Arts and About in Durham Region - Sep 8 2017

Sep 8: RMG Fridays - This month’s theme is ‘Come Together’ and its an appropriate one at this time. There’s always interesting people floating around the Gallery and with three exhibits opening there will be lots more this time out. Young duo Hill & Landing will be performing.

Painters & Patrons: Luke, McLughlin and Aked @ the Robert McLaughlin Gallery opens Sept 9 - Jan 14 2018
Legacies: Teri Donovan, Alexandra Luke, Gwen MacGregor, Isabel McLaughlin @ the Robert McLaughlin Gallery opens Sept 9 - Jan 14 2018. The show was curated by Margaret Rodgers.

Heavy Hitters: The gifts that keep on giving @ the Robert McLaughlin Gallery opens Sept 9 - Jan 14 2018. 

Sep 9/ 10: Scenes from the Cemetery: Building a Nation @ Union Cemetary . The Oshawa Museum is hosting a dramatic tour of the city’s history.

Frances Ferdinands: Between Latitudes @ the Station Gallery opens Sept 9 - Oct 8

Sep 9: Mary Walsh @ Blue Heron Books - The creator and co-star of This Hour Has 22 Minutes will be interviewed by Terry Fallis and reading from her novel ‘Crying For The Moon’.

Sep 10: Paint Party @ Pepper Patch Community Garden, Oshawa - Chad Taylor and his graffiti crew from The Paint Factory are spicing up the raised beds in the Patch. Brew Wizards Board Game Cafe will be onsite with coffee. 

Sep 16/ 17: The Uxbridge Studio Tour  - Twenty five studios, 64 artists, an annual tradition for 32 years - doesn’t get much better and this year Second Wedge Brewery is offering folk the opportunity to win a $1000 gift card for a work by an Uxbridge Studio tour artist. A passbook is available, collect five stamps from any of the 25 studios or sponsors and submit to the brewery. Draw takes place Sept 22 at Second Wedge.

Sep 16/ 17: Birds Beavers and Butterflies @ Thickson Woods - guided walks and talks, nature box building, hawk watch, bug identification - not an exhibit but Nature is her own artist.

Sep 18/ 24: the Durham Region International Film Fest - Seven days of films and film flavoured events at various locations around Durham. The red carpet is unfurled Sep 22 at the Regent Theatre in Oshawa. 

Sep 21 - Books & Authors @ Uxbridge Music Hall - Speakers include Linden McIntyre, Linda Spalding, Alison Pick and Terry Fallis.

Sep 23/ 24: Fall Apple Harvest Tour - Rosemary Jenkins Pottery. Gallery on the Farm, Timeless Essentials are some of the nine stops on this self-guided driving/cycling tour of Clarington

Sep 23: Art Day in the Rouge - guided photography walks, artist stations, classes.

ON NOW: 

Identity/ Indentify - Contemporary works from the Permananent Collection @ the Robert McLaughlin Gallery - June 08 2018 

Coming of Age: Mary Kainer, Ramune Luminaire and Judith A. Mason @ the Visual Arts Centre  - Oct 1

Visitor Information @ the Robert McLaughlin Gallery - to Sep 19 

Photographer Leif Petersen @ the Kent Farndale Gallery in Port Perry - to Sept. 28, 2017.

Arts and About - Durham Reach Listings

The Uxbridge Studio Tour takes place Sept 16 and 17 2017. Many of the artists who featured in the RMG Durham Reach exhibit will open their studios to the public and allow visitors to see where they work and live. Some of these studios are works of art in themselves and are nestled in the most beautiful locations. I think sometimes when I grow up I would like to be a Durham Reach artist. This year Second Wedge Brewery is offering folk the opportunity to win a $1000 gift card for a work by an Uxbridge Studio tour artist. A passbook is available, collect five stamps from any of the 25 studios or sponsors and submit to the brewery. Draw takes place Sept 22 at Second Wedge.

SlowCity.ca is looking to produce a print version in October. We are looking for submissions from local artists to feature and also sponsors for those artists. I will be out chatting to as many of you as I can in the next month or so about this. For those of you who remember it will be something along the lines of the original SlowCity magazine, but more inclusive of all the arts not just the visuals. Contact me if you want to chat further about sponsoring or submitting.

