Articles by author: gminaker

  • Visual Arts exhibition presents creative exploration of death

    Sunday, September 03, 2023 | By

    TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2023 | by 

    A new faculty art exhibition featuring the work of Linda Carreiro, Visual Arts Professor and Associate Dean of Fine and Performing Arts at Brock, is now open for viewing.

    ‘Afterthoughts’, an exhibition showcasing Carreiro’s text-based artworks, runs until Saturday, Sept. 23 at the Visual Arts Gallery and Student Exhibition Space at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA).

    While Carreiro initially set out to make a confessional, emotive set of works about the afterlife, she found that words were inadequate to fully reflect her thoughts about the unknowable.

    “Vacillating between terror, anger and derision, the resulting writings try to express the inexpressible while acknowledging their limitations. The incongruence of the texts, alongside the ghostly ladder and boxes, come together as extracts rather than narrative,” Carreiro said.

    In her artist’s statement, Carreiro addresses the notion that the sea and space are seemingly infinite places, containing the unknown in their vastness and depth.

    “They are also environments where humans cannot sustain life without the aid of breathing apparatus. Therefore, stars and water are referenced here in the writings and application of materials. Swirls of ink, vapoury washes and hole-punched ‘stars’ with fallen perforations allude to this connection,” Carreiro said.

    All are invited to attend the ‘Afterthoughts’ closing reception at the gallery on Friday, Sept. 22 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the MIWSFPA located at 15 Artists’ Common in downtown St. Catharines.

    Summer gallery hours:

    • Monday, Aug. 29 to Friday, Sept. 1 from 1 to 5 p.m.
    • Wednesday, Sept. 6 to Saturday, Sept. 9 from 1 to 5 p.m.

    The gallery resumes its regular hours on Tuesday, Sept. 12 and will be open from 1 to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.

    For more information, please visit the MIWSFPA Visual Arts gallery website.

    Categories: Current Students, Events, Exhibitions, Faculty & Instructors, News, Walker Cultural Leader

  • Exhibition builds bridges for community members

    Thursday, May 25, 2023 | By

    Image caption: Exhibiting artist Katherine Sunita (left) engages with her artwork Invisible Contents with Shauna MacLeod, Founder/Director of Willow Arts Community as part of an exhibition now on show at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts.

    A new exhibition is celebrating the work of local artists while breaking down barriers for individuals facing stigma and social isolation.

    ‘Visible: An Exploration of Intersecting Identities,’ which showcases work by Willow Arts Community members, is now open at the Visual Arts Gallery and Student Exhibition Space at Brock’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA).

    The exhibition explores themes of intersecting identities and overcoming personal challenges through creative expression. Original works include paintings, sculpture, interactive videos and listening stations.

    Located in downtown St. Catharines, Willow Arts Community (Willow) is an arts and peer support organization providing low-barrier opportunities for artists with lived experiences of mental illness or substance use disorder in Niagara.

    The partnership between Brock University and Willow aims to provide an enriching gallery experience for community members. For Shauna MacLeod, Willow Founder and Executive Director, the ability to publicly showcase artwork is significant and allows diverse perspectives to be shared.

    “This is an incredible opportunity for us to celebrate the original work of 41 Willow Arts members. This partnership provides a highly visible platform that helps us reduce stigma and break down barriers for the members of our community,” she said. “The artwork is exceptional, and the people we are proud to support are able to be visible in new ways.”

    Sonya Marie de Lazzer, Gallery Co-ordinator at the MIWSFPA, co-curated the exhibition alongside MacLeod and was struck by the uplifting and positive energy surrounding the experience.

    “From the early discussions of this show to the final exhibition coming together, there is so much spirit. We hope to continue to dream big with Willow, cultivating this special friendship,” she said.

    The exhibition runs until Tuesday, June 6 and is open to the public Thursday through Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. at the MIWSFPA, 15 Artists’ Common, St. Catharines.

    More information about Willow Arts Community can be found on the organization’s website.

