Articles tagged with: MIWSFPA

  • Grads in spotlight for enhancing local arts scene

    Wednesday, November 13, 2024 | By

    Headshot of Deanna Jones and Amber Lee Williams

    Image caption: Brock graduates Deanna Jones (BA ’02), left, and Amber Lee Williams (BA ’20) are two of five alumni who were recently honoured with arts awards from the City of St. Catharines.

    Wednesday, November 13, 2024 | by 

    According to Deanna Jones (BA ’02), a thriving local arts scene allows for people to connect by sharing stories and perspectives in innovative, creative and provocative ways.

    Jones was one of five Brock graduates honoured across five categories for their creative talent and community engagement during the St. Catharines Arts Awards held Nov. 3 at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre (FOPAC).

    A Dramatic Arts graduate and actor, writer and director, Jones was the recipient of the 2024 Making a Difference Award. The co-founder of Suitcase in Point Multi-Arts Company is a firm believer in the power of the arts to bring about conversation, build understanding and create expressive outlets for change.

    “A dynamic arts and culture sector also provides opportunities, including paid work for artists who contribute significantly to the local economy and quality of life for people who live there,” she said.

    Jones said her experience at Brock significantly shaped who she is today, especially as the place where she connected with her future creative collaborators.

    “As students, we were provided a platform to take risks and challenge ourselves,” she said. “I continued my education through professional experience and travel in other places and cultures that added to the foundation that was laid at Brock.”

    For Visual Arts graduate Amber Lee Williams (BA ’20), winner of the 2024 Emerging Artist Award, art enriches community.

    “For me, art is about making meaningful connections. It’s a way to share my thoughts and feelings while inviting others to respond and share their own perspectives,” she said.

    Williams said her experiences at Brock, where she felt supported and encouraged by professors and the University community, gave her the confidence and drive to pursue a career in fine arts.

    In addition to her own interdisciplinary creative practice centred in photography, Williams now works with many local community organizations like Niagara Artists Centre and Willow Arts Community delivering workshops and classes exploring photo-based mediums.

    “Art brings joy and meaning to my life, even in the smallest, everyday moments. I am honoured and excited to help expand the arts community in Niagara region — and to give back to a community that has offered me so much support,” she said.

    Linda Carreiro, Associate Dean of Fine and Performing Arts, said Brock has been successful in providing a strong foundation for students to pursue their careers.

    “This path may take many forms, but we’re always pleased to see when people continue making meaningful contributions to the arts,” she said.

    Jessica Wilson, Culture Supervisor for the City of St. Catharines, said the city is enriched by artists, educators, and supporters whose dedication and creative expression build a vibrant cultural landscape that connects and uplifts the whole community.

    “This year’s Arts Awards recipients exemplify the profound impact the arts have on St. Catharines,” Wilson said.

    “The artistic talent in this city continues to impress me and creates a huge sense of pride in our local artistic scene,” Mayor of St. Catharines Mat Siscoe said. “Their efforts continue to grow our cultural sector and have made St. Catharines the vibrant centre of culture in the Niagara region.”

    The full list of Brock grads who received 2024 St. Catharines Arts Awards includes:

    • 2024 Emerging Artist Award — Amber Lee Williams (BA ’20)
    • 2024 Established Artist — Cole Lewis (BA ’04, MA ’08)
    • 2024 Arts in Education Award — Brenna McAllister (BA ’00, BEd ’02)
    • 2024 Making a Difference Award — Deanna Jones (BA ’02)
    • 2024 Patron of the Arts Award — Annette F. Urlocker (BA ’73)

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    Categories: Alumni, In the Media

  • High-profile NYC events shared through lens of student artist

    Wednesday, November 06, 2024 | By

    A photo of VISA Student Cleah Fast installing her multi-media exhibit in the Visual Arts gallery

    Image caption: Fourth-year Visual Arts student Cleah Fast, recipient of a 2024 Medland and Green Inspiring Artists Bursary, is displaying her artwork in a new multimedia exhibition now open at Brock’s Visual Arts Gallery.

