & Patrick Thibert |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: November 2, 2019 – January 25, 2020 Curator: Mary Reid, Director/Curator Featuring recent works by Dil Hildebrand and Patrick Thibert, the tongue-in-cheek title of this exhibition conjures up associations to mortality and re-birth, but more directly references the genre of abstraction. In the last 100 years, abstraction has been sought after, theorized, given life and meaning to, only to be re-interpreted and re-invented many times over. Both Hildebrand and Thibert are part of this complex and faceted trajectory, coming to abstraction from their own individual positions of experience and place. Seen together, the works of Hildebrand and Thibert reveal shared common links but also the diverse tangents that the genre of abstraction possesses. This exhibition is co-produced by the Woodstock Art Gallery and the Art Gallery of Burlington. |
Evolutionary Art by ErikFlock |
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The Artist's Landscape |
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9th Annual 50/50 Exhibition & Sale |
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Photo Credit: Robin De AngelisExhibition Run: September 21, 2019 – October 12, 2019 The 9th Annual 50/50 Exhibition and Sale offers a diverse selection of artwork for purchase, all created by local and regional artists. Proceeds from the sale are split evenly between the Woodstock Art Gallery and the artists. These funds help support the programs of the Gallery through combining the 50/50 with the Taste of Art fundraiser. |
Visual Elements 61: Annual Juried Exhibition |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: July 13, 2019 – October 12, 2019 Jurors: Jamie Dickson, Aidan Urquhart, Rhona Wenger Visual Elements: Annual Juried Exhibition celebrates the breadth and diversity of talent that resides in Oxford County. Artists:
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Elements of Life: Recent Works by Jamie Dickson |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: July 13, 2019 – October 12, 2019 Curator: Mary Reid, Director/Curator Jamie Dickson’s paintings are most certainly rewarding. From the use of colour and spectacular ability to capture light, to the simple yet evocative subject matter; as the eye moves around each canvas, subtle nuances of nature, of life are revealed. After careful concentrated looking, the sounds of rippling water or the rustle of wind through the trees can almost be heard, faintly in the distance. Dickson possesses a keen eye for noticing the magic of life that surrounds every one of us. Collectively, his paintings speak to the power of the quiet moments that feed our imagination and lift our spirits. It is the elements of life that are the universal gifts we all share. Dickson offers up these true rewards for a reconsideration of their importance and significance. His paintings not only exhilarate and elate, they refresh and reset our frame of mind. |
Up From Below: Recent Works by Laura Bydlowska |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: July 13, 2019 – September 14, 2019 Curator: Carolyn Hickey, Head of Collections Laura Bydlowska is a Toronto-based interdisciplinary artist whose unique practice combines fine art printmaking, painting, and pyrography (wood burning). Up From Below presents a series of recent works by Laura Bydlowska that challenge the idea of a landscape by exploring the underground linear movements that rise from beneath to form our natural world. |
Picturing Arctic Modernity: North Baffin Drawings from 1964 |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: February 16, 2019 – June 30, 2019 Curator: Dr. Norman Vorano, Queen's National Scholar and Curator of Indigenous Art at Agnes Etherington Art Centre Through 50 original drawings — created in 1964 by Inuit men and women of North Baffin Island — this exhibition explores a transformative era for the people of Canada’s Eastern Arctic. The drawings offer rare first-person perspectives on daily life, history and memory during a time when Inuit communities were transitioning from traditional nomadic hunting camps to permanent settlements. |
ART BEAT: The Ripple Effect 2019 |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: May 4, 2019 – June 22, 2019 Coordinator: Stephanie Porter, Head of Education ART BEAT: The Ripple Effect is a hands-on, process-oriented mentorship program and exhibition, offered in partnership with Oxford County School Boards.
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Eating Animals |
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2018 Exhibitions
The Loved Object: Recent Acquisitions |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: November 10, 2018 – October 2019 Curator: Adam Whitford, Curatorial/Collections Intern A loved object is any item that is the cause or subject of passion. Everyday objects, including artworks, are often the recipients of emotional investments. The artworks featured in The Loved Object were acquired by the Woodstock Art Gallery in the last six years and have been subject to the passions of their owners, past and present. This exhibition represents a cross-section of the strengths of the WAG collection in historical European prints, drawings and fibre art by Inuit artists, champions of Canadian Modernism, as well as a growing collection of contemporary art. Exhibition Brochure: |
The Art of the Warner Bros. Cartoons |
Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: November 10, 2018 – January 26, 2019 Sylvester is going to be chasing Tweety all over the Woodstock Art Gallery! Bugs Bunny and Wile E. Coyote will be here too from November 10, 2018 - January 5, 2019. It’s all part of the exhibition The Art of Warner Bros. Cartoons, a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at how these classic cartoons were made. Through cels, model sheets, story sketches, animation drawings, and concept paintings, you’ll discover the evolution of Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd, Porky Pig, and so many other favourites. 3D Virtual Tour: |
401EXIT232: A project by Gary Spearin |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: September 22, 2018 – January 25, 2019 The 401 Exit 232 overpass at Woodstock, Ontario was the site where legendary London painter Jack Chambers (1931–1978) took the westward-facing reference photographs that he used to create the painting 401 Towards London No. 1 (1968–69), which now resides in the collection of the Art Gallery of Ontario. Chambers’ now iconic image changes perceptions from the emblematic Canadian Group of Seven landscapes into a more contemporary notion of moving through the landscape. Fifty years later, this 401 overpass is being replaced and moved slightly westward. As a means to mark this connection, artist Gary Spearin has embarked on a project which includes the placement of a commemorative bronze plaque in close proximity to the location where Chambers took the original study photographs, along with the creation of a series of new works based on Spearin’s own personal engagement with the construction of the new bridge. Interdisciplinary in its conceptual approach since the 1980s, Spearin’s artwork spans media and practices of photography, drawing, painting and video.