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    Categories: Events, Exhibitions, News, Uncategorised

  • STAC student earns recognition for creative projects

    Wednesday, April 27, 2022 | By

    Images: Christy Mitchell, Camera Obscura 1-3 Your Life is Back to Front, 2021. Digital Photography. Featured in the 2022 Juried Exhibition presented by Brock’s Department of Visual Arts. 

    Brock University student Christy Mitchell has been working on compelling projects this year – with a film award and a gallery show to boot.

    Mitchell is a fourth-year student at the Centre for Studies in Arts and Culture (STAC) with a Concentration in Curatorial Studies at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine of Fine & Performing Arts (MIWSFPA), a program that equips students  with a critical view of contemporary culture by engaging in pragmatic and experiential learning.

    A talented, interdisciplinary creator, Mitchell, alongside filmmakers Angel Chang and Zhiyi Zhao, was awarded second place in the popular 72-Hour Film Festival hosted by The Communication, Popular Culture and Film Student Society (CPCFSS) on Tuesday March 8, 2022. The film, Sparks and Flames, Directed by Angel Chang with Assistant Direction by Mitchell, is a five minute short film that premiered at the festival along with five other films. In addition to directing and sound design, Mitchell (along with Chang) did camera operations and editing. Sparks and Flames is available to view on the STAC YouTube channel.

    STAC student and artist Christy Mitchell.

    Mitchell’s artwork was also recently selected by the Department of Visual Arts (VISA) for the 2022 Juried Exhibition held from March 1 to March 19 at MIWSFPA’s Visual Arts Gallery & Student Exhibition Space. Selected by Visual Arts faculty members and jurors Troy David Ouellette and Amanda Burk, Mitchell was invited to exhibit her body of work entitled Camera Obscura – Your Life is Back to Front featuring her digital photography produced in Visual Arts class VISA 3Q97 – Advanced Photographic Processes. Mitchell’s pieces were among 45 submissions (selected from 122), from 51 applicants across all areas of study at Brock University.

    In her Artist Statement, Mitchell discusses her theme for the works: “Life simply passing you by – I feel this is a sentiment that is common in in today’s world especially with the proliferation of hustle culture, the idea that we must keep moving and keep going on to the next thing. With our lives surrounded with technology and social media it feels like many don’t take the time to really absorb their surroundings and stop and take a moment – they simply just exist in them rather than experience them.” Mitchell’s work in the 2022 Juried Exhibition can be viewed online in VISA’s Exhibition Archive.

     

    The Centre for Studies in Arts and Culture is dedicated to developing a context in which the contemporary artist, performer or art critic can examine pragmatic and theoretical approaches to understanding the creative process – and Mitchell has certainly thrived in this space, contributing to the vitality of the arts of culture sector with a bright future ahead.

    Guests attending the Opening Reception of the Visual Arts 2022 Juried Exhibition view digital photography by Christy Mitchell and other exhibiting student artists at the Visual Arts Gallery & Student Exhibition Space at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine & Performing Arts. Photo credit: Christy Mitchell.

     

     

  • Student-run podcast provides guidance, inspiration for future artists

    Tuesday, April 12, 2022 | By

    The Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts in downtown St. Catharines is home to the student-run podcast, Dear Marilyn, named in honour of the late textile artist and philanthropist.

    Originally published in The Brock News | TUESDAY, APRIL 12, 2022 | by 

    What started as a passion project for two Brock University students in search of career tips has become a robust podcast series providing invaluable insight to the next generation of creators.

    Produced for students by students, the popular podcast Dear Marilyn is now in its second season of connecting the student community with professional artists, with plans to continue production on an ongoing basis.

    Created in 2021 by Dramatic Arts (DART) students Danielle Letourneau and Luca D’Amico, the podcast name honours celebrated textile artist, philanthropist and arts advocate Marilyn I. Walker. In 2008, Walker made a historic donation to Brock that led to the creation of the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA).

    Letourneau, the podcast’s producer who is now in her fourth year of study with a concentration in Drama and Education and minor in History, says that she has often felt anxiety about entering theatre as a profession.