    Wednesday, November 06, 2024 | by 

    While backstage at an iconic music festival and in the front row at New York Fashion Week, Cleah Fast couldn’t help but feel a spark — or rather, flash — of creativity.

    The fourth-year Brock Visual Arts (VISA) student and multidisciplinary artist has channelled her recent experiences at high-profile New York City events into an exhibit, Through the Lens, now on show at the University’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA).

    The exhibition features Fast’s large-scale photography, painting, sound installations and mixed media alongside video art created by Brock faculty, students and staff.

    Fast’s creative path was propelled forward when she received a 2024 Medland and Green Inspiring Artists Bursary, an award that assists students with a unique opportunity, including travel, training or masterclasses to support their final-year capstone project.

    Through the support of the bursary, Fast travelled to NYC and collaborated with media company Never Come Home to photograph the Governor’s Ball Music Festival, the biggest music festival on the east coast.

    “I was drawn in by the energy and bonds that take place during cultural events, where so many individual experiences take place and intertwine to create a bigger, collective experience,” she said.

    Fast was inspired to explore these connections from the perspective of youth culture.

    “Shooting the festival for four days with professionals was unlike anything I had ever done; I had never shot anything on that scale,” she said.

    The partnership was so successful, and the media company so impressed with her skills, Never Come Home invited Fast back to shoot New York Fashion Week with them this past September.

    “Without the bursary, this collaboration would not have been able to happen and flourish the way that it has,” she said.

    Linda Carreiro, Associate Dean of Fine and Performing Arts, said the Medland and Green Inspiring Artists Bursary is a tremendous benefit to students who want to gain professional training and experience outside of the institution.

    “In this case, Cleah was able to access a rare opportunity that enabled specialized skills development and career potential,” Carreiro said.

    During her time in Visual Arts, Fast said she had the opportunity to go beyond her comfort zone and try new things.

    “Access to diverse, creative opportunities were a big reason I chose the Visual Arts program. I love the Marilyn, and I wouldn’t be doing these incredible things without the support and encouragement from my professors,” she said.

    The opening reception for Through the Lens will be held Thursday, Nov. 7 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Visual Arts Gallery. The exhibition runs until Nov. 23.

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  • Groundbreaking artists bring inspiration to Niagara

    Friday, August 30, 2024 | By

    Headshots of Jani Lauzon and Camille Turner side by side

    Image caption: Award-winning multidisciplinary artist Jani Lauzon (left) and artist and scholar Camille Turner will bring their creative expertise to Brock this fall as part of the 2024-25 Walker Cultural Leader Series.

    Friday, August 30, 2024 | by 

    From nurturing Indigenous-settler reconciliation through theatre creation and exposing silenced Black histories through an immersive art exhibition, Brock is bringing unique, hands-on learning experiences to the campus and wider community this fall.

    As the University kicks off its 60th anniversary celebrations, a new season of compelling cultural events, workshops and lectures launches in September as part of Brock’s 2024-25 Walker Cultural Leader (WCL) Series presented by the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA).

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    Supported by the generosity of the late Marilyn I. Walker, the series enriches local creative and intellectual life by inviting recognized cultural leaders, top researchers, scholars, professionals and visiting artists from all disciplines to Brock’s downtown arts school.

    MIWSFPA Director and Associate Dean of Fine and Performing Arts Linda Carreiro said the significant impact of arts and culture at Brock, and society at large, is highlighted by the work of renowned visiting artists and scholars in this year’s lineup.

    “It’s always such a pleasure to host cultural leaders with deep knowledge and expertise who are so willing to share their talents with the local community,” Carreiro said. “Our Walker Cultural Leaders provide not only examples of artistic excellence, but this year’s series also facilitates important conversations about respectful and meaningful collaboration, inclusion, reconciliation and redress.”

    The series begins Saturday, Sept. 7 with creative workshops, led by celebrated Montréal-based visual artist Marc-Alexandre Dumoulin, exploring art making and how art is defined.