Exhibition Brochure: Click here to download an accessible PDF. Highway Wherever: On Jack Chambers’s 401 Towards London No.1: |
Uncertain Bearings |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: February 17, 2018 – January 26, 2019 Curator: Roberta Grosland, former Head of Collections Uncertain Bearings explores the age old question, “How do we find our way?” using works from the Woodstock Art Gallery’s permanent collection. All works in Uncertain Bearings deal in some form with direction, place and distance. However, they are about more than just a place or destination. The artists that have created these works inspire us to look at our environment or situations in new ways. In other words, they encourage us to take in our bearings. |
With Each Second That Passes |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: July 18, 2018 – October 13, 2018 Curator: Leanna Tran, Summer Curatorial/Collections Intern This exhibit brings a variety of works together by local and national artists. Together, these selected works seek to illustrate a frozen moment in time. |
Angelique Lafreniére: Forces of Nature |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: July 14, 2018 – September 15, 2018 Curator: Mary Reid, Director/Curator Angelique Lafreniére has dedicated her life to art. As a child, her grandfather taught her the how to weld, paint and work with wood and her grandmother taught her how to work with fibres, fabric and make costumes. Lafreniére graduated in 1999 with a diploma in Interior Design from the International Academy of Design and received a BFA in painting from OCAD University, Toronto, in 2008. In 2012, Lafreniére won the Visual Elements 54: Annual Juried Exhibition Juror’s Choice Award. Her recent bold, large abstract paintings are a true explosion of colour and energy. |
Thriving Spectrum: 60 Years of Annual Juried Exhibitions in Oxford County |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: July 14, 2018 – October 13, 2018 Guest Curator: Peter Flannery This exhibition brings together works from the Woodstock Art Gallery’s permanent collection which holds a close tie to the Oxford County arts community and the annual juried exhibition, now called Visual Elements. Together, the range of paintings, prints, drawings, and sculptures illustrate a rural community, with diverse experiences, thoughtfully devoted to the arts. Exhibition Brochure: |
Visual Elements 60: Annual Juried Exhibition |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: July 18, 2018 – October 13, 2018 Jurors: Patricia Deadman, Joseph Hubbard, Tabitha Verbuyst Curatorial Assistance: Leanna Tran Visual Elements: Annual Juried Exhibition celebrates the breadth and diversity of talent that resides in Oxford County. Mounted in partnership with Ingersoll Creative Arts Centre and Tillsonburg Station Arts Centre. |
8th Annual 50/50 Exhibition and Sale |
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Exhibition Run: September 21, 2018 – October 13, 2018The 8th Annual 50/50 Exhibition and Sale offers a diverse selection of artwork for purchase, all created by local and regional artists. Proceeds from the sale are split evenly between the Woodstock Art Gallery and the artists. These funds help support the programs of the Gallery through combining the 50/50 with the Taste of Art fundraiser |
BLOOM |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: April 7, 2018 – September 8, 2018 Curator: Roberta Grosland, former Head of Collections Humans have had a love affair with flowers for thousands of years. The first recorded flower arrangements were found in Egyptian tombs from 2500 BCE. During the Victorian Era, flowers were used to communicate discreet messages; floral dictionaries were published to try to minimize misunderstandings. Today, flowers are still a way of expressing joy, sadness, solidarity, appreciation and love. |
Ross Butler: Branding, Butter, and Bulls |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: February 17, 2018 – June 30, 2018 Curator: Samantha Purvis-Johnston, Curatorial/Collections Assistant Branding, Butter, and Bulls surveys the journey of agricultural artist Ross Butler. The artist reinvented animal portraiture using perfect proportions that continue to guide Canadian breed standards today. By bringing together a multitude of his life’s work, the exhibition celebrates a Woodstock local whose ideals persevered to achieve global status from the agricultural community. Jennifer Robertson from Book and Paper Conservation Services made sure Butler’s Ayrshire Bull and Cow looked their best for the exhibit. Take a look at the behind the scenes conservation work. Sponsored by the Ontario Agricultural College and Holstein Canada.