Durham Shoestring Performers are holding auditions Wednesday Sept 6 for In (Roles We) Play which hits the stage in November. Six to ten people are needed, ages 17 - 70. Auditions are at the Arts Resource Centre, Oshawa - 7:30 pm. 

NEW ON: 

Coming of Age: Mary Kainer, Ramune Luminaire and Judith A. Mason @ the Visual Arts Centre Sept 3 - Oct 1. Judith will perform at the show opening - 2p.m.

Frances Ferdinands: Between Latitudes @ the Station Gallery opens Sept 9 - Oct 8

Identity/ Indentify - Contemporary works from the Permananent Collection @ the Robert McLaughlin Gallery opens Sept 2 - June 08 2018 

Painters & Patrons: Luke, McLughlin and Aked @ the Robert McLaughlin Gallery opens Sept 9 - Jan 14 2018

Legacies: Teri Donovan, Alexandra Luke, Gwen MacGregor, Isabel McLaughlin @ the Robert McLaughlin Gallery opens Sept 9 - Jan 14 2018. The show was curated by Margaret Rodgers.

Heavy Hitters: The gifts that keep on giving @ the Robert McLaughlin Gallery opens Sept 9 - Jan 14 2018.

Dani Crosby is seeking subjects for a series of portraits for an art project which will be exhibited at the Robert McLaughlin Gallery in 2019. Dani has set up a website where willing participants can share their own stories. The portraits will be based on the stories, in the manner of Dani's own stunning self-portrait which was shown as part of Durham Reach.

Annemarie Greenwood: Six mixed media works on display at Rawlicious restaurant, 120 Dundas St. W., Whitby.

ON NOW:

Visitor Information @ the Robert McLaughlin Gallery - to Sep 19 

Photographer Leif Petersen @ the Kent Farndale Gallery in Port Perry - to Sept. 28, 2017.

Art and About - Listings

Saturday Aug 12 Francis Muscat is having a half price sale of some of his older works, seconds, and other interesting work at the Second Wedge Brewery in Uxbridge. The sale runs 10 am - 4 pm. Francis is also the featured artist at Meta4 Contemporary Gallery in Port Perry for the month of August.

Geordie Lishman unveiled his most recent commission at the Lions Club Park in Newmarket. Its a lion in the manner of Geordie's wolf (which was on display at his solo show at the RMG). The public sculpture is part of a project by Lishman the Elder aka Bill.

As mentioned in last week's letter Slowcity.ca is planning to stretch beyond the digital into the physical. A Slow City Folk Club is in the works and we are also re-entering the world of print. If you are “comic-con” fan and interested in contributing or know someone who is let us know. We are seeking writers of Fan Expo style fiction and illustrators for the project.

Photographer Leif Petersen is having a solo exhibit at the Kent Farndale Gallery in Port Perry opening Aug. 26. It runs to Sept. 28, 2017. Leif is a real interesting chap with a great eye and I have worked with him in the past. It’s sometime away yet but mark it in your calendar.

Dani Crosby is seeking subjects for a series of portraits for an art project which will be exhibited at the Robert McLaughlin Gallery in 2019. Dani has set up a website where willing participants can share their own stories. The portraits will be based on the stories, in the manner of Dani's own stunning self-portrait which was shown as part of Durham Reach.

Mike and Betty McGowan will be exhibiting as part of FIXATE, presented by RAW: Toronto. Over 60 artists, fashion designers and musicians will be taking part at the event at the Mod Club Aug 17 and 18.

Annemarie Greenwood: Six mixed media works on display at Rawlicious restaurant, 120 Dundas St. W., Whitby.

Barry Smylie: online exhibit, Boundless

Abstraction: the Rebel Cause @ the Robert McLaughlin Gallery - to Aug 27  

Temporarily Mine by David Wysotski @ the Station Gallery, Whitby - to Sep 3

AbNEXT: Contemporary Abstractions by Emerging Canadian Artists @ the Robert McLaughlin Gallery - to Sep 03

Visitor Information @ the Robert McLaughlin Gallery - to Sep 19

Saturday Sep 9 Mary Walsh (This Hour Has 22 Minutes) will be at the Uxbridge Music Hall. Terry Fallis will be interviewing Walsh about her novel “Crying for the Moon”. This is a Blue Heron presentation as part of the Uxbridge Celebration of the Arts.