    In October, award-winning artist and scholar Camille Turner, whose work combines Afrofuturism and history, will bring her Afronautic Research Lab project to the MIWSFPA Visual Arts Gallery in an immersive exhibition. She will also provide a workshop, Afronautic Research Methodology, to students and members of the public on Saturday, Oct. 5, with advance registration required.

    Gemini award recipient Jani Lauzon, a multidisciplinary artist of Métis, French and Finnish ancestry, will take the stage at FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre’s Film House on Wednesday, Oct. 2 for a public talk alongside Kaitlyn Riordin. The two co-authored the play 1939, which takes place in a fictional residential school in northern Ontario.

    Lauzon will continue to work with Dramatic Arts (DART) students, faculty and theatre production staff throughout the year in workshops on Indigenous productions in preparation for an upcoming DART mainstage production led by Métis DART faculty member Matthew MacKenzie.

    In the winter, Chicago-based composer, performer and music educator John Robert Matz will be in residency at Brock for a “sound jam” in partnership with Digital Humanities where participants will create video game prototypes using sound in innovative ways.

    Matz will also give a public lecture at FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre about his experience of being invited to compose the score for the game Tchia (Awaceb2023) by members of New Caledonia, offering perspective on ethical, cross-cultural collaborations with Indigenous communities.

    Many of the WCL Series events are open to the public. Visit the MIWSFPA WCL website for more information on the visiting speakers and registration information.

    “Marilyn I. Walker’s generous gift continues to support impactful programming for our students and for the public who take part in the events,” Carreiro said.

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    Categories: News, Walker Cultural Leader

  • Grad’s passions for fencing and art collide at Brock

    Friday, June 14, 2024 | By

    Photo of Sara Fellman in full fencing uniform

    Image caption: Sara Fellman, a Studio Arts student and member of the Brock fencing team, earned her degree from the Faculty of Humanities on Friday, June 14.

    FRIDAY, JUNE 14, 2024 | by 

    Most people would struggle to find the connection between visual arts and the sport of fencing — but Sara Fellman (BA ’24) isn’t most people.

    For the international Studio arts graduate, the two activities come together to create a perfect balance between free-flowing creativity and controlled precision. And, in her mind, there was no better place for that collision to happen than Brock University.

    Fellman, who hails from Brooklyn, New York, reflected on her academic and athletic journey after crossing the stage to receive her Bachelor of Arts at Brock’s 115th Convocation on Friday, June 14.

    Her connection to Canada and Brock began with her father’s belief in the value of Canadian education.

    “My dad grew up in Vancouver and went to McGill for his undergrad,” she said. “He firmly believed that Canadian universities had a better bang for his buck, with better quality and reasonable tuition.”

    Her first visit to Brock in 2018 with her father solidified her decision to attend the University.

    During a tour, she met Tim Stang, Brock’s fencing coach, who played a crucial role in her choice.

    “Tim gave me a student-athlete tour of the facilities and the school, talked up the fencing program and reassured me that I didn’t have to have everything figured out at 17 to be successful in university,” she said. “I was sold from then on.”

    Fellman’s fencing journey began much earlier, in her elementary school days in Brooklyn.

    “I was not an athletic kid; I was kind of a schlub, so when fencing was offered as an afterschool activity at my public elementary school, my parents signed me up,” she said.

    What started as a weekend obligation evolved into a passion, especially during a challenging time in high school when fencing became her solace.

    “I was having a hard time emotionally, and I found solace in winning fencing competitions,” she said. “Since then, I’ve been in love with fencing.”

    At Brock, Fellman’s love for the sport deepened, thanks to the dedicated coaching staff.

    “All my coaches have had a major impact on me and my fencing. Starting with my first coach Rolando Balboa from Brooklyn Fencing,” she said. “Kathy Girard at Brock University genuinely changed the way I understood fencing for the better, and of course, Tim Stang taught me how to utilize my fire, but still be polite and pleasant off the fencing strip.”

    Stang speaks highly of Fellman’s contributions to the team.