Exhibition Brochure: Click here to download an accessible PDF
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ART BEAT: The Ripple Effect 2018 |
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Mary Donlan: Layer by Layer |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: February 17, 2018 – March 24, 2018 Curator: Mary Reid, Director/Curator Featuring the ethereal white layered abstract paintings by St. Thomas Artist Mary Donlan. “In my art I aim for the effect of layered images, fragments, occurrences. I see the process of layering, merging, changing, interweaving and synthesizing as simulating the creative process.” |
2017 Exhibitions
Pop Goes the World! |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: November 24, 2017 – March 31, 2018 Curator: Erin Beacroft, former Communications/Facility Rentals Coordinator Canadian artists have found their niche in the pop art world and have really embraced the political undertones of the movement. |
A Cottage in England: Florence Carlyle from 1913-1923 |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: October 13, 2017 – September 15, 2018 Curator: Roberta Grosland, former Head of Collections Woodstock artist Florence Carlyle moved to England in the spring of 1913, on the eve of the First World War. This exhibit features Carlyle’s paintings completed in England during and after the First World War. |
Stu Oxley: Distant Grounds and Artists at Riverside Studio |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: October 13, 2017 – January 27, 2018 Curator: Emily McKibbon, Associate Curator, MacLaren Art Centre Featuring the works of: Stu Oxley, Walter Bachinski, Carl Beam, Brian Boigon, Joe Fafard, Ted Fullerton, Richard Gorenko, John Hartman, Stephen Hutchings, John Kissick, Marie Lannoo, Margaret Priest, Cheryl Ruddock, Tony Scherman, Neil Shawcross, Ron Shuebrook, Doug Stone, Frances Thomas, Tony Urquhart, Tim Zuck. This exhibition features the immersive visual field of Oxley’s newly conceived abstract paintings alongside highlights of his print collaborations with nineteen artists between 1980 and 2015 at Oxley’s print-making facility, Riverside Studio in Elora. Organized and Circulated by the MacLaren Art Centre, Barrie, Ontario. Exhibition Brochure: |
See What I See |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: October 13, 2017 – January 27, 2018 See What I See has been mounted in partnership with Good Beginnings, Oxford Community Child Care, Tavistock Preschool and the Woodstock Art Gallery to celebrate the Week of the Child. The images on display were taken by children from birth to age 12, using digital cameras or iPads to capture an unedited moment. Children are attracted to what is happening now and in front of them. See What I See is an opportunity to reflect on how children learn and how they observe. The Woodstock Art Gallery wishes to acknowledge the work of See What I See project committee, Denise Armstrong, Beverly Karn, Janis Coon and Tracey Thompson, who are representatives from Good Beginnings child care programs, school age program and A Child First for this enlightening and insightful display. |
7th Annual 50/50 Exhibition & Sale |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: November 24, 2017 – December 9, 2017 The 7th Annual 50/50 Exhibition and Sale offers a diverse selection of artwork for purchase, all created by local and regional artists. Proceeds from the sale are split evenly between the Woodstock Art Gallery and the artists. These funds help support the programs of the Gallery. |
Spaces to Go and People Who Know |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: October 13, 2017 – November 18, 2017 Presented by Suicide Prevention Oxford Leadership Coalition The Suicide Prevention Oxford Leadership Coalition (SPOLC) is committed to understanding the best ways to respond to Woodstock residents’ mental health and wellbeing needs. Photovoice is a participatory action research approach that engages individuals or groups of people who usually do not have a say in decisions that affect their daily lives; it provides participants the opportunity to express their experiences and “speak” through photography. |
Visual Elements 59: Annual Juried Exhibition |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: July 15, 2017 – September 23, 2017 Jurors: Gary Evans, Corinna Ghaznavi, Michael Hunter Visual Elements: Annual Juried Exhibition celebrates the breadth and diversity of talent that resides in Oxford County. Sponsored by Scotiabank. Artists:
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Michael Hunter: Taking the Natural and Forcing it into a Constructed State |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: July 15, 2017 – September 23, 2017 Curatorial Assistance: Peter Flannery, Curatorial/Collections Assistant As a skilled carpenter, Michael Hunter incorporates construction and found building materials in his large-scale works depicting landscapes, animals, objects, and abstract forms. Often forming his pieces through the layering and joining together of large sheets of discarded plywood, Hunter builds a canvas that is both a surface to be molded and a guide in the creation of his work. At each step of a work’s progress, Hunter allows the materials to steer his vision, resolving aesthetic problems within the piece while simultaneously creating more problems of colour, line, and form. Composition is paired with bold colour choices and designs, as tension builds through contrasting textures and aesthetics. Sculpture and painting merge within each piece as a result of the emphasis on the materials at hand, yet a single, unified work emerges. |
Steven Livick: Midway |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: July 15, 2017 – September 23, 2017 Guest Curator: Matthew Ryan Smith Features the work of London, Ontario-based artist Stephen Livick and his series of carnival photographs. These fascinating works, which have never been shown together before, are part of the collection of the McIntosh Gallery at the University of Western Ontario. Livick’s photographs examine how the carnival, traditionally considered to be a site of pleasure and amusement, can double as a site of melancholy. Exhibition Brochure: |
ART BEAT: The Ripple Effect 2017 |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: April 8, 2017 – June 23, 2017 Coordinator: Stephanie Porter, Head of Education ART BEAT: The Ripple Effect is a hands-on, process-oriented mentorship program and exhibition, offered in partnership with Oxford County School Boards.