Sunday Oct 22 L M Montgomery as influence will be the subject of an all-star panel of authors at Wooden Sticks Golf Club. This is a Blue Heron Books presentation.

Slowcity.ca Durham Reach arts listing this week

Many artists in Durham Region will know Rory Taillon. He has been a regular performer at Slow City art events for the past few years and he is wonderful. He has moved to Ottawa but tours and he will be playing the Wave event at the Station Gallery Thursday Aug. 10. 

Photographer Leif Petersen is having a solo exhibit at the Kent Farndale Gallery in Port Perry opening Aug. 26. It runs to Sept. 28, 2017. Leif is a real interesting chap with a great eye and I have worked with him in the past. It’s sometime away yet but mark it in your calendar.

Slowcity.ca is planning to stretch beyond the digital into the physical. A Slow City Folk Club is in the works and we are also re-entering the world of print. (Some of you may know SlowCity.ca began as an arts magazine). The print idea came from Chris Wunderlich who has been doing some cool video work for us. More details as we figure them out. If you are “comic-con” fan and interested in contributing or know someone we would love to have you involved.

Francis Muscat is the featured artist at Meta4 Contemporary Gallery in Port Perry for the month of August. 

Catherine Mills’ work is on display as part of Painting 2017, a group show at the John B. Aird Gallery in Toronto. The show runs until Aug. 18.

Durham Shoestring Performers have announced their upcoming season; In (Roles We) Play in November, The Other Place in January and Girl in a Goldfish Bowl in March. Shows take place at the Arts Resource Centre in Oshawa. 

RMG Fridays takes place Aug. 11, this month’s it is a collaboration with the City of Oshawa and features VERSA Audio/Visual and Future Peers. 

NEW ON: 

Saturday Sep 9 Mary Walsh (This Hour Has 22 Minutes) will be at the Uxbridge Music Hall. Terry Fallis will be interviewing Walsh about her novel “Crying for the Moon”. This is a Blue Heron presentation as part of the Uxbridge Celebration of the Arts.

Sunday Oct 22 L M Montgomery as influence will be the subject of an all-star panel of authors at Wooden Sticks Golf Club. This is a Blue Heron Books presentation. 

ON NOW: 

Solo exhibit by Ronald Malcolm Lambert @ 1340 Queen St., Toronto.

Connective Threads by Frances Ferdinands @ Visual Arts Centre - to Aug 13

Abstraction: the Rebel Cause @ the Robert McLaughlin Gallery - to Aug 27  

Temporarily Mine by David Wysotski @ the Station Gallery, Whitby - to Sep 3

AbNEXT: Contemporary Abstractions by Emerging Canadian Artists @ the Robert McLaughlin Gallery - to Sep 03

Visitor Information @ the Robert McLaughlin Gallery - to Sep 19

Mike and Betty McGowan will be exhibiting as part of FIXATE, presented by RAW: Toronto. Over 60 artists, fashion designers and musicians will be taking part at the event at the Mod Club Aug 17 and 18. 

Annemarie Greenwood: Six mixed media works on display at Rawlicious restaurant, 120 Dundas St. W., Whitby.

Barry Smylie: online exhibit, Boundless

Slowcity.ca Durham Reach Arts Listings - Happy Birthday Canada

Happy 150 Birthday Canada - Where and what to do in Durham Region July 1 2017  

Ajax Beaverton Cannington  Clarington Oshawa Pickering Port Perry  Uxbridge  Whitby 

NEW ON: 

July 8 - Temporarily Mine by David Whysotski @ the Station Gallery, Whitby

July 8 - Jay Dart is one of a group exhibit, That Night in Toronto. This is an art fundraiser based on the lyrics of Gord Downie, 20% of sales will go to the Gord Downie Fund for Brain Cancer Research @ Mayberry Fine Arts, Toronto

July 15 - Sally Thurlow’s garden at 2721 Thickson Woods will be part of the Whitby In Bloom tour.

July 27 - Solo exhibit by Ronald Malcolm Lambert @ 1340 Queen St., Toronto - opening reception July 29 2-4 p.m.

ON NOW: 

Abstraction: the Rebel Cause @ the Robert McLaughlin Gallery - to Aug 27  

AbNEXT: Contemporary Abstractions by Emerging Canadian Artists @ the Robert McLaughlin Gallery - Sep 03

Visitor Information @ the Robert McLaughlin Gallery - Sep 19

Annemarie Greenwood: Six mixed media works on display at Rawlicious restaurant, 120 Dundas St. W., Whitby.