    “Sara was a pivotal member of the team. From Day 1, she brought immense passion for the game which was infectious to all around her,” Stang said. “Over her span at Brock, Sara has taken her passion and tempered it with a much deeper understanding of the sport. There is no stopping where she can go from here.”

    She won several Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Championship medals as a member of the Brock women’s fencing team since joining in 2019.

    Later this month, Fellman will compete in the USA National Championships, which take place in Columbus, Ohio, from June 29 to July 8.

    Fellman’s academic journey was equally enriching. She earned the Badgers’ Academic Excellence Award, which is awarded to student-athletes who achieve a high average.

    An artist at heart, she explored various mediums, including drawing, printmaking, painting, analog photography and sculpture, with a keen interest in performance and political art at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts.

    “Through my artwork, I hope to explore ways I remain connected to cultural heritage, home and family,” she said. “Moving forward, I’ll work towards a trauma-informed practice, making space and highlighting the voices of the marginalized and oppressed with a focus on fostering community.”

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    Categories: Alumni, In the Media, News

  • Brock prof reflects on divisive history of portraits

    Monday, May 27, 2024 | By

    Close-up photo of a hand holding a paintbrush to a canvas

    Image caption: Professor of Visual Arts Linda Carreiro discusses the history of portraiture in the wake public response to recent portraits depicting King Charles III and Catherine, Princess of Wales.

    MONDAY, MAY 27, 2024 | by 

    The public’s divided response to portraiture — as recently seen with works depicting King Charles III and Catherine, Princess of Wales — is as old as the art form itself, says Linda Carreiro.

    The Brock University Professor and visual artist says tension has long existed between an artist’s approach and the way artwork is viewed, particularly when its subject is famous. That division has only become more apparent in the age of social media, with portraits gaining much wider public reach.

    “One of the most fascinating aspects about this tradition is the friction that invariably results from an unveiled portrait, both arising from expectations of the sitter, who wishes to be viewed a certain way, and the public, who see the subject as iconic and not as open to artistic interpretations,” Carreiro says.

    Portrait painting was historically reserved for those deemed deserving of lasting representation — those who held power, fame, beauty or wealth.

    “But, in the past 200 years, there has emerged a different type of portraiture depicting working-class, under-represented and marginalized individuals,” Carreiro says.

    While the subjects of portraits have become more diverse, the desire to commission a painted legacy of well-known individuals who are considered societally “valuable” continues, with entire museums, boardrooms and chambers adorned with such artwork.

    In the case of royalty or other famous people who commission a portrait, the value to both sitter and artist is significant, Carreiro says, as the art cements long-standing attributes of prominence and posterity and often fetches enormous sums at future auctions.

    “If the artist is well known, the sitter is bestowed additional celebrity; if the artist is less recognized internationally, there is anticipated opportunity to launch a more lucrative career,” she says.

    Conventionally, a painter develops the artwork while the subject is present, says Carreiro, who has many years of portraiture under her belt. The portrait then becomes the result of an interpersonal dynamic and response between the artist and the subject, similar to any other relationship.

    In the case of Jonathan Yeo’s portrait of King Charles, however, the sittings were clearly followed with the use of a reference photograph to complete the piece. This means there was more intention to how the painting was constructed, with less influence of the sitter in the environment, she says.

    “This is in line with the shift in current portraiture generally, where selfies are controlled and excessively edited to create a highly managed public persona,” Carreiro adds.

    Whether the viewer enjoys the portrait or not, she says it is clear that “as long as artists are commissioned to depict and interpret famous subjects, so too will there be strong reactions to the portrait — offering an opportunity to think about the fascinating exchanges between artist, sitter and audience.”

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    Categories: Faculty & Instructors, In the Media, News, Uncategorised

  • 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

  • Brock artists to draw inspiration from new bursary

    Monday, January 30, 2023 | By

    Paul Green and Ginny Medland-Green at Canada Games Park this past summer.

    Through a gift to Brock’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, Paul Green and Ginny Medland-Green are supporting students who’ve chosen to pursue a career in the arts.