    “I started this podcast to give students like myself a resource for practical job advice,” Letourneau said. “The arts industry is not always considered the most conventional career path, but we do it because this is what we love; the arts nurture our souls.”

    Supported by Dean Carol Merriam of the Faculty of Humanities through the Dean’s Discretionary Fund in 2021, the Associate Dean of Fine and Performing Arts and MIWSFPA department Chairs, the Dear Marilyn team invites local and surrounding artists from a range of artistic disciplines to share their stories.

    Co-hosts Hayley Bando, a second-year Dramatic Arts major with a concentration in Production and Design, and Chloe Racho, a third-year Music major with a minor in French Studies, are thrilled to be part of the project.

    “We are honoured to help bring these diverse perspectives about professional journeys in the arts to the Brock community,” Bando said.

    Recent podcast guests include actor, writer and producer Thet Win, voice actor Keegan Vaillancourt and singer-songwriter Glenn Marais.

    MIWSFPA faculty have been supportive since day one, with Karen Fricker, Associate Professor of Dramatic Arts, championing the podcast idea in its early stages.

    “I was happy to support Dear Marilyn initially because it’s a great idea, and a positive student-led project during the hard time of the pandemic,” she said. “I looked forward to each episode and was entertained and educated by the hosts’ sparky exchanges with guests.”

    DART Associate Professor Gyllian Raby guided the grant proposal for Dear Marilyn resulting in the expansion of the podcast to include all four departments at the downtown arts campus (Dramatic Arts, Music, Visual Arts and Centre for Studies in Arts and Culture).

    “What’s not to like about Dear Marilyn? It relates directly to our mission to create experiential, professionalized learning for students producing, hosting, editing and broadcasting,” Raby said. “And, it’s entertaining and insightful.”

    DART Associate Professor Danielle Wilson has been working with the team on the second season. Episodes are edited by Alex Sykes, a fourth-year DART student with a concentration in Production and Design.

    Available on Spotify, the next episode goes live this week. For the latest news, follow Dear Marilyn on Instagram.

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    Categories: Current Students, Faculty & Instructors, Future Students, News, Podcast, Uncategorised

  • Graduating art students mount Honours Thesis exhibition

    Thursday, April 07, 2022 | By

    Pictured above: “Grand-Maman,” a Polaroid emulsion on mylar image by student artist Charelle St-Aubin will be included in the upcoming exhibition “Resurfacing.”

    Originally published in The Brock News |WEDNESDAY, APRIL 06, 2022 | by 

    An upcoming exhibition will showcase the artwork of seven graduating Brock University students, marking a significant milestone in their artistic careers.

    The Visual Arts (VISA) 4F06 Honours Thesis Exhibition, “Resurfacing,” will take place simultaneously at the Visual Arts Gallery and Student Exhibition Space at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA) and Niagara Artists Centre in downtown St. Catharines from April 12 to May 12.

    “Resurfacing” explores diverse themes, including issues of identity and resiliency, expressed through various materials and approaches that comprise painting, photography, mixed media and sculpture.

    Taught by Assistant Professor of Visual Arts Troy David Ouellette, with guest curator and writer Shannon Anderson, the fourth-year course is the culmination of two semesters of creative and academic work for students. Participating artists include Rabia Choudhary, Naomi Egbunike, Sarah Formosa, Julie Luth, Kimberley Rogers, Cherilynn Tilley and Charelle St-Aubin.

    The public is invited to attend the opening reception at both gallery locations on Tuesday, April 12 from 5 to 7 p.m. with opening remarks at the MIWSFPA beginning at 5 p.m.

    For more information, please visit the VISA 4F06 Current Exhibit web page.

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    Categories: 4F06 Honours Exhibition, Alumni, Announcements, Current Students, Events, Exhibitions, Faculty & Instructors, News

  • Visual Arts Department creates perfect pairing with local winery, gallery

    Thursday, March 31, 2022 | By

    Image caption: A new partnership between Brock University and 13th Street Gallery (pictured above) will see Brock Visual Arts students showcasing their work in an upcoming exhibition beginning Saturday, April 2.

