Visiting Artists Series Returns to the Arts Centre

The Visiting Artist Series for 2011 gets rolling again for February, March and May. These 2 or 3 person shows are a break from the large group shows that most are familiar with. The artists who the Exhibition Committee chooses typically have fairly significant bodies of work that focus on a particular theme or project that offer the public an opportunity to get deeper into an artist's particular bent and perspective. The styles and approaches are often reflective of their differing backgrounds and communities. These shows offer the BMFA an opportunity to attract and develop new audiences, particularly out-of-town visitors. It also gives our regular members an opportunity to see what artists from other places are up to in their practice. 

Since the primary objective of these shows is educational, we take every opportunity to have the artists present to talk about their work and the development of their careers. Last year, we had good success engaging high-school students and staff, and we are hopeful of recreating that again this year. The artists have proven to be tremendously supportive of these initiatives and are very giving of their time and energy. Each show will feature a reception on the first Saturday afternoon of each month, with the artists present, as well as an artist's talk on one or other Tuesday Night during the month. 

We are pleased to welcome C. F. Crozier and Associates, Consulting Engineers, as our overall Series Presenting Sponsor this year as well as Donna Shortt of BMO Nesbitt Burns who is coming through once again to sponsor and make possible our artist talks as Tuesday Night Events at the Arts Centre. A huge thank you to both of these committed and supporting companies.

We urge our members to come and welcome our visitors at these events and to participate in the inevitable exchange of ideas that makes art alive and so vital to the health of our communities.

TALKING PICTURES- Erin Riley (Toronto)
and Laura Payne (Guelph)

 February 2 - 27

Visiting Artists Talk and Presentation:Tuesday,
Feb. 1, 7-9 pm
Opening Reception with the artists:Saturday,
Feb. 5, 3-5 pm

Music: D. J. West

Curated by Ron MacRae

Erin Riley

”Seats of Power”is a collection of portraits of the chairs upon which sit Canadian political, business, cultural, spiritual, and media icons. By extension, they are also portraits, in abstentia, of the occupants whom we are left to conjure up on our own. By considering just the objects themselves, what might we infer of the expectations, responsibilities, promise (or lack thereof) that their vacant chairs might inspire?

Laura Payne

Laura Payne finds herself continually drawn toward the magic of photorealism and its symbiotic connection to the photographic image. “Stereoscopy” explores, through painting, the dual-image viewpoint of 3D photography and with it the apparent longing to achieve the facsimile of a ‘realer real’. No special eyewear is required to revel in Payne’s careful detail (magnifying glasses excepted). Recent video works will also be shown.

ROOTS - Cesan d’Ornellas Levine(Toronto)
and Elly MacKay (Owen Sound)

March 2 - 31  

Opening Reception with the artists:  March 5, 3 – 5 pm
Free Artists’ Talk: March 15, 7 – 9 pm

Music Performance: Nastasha Procenko

Curated by Lenore Burton

Cesan d'Ornellas Levine

Cesan d’Ornellas Levine is a visual artist whose work is inspired by the marriage between art and spirit, portrayed through large, bold, semi-abstract acrylic paintings. These paintings make reference to childhood encounters with ancient schematic rock carvings known as petroglyphs that show the relationship of the present to the past. As a person of diverse heritage, raised with an open source philosophy, her work is naturally an engagement with the global melting pot which virtually defines what is contemporary about contemporary culture.

Elly MacKay

Elly MacKay is in artist, illustrator, and an educator. In the past, Elly spent a great deal of time making tunnel books, but has now been exploring an early love of hers which is 3-D images. Her current works incorporate layers of drawings, on a small scale, like very tiny stage sets or installations. She has a fluid process with layers to create the effect – individual characters, lighting, filters, camera height, and settings. Her inspiration is taken from Victorian curiosities, vintage book illustrations, children’s drawings, and set designs.

FROM OUR EARTH – FotoLumina(Photographs)
Christopher MacLeod and Catherine Vamvakas Lay

May 4 - 29

Curated by Nancy Jackson 

 More information to follow in March.