Articles tagged with: VISA 4F06 Honours Exhibition

  • Weaving histories into new creative works

    Image caption: Fourth-year Visual Arts students Karen Guichelaar (left) and Sabrina Luckasavitch have created new bodies of artwork as part of their Honours Thesis exhibition, entitled Off the Factor Floor, on show at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts.

    Thursday, April 10, 2025 | by 

    Every time fourth-year Visual Arts (VISA) student Kearah Holmes touches one of the intricate, hand-sewn items made by her great-grandmother, her connection to her ancestry — and artistry — deepens.

    Gwen Revill, Holmes’ great-grandmother, worked as a seamstress at the historical Spirella Corset Company in Niagara Falls.

    “Textile work has been handed down in my family through generations through dressmaking and sewing. My artwork is inspired by my roots and the creative energy of connecting physically with materials,” she said.

    Holmes’ textile artwork is part of Off the Factory Floor, a new exhibition showcasing the Honours Thesis work of VISA Studio Art majors on show at Brock’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSPFA) and the Niagara Artists Centre.

    The exhibition title was inspired by the late Marilyn I. Walker, a renowned fibre artist and philanthropist, and the MIWSPFA’s location in the former Canada Hair Cloth Building.

    Walker’s gift to Brock of $15 million in 2008 transformed the historic downtown St. Catharines textile factory into a state-of-the-art learning facility, which will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its opening in September.

    “There was something so beautiful about creating art in a building that used to be a textile factory transformed into a place creativity and learning through the arts; the VISA 4F06 group wanted to honour the vision of Marilyn I. Walker,” Holmes said.

    The experience motivated fourth-year student Karen Guichelaar, a process-based artist who generally works with paint and sculpture, to step out of her comfort zone during the year-long capstone course.

    “Our professors encouraged us to explore new mediums, and the creative freedom was exhilarating and inspiring; I never thought of myself as a textile artist, but I gave it a try,” she said.

    Guichelaar’s body of work, comprised of five pieces that use fabric, embroidery thread and safety pins, each capture a different human facial expression reflecting the complexity of dealing with loss, and finding hope.

    “What stands out most was speaking with people at the opening reception who were impacted by my work and took time to share their own stories. Exhibiting work in a gallery setting was a valuable experience,” she said.

    Amanda Burk, Chair of the Department of Visual Arts, said the Honours Studio exhibition is always an exciting event and important milestone for students.

    “Our fourth-year students, guided by two of our excellent faculty members, have invested a full year into developing a substantial body of creative work that will help them launch their careers and presence in the art world. This exhibition is an enormous accomplishment, and we are very proud of everything they have achieved,” she said.

    The exhibition also includes diverse bodies of artwork created by fourth-year students Daniella Alexander, Anthony Clarkson, Cleah Fast, Sabrina Luckasavitch and Christie Hoang. Pieces range from painting and photography to sculpture and digital media installations.

    In reflecting on the process of creating art over the past year alongside their peers, Holmes and Guichelaar were moved by working in the dedicated studio space on the bright fifth floor of MIWSFPA overlooking downtown.

    “We would all take the time to help each other out and give critiques and share ideas. Having the dedicated, safe space to experiment and create while sharing our ideas was a truly impactful experience for all of us,” Holmes said.

    Off the Factory Floor runs until Saturday, April 26 at MIWSFPA’s Visual Arts Gallery at 15 Artists’ Common and the Niagara Artists Common in St. Catharines. The gallery is open to the public and free of charge Tuesday to Saturday, 1 to 5 p.m.

    More information about the artists and work can be found in the exhibition catalogue.

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  • Visual Arts students, alumni unite for collaborative exhibition

    Image caption: Artwork from CODA artists Lillian Pasqua, Curt Richards, Aidan Frenette displayed in the Visual Arts (VISA) 4F06 Honours Exhibition at Rodman Hall Arts Centre.

    Brock’s fourth-year student artists and Visual Arts (VISA) graduates are showcasing their contemporary artwork in a new collaborative exhibition entitled CODA.

    CODA not only features the work of current students, but of VISA alumni who were unable to present their final works to the public due to pandemic-related event closures last spring.

    Through the bodies of work of 14 artists, CODA is an overarching contemporary exploration of individual voices and visual languages. The exhibition considers the engagement of traditional material with unconventional installation.

    Mounted at the Rodman Hall Arts Centre (RHAC), CODA is now available to view virtually through a 360 gallery tour and virtual exhibition. The show is curated by Shawn Serfas, Associate Professor of Studio Art and Chair of VISA and Sarah Martin (BA ’19), Gallery Assistant at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA) gallery.

    As no in-person exhibitions were held in the MIWSFPA gallery this past year, Martin understands first-hand the devasatting effects that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the arts community.

    “Being able to make this show a reality for these students was about celebrating their work and sharing that as much as possible,” she said.

    The capstone studio arts course culminates in a public, professional exhibition historically featured at RHAC. In 2020, Brock University announced the sale of the RHAC property and the formation of a community-based group (RHAC Inc.) whose stewardship has ensured the art collection remains a community asset with a sustainable future.

    Martin acknowledges the significance of CODA being the final exhibition to be held in the space.

    “Having shown my own work in an Honours Exhibition at Rodman Hall, it is easy to say that it was the highlight of my experience at Brock. Now, being able to help put this show together feels very special and fulfilling for me,” she says.

    Student Aidan Frenette expressed how meaningful it is to have her work be part of the collaborative exhibition.

    “Like many of my fellow students and alumni, the VISA 4F06 culminating exhibition means a great deal to me,” she says. “The opportunity to display a year’s worth of hard work within a renowned gallery is a rewarding experience in and of itself. However, to have the privilege of participating in the final show held at Rodman Hall is an honour.”

    Zachary White, an alumnus and CODA participating artist, appreciates the opportunity to engage with his art in a professional setting.

    His involvement in the exhibition had him thinking critically about the production of his work.

    “I had to consider the curation process, installation of the work and how to connect pieces together in a cohesive way to let each piece of art shine individually — and as part of a collection,” he said.

    White added that throughout the studio art program at Brock, he worked through different styles and mediums to build his ‘artistic toolbox.’

    “This exhibition gave me the opportunity to let everything I learned speak through a style that is unique to me,” he said. “Ultimately, this show does more than just exhibit work; it highlights a culmination of the studio art program and provides a bridge between the student and the professional art experience.”

    CODA ran from May 12 to 26 at RHAC (closed to the public) but can be viewed virtually through the VISA website.

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