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Isumannivit: Your Own Thoughts |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: April 8, 2017 – November 17, 2017 Curator: Carling Spinney, Curatorial/Collections Assistant There is no word for “art” in Inuktitut. Instead, Inuit use the word isumannivit (pronounced ee-soo-ma-nee-veet), which literally means “your own thoughts.” This translation offers an alternative concept of art, differing from an object-based understanding of the word. Isumannivit emphasizes art’s ability to express an individual’s thoughts, ideas, and experiences in the world. From this perspective, art becomes a mode of thinking rather than simply an object—one that is individualized and subjective. The artists in this exhibition depict their own thoughts in such a manner. |
Character Sketches |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: February 18, 2017 – January 27, 2018 Curator: Roberta Grosland, former Head of Collections Can we really tell a person’s character from their portrait? Character Sketches features over 20 portraits by more than a dozen artists from the Woodstock Art Gallery’s Permanent Collection as well as seven works on loan from the National Portrait Gallery. The exhibition explores portraits of prominent citizens as well as depictions artists’ family and friends and self-portraits. |
Roberta Bondar: Windows into the Wild |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: February 18, 2017 – June 30, 2017 Organized and Circulated by the Roberta Bondar Foundation
Our Earth is covered in both lush and barren landscapes; robust rivers and sinewy streams; intricate ecosystems teeming with life or possibly disappearing forever. Ours is a planet defined by opposites, and above all, biodiversity. Roberta Bondar’s photography is rooted in a deep sense of respect for the planet we call home. In 1992, Bondar would become known to Canada and the world when she embarked on an eight-day spaceflight aboard the Discovery space shuttle. Roberta herself is many things: astronaut, neurologist, physician, environmentalist, and, as in this exhibition, photographer. In outer space, she was struck by the overwhelming contrast of life-filled Earth and the perpetual blackness beyond, each separated by only a thin blue haze that is Earth’s atmosphere. Her photography practice may be interpreted according to opposites (such as land and sky), but also through a convergence of these opposites (horizons). Bondar has noted her fascination with the binary of land and sky, but also with the point at which they meet: horizons. This theme emerges time and again in her photographs. Roberta Bondar’s planetary perspective guides her photographic practice; she is concerned with all life on Earth. Sponsored by Meridian Credit Union. |
Devona Paquette: A Bold Approach |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNair.Exhibition Run: February 18, 2017 – April 1, 2017 Curator: Carling Spinney, Curatorial/Collections Assistant Devona Paquette (1930-1993) was born in Woodstock, Ontario. An active community member, Paquette was a well-known watercolour artist who showed her work with great success both regionally and internationally. After working as a graphic designer in Toronto and as a property designer for the Stratford Festival, Paquette moved to Kitchener and began her career as a freelance artist and instructor. In 1974, Paquette and her husband moved to Ayr, Ontario, where she became a beloved artist in the local community and beyond. Paquette was best known for her watercolours of rural Ontario, which she tried to capture on paper before the old barns and homes she so dearly loved completely disappeared. This exhibition is a retrospective of Paquette’s artistic practice, taking its name from a 1976 quote of the artist describing her approach to watercolour. Exhibition Brochure: |
What is a Bully? |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: February 18, 2017 – April 1, 2017 Curator: Stephanie Porter, Head of Education The focus of What is a BULLY? is to bring awareness through the creative process and to eliminate bullying starting at a local level. This interactive exhibition invites everyone to experience artist, Patricia Herlovitch's interpretation of What is a BULLY? through the children's book she illustrated and wrote. In partnership with Canadian Mental Health Association – Oxford Branch. |
Animals in the Arctic: Polar Bears |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: February 18, 2017 – April 1, 2017 Curator: Carling Spinney, Curatorial/Collections Assistant As part of the continuing series, Animals of the Arctic, this mini exhibition explores contemporary Inuit drawings of polar bears. Traditionally, polar bears (nanuq in Inuktitut) have had an important spiritual presence in Inuit life. Both feared for the danger they pose and admired for their incredible power, polar bears are greatly respected in Inuit culture. Through hunting, cultural myths, and shamanic rituals, polar bears are deeply embedded in both traditional and contemporary Inuit life. The drawings in this exhibition showcase select works from the Woodstock Art Gallery’s 2016 acquisition of more than 230 works from the Museum of Inuit Art (now permanently closed). |
2016 Exhibitions
Printmakers Passion |
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Photo Credit: Robert Robert McNairExhibition Run: November 25, 2016 – July 2, 2017 In 2016, the Woodstock Art Gallery acquired a collection of prints generously donated by Robert Creighton. The selected works in this exhibition illustrate the range of artistic expression possible in printmaking. Specific works act as a lens through which an examination of diverse printmaking techniques may follow. |
Wojciech Strahl: The Best Friends....My Angels |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: November 25, 2016 – January 21, 2017 Within the last three years, a new direction has appeared in the artist’s work. Strahl’s current focus is miniature bas-relief, iconographic sculpture. His unique angel sculptures are carved from wood in a precise manner, transforming traditionally painted icons into carved bas-relief icons. Today, an artistic practice based on carved icons is rare. When Strahl’s angel project is completed, there will be approximately 1,000 carved icons. This will be a unique collection of wood relief sculptures never before presented in such quantity, form, and style. |
6th Annual 50/50 Exhibition & Sale |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: November 25, 2016 – December 10, 2016 The 6th Annual 50/50 Exhibition and Sale offers a diverse selection of artwork for purchase, all created by local and regional artists. Proceeds from the sale are split evenly between the Woodstock Art Gallery and the artists. These funds help support the programs of the Gallery. |
Miss Carlyle's Success |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: October 14, 2016 – September 16, 2017 Curator: Roberta Grosland, former Head of Collections Miss Carlyle’s Success highlights Woodstock artist Florence Carlyle’s (1864 – 1923) career in North America. In 1896 Carlyle returned to Canada after six years spent studying art in France. This exhibit showcases works Carlyle produced over the next 15 years, the most critically and commercially successful period of her artistic career. Carlyle’s 1902 painting The Tiff, now a part of the Art Gallery of Ontario’s Permanent Collection, was the key work of that period and pivotal in establishing Carlyle’s national reputation. The Woodstock Art Gallery is thrilled the Art Gallery of Ontario has graciously lent The Tiff for this exhibition in recognition of the Woodstock Art Gallery’s 50th anniversary. Florence Carlyle Brochure: |
