Celebrating Museum Month with our Painters Eleven Collection

William Ronald conceived and founded the Painters Eleven in 1953 with fellow artists Jack Bush, Oscar Cahén, Hortnese Gordon, Tom Hodgson, Alexandra Luke, Jock Macdonald, Ray Mead, Kazuo Nakamura and Walter Yarwood. The Roberts Gallery in Toronto was home to the Painters Eleven first exhibition in 1954. It was also the first major commercial abstract art exhibit in Toronto. (painterseleven.com)

It is Museum Month and we are celebrating our collection of Painters Eleven works.

The RMG proudly holds Canada’s largest collection of works by Painters Eleven, primarily as a result of significant donations to the permanent collection from Alexandra Luke. At least eleven of these works are on display at all times in our Painters Eleven gallery.

Learn more about the artists!

Jack Bush:

Jack Bush

Jack Bush was born in Toronto, but studied art at the Royal Canadian Academy in Montreal. Bush drew his inspiration from Charles Comfort, a Group of Seven protégé and one of his instructors at the Ontario College of Arts. Bush painted landscapes in the Group style.

After his first trip to visit the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 1950, Bush redirected his vision and efforts to large-scale expressionist paintings. Bush found Clement Greenberg, a New York art critic, to become his mentor and encourage him to narrow his sight. Bush later simplified his compositions and abandoned his abstract expressionist style. He represented Canada in 1967 at the Sao Paulo Art Biennial, and later retired as a commercial artist in 1968.

Oscar Cahén:

Oscar Cahen

Oscar Cahén (Canadian, b. Denmark, 1916 – 1956)
Small Structure, 1953/55
Oil on canvas board
Gift of Alexandra Luke, 1967

Oscar Cahén was born Copenhagen, Denmark and studied drawing, painting, design and illustration in Germany, Italy, France, Sweden, and Czechoslovakia. Cahén became a professor of design, illustration and painting at the Rotter School in Prague after receiving a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts from Kunstakadekamie in Dresden.

In 1940, Cahén came to Canada as a war internee, the son of a German diplomat turned anti-Nazi. When he was released he moved to Toronto and met Walter Yarwood and Harold Town. Cahén aligned himself with the avante-garde art in the city and became one of Canada’s leading magazine illustrators. He started as a dark expressionist painter, but later changed his style to bright coloured abstractions.

Hortense Gordon:

Hortense Gordon

Hortense Gordon
(Canadian, 1887 -1961)
Horizontals and Verticals, 1955
Oil on canvas
Gift of Charlie Dobbie, 2000

Hortense (Mattice) Gordon was born in Hamilton and studied under John Sloan Gordon at the Hamilton Art School. She later married John Gordon in 1920. Gordon taught at the Hamilton Technical School from 1916 – 1951.

Gordon was the first Canadian to study with Hans Hofmann, along with fellow members Alexandra Luke and William Ronald. She was a proponent of Hofmann’s “push and pull” theory, which shows in her geometric abstractions. Gordon began experimenting with abstractions in the 1930’s and was drawn to Piet Mondrian’s style of pure design and colour. She was inducted into the Painters Eleven by Ray Mead.

Tom Hodgson:

Tom Hodgson

Tom Hodgson
(Canadian, 1924 – 2006)
Flowers, 1962
Watercolour and ink on illustration board
Gift of Alexandra Luke, 1967

Tom Hodgson was a Canadian representative at the 1952 Helsinki and 1956 Melbourne Olympics as a sprint canoer. Hodgson grew up on Toronto’s Centre Island, where he learned to paddle as a child, leading to his Olympic participation.

As well as being an international athlete, Hodgson was also a gifted artist from an early age. He studied with Arthur Lismer at the Art Gallery of Toronto (now known as the Art Gallery of Ontario), the Central Technical School and like other members of the Painters Eleven he also studied at the Ontario College of Art. Hodgson’s work was chosen for exhibition at the 1955 Pittsburgh International Exhibition. At the exhibition, Hodgson was amazed by the large size of the canvases used by other abstract painters, which paved the way for his own large-scale spontaneous gestural works.

Alexandra Luke:

Alexandra Luke

Alexandra Luke
Blythwood
1965
Watercolour and ink on paper

Alexandra Luke was born in Montreal, but moved to Oshawa in 1914. She was enrolled in the Banff School of Fine Arts, where she met Jock Macdonald in 1945. Jock Macdonald took Luke under his wing, she also studied with American abstract artist Hans Hofmann.