Barry Smylie: online exhibit, Boundless

A Different Drummer, Craig McMillan on Bob Dylan; Dylan plays the TCC July 4

Craig McMillan
"On a night like this" Planet Waves (my dad's copy on vinyl). . . always a go to at the Drum.

Bradley Boy reflections on Bob Dylan; Dylan plays July 4 at the TCC in OShawa

The Bob Dylan is coming to the Tribute Community Centre in Oshawa Tuesday, July 4 2017, To mark the return of the Nobel winning poet, singer, painter, novelist, actor, songwriter, musician, iconoclast we asked our creative pals for their Dylan reflections. We will run them as they come in.

Bradley Boy MacArthur
"What is my favorite Bob Dylan song and why. Without question as a writer and narrator. A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall. It is a brilliant narrative of observations of the world through the eyes of a blue eyed son (innocence ?). Each line in a few words captures the ugly and the beautiful. The moral is don't let it get you down, silence you and make you numb. Acknowledge it, know it, think it, speak it and breathe it. That is the road to help change it and remember what is beautiful and positive in the world. The two go hand in hand, so don't get lost in either, balance."

Kumonga Dan reflects on Bob Dylan, the Nobel Prize winner plays the TTC in Oshawa July 4

Dan Walters, Kumonga
"My favourite Dylan song is "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall". While each verse is absolutely beautiful, I especially look forward to the one that he (accidentally?) rushes. For me, his giggle humanizes the entire masterpiece."

Slowcity.ca Durham Reach arts listings Thurs. Jun 22

NEW ON: 

Sat. Jun 24Art in the Part, @ Darlington Provincial Park

The Oshawa Art Association has been invited by Darlington Provincial Park as special guests of the park! Located at Picknic Shelter #3, the OAA will be offering a FREE workshop on creating artwork using black markers! Suitable for ages 12+. Preregistration is needed at the Park Store.

ON NOW: 

Blue Heron Canada 150 Student Art Exhibit, Blue Heron Books, Uxbridge - Jun 20

The Great Canadian LEED-scape, by Amy Shackleton @ the Visual Arts Centre, Bowmanville - until Jul 2

Nayaano-nibiimaang Gichigamiin |The Five Great Lakes, by Barry Ace @ the Station Gallery, Whitby -  until Jul 2  

Abstraction: the Rebel Cause @ the Robert McLaughlin Gallery - to Aug 27  

Moving Landscapes by Steven Kean @ the Station Gallery - Jul 2

AbNEXT: Contemporary Abstractions by Emerging Canadian Artists @ the Robert McLaughlin Gallery - Sep 03

Visitor Information @ the Robert McLaughlin Gallery - Sep 19

Annemarie Greenwood: Six mixed media works on display at Rawlicious restaurant, 120 Dundas St. W. in Whitby.

Barry Smylie: online exhibit, Boundless

Cathie Mills @ Art on the Street, Guelp

Members of Rhyme Jaws, Blaster and The Doozies reflect on Bob Dylan, Dylan plays Oshawa July 4 at TCC

Chris Wunderlich, Rhyme Jaws
"I saw him last time he came to the "GM Center". It was a strange show with lots of organ, indecipherable mumbling and few, if any, crowd favourites. He was up there doing whatever he wanted and I can't for the life of me remember a single song, but I loved every minute. I'll pick a newer Dylan tune."

Aidan McGuirk, bassist, Blaster
"I Want You" - "it makes me feel good inside," 

Josh Kvasnak of The Doozies
"By far.... Subterranean homesick blues. Because he's not afraid to continually sing the same melody in the verses. It's just such a silly, grizzly tune."

Wayne Petti reflects on Bob, Dylan plays the TCC in Oshawa July 4

The Bob Dylan is coming to the Tribute Community Centre in Oshawa Tuesday, July 4 2017, To mark the return of the Nobel winning poet, singer, painter, novelist, actor, songwriter, musician, iconoclast we asked our creative pals for their Dylan reflections. We will run them as they come in.

Wayne Petti of Greylands, Cuff The Duke and occasionally Blue Rodeo cites "Girl from the North Country" as his fave track, its a track he covered with Joel Plaskett on Grey Land's debut, Songs By Other People.