Greg Staats: Photographic Works from 1995 to Present |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNair.Exhibition Run: October 14, 2016 – January 21, 2017 Guest Curator: Patricia Deadman Greg Staats, Kanien'kehá:ka (b. Ohsweken, Six Nations of the Grand River Territory) is a photographer and video artist whose installation works combine language, mnemonics and the natural world as an ongoing process of reconnecting with a Haudenosaunee restorative aesthetic that defines the multiplicity of relationships with trauma and renewal. |
Creative Connections |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: October 14, 2016 – November 19, 2016 Studies have shown that creativity remains even after diseases of the mind have created difficulties with communication and day to day activities. Artistic endeavors and music create neural pathways that can connect when words may not have meaning. The Alzheimer Society of Oxford in partnership with the Woodstock Art Gallery is grateful to the Government of Canada for their New Horizons for Seniors
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See What I See |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: October 14, 2016 – November 19, 2016 See What I See has been mounted in partnership with Good Beginnings, Oxford Community Child Care, Tavistock Preschool and the Woodstock Art Gallery to celebrate the Week of the Child. The images on display were taken by children from birth to age 12, using digital cameras or iPads to capture an unedited moment. Children are attracted to what is happening now and in front of them. See What I See is an opportunity to reflect on how children learn and how they observe. |
Florence Carlyle: A Woodstock Girl in Paris |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: July 16, 2016 – November 19, 2016 Curator: Roberta Grosland, former Head of Collections In 1890, Florence Carlyle (1864 – 1923) travelled from Woodstock, Ontario to Paris, France to study art. When she returned to Canada six years later, it was as a professional artist. Florence Carlyle: A Woodstock Girl in Paris features paintings and drawings executed during Carlyle’s years abroad. Florence Carlyle Brochure: |
Visual Elements 58: Annual Juried Exhibition |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: July 16, 2016 – September 23, 2016 Jurors: Cathy Groulx, Olga Korper, John McEwen Visual Elements: Annual Juried Exhibition celebrates the breadth and diversity of talent that resides in Oxford County. Sponsored by Scotiabank. Artists:
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Cathy Groulx: Painting Life |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: July 16, 2016 – September 23, 2016 Considered a treasure of Woodstock, Cathy Groulx has established herself as an accomplished oil painter, whom is recognized not only for her landscapes and rural scenes but also is regularly commissioned for portraits and figurative work. Supported by the Ontario Arts Council. |
Beyond the Bush Garden: Muzzin & de Lange |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: July 16, 2016 – September 23, 2016 Tyler Muzzin and Samuel de Lange’s ongoing projects are informed by the development of working research methodologies and theories concerning representations of landscapes as they relate to histories, archives, ideas of transmission and reception, social ecology, and contemporary culture. |
Joanne Vegso: Exploration with Still Life |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: April 9, 2016 – July 2, 2016
Currently based in London, Ontario, Joanne Vegso has previously lived in and around the Oxford County region. She received her Bachelor in Fine Arts from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design as well as a diploma in Design and Textiles from Sheridan College School of Design. During the 1990s she studied under painter Gordon Perrier at the Dundas Valley School of Art. Vegso has exhibited her work in solo and group exhibitions across Ontario and in England. |
Observations in the Glass House |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNair.Exhibition Run: February 13, 2016 – January 21, 2017 Curator: Roberta Grosland, former Head of Collections The permanent collection works that make up Observations in the Glass House span half a century, eight artists and a variety of media. Some pieces celebrate the beauty of nature, other mourn the toll humans inflict on both the environment and other species that share our glass house. All encourage the viewer to really look at their surroundings, to question what they see and to engage in a discussion. After all, we must work out how best to manage and maintain this fragile house we all share. Sponsored by Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada. |
Joe Lima & Walter Redinger: Unlimited Possibilities |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: February 13, 2016 – July 2, 2016 Curator: Mary Reid, Director/Curator This exhibition marks the first time that Lima’s and Redinger’s work has been presented together in a dedicated fashion. The title, Unlimited Possibilities, is a nod not only to the extensive conversations that these two artists shared, but also to the approach of each to the pure materiality of their work. Both Lima and Redinger share the ability to magically transform material, and neither is deterred by physical limitations. Supported by the Ontario Arts Council. Exhibition Brochure: |
ART BEAT: The Ripple Effect 2016 |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: February 13, 2016 – April 2, 2016 Coordinator: Stephanie Porter, Head of Collections ART BEAT: The Ripple Effect is a hands-on, process-oriented mentorship program and exhibition, offered in partnership with Oxford County School Boards.
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2015 Exhibitions
5th Annual 50/50 Exhibition & Sale |
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Exhibition Run: November 28, 2015 – December 13, 2015 The 5th Annual 50/50 Exhibition and Sale offers a diverse selection of artwork for purchase, all created by local and regional artists. Proceeds from the sale are split evenly between the Woodstock Art Gallery and the artists. These funds help support the programs of the Gallery. |