Macdonald introduced Luke to Surrealism and Theosophy: a spiritual dimension that was significant to Luke’s work. Luke was instrumental in the creating the Painters Eleven by organizing the Canadian Abstract Exhibition in 1952, the first all-abstract Canada wide exhibit. Members of the future group were present at the exhibition.

Jock Macdonald:

Jock Macdonald

Jock Macdonald
(1897 – 1960)
Polynesian Morning
1953
Lithograph on paper
Purchased, 2009

Jock Macdonald was born in Thurso, Scotland and graduated from the Edinburgh College of Art in 1922. Macdonald later moved to Vancouver to teach at the Vancouver School of Decorative and Applied Arts.

With traditional influences by the Group of Seven, after his move to Vancouver, Macdonald he developed a surrealist style through Grace Pailthorpe. His meeting with Pailthorpe inspired him to start making large-scaled abstractions. Macdonald started teaching at the Ontario College of Art in 1947. His position as a professor at the college gave him an influential part on fellow Painters Eleven members William Ronald and Alexandra Luke.

Ray Mead:

Ray Mead

Ray Mead
1956
Tide #22
Oil painting on canvas
Gift of Avrom Isaacs, 1987

Ray Mead was born in England, but was stationed in Hamilton as a part of the Royal Air Force. Eventually he immigrated to Hamilton, where he met Hortense Gordon. Mead’s connection to Gordon was strong and very influential to his work. Mead said, “she educated me more than any art school.”

Mead worked for the MacLaren Advertising Company in Toronto, now known as MacLaren McCann and Montreal as a commercial artist, but he returned to Toronto in 1987 to paint full time. Nicolas de Staël, a European abstract artist, heavily influenced Mead’s work. His personal style is often characterized by the use of rich fields of colour.

Kazuo Nakamura:

Nakamura

Kazuo Nakamura
1964
Lake B. C.
Oil painting on canvas
Gift of Ron and Mary Tasker, 1991

Kazuo Nakamura was born in Vancouver, but was interned with his Japanese family in Hope, British Columbia during WWII. After the war, he moved to Hamilton and met Hortense Gordon for classes before enrolling at the Central Technical School in Toronto.

Nakamura uses a simpler style in his work, with less complex structures and monochromatic colours, as compared to the expressionistic work of other Painters Eleven members. Nakamura’s work is evident of his fascination with science and mathematics. His use of patterns, linear perspectives and processes. Nakamura has said, “In a sense, scientists and artists are doing the same thing. This world of pattern is a world we are discovering together.”

William Ronald:

William Ronald

William Ronald
1953
Slow Movement
Casein duco graphite on masonite
Purchase, 1971

William Ronald Smith was born in Stratford, graduated from the Ontario College of Art and studied with Hans Hofmann in New York in 1952. Ronald was inspired by the abstract expressionist movement happening in New York City, and brought it back to Toronto while working at Simpson’s Company as a display artist. Ronald organized the Abstracts at Home display at Simpson’s, which initiated the Painters Eleven.

Ronald moved to New York in 1955 and secured a spot in the Kootz Gallery. His spot in the gallery got him known for his central image paintings, which are expressionist painting that have immediate impact on the viewer. Ronald is known as one of Canada’s most significant international artists of the 1950’s.

Harold Town:

Harold Town

Harold Town was born in Toronto and studied at Western Technical School and the Ontario College of Art. Town’s early work contained distinctly spiky forms, showing influence from Graham Sutherland and Rico Lebrun. He worked in a variety of mediums and showed off his flamboyant and productive personality in his artwork. Town worked with collages, printmaking, drawing, painting and sculpture. “Absorb experience common to all and subsume it in uncommon expression,” wrote Town about his use of everyday items in his work.

Town was a Canadian representative in two Venice Biennales along with being gifted an Honorary Doctorate from York University.

Walter Yarwood:

Walter Yarwood

Walter Yarwood was born in Toronto and studied commercial art at Western Technical School. Yarwood considered himself largely self-taught. He worked as a freelance artist for advertising companies where he met Oscar Cahén and Harold Town.

Yarwood’s work is known for its rich and commanding sense of colour. He gave up painting to take up sculpturing, receiving commissions including work at the University of Toronto, Winnipeg International Airport and York University. After becoming an instructor at Humber College in the 1970’s, he resumed painting in 1980.

Visit the RMG to see works by the Painters Eleven, or browse our collection online..