"There is something so peaceful about the original version. No matter how I might be feeling, when I hear that song it always chills me out and takes me away for those few minutes. Later in his career when he recorded it with Johnny Cash, for Nashville Skyline, it became an even more endearing song to me. That duet is the most casual and beautiful recording I've ever heard. Especially for two iconic musicians. Two of the all time greats, with no fancy production just a couple of dudes singing a song. Sometimes that's all you need!"

Dog Is Blue reflects on Bob Dylan. Dylan plays the TCC in Oshawa July 4

The Bob Dylan is coming to the Tribute Community Centre in Oshawa Tuesday, July 4 2017, To mark the return of the Nobel winning poet, singer, painter, novelist, actor, songwriter, musician, iconoclast we asked our creative pals for their Dylan reflections. We will run them as they come in.

Musician Paul Watson of the Ghost-folk duo, Dog Is Blue, reflects in song

Durham Region artist reflects on Bob Dylan, he plays the TCC in Oshawa July 4

The Bob Dylan is coming to the Tribute Community Centre in Oshawa Tuesday, July 4 2017, To mark the return of the Nobel winning poet, singer, painter, novelist, actor, songwriter, musician, iconoclast we asked our creative pals for their Dylan reflections. We will run them as they come in.

Artist Maralynn Cherry, a founding member of the Oshawa's first art gallery in 1967.

"That’s a tough one, to tie Dylan down to one song but here goes for me. I love so many but there are special memories kindled by ‘If Dogs Run Free’ on his amazing New Morning vinyl. When I heard this piece it embraced my wandering soulful need for freedom. I lingered alone for hours musing at the borderlands between city and wilderness. I felt like a creature of the wild and then along came this incredible jazz song. It cut to the bone as Dylan’s words were woven through with that unforgettable scat-singing from Maeretha Stewart and those licks of Al Kooper on piano." 

Slowcity.ca Durham Reach arts listings Thur Jun 15

Gallery 67 at 67 Simcoe St. N. downtown is open. Congrats to the Oshawa Art Association for getting this pop-up gallery space in the Holiday Inn up and running. Hours are 10-4 Tuesdays and Saturdays, 10-8 Thursdays. There is currently an exhibition of members who volunteered to help out at the gallery. A new exhibition will begin July 15.

NEW ON: 

Sat. June 17 - 2017 Artist in the Gardena Hearth Place Fundraiser    

There are ten gardens throughout Whitby and Oshawa, each garden has artisans and live music. Tickets are $20 each in advance, $25 day of. Anne Labelle-Johnson of Blue Willow Studio will at Margaritville Garden along with Tony Johnson. Betty and Mike McGowan will be at Julies Garden in Whitby.

ON NOW: 

Residency - Durham Black Artists Collective @ the Robert McLaughlin Gallery - Jun 18 

Blue Heron Canada 150 Student Art Exhibit, Blue Heron Books, Uxbridge - Jun 20

The Great Canadian LEED-scape, by Amy Shackleton @ the Visual Arts Centre, Bowmanville - until Jul 2

Nayaano-nibiimaang Gichigamiin |The Five Great Lakes, by Barry Ace @ the Station Gallery, Whitby -  until Jul 2  

Abstraction: the Rebel Cause @ the Robert McLaughlin Gallery - to Aug 27  

Moving Landscapes by Steven Kean @ the Station Gallery - Jul 2

AbNEXT: Contemporary Abstractions by Emerging Canadian Artists @ the Robert McLaughlin Gallery - Sep 03

Visitor Information @ the Robert McLaughlin Gallery - Sep 19

Annemarie Greenwood: Six mixed media works on display at Rawlicious restaurant, 120 Dundas St. W. in Whitby.

Barry Smylie: online exhibit, Boundless

Gallery 67 launch, Living Room Art Studio fundraiser and Oshawa Council's priorities

The Oshawa Art Association will formally launch their new pop up gallery space in the Holiday Inn downtown Oshawa on Tuesday June 13 2017. There will be art, there will be cake, there will be the usual suspects, there will be bureaucrats and there will be a lot of people, a lot of older people. The OAA has been around for 50 years and this is the first space they can call their own. Fifty years is a long time to be homeless but the OAA has found a home and some others too have a home to call their own.