    Originally published in The Brock News | FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2023 | by 

    When Ginny Medland-Green and Paul Green toured Brock’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA) early last year, they left impressed by the community that exists for young artists at the downtown school.

    The couple, who have a deep love and appreciation for the arts, moved to Niagara-on-the-Lake seven years ago and have been pleasantly surprised by the cultural richness of the region. Through a recent gift in support of the MIWSFPA, they hope to support the study of the arts for students and showcase the impact their work can and will have on communities such as Niagara.

    “It’s courageous to study fine and performing arts at university and set a goal to be a working artist,” Medland-Green said. “We hope our bursary will inspire students to set both imaginative and practical goals for their capstone project and assist financially in a way that energizes them as they work creatively and tirelessly in what is a very competitive environment.”

    Currently taking applications, the Medland and Green Inspiring Artists Bursary is open to all third-year Honours students enrolled in Dramatic Arts, Music and Visual Arts at the MIWSFPA. The bursary has been established to assist students pursuing a unique opportunity such as travel, an internship or training that will benefit their upcoming capstone project or production, taking place in the 2023-24 academic year.

    “The Greens’ gift is a true investment in the future of our students, our downtown campus and the arts in our community,” said Sonia Dupte, Executive Director, Development and Campaigns. “Through its endowment, it will impact generations of inspiring artists at Brock.”

    From the onset of conversations with Brock and the MIWSFPA about the gift, Medland-Green and Green emphasized the importance of the bursary supporting a learning activity that not only excites the student recipient, but also professionalizes and shapes their career path in the arts.

    Linda Carreiro, Associate Dean of Fine and Performing Arts, commended the uniqueness of the bursary and the opportunities it will support for students at the downtown arts school.

    “Students at the Marilyn School are lucky to have a variety of awards established to support them throughout their studies,” she said. “The Medland and Green Inspiring Artists Bursary is unique in the way that it really hones in on the learning and professional development that often happens outside of a classroom.

    “Financially supporting students to pursue an opportunity they’ve identified to advance their own learning will not only inspire them towards a career path, but will also instil confidence that their skills are important and they can in fact make a living by pursuing a career in the arts,” Carreiro said.

    Interested applicants are invited to submit a short proposal (up to 500 words) and budget for the event, project or opportunity for which they are requesting funding. The submission should also include how the funding will assist in the application of their final-year project or production.

    Comprehensive applications, which include the proposal and budget, can be submitted to Brock’s Awards and Bursaries web page and will be reviewed by an advisory committee. The deadline for submissions is Friday, Feb. 10 at 4 p.m.

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    Categories: Alumni, Announcements, Current Students, Faculty & Instructors, Future Students, In the Media, News

  • Visual Arts prof’s work seen across Time and The Atlantic

    Friday, January 20, 2023 | By

    4. A screenshot of The Atlantic website featuring a patina image of a man and woman kissing.

    The Atlantic’s online publication of Amy Friend’s image, taken from Friend’s Assorted Boxes of Ordinary Life series.

    Originally published in The Brock News | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2023 | by Charles Kim

    Amy Friend has gained widespread recognition for her unique and captivating photography.

    The Brock University Associate Professor and Chair of Visual Arts has been commissioned to create images for some of the world’s most notable publications, including The New York Times Magazine in March and more recently, Time magazine and The Atlantic.

    “Heavy is the Crown,” an article written by Eliana Dockterman featured in Time, highlights the resurgence of interest in the late Princess Diana’s life following the airing of the fourth season of the popular Netflix series The Crown. The article examines the implications the show may have on the public reputation of King Charles and the monarchy.

    3. A full-page magazine featuring a sliced-up image of King Charles with a painting of Queen Elizabeth II in the background.

    Time’s feature of Amy Friend’s image. (Source Photo: Tim Graham — Photo Library/Getty Images)

    Friend was approached by Time magazine photo editor Whitney Hollington Matewe to create a visual image to accompany the article. She began the process by sifting through a library of stock pictures made available to her by the editorial team.