    Originally published in The Brock News |  TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 2022 | by 

    A new partnership between Brock’s Department of Visual Arts and 13th Street Winery and Gallery is creating new scholarship and exhibition opportunities for students.

    The pairing’s first collaborative event is set to kick off this weekend, with a selection of work from Visual Arts (VISA) students graduating this spring on show at the 13th Street Gallery, 1776 Fourth Ave. in St. Catharines. The exhibition will run from April 2 to 30, with an artists’ reception taking place Saturday, April 16 between 2 and 5 p.m. that will allow the public to meet the artists and view their work.

    Additionally, 13th Street Winery and Gallery has announced it will provide an annual scholarship to a Visual Arts student to further their artistic practice. The first 13th Street Gallery and Winery Scholarship award winner will be announced at the April 16 reception.

    The gallery specializes in Canadian historical and contemporary fine art. Experiencing compelling art in a gallery setting has always been part of the vision for the premier local winery, which produces premium VQA wines.

    As galleries across the province open their doors after closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, exhibiting work in a professional setting presents an exciting opportunity for students to broaden their audiences and gain hands-on exposure to the arts industry.

    Amy Friend, Chair and Associate Professor of Visual Arts at Brock’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, said she’s pleased to begin this collaboration with 13th Street Gallery.

    “Having the work students are doing here at the Marilyn out in the community is wonderful,” she said.

    “We are thrilled to have this growing partnership with Brock University and glad to be able to provide the space for the students,” said John Mann, owner and director of 13th Street Gallery.

    In May, VISA faculty members and alumni have been invited to exhibit their work at the gallery.

    The 13th Street Gallery is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. or by appointment. For more gallery information and upcoming exhibition details, please visit the 13th Street Gallery website.

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    Categories: Alumni, Announcements, Current Students, Events, Exhibitions, Faculty & Instructors, Future Students, In the Media, Media Releases, News, Uncategorised

  • Visual Arts prof commissioned for New York Times Magazine

    Monday, March 28, 2022 | By

    Image caption: A process image by Amy Friend, part of her body of work commissioned by The New York Times Magazine in 2021.

    Originally published in The Brock News | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2022 | by 

    When artist and Brock University Professor Amy Friend was contacted by the deputy art director for The New York Times Magazine inviting her to collaborate on an article, she was immediately intrigued.

    Friend, Chair and Associate Professor of Visual Arts (VISA), was struck by the enduring nature of the theme of the piece — focused on loss — written by author Meg Bernhard, and was thrilled to be commissioned for her photography by the weekly publication boasting 4.4 million print readers and a digital readership of 7.7 million. 

    The article “What if There’s No Such Thing as Closure” discusses the work of social scientist and academic Pauline Boss surrounding various types of loss. Specifically, the 87-year-old scholar is well known for her theory of ‘ambiguous loss’ developed in the 1970s with roots in family psychology.

    Boss’s academic research on the subject has seen a resurgence in relevance and popularity given the world events of the past few years, most notably the COVID-19 global pandemic and associated trauma and loss experienced by many, often without the ability to grieve and mourn as was previously done in many cultures. 

    Friend said the framework of ‘ambiguous loss’ resonated with her because of her recent inability to communicate with her father after he had a stroke.

    A slightly blurred photograph with a man lifting a young child wearing swim trunks up in the air while the child waves his right arm. They are standing against a backdrop of trees and dramatic white lines strike through the image from top to bottom.

    A process image by Amy Friend, part of her body of work
    commissioned by The New York Times Magazine in 2021.

    “This commission bridged with my personal experience given that loss is not necessarily death-specific,” she said.

    Friend worked with the art director in a collaborative manner and greatly enjoyed the creative editorial process.

    “This was particularly engaging for me, as creating art can sometimes be a solitary process,” she said. “I thought through the conversations and responded to the feedback from the NYT Magazine team.”

    Engaging with this type of professional process relates back to the classroom for Friend, as such collaborations introduce students to the possibilities of how fine arts practice integrates with mainstream media. It also demonstrates to aspiring student artists the importance of being paid for the creative work they do.