There is a crowd of young entrepreneurs who call Oshawa home who are investing in the downtown to make it their own. These are the places I believe can turn the core around, with the right support. But Council is more willing to seek an American corporate brand than a local start-up. if its not GM then the Holiday Inn will fill in or Global Spectrum. Chase down a Yankee corporate restaurant and there is enough brand name recognition downtown to draw in the punters. Yah, no, the suburbanization of the downtown is exactly the wrong direction to go in. But thats our council, always wanting big global outsiders when small local insiders is where it’s really at. 

But lets compromise and have both,  in a balanced holistic manner however. This City could invest in the small as well as the tall, supporting Berry Hill, Isabella’s, Justice Burgers, Johnny Cuts, Jimmy Gauco’s, the Atria, the Moustache Club, Buster Rhino's, Riley's and others just like they support Global Spectrum and the Holiday Inn. There are many small businesses striving to thrive in the core and the help would be welcome.

Photo - Slowcity.ca

Ironically I see hope in the area outside of the purview of the BIA and the city’s revitalization efforts. South of the core, success is happening in an area which has fostered cool independent thinking for decades. Within walking distance of each other there is the Brew Wizard’s Board Game Cafe, the Living Room Community Art Studio, Kop’s Records and Paraphernalia Books. There is Lisa and Jamie’s Upscale Garage Sale and of course Memorial Park and the Pepper Patch Community Garden. There is also the Car Museum and a stroll through the park will take you to the RMG and the McLaughlin Gallery. One could spend hours.

Issues, sure, problems, sure but also solutions, solutions sourced from the residents themselves. They grew there and they are surviving there. They are surviving in part because they are willing to put the work in to make it a better place for them and their kids, making art and growing gardens and populating streets. Here is where the city could step in and offer resources to help. It is here Council could develop the area in conjunction with the residents and small businesses investing in the area. But will they support independents, in youth, in small. My guess is no, after all it’s not something they are used to doing.

Photo - Slowcity.ca

There will be many dignitaries I imagine at the launch of the OAA’s Gallery 67 Tuesday night celebrating and rightly so. I hope to see the self same faces out at the Living Room Community Art Studio’s Fundraiser Thursday June 15 at the Trent Campus on Thornton Road. Then and only then, when politicians support the grassroots, will we know culture and Culture Plans in particular, matter and the suits and shoulder pads really do get it, at last.

Photo - Slowcity.ca

Slowcity.ca Durham Reach arts listings Thu. Jun. 8

NEW ON: 

Sat. Jun 10 - Doors Open Clarington

Sat. Jun 10/ 11 - A Country Path, tour of north Clarington 

Sat. Jun 10/ 11 - Oshawa Peony Festival 

Sat. Jun 10/ 11 - Art at the Waterfront, Port Perry

Sat. June 17 - 2017 Artist in the Gardena Hearth Place Fundraiser    

There are ten gardens throughout Whitby and Oshawa, each garden has artisans and live music. Tickets are $20 each in advance, $25 day of.  Anne Labelle-Johnson of Blue Willow Studio will at Margaritville Garden along with Tony Johnson. Betty and Mike McGowan will be at Julie's Garden in Whitby. 

Thu. Jun 17 - Little art BIG difference fundraiser, LIvingroom Community Arts Studio @ Trent University, Oshawa

ON NOW: 

The Great Canadian LEED-scape, by Amy Shackleton @ the Visual Arts Centre, Bowmanville - until Jul 2

Nayaano-nibiimaang Gichigamiin |The Five Great Lakes, by Barry Ace @ the Station Gallery, Whitby -  until Jul 2

Blue Heron Canada 150 Student Art Exhibit, Blue Heron Books, Uxbridge - Jun 20 

Abstraction: the Rebel Cause @ the Robert McLaughlin Gallery - to Aug 27  

Annemarie Greenwood: Six mixed media works on display at Rawlicious restaurant, 120 Dundas St. W. in Whitby.