    After collaborative discussions, the editorial team and Friend selected a shot of young King Charles in front of a painting of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

    “What I love about the portrait of Charles is the painting of the Queen quietly behind him, watching,” says Friend. “It places Charles as the new head of the royal family, with the legacy of the Queen following him.”

    Friend created cuts through the image, shining light through the perforations to allow windows of illumination into the final product.

    “Working with the print and slicing into the image is a bit unsettling. I’m destroying a photograph of a king,” says Friend. “It made me consider the power of imagery, especially portraiture. The royal family has always edited and controlled the photos released to the public with great scrutiny.”

    Following the assignment with Time, Friend was contacted by The Atlantic, which hoped to publish her works alongside an article written by MIT physicist and novelist Alan Lightman.

    “How the Human Brain is Wired for Beauty,” published Dec. 5, discusses recent research on how the human brain processes beauty. It also visits the idea of atoms and how they can be traced back to stars from the galaxy’s past. This connection reveals how every particle can be linked to not only the past but also the future.

    Friend says there was a deep connection with many elements of the article and she found herself drawn to Lightman’s research, particularly the connections between stardust and history. Caroline Smith, The Atlantic’s Creative Director, felt Friend’s work was a good fit for the subject.

    1. A woman with brown hair smiles with a white backdrop behind her.

    Associate Professor and Chair of Visual Arts Amy Friend’s latest commissions now appear in The New York Times Magazine, Time magazine and The Atlantic. (Photo courtesy of Amy Friend)

    “Some of the featured visuals are a part of my Assorted Boxes of Ordinary Life series, says Friend. “One piece of work depicts family whom my mother had captured on Super 8 film. I projected this film clip onto old mirrors covered in dust.

    “The article suggests that we all come from stardust,” she says. “I imagine the specks of dust as remnants of the stars. I used these dust particles in a visual manner to represent our presence and our absence.”

    Friend says working on editorial commissions is always a fresh and exciting experience. She found that each project had diverse outcomes that are not always expected. Each commission, she says, provides the space to reconsider her work and evaluate the visuals that audiences encounter in editorial publications.

    “When you work with an editor, there’s a lot of back and forth that goes on. Ultimately, we come to an agreement on the final product, but in the process of doing so there’s learning that I take back and that is distinctly important for me.”

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

  • Brock faculty honoured for local arts impact

    Wednesday, December 07, 2022 | By

    Three individuals stand behind three sitting individuals, each holding a turquoise trophy against a grey-beige backdrop.

    St. Catharines Arts Award winners (clockwise from front left) Emily Oriold, Monica Dufault, Kathyrn Sinopoli, Rachel Rensink-Hoff, Amy Friend and Frank Goldspink were recently honoured by the City of St. Catharines. (Photo courtesy of the City of St. Catharines)

    Originally published in The Brock News | TUESDAY, DECEMBER 06, 2022 | by Charles Kim

    The impact of faculty from Brock’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts is being felt in the local community.

    Amy Friend, Associate Professor and Department of Visual Arts Chair, and Rachel Rensink-Hoff, Associate Professor in the Department of Music, were each recently honoured during the St. Catharines Arts Awards and recognized for their respective contributions to helping the arts thrive locally.

    Friend received the Established Artist Award during the awards celebration held Tuesday, Nov. 29, at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre. Her work, which has been exhibited nationally and internationally, explores various methodologies through photography, installation and community-based collaborations. The focus of her work fluctuates with investigations relative to history, time, land memory, dust, oceans and connections to the universe.

    “The award is a wonderful nod to the work artists accomplish in this community and there are many of us,” Friend said. “I have grown as an artist in this region and have had opportunities to collaborate with many people. I would like to see even greater and consistent support for the arts in our community and schools. There is an abundance of amazing work happening here, but much more is possible.”

    Rensink-Hoff — Conductor of the Brock University Choir and Sora Singers, and Artistic Director of the Avanti Chamber Singers — was presented with the Arts in Education Award.