    “Creative practice enters the world through multiple avenues. It folds into the cultural sector, holds a place in the economy and is a vital component of societal interaction,” said Friend.

    In addition to The New York Times Magazine, Friend recently had her work featured in Aesthetica Magazine from her bodies of work “Tiny Tears Fill An Ocean and Multi-verse,” and Musee Magazine, a photography magazine with a section focusing on women in photography.

    Friend has international exhibitions coming up this spring in Paris at In Camera Gallery and at Bildhalle Gallery in Amsterdam. In June (pending travel restrictions), her work will be shown Ricami Gallery in Trapani, Sicily, where she has been invited to give an artist’s talk to local communities. This would not be her first introduction to the Sicilian culture; she has artwork in the permanent collection in the Foundation Orestiadi in Gibellina.

  • New Visual Arts course examines the anatomical body in historical texts

    Wednesday, March 16, 2022 | By

    Image caption: VISA 3V91 Inside Out – Revealing the Anatomical Body will examine images of the anatomical body in historical medical texts, such as this wooden female anatomical figure (Europe, 1601-1700) from the Science Museum, London, care of Wellcome Collection under a Creative Commons license.

    Originally published in The Brock News | TUESDAY, MARCH 15, 2022 | by 

    A new course open to all Brock University students will critically examine anatomical illustrations throughout history and unpack what these visual representations reveal culturally, socially and artistically.

    Offered in the upcoming Spring/Summer Term, VISA 3V91 — Inside Out — Revealing the Anatomical Body is a new course developed and taught by Linda Carreiro, Associate Dean of Fine and Performing Arts and Professor of Visual Arts.

    Based out of Brock’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA), VISA 3V91 is offered as a half course and is open to students across campus. No previous art history knowledge or artistic skills are required to enrol.

    Students will critically examine ‘flap anatomy’ found in historical medical and popular texts dating back to the 1500s, whereby images of layers of the body are peeled open to reveal muscle, organs and skeletal structures. Carreiro is interested in how this convention started, how it evolved and what the implications are from a socio-political perspective.

    The evolution of models and images in historical medical texts is a research specialization for Carreiro, and she is thrilled to bring her learnings and insights to Brock students.

    “Some of the images and models are absolutely stunning from an artistic perspective,” she says, “but these devices convey so much more than how the anatomical structures fit together.”

    Carreiro says it is important to examine who ended up on the dissection table in order to create these images, and what these images might reveal about that particular context.

    “Looking at images of public dissection theatres and profiles of anatomists can provide some of these insights,” she says.

    Students can expect to engage in critical readings, discussions and writing, with the opportunity to engage in studio work. Students must have a minimum of 5.0 overall credits and a minimum 60 per cent overall average or permission of the instructor to register for the course.

    Registration for Spring/Summer courses is now open through the Admissions website.

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    Categories: Announcements, Faculty & Instructors, News, Uncategorised

  • Visual Arts prof creates public art reflecting themes of COVID-19 pandemic

    Tuesday, March 15, 2022 | By

    Image caption: The Breathing Tree by Donna Szoke, made from stainless steel, LED lighting and electronics, was installed in the lobby of OpenText Corporation’s offices in Waterloo.  Photo by Tony Hafkenscheid.

    One of Canada’s biggest software companies recently selected a Brock University professor and artist to create a public art piece reflecting on themes of ‘loss’ during the pandemic.

    Donna Szoke, Associate Professor of Studio Art at Brock’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA) was chosen by OpenText Corporation to create new artwork dedicated to their employees impacted by the pandemic and pay tribute to the lives lost to COVID-19.

    The Waterloo-based company wanted to commission and support a Canadian artist, and put out a national call for the project in 2021. Szoke was immediately drawn to the unconventional call for public art creation within a corporate context.

    Through a creative and personal exploration of themes related to the pandemic and their impact on mental health, Szoke created her proposal and drawings for The Breathing Tree. Inspired by the concept of ‘box breathing,’ used to calm anxiety, and Szoke’s desire to be in nature, the idea for a back-lit sculpture in the form of a tree came to life.