Barry Smylie: online exhibit, Boundless 

Slowcity.ca Durham Reach arts listings - Thu Jun 1 2017

One of my favourite places in Durham Region, The LivingRoom Community Art Centre is holding its fourth annual fundraiser Thursday June 15 at Trent University, Oshawa.  The studio’s Little Art, BIG Difference Secret Sale features over 100 works from artists across North America, each of which will sell for $75. The creators of the works are the secret, only revealed after the purchase. The first 100 people through the door will receive a one-of-a-kind silk screened hand sewn swag bag. Raffle prizes include gift packages from Arts & Crafts Music, Cafe Belong at the Evergreen Brickworks, DeSerres Art Store, Brew Wizards Board Game Cafe, Panic Factory Escape Rooms, HB Happy Bliss, Scentsy and Lock 3 Media Documentaries. Doors open 6 p.m and all works can be previewed at the LivingRoom’s website. If you have never heard of the LivingRoom do yourself and the wonderful community it helps a favour and check it out.

Happy 50th OAA!! The Oshawa Art Association has a home, which they are calling Gallery 67. The OAA are working with the Holiday Inn Express, located at 67 Simcoe St. N. in downtown Oshawa, to take over a large empty space on the south west corner, designated for a restaurant. As no company has been found yet the OAA will move in. The OAA founded in 1967 are launching the new art space with an exhibit and grand opening Tuesday, June 13 at 7 p.m.

Things like this don’t happen all by themselves, this was a collective effort which included the city’s Economic Development department, local businesses, volunteers, the facilitation of Councillor Rick Kerr and the full support of the hotel’s general manager Sita Gardiner. 

NEW ON: 

Fri. Jun 2 - RMG Friday celebrates PRIDE Durham @ the Robert McLaughlin Gallery, Oshawa

Sat. Jun 3 - Nayaano-nibiimaang Gichigamiin |The Five Great Lakes, by Barry Ace @ the Station Gallery, Whitby - Jul 2

Sun Jun 4 - The Great Canadian LEED-scape, by Amy Shackleton @ the Visual Arts Centre, Bowmanville - Jul 2

Sat. Jun 10/ 11 - A Country Path, tour of north Clarington 

Sat. Jun 10/ 11 - Oshawa Peony Festival, art contest submissions due June 9 

Sat. Jun 10/ 11 - Art at the Waterfront, Port Perry

Sat. June 17 - 2017 Artist in the Gardena Hearth Place Fundraiser  - There are ten gardens throughout Whitby and Oshawa, each garden has artisans and live music. Tickets are $20 each in advance, $25 day of. Anne Labelle-Johnson of Blue Willow Studio messaged me to say she will be at Margaritville Garden along with Tony Johnson.

ON NOW: 

Come Closer, Pamela Dodds @ the Visual Arts Centre, Clarington - to May 21  

In Transit – Jan Lyons @ the Kent Farndale Gallery, Port Perry – to June 6  

Stephanie Foden exhibit @ the Robert McLaughlin Gallery – to June 11

Blue Heron Canada 150 Student Art Exhibit, Blue Heron Books, Uxbridge - Jun 20

Abstraction: the Rebel Cause @ the Robert McLaughlin Gallery - to Aug 27  

Annemarie Greenwood: Six mixed media works on display at Rawlicious restaurant, 120 Dundas St. W. in Whitby.

Barry Smylie: online exhibit, Boundless 

Slowcity.ca Durham Reach arts listings - Thu May 25 2017

NEW ON: 

Sat. May 27 - Art on the Esplanade, Pickering

Sat. May 27 – Digging Roots @ Greenbank Folk Club, Greenbank

Sat. May 27 - Paul Sloggett exhibit at the Hatch Gallery, Bloomfield, Price Edward County  

Fri. Jun 2 - RMG Friday celebrates PRIDE Durham @ the Robert McLaughlin Gallery, Oshawa

Sat. Jun 3 - Nayaano-nibiimaang Gichigamiin |The Five Great Lakes, by Barry Ace @ the Station Gallery, Whitby - July 2

Sat. Jun 10/ 11 - A Country Path, tour of north Clarington 

Sat. Jun 10/ 11 - Oshawa Peony Festival, art contest submissions due June 9 

Sat. Jun 10/ 11 - Art at the Waterfront, Port Perry

Sat. June 17 - 2017 Artist in the Gardena Hearth Place Fundraiser    

ON NOW: 

In Transit – Jan Lyons @ the Kent Farndale Gallery, Port Perry – to June 6  

Stephanie Foden exhibit @ the Robert McLaughlin Gallery – to June 11

Abstraction: the Rebel Cause @ the Robert McLaughlin Gallery - to Aug 27  

2016, was it so bad after all?