Silent Partners: Prima Ballerina Evelyn Hart's Signature costumes from an Extraordinary Career |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: October 9, 2015 – January 9, 2016 Coordinator: Caroline Hamilton, MA Exhibition Advisor: Anne Armit Silent Partners: Prima Ballerina Evelyn Hart’s Signature Costumes from an Extraordinary Career features costumes, tutus and accompanying headdresses that trace the career of one of Canada’s most celebrated and loved ballerinas. Hart refers to her costumes as her “silent partners” and due to her quest for perfection; she has been intimately involved in the design and construction in each, principally with costume designer Anne Armit. Originally from the London, Ontario area Hart left home at 17 to join the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, and within a few short years became an international sensation. After a memorable career that has spanned over 35 years, Hart has returned home to teach at the National Ballet of Canada in Toronto and to spend time with friends and family in the London and Stratford areas. This exhibition is not only a celebration of her career, but of the incredible talent that has gone into designing and creating her costumes. Costume designer Anne Armit, who is based in Stratford acted as expert advisor on this project along with social historian Caroline Hamilton who hails from London, England. |
Lasting Impressions: Historical European Prints |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: October 9, 2015 – June 2016 Curator: Roberta Grosland, former Head of Collections On display in the Dr. Leonard Reeves Permanent Collection Gallery is Woodstock’s very own Rembrandt. This work was purchased along with a series of other notable historical European prints from the Art Gallery of Ontario with funds drawn from the Art Acquisition Reserve. Pulled together under the umbrella of Lasting Impressions, this exhibition provides a strong overview of the practice and skill of printmaking over the last 200 years. |
See What I See |
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Exhibition Run: October 9, 2015 – January 2016 See What I See has been mounted in partnership with Good Beginnings, Oxford Community Child Care, Tavistock Preschool and the Woodstock Art Gallery to celebrate the Week of the Child. The images on display were taken by children from birth to age 12, using digital cameras or iPads to capture an unedited moment. Children are attracted to what is happening now and in front of them. See What I See is an opportunity to reflect on how children learn and how they observe. |
Art of Sustainable Energy |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: July 22, 2015 – September 2015 Sustainability is an approach to meeting the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own. It takes into account the short and long-term ecological, social, and economic consequences of our actions and emphasizes both environmental and human well-being as essential ends in themselves. Recent technological advancements in energy storage, generation, and transportation are converging to form both opportunities and threats. It is critical that we understand the current evolution to begin planning for a smarter, and more efficient energy system. The Whites Lane microGRID project is an example of how many key partners can work together to bring these emerging technologies to a small, electricity supply system in downtown Woodstock. The microGRID is located behind the Art Gallery, on the roof of Woodstock Hydro. Whites Lane is the alleyway that runs between the neighbouring buildings, and is named after the local turn-of-the-century businessman John White. This exhibit is a collaboration between Woodstock Hydro and the Woodstock Art Gallery. It is a vehicle to share with the public a vision for a renewable and sustainable future. The photographs on display were created in locations around Ontario by students from the Environmental Visual Communication Program at Fleming College. |
Visual Elements 57: Annual Juried Exhibition |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: July 18, 2015 – September 26, 2015 Jurors: Ted Fullerton and Natalka Husar Visual Elements: Annual Juried Exhibition celebrates the breadth and diversity of talent that resides in Oxford County. Artists:
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The Solstice Project |
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Exhibition Run: May 9, 2015 – June 20, 2015 A new art form created by Duane Thomas, a sound canvas (short film) is a series of animated images in motion accompanied by music also composed by Duane Thomas. Also, featuring artists Urszula Kumala, Justyna Baba, Alyssa Getz and St. Mary's C.H.S Art Students. |
Threadworks |
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Exhibition Run: May 16, 2015 – July 4, 2015 Under the theme of “water” this juried exhibition features an impressive variety of techniques. Artists are represented from across Canada and the Ontario Network of Needle Workers. |
Me beyond what you see |
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Exhibition Run: April 17, 2015 – April 25, 2015 The Me beyond what you see art contest challenged local grade five students to reflect on the things that others can’t see and celebrate the body they have, focusing on qualities other than physical and positive body image. Media and social pressures make youth feel “less-than-perfect” and can instill a negative self-image at an early age; this contest was an opportunity for young students to learn about and resist these pressures. Grade five students in Oxford County were invited to submit art pieces that showed the Me beyond what you see for a chance exhibit at the Woodstock Art Gallery. Oxford County Public Health School nurses assist teachers with implementing the Ontario Health and Physical Activity curriculum (including the Growth and Development Strands for grades 5-8) and can help school staff and school councils address school-based health issues, like nutrition, physical activity, injury prevention, healthy relationships, substance and smoking cessation. Participating Schools:
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Canada on Canvas |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: February 14, 2015 – May 2, 2015 Curator: Andrew Kear, Curator of Historical Canadian Art, Winnipeg Art Gallery Canada on Canvas spans a century of artistic production, from 1880 to 1980. The exhibition draws together key pieces from the Winnipeg Art Gallery's permanent collection of historical Canadian art and includes work by 34 of this country's most esteemed painters. It consolidates a wide range of portraits, landscapes, and non-figurative paintings created by artists from the Maritimes to the West Coast. Presenting a selection of different perspectives from which to understand Canada, its geography and history, this exhibition is not an exhaustive survey. A painting's power is, in part, its silent and unsettling ambivalence, its ability to enliven a sense of shared experience, but also remind us of the competing interests that underpin our differences. Canada on Canvas celebrates aspects of this country's painting tradition by highlighting three overlapping themes: people, place, and paint. These categories criss-cross histories and regions, and allow for a multi-layered look at how painterly subjects and techniques have evolved in different locations, at different historical moments. The exhibition offers various perspectives on the relationship between artistic expression and a country's inhabitants, its landscape, historical experiences, and, perhaps most importantly, the collective, and sometimes competing, ideas and narratives through which Canadians understand themselves. |
2014 Exhibitions
4th Annual 50/50 Exhibition & Sale |