    Her contributions to the local arts community have resulted in many performances and partnerships, including the co-ordination of a performance by the Brock University Choir, Avanti Chamber Singers and Sora Singers under the leadership of guest conductor, Kanaka Maoli artist, activist and cultural bearer Jace Kaholokula Sapan.

    “It is a joy to be a part of a thriving arts community here in St. Catharines and I am humbled by this recognition, particularly on the heels of a challenging two and a half years,” Rensink-Hoff said. “I have seen in my students and singers just how life-giving their participation in the arts can be. Their passion and dedication to making music throughout the pandemic has been such a tremendous source of inspiration.”

    A full list of recipients of the St. Catharines Arts Awards is available on the City of St. Catharines website.

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

  • Brock art exhibition inspired by Canada Games mascot, local wildlife

    Monday, August 22, 2022 | By

    A woman stands looking at a blue photograph on a white wall.

    Fourth-year Brock Visual Arts student and research assistant Emily MacDonald examines the camera-less photographs created for the Small Movements exhibit.

    Originally published in The Brock News | FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2022 | by Charles Kim

    Many aspects of the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games have inspired projects across Brock University — and the event’s mascot, Shelly, is no exception.

    The turtle’s impact has gone beyond the Games to influence two Brock projects now being showcased as part of an ongoing exhibition.

    Presented by Brock’s Department of Visual Arts (VISA), in conjunction with the Games, Small Movements highlights the work of Associate Professors Amy Friend and Donna Szoke. The exhibition was funded by the University’s VPR Canada Games grants.

    Szoke’s work, which saw her collaborate with Grade 1 and 2 students at Jeanne Sauvé French Immersion Public School in St. Catharines, creates a connection between the 2022 Canada Games, the local community and turtle conservancy.

    As part of the project, students experienced a virtual field trip to the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre (OTCC), where they learned about the organization’s important work and visited a hospital for recovering and resident turtles, as well as a nursery with eggs and hatchlings.

    Following their visit, students were given the opportunity to colour their own images of turtles, which were then scanned and animated by VISA fourth-year student Emily MacDonald and alumna Julie Luth (BA ’22). The scanned images were used to create an animation, which was then gifted back to the children, animators, the OTCC and the Canada Games.

    Painted Turtles from Donna Szoke on Vimeo.

    “The children’s approaches to drawing and painting are refreshing in their naiveté, gesture and palette,” says Szoke. “By inventing a platform for generating turtle images created by children, our research-creation team created a turtle animation meant to engage and inspire.”

    Meanwhile, Friend’s project investigates and bridges a connection between sports and Niagara’s regional ecosystems, with a specific focus on turtles. Also inspired by the Canada Games mascot, the project examines watersports that take place in habitats shared with turtles. It includes camera-less photographs, water samples from across the Niagara region, a sound component and digital photography.

    Friend used analogue photo practices to produce camera-less photographs with her creative research team, including research assistants Laurie Morrison and Sarah Martin (BA ’19). Morrison, a first-year VISA student, and Martin, a VISA alumna, worked on capturing and printing the project’s images. Morrison secured light-sensitive photo paper to a kayak, allowing an interaction to take place between paper and water, while Martin collected samples from local waterways and helped to edit and print images with Friend.

    Friend’s work also includes photos that were taken at the surface of the water with a digital camera.

    “The photographs were shot at the water’s surface, precisely where the paddles enter the water and where turtles swim,” she says. “My thought process for this approach was to establish a relationship between the act of paddling or rowing through the water and the movements made by turtles as they move through the water.”

    Research assistant and recent graduate Qiushuang Xia (BA ’22) took photographs across the region’s waterways. Xia also captured the sound component that accompanies the project, recording from some of the same sites that were explored to create the images in the exhibition.

    Small Movements is open now until Oct. 1 at the Marilyn I. Walker Visual Arts Gallery and Student Exhibition Space. There will be a reception with the artists on Wednesday, Sept. 14, from 4 to 7 p.m. All are welcome to attend. More information is available on the exhibit web page.

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