Hard to catch up on 2016, it moved so fast as the present runs at us with such speed, its the age of everything and such flux is keeping us all off balance. It was one hit after another, there was little time to mourn for one deceased celebrity before another washed up on the news.

It wasn’t just celebs but systems that fell too. It seems by many counts to be a year not to be celebrated but of course there is always reason to be cheerful, even if its just to have survived the year. Many friends a generation younger are celebrating, they’re are growing families, homes, work projects, having children, Music Festivals will be even more a family affair and yes I still believe music can save us all - stay tuned.

Some of my fave moments happened at festivals in 2016; being interviewed by Steve DeTaeye at Hillside (4 pm - 30 min mark) about a piece I wrote on the best little Royal City gathering; River and Sky, Hillside’s Northern sibling - a fave festival that had The Sadies play on a beach for what seemed liked hours, also the afternoon chat with METZ, and introducing them onstage as the closer. Also doing an Apologue in-car podcast with Simon Head (ep 87) about Oshawa’s music heritage, not mush of it left, many of our venues have become shelters - something ironic in that I guess, they were once our shelters.

I had the chance too to interview Baron Wolman, Rolling Stone magazine's first official photographer, and I finally met David Marsden, for a coffee and a chat. I also interviewed Buffy Sainte-Marie (through my new freelance job at Metro, which I began in 2016), and witnessed Gord Downie’s "Secret Path" show, twice. Canada’s band toured the country as its farewell.

Downie has used the spotlight to highlight the plight of Canada’s aboriginal communities - He has said many times the country, in 2017, should not celebrate its past 150 years, but should look towards building the next 150 years - ahead by a century is our Gord and we can only hope his name does not crop up on the news as among those we will mourn this coming year.

Records to note; Jadea Kelly’s album “Love and Lust”, an absolute tour de force that will only get bigger and bigger, such a deep personal story; also Meghan Patrick’s debut “Grace and Grit” - Meghan too has a star on the rise, she is one who gets it all on every level and I think she will emerge in her own time as one the country’s finest singer/songwriters. As well The Standstills have emerged as the one’s to watch over on the harder rock side of things. 

I had gone to see Lennon and Maisy at Field Trip but unfortunately it was washed out by a drenching storm so I missed them, however they did come into town for the Music Scene’s talent contest, an opportunity to chat with The Stellas too then; but its not just the Nashville family we should take notice off, Tracy Penhale Stella is a member of the Oshawa group The Professors of Funk led by Derek Giberson. Giberson organized a charity Christmas concert featuring a solo by Tracy, - (I was in the Rogers Live Broadcast truck and she was wonderful) - Cadence Grace was also a guest singer. The concert raised about $10000 I believe, for the Back Door Mission in Oshawa’s core.

Politically it was a strange year but as all politics are local lets look not south of the border but to our own south, South Oshawa, which seems now to begin at Adelaide north of Hwy 2 instead of the traditional south of Hwy 401.

The good man behind the Back Door Mission, told me Oshawa’s core has a concentration of poverty, addiction, bad landlords, unsafe housing and prostitution that is if not worse than then on par with Vancouver’s East Side - a place with an international reputation. As Oshawa expands north we are leaving a broad vacuum at the core of this city and it is being filled with the hopeless. More needs to be done. We are also continuing to lose our creative minds as they leave the city for more opportunities. It seems to me we need them more than ever as the old system is falling and failing. Rather than fill the vacuum with exclusion lets fill it with inclusion.

Councillor Amy England got this, and went further with it, creating a documentary on the community garden there, and also we must give a shout-out to Carol VanderSanden and her own mission to grow gardens all over the city. The latest is by the hospital. Now they are the very definition of someone creating hope, and art.

As for for further future hope creators,  we have a crew of young musicians, Headswirl, Native Other, Laughed The Boy who are digging through the back catalogues and building new from the pieces, music inspired by everything. Seems a good time to slot in a shout out to Wildlife and their recent released album, “Age of Everything”.

As for fave album - these got a lot of repeats on my player, its a toss up between Okervil River’s “Away” and Preoccupations’ S/T debut, but I will say the Most Important Record of 2016 was Secret Path. Get it if you don't and join the conversation to create an even better Canada. In 2017 be better and mostly be kinder. The world needs it.