National Museum Month is Here

The month of May hosts the celebration of the Ontario Museum Association’s Museum Month, with International Museum Day falling on May 18. This special celebration happens every year around the world and the International Council of Museums coordinates the day. Each year is home to a theme for International Museum Day, this year is museums and cultural landscapes.

We will be celebrating International Museums Day with a special mid-day tour of the gallery with our Senior Curator, Linda Jansma. The tour will give you a look at the permanent collection and the architecture behind the building, designed by Arthur Erickson. The tour is on May 18, drop in at noon to learn more about the Gallery

Linda Jansma leads a tour of The Other NFB at an RMG Friday

According to the OMA, Museum Month celebrates Ontario’s museums and history. The RMG will be giving you a look into the history of the building, as well as its cultural background and connection to the group of artists known as the Painters Eleven.

The Robert McLaughlin Gallery exterior. Photo by Michael Cullen

The RMG is one of Oshawa’s cultural landmarks and it stands as the largest gallery in Durham Region with 36,000 square feet of notable Arthur Erickson architecture. We feature a permanent collection of over 4,500 works and five galleries of contemporary and historical exhibitions. Among the permanent collection, the RMG has the largest holding of works by the Painters Eleven. The Thomas Bouckley Collection is an archival record of over 3,000 photos of Oshawa and Durham Region, giving a look into the local history of our community.

The Robert McLaughlin Gallery circa 1970’s

The RMG was founded in 1967 when Ewart McLaughlin and his wife Margaret, also known as Alexandra Luke the painter, saw a need for a permanent space for the arts. An exhibition of local artists held by Oshawa designer William Caldwell piqued the interest of the McLaughlin’s and spawned their idea for an expanded public art gallery.

The gallery took the name of Robert after Ewart McLaughlin’s grandfather, founder of The McLaughlin Carriage Company. Isabel McLaughlin joined the gallery as a life-long patron who provided generous financial support and gifts of over 100 Canadian and international works.

General Motors Strike, 1937

The RMG is also home to a large collection of archival photos from historic Oshawa and surrounding region. We received the Thomas Bouckley Collection from Thomas Bouckley, collector and history enthusiast of Oshawa. The computerized collection has over 3,000 photographs of historic Oshawa and Durham Region for over 100 years. The collection is a remarkable resource in understanding the past and engaging with the local history surrounding Oshawa.

Douglas Coupland Group Portrait 1957, 2011

The group, now known as Painters Eleven, first met each other at an exhibition of abstract and non-objective paintings held by Simpson’s Department store in Toronto. The exhibition, Abstracts at Home, only had seven participants: Jack Bush, Oscar Cahén, Tom Hodgson, Alexandra Luke, Ray Mead, Kazuo Nakamura and William Ronald. The additional four artists: Jock Macdonald, Harold Town, Walter Yarwood and Hortense Gordon met with the former seven artists to discuss becoming a group of artists. The eleven artists came together for the first time under the name of Painters Eleven at an exhibition in February of 1954 at the Roberts Gallery in Toronto.

Isabel McLaughlin

We are also celebrating important founders and influences of the gallery this month like Isabel McLaughlin and Aleen Aked.

Isabel McLaughlin was born in Oshawa, growing up in Parkwood Estate, but later moved to Toronto. She was the third daughter of Colonel Robert Samuel McLaughlin, president of General Motors from 1918 to 1945. McLaughlin is considered one of Canada’s most important modernist painters.

McLaughlin had a strong background in the arts with an excellent education. She studied in Paris, at the Ontario College of Arts under Arthur Lismer, at the Arts Student’s League in Toronto, and the Scandinavian Academy in Paris. She contributed to some Group of Seven exhibits, who had a large influence on her, and she later became a founding member of the Canadian Group of Painters after the Group of Seven disbanded.

Isabel has made large donations of artwork and books from her personal collection to the RMG and the RMG Library, as well as substantial monetary donations to help expand the gallery building and programs.

Aleen Aked

Elizabeth Aleen Aked was an accomplished artist and had a strong sense for the history and culture in the places she lived. Throughout her life, Aked maintained a rigorous practice for painting which let her expand her reach throughout North America.

Aked’s last important art exhibition was held at the RMG in 1989. She later died in 2003, but left a generous portion of her legacy as a gift to the RMG. Aked’s legacy to the gallery, called the Aked Endowment, permits exciting initiative for education and outreach, notably the Imagination Station for children.

To learn more about the gallery, join us for a special International Museums Day tour with Senior Curator Linda Jansma on May 18 at noon.