    The tree sculpture is made of stainless steel that was digitally cut and mounted to the wall in the OpenText lobby that employees pass by every day. The artwork, which appears as a tree and its reflection, invites viewers into a meditative moment while taking in the piece.

    With a resemblance to lungs, the sculpture also connects with the respiratory nature of COVID-19. Lit from the rear, the piece glows with soft purple and blue lights that dim and brighten in six-second intervals. The timed coloured lights subtly invite viewers to breathe along with the tree.

    “As a testament to the lives lost from COVID-19, it gives us an introspective moment with nature, grounding us in our own breathing and our own lived moment where life, loss, love, grief and resilience are inextricably bound,” Szoke said in her artist statement.

    Szoke worked with local fabricator Ramm Design to cut the steel for the sculpture, and with Hamilton-based electrical engineer and artist Jim Ruxton to create the timed electronics lighting the work in a very collaborative process. A holder of a technical diploma in Foundry, Szoke was familiar with the steel material, although the cutting techniques used were new to her.

    Szoke’s artworks become teaching tools for her Studio Art courses. In the Visual Arts course VISA 3Q91 — Research Seminar, Szoke models the process of creating public artwork from design inspiration through to fabrication, including the techniques and tools she employs in the process.

    The virtual opening for The Breathing Tree was held in December, with 10,000 OpenText employees in attendance. The permanent installation includes a plaque sharing details of the piece.

    Szoke has also recently received a Canada Games grant as well as an Ontario Arts Council grant for new work, both coming up in 2022-23.

     

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    Categories: Faculty & Instructors, News, Uncategorised

  • STAC and VISA students explore curation with arts industry experts

    Wednesday, March 09, 2022 | By

    Brock University students from the Centre for Studies in Arts and Culture (STAC) and Visual Arts (VISA) at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine & Performing Arts (MIWSFPA) are having important conversations with arts professionals around the curatorial function of museums, galleries, and cultural organizations.

    Students enrolled in STAC/VISA 3P42 Methods and Principles of Curating will be participating in a field trip to the Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum and upcoming classroom discussions with professionals from the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) and Yale University Art Gallery.

    The events are led by Instructor Sonya de Lazzer, Gallery Coordinator at the Visual Arts Gallery & Student Exhibition Space at the MIWSFPA. Sonya is an alumni of the Visual Arts Program at Brock (BA Honours). In 2013, she obtained her M.A. in Art History from University at Buffalo, The State University of New York and is currently completing her PhD in Art and Visual Culture at Western University. Sonya brings extensive experience from the museum and art gallery world, where she worked as a Programming and Curatorial Assistant at a local art gallery and museum for several years, developing her exhibition writing and installation skillsets.

    Upcoming class events (not open to the public):

    March 7 – Exploring Experiences: Conversations Around Curating
    Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum: Shawna Butts, Assistant Curator & Education Programming
    Students will be toured through the historical society and view current exhibitions and learn about the way in which these sites collect and care for their collection(s).

    March 21 – Exploring Experiences: Conversations Around Curating
    Nick Clemens, Preparator, Royal Ontario Museum
    Preparator and museum professional Nick Clemens will be joining the classroom to share his many experiences working with art/artefacts/objects at the Royal Ontario Museum. The class will explore the need for mindfulness and respect for the object as it relates to the curatorial practice, and the care that goes into curating and presenting a work to an audience.

    March 28 – Exploring Experiences: Conversations Around Curating
    Where Collections Live: Roksana Filipowska PhD, Wurtele Study Center Programs and Outreach Manager, Yale university Art Gallery
    Dr. Roksana Filipowska joins the classroom for a virtual exploration and conversation on open and visible storage. Filipowska works as Programs and Outreach Manager at the Wurtele Study Centre, Yale University Art Gallery. Students will engage in discussing the importance of collection visibility, as well as learn about the many challenges that many collections face regarding storage.

    These events are supported by an Experiential Education grant from the Co-op, Career & Experiential Education Office.

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    Categories: Current Students, Events, Faculty & Instructors, Future Students, News

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