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Exhibition Run: November 28, 2014 – December 13, 2014 The 4th Annual 50/50 Exhibition and Sale offers a diverse selection of artwork for purchase, all created by local and regional artists. Proceeds from the sale are split evenly between the Woodstock Art Gallery and the artists. These funds help support the programs of the Gallery. |
Female Self Representation and the Public Trust: Mary E Wrinch and the AGW Collections |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: September 24, 2014 – January 5, 2015 Curator: Catharine Mastin, Director, Art Gallery of Windsor An artist, educator and property owner, Mary Wrinch was an atypical woman for her generation. Trained initially in the art of the miniature, she moved on to paint oils on panel boards and enlarged stretched canvases beginning in the 1910s, followed by printmaking in the 1920s. Wrinch eventually married prominent artist and architect George Agnew Reid (1860-1947) in 1922, following the death of his first wife Mary Heister (1854 -1922). Many of Wrinch's prints were the result of her forays around Wychwood Park where she resided with Reid in his landmark Arts and Crafts home, the "Upland Cottage," and where the artist-couple were to spend the remainder of their lives. This exhibition re-opens her practice for study and profiles the work of an important artist through the lens of artist-couple histories and gender analysis. Circulated by the Art Gallery of Windsor. |
Beyond Function |
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Exhibition Run: July 5, 2014 – September 13, 2014 The contemporary ceramist is often faced with the dilemma of choosing between making a line of functional pieces, where the uniformity of the work is the hallmark of the artist, or branching off into one-of-a-kind sculptural work, where the modeling skills of the artist take precedence over production methods (the use of coils, slabs and wheel thrown forms) and the medium that are the trademark of the ceramist. The alternative option that more and more ceramists are turning to is the production of often, large scale pieces, that while they are based on classical vessel forms, can stand alone as sculptural expressions/objects of beauty, where the artist’s vision outweighs the practical everyday usefulness of the object. Each one of these artists lives locally in Southern Ontario, from Mississauga to London and is an important member of their arts community. Beyond Function is organized and circulated by the Art Gallery of Burlington. |
Dimensions |
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Exhibition Run: July 5, 2014 – September 13, 2014 Dimensions is the Saskatchewan Craft Council's touring, juried, exhibition of Fine Craft open to all Saskatchewan craftspeople. Dimensions is a dynamic, colourful exhibition of 35 Fine Craft works in a wide variety of media. 2013 celebrated the 30th Dimensions exhibition organized by the Saskatchewan Craft Council. The exhibition was selected by Michael Hosaluk, Saidye Bronfoman Award winning wood worker, designer, and educator from Saskatoon. Michael has much previous experience with Dimensions as a participating artist, awards winner, and juror. The out-of-province juror was Susan Rankin, a glass artist from Apsley, Ontario. Susan grew up in Saskatchewan and maintains family and artistic ties here. Her work is exhibited internationally and nationally. 122 craftspeople submitted 202 entries for consideration. Both new and experienced craftspeople submitted up to two handcrafted items for jurying. Dimensions features 35 works by 33 exceptionally talented Saskatchewan craftspeople – the best in Saskatchewan Fine Craft.
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Artists of Oxford: Phases |
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Cathy Groulx, Country Division, 2012.Exhibition Run: May 10, 2014 – June 27, 2014 This exhibition highlights recent work by Artists of Oxford. Artists of Oxford (AO) is an organization that was established in 2007 to foster the development of visual arts in Oxford County and to promote and encourage art appreciation. The group is a support network for professional artists in the region bringing together people of all levels of artistic achievement. Join the artists for the opening celebration on May 16th, from 5 to 7pm. The evening entertainment includes music provided by Nick Bastian. A rare find on today's jazz scene – Nick brings a new, creative voice to the melodies of yesterday's masters. He is accompanied by his long-time left-hand man; the talented Joel Banks on upright bass. |
Visual Elements 56: Annual Juried Exhibition |
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Ralph Heather, In Their House, 2014, Original Woodcut PrintExhibition Run: April 26, 2014 – June 28, 2014 Jurors: Helen Gregory and Peter Harris Visual Elements: Annual Juried Exhibition celebrates the breadth and diversity of talent that resides in Oxford County. Artists:
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The Little Gallery Guide Project |
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Exhibition Run: March 8, 2014 – May 3, 2014 This project was made possible by support from The Cowan Foundation. The Little Gallery Guide Project allowed students to go behind the scenes at the Gallery, to look in-depth at exhibitions and explore art in the storage vault. Through a series of hands-on projects, junior researchers documented their experiences and discoveries, some of which are showcased in this exhibition. This project also gave youth an unexpected role in creating a professional publication for the public and their peers. Special thanks to the students in Ms. Leuverink's grade 4/5 class at Central Public School in Woodstock for helping to produce this publication — created by students for young visitors and the community. Thank you to Stacie Gowan, UWO Arts Management intern for her research and development of this project and to Alysia Avey, Deandra Mercer and St. Mary's Catholic High school co-op student, Chantelle Stringle for their efforts. |
Kim Moodie: All But Not |
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Exhibition Run: February 8, 2014 – April 19, 2014 Epics of visual speculative fiction, the drawings of London artist Kim Moodie seem to flow as streams, of dark yet humorous creativity, from an escape valve in the artist's imagination. The artist's particular narratives and inspirations ultimately remain with him but within the work the adventure is ours. All But Not presents Moodie's latest drawings, including loans from public and private collections. They are some of his largest, most detailed works to date and are complemented by smaller-scale icons in raw grisaille. Moodie's weird subjects, each astounding in their meticulous depiction—leap from the page to assert their own irreverent personalities and take viewers on a journey into the heart of horror vacui. An artwork has a life of its own modified by decisions, contemplated or intuitive, made during production and further mediated by the viewer. Therefore Moodie's works have a sense of melancholy, in his words: "as if there is never enough, not but all, all but not." |
Oxford Weavers & Spinners' 60th Anniversary Exhibit: Facets |