Mother’s Day is around the corner

In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation for Mother’s Day, designating the second Sunday of May to be a national holiday. Since then, we have celebrated over 100 years of moms taking care of us 24/7, since we were born.

If you are looking to give back to your mother for all she has helped you with, join the over 80 countries who will celebrate Mother’s Day on the second Sunday of May.

To help repay some of the debt you owe to your mother consider taking her out for a Mother’s Day brunch on May 8th. Hosted by the RMG in Arthur’s on the 4th with catering provided by Pilar’s Catering. There will be two seatings at 10:30am and 12:30pm. Reservations are required, email [email protected] to secure your spot.

Photo by Brilynn Ferguson

There will be an assortment of fresh pastries and baked goods along with a variety of options for meals and a dessert buffet to follow.

Along with the brunch, we have our regularly scheduled OPG Second Sunday with a special Mother’s Day theme. Children will be creating a unique tile mosaic, a beautiful card and gift wrap for the special person in their lives.

There is no reservation required for OPG Second Sundays, just drop by the RMG from 1pm to 3pm.

Now let’s talk gifts for mom!

Don’t forget to stop by the RMG Shop before May 8 to check out some of these, and more, unique locally made gifts for the special lady in your life including:

Some new supplies for culinary endeavors.

One of these handmade Wizard of Oz themed editions by Kelly Grace.

Some of these fantastic body products by Aide Bodycare.

Or a great Canadian product for your Canadian mom.

Make sure to treat your mom extra special on May 8 and the rest of the year too! Don’t forget about Father’s Day on June 19! The RMG Shop has plenty of locally made dad-friendly gifts.

Sunny Summer Fridays at the RMG

School might be out and offices quiet with people on vacation, but the RMG will be busy on the first Friday of every month with our exciting line up of summer RMG Fridays!

May

To celebrate International Youth Week in May, we are kicking off the summer season on May 6 with Young Minds, featuring a variety of art from youth in Durham Region. The musical performances for the night include the harmonious sounds of 2 Cute 4 Country along with Sarling and the Fox serenading the gallery. We also have a unique and powerful slam poetry by Jaylen Stark.

For the visual art buffs, we have Lindsay Laukner Gundlack’s photo exhibition on display, titled Familiarity in the Foreign. Lindsay’s exhibit was RMG Exposed 2015’s winner! For the kids – or any crafty guests – Karen Burwell will be in the studio with her “Drawing stories to music” art project, a super fun way to get your creative juices flowing!

Lindsay Lauckner Gundlock, Coin Operated Binoculars, Digital C-Print, 2015

June

With Pride month kicking off at the beginning of June, what better way to celebrate Pride and the Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgendered and Queer (LGBTQ) community than having our own Pride Show on June 3!

We’ve lined up some stellar performances by Adam McMastir and Kate Reid for your listening pleasure, and you can catch a sneak peek of Driftwood Theatre’s summer production. You will also get the chance to tour Liminal, on display in June. So bring your pride and embrace all parts of our community on a warm, sunny, summer night!

July

This month, we’re letting Canada take center stage on the first Friday (July 1 – Canada Day) so we’ll be revving up for RMG Fridays on the SECOND Friday, July 8! It might be Canada’s birthday, but we are putting our own twist on the usual red and white this month!

A Splash of Colour offers guests a colourful taste of summer with Sarindar Dhaliwal’s exhibition: The Radcliffe Line and Other Geographies, a vibrant and colourful showcase of art. Our entertainment for the night will be Laurent Bourque, followed by Dezz & Carol with their soulful melodies. Keep the colour flowing with us in the studio with our exciting art project!

Sarindar Dhaliwal, the green fairy storybook (detail), 2009, bookwork, 50 x 187.5 x 87.5 cm. Collection of The Robert McLaughlin Gallery, purchased with the financial support of the Isabel McLaughlin Acquisition Fund and the Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Assistance Program, 2016

August

With summer almost over, we are winding down this month on August 5^th with some chilled out music and cool jams.

Guests will have the opportunity to tour The Singing Alarm: Inside Knob Hill, the exhibition of street artist, lyricist, poet, photographer and urban explorer Jerm iX. Enjoy the sweet vibes of Rory Taillon and Patrick Dorie, Durham Region musicians who will be turning the lights down low on summer.

jerm IX

Schedule in the RMG this summer on the first Friday of every month (second in July) and you’ll add the perfect amount of summer lovin’ to your plans.