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Exhibition Run: January 11, 2014 – March 1, 2014 The Oxford Weavers and Spinners were organized in 1954 with Muriel Laird of Innerkip as the first president. This group started as the Oxford Weavers and in October 1989 became the Oxford Weavers and Spinners to foster the exchange ideas and promote the art of weaving and spinning with the people of Oxford County. This dynamic exhibition highlights the work of the guild as well as showcasing various techniques. If you have ever wondered how textiles are made, this exhibition will give you in sight into the various methods used. |
Women's Labour: Selections from WAG's Permanent Collection |
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Exhibition Run: September 24, 2014 – November, 2014 This exhibit looks at close to a century of woman's labour as interpreted by artists of WAG's permanent collection. When Florence Carlyle painted Joy of Living in 1913, women represented about 13% of the paid labour force in Canada. Of course, most of the labour that women did was unpaid: looking after children, cooking, gardening and cleaning were considered women's duties. It is perhaps not surprising that acceptable paid work for women was often limited to servants, laundresses, dressmakers, nurses or teachers: all jobs associated with domestic skills or care giving. Of course there were exceptions: Florence Carlyle, for example, was a professional painter. During wartime, especially the Second World War, women were encouraged to enter the workforce to keep the factories and farms running; however, when peace returned, married women were expected stay at home. Yet by 1951, women comprised 22% of the Canadian labour force but their career opportunities were still often limited. Throughout the next several decades, women fought for equal pay and more career opportunities. In 1972, Canada ratified United Nation's Convention Concerning Equal Remuneration for Men and Women for Work of Equal Value, although legislation enforcing pay equity took over another decade to appear. For many women, entering the workforce became a necessity but they still found themselves responsible for the majority of childcare, eldercare and household chores. By 1996, the year before Gerald Vaandering created Amsterdam/Pictograph, women made up 46% of the workforce and were not only beginning to be employed in traditional male fields but were also assuming positions of greater power and responsibility. Recently, the New York Times reported the reverse: more men are now working in traditional female dominated professions such as nursing or early childhood education than ever before. |
2013 Exhibitions
Interwoven |
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Exhibition Run: December 14, 2013 – February 2, 2014 Interwoven explores some of the threads that connect ten of the Woodstock Art Gallery's recent acquisitions, all generous gifts with artworks that have been acquired over the last four decades by WAG. The Woodstock Art Gallery's Permanent Collection has grown and developed over the last 46 years. WAG's collection now consists of over 800 works of art and 250 artifacts. The WAG's Acquisition Committee evaluates proposed acquisitions, whether donations, bequests or purchases against a set of criteria outlined in WAG's Collection Policy and only works that meet the standards are accepted into the WAG's Collection. Artists include Kenojuak Ashevak, Marion Drysdale, Florence Carlyle, Utagawa (Ando) Hiroshige, James Houston, Frances Loring, Norval Morrisseau, Carl Ray, Patrick Thibert, Mary Wrinch and Ed Zelenak. |
The Song My Paddle Sings: 3rd 50/50 Exhibition & Sale |
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Exhibition Run: November 15, 2013 – December 14, 2013 The 50/50 Exhibition and Sale provides opportunity for the community to celebrate and support local artists and Gallery programming. Local artists from various stages in their career present a wide variety of media; from ceramic, to photography; jewellery to weaving; painting in oils, acrylics, mixed media and watercolour; pastel and ink drawing, sculpture and collage, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Prices are limited to up to $150.
West wind, glow from your prairie nest, Blow from the mountains, blow from the west. The sail is idle, the sailor too; O wind of the west, we wait for you! Blow, blow! I have wooed you so, But never a favour you bestow. You rock your cradle the hills between, But scorn to notice my white lateen. I stow the sail and unship the mast: I wooed you long, but my wooing's past; My paddle will lull you into rest: O drowsy wind of the drowsy west, Sleep, sleep! By your mountains steep, Or down where the prairie grasses sweep, Now fold in slumber your laggard wings, For soft is the song my paddle sings. August is laughing across the sky, Laughing while paddle, canoe and I Drift, drift, Where the hills uplift On either side of the current swift. The river rolls in its rocky bed, My paddle is plying it's way ahead, Dip, dip, When the waters flip In foam as over the breast we slip. And oh, the river runs swifter now; The eddies circle about my bow: Swirl, swirl! How the ripples curl In many a dangerous pool awhirl! And far to forward the rapids roar, Fretting their margin for evermore; Dash, dash, With a mighty crash, They seethe and boil and bound and splash. Be strong, O paddle! Be brave, canoe! The reckless waves you must plunge into. Reel, reel, On your trembling keel, But never a fear my craft will feel. We've raced the rapids; we're far ahead: The river slips through its silent bed. Sway, sway, As the bubbles spray And fall in tinkling tunes away. And up on the hills against the sky, A fir tree rocking its lullaby Swings, swings, Its emerald wings, Swelling the song that my paddle sings. "The Song My Paddle Sings," by E. Pauline Johnson (1862 – 1913) |
Visual Elements 55: Annual Juried Exhibition |
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Exhibition Run: October 12, 2013 – December 7, 2013 Jurors: Patrick Thibert and Bryce Kanbara This popular exhibition continues the long standing annual tradition of offering the best artwork created by Gallery members, Oxford County and regional artists. Artists:
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Jane Buyers: Gather...Arrange...Maintain... |
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Photo Credit: Robert McNairExhibition Run: August 10, 2013 – October 5, 2013 Over the last 30 years, contemporary Canadian artist Jane Buyers has made modes of investigation and inquiry the foundation for her practice. Trained in the era of Minimalism and Conceptualism, Buyers’ work reveals a fascination with the physicality of material and process. Consistently moving between a variety of approaches in drawing, sculpture and printmaking, Buyers has mined a range of media and methods. |
Focus.... A Selection of Photographic Works |
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Exhibition Run: July 13, 2013 – September 7, 2013 Members of the Oxford Photographic Arts Guild share their perspectives on the world, as seen through the lens of their cameras. OPAG members’ range of styles includes an eclectic mixture of contemporary, avant-garde and realistic photography. Artists include Earle Barr, Frances Barr, Cathy Bingham, Ralph Boniface, Yvonne Boniface, Jerry Cornell, Laura Cunningham, Bruce Hartley, Janice Marshall, John Novak, Colleen Rintoul, Ruth Ann Rule and Victor Whitcroft. |