Also, don’t forget to get your RMG stamp for half price cover at the Moustache Club for the official RMG Fridays after-party!

Experiencing the RMG through Inartistic Eyes

Samantha Pender is a Durham College public relations student completing her winter placement at the RMG as a communications intern.

Before I came to the RMG as a communications intern, I admittedly knew very little in the way of art. Being artistically challenged myself, I had never thought to explore art before coming here. But taking one look around the gallery immediately changed my thinking about art and how to appreciate it, despite lacking my own artistic skills.

Being a communications intern, I don’t get to spend much of my time looking through the galleries of the RMG. When I have been able to sneak away, however, I am always taken aback by the art surrounding me. While looking at the manipulated art and beautifully shot landscapes from Holly King, the wondrous abstract of Painters 11, and the many other different kinds of art throughout the RMG, I realized that you don’t really need to know that much about art to appreciate it.

Yes, understanding the style, medium or perspective of the artist can be helpful, but when it comes down to it, art is art. It’s a beautiful and absurd peak into the creative mind of a talented soul, and that is something I won’t be overlooking again.

Interning at the RMG has opened my mind to many things, not just the beauty of art. Researching content for Museum Week, was able to catch a glimpse into the history of Oshawa and see the familiar streets of today as an almost completely different town in black and white. I learned about architecture and came to appreciate different aspects of a building, something I knew nothing about. My supervisor, Sam, broadened my horizons by instilling the importance of learning things outside my comfort zone, something not to be taken for granted.

Working for a non-profit organization so deeply rooted in the community has been a great experience for me, as giving back to the community is something I care very much about. Seeing how the RMG dedicates so much time to the community through RMG Fridays – I worked on the RMG Fridays 5^th Anniversary – as well as weekend family activities like OPG Second Sundays has only grown my love and appreciation for the gallery over the past three months.

Samantha Pender, 'Ronnie the Bren Gun Girl' from the Other NFB

Samantha Pender, RMG Communications Intern, with ‘Ronnie the Bren Gun Girl’ from the Other NFB

Jessica Moffitt’s Internship at the RMG

Jessica Moffitt it a Public Relations student at Durham College and is doing her placement in the Communications department at the RMG.

When I walked through the doors of The RMG prepared to interview for a once a week internship, I didn’t feel the usual pre-interview stress that you would expect. Instead I felt excited and confident. The building was bright and full of natural lighting that made everything in the lobby shine. I knew I wouldn’t be able to find a better internship opportunity than this.

I am a second year public relations student at Durham College. As part of my program, I was required to find and secure a non-profit communications placement in the community to experience life in the industry. As soon as I saw the list of available placements I knew right away that the RMG was going to be the perfect fit for me.

For as long as I can remember I have always loved the arts. Whether it was printmaking, painting, drawing or playing around in Photoshop, art has always been part of my life. I visited the gallery quite often in high school (I was part of the O’Neill Visual Arts Program) and through many trips I became familiar with The RMG.

My experience here has been fantastic and I have learned so many things that I know will be an asset to my future endeavors. It is great to come to placement every Monday and be surrounded by so many creative and inspiring individuals who are all working toward a common goal. Taking part in different creative projects such as contributing to the RMG Blog, working with staff members to plan the Volunteer Luncheon and Membership Event, as well as working on the galleries various social media accounts has been a great way to take my education to the next level and gain experience.

I am very grateful for my time spent at the RMG and I would highly recommend applying to anyone that is in need of a position for their education. I guarantee you will go home at the end of the day feeling confident and proud that you were able to contribute to a vital part of the community and be a part of such an amazing organization.

Kids can learn something new at the RMG!

At the RMG, learning never stops! With school winding down, it’s time to start thinking about how to keep young minds at home staying sharp! Fret not, the RMG has you and those sharp minds covered. With tons of art classes and camps, the toughest choice you’ll have is which ones to enroll your kids in!

Our Summer Camps will be the highlight of any kid’s summer, straying from traditional camp activities to explore creativity and give kids a great opportunity to indulge in a new level of arts and crafts! Here’s what we’ve got in store this Summer!

Are you looking to keep your tiny ones busy for a little bit, out of the house? Check out our Mini Summer Art Camp for Tots! For ages 2-4, running from August 2-5, from 9:30am to 10:30am Indulge your tiny tot’s creativity at the RMG, and who knows, you might end up raising the next Picasso! There’s only one way to find out!

With many parents still at work while their kids are enjoying summer break, the RMG has already thought up a way to keep your kids busy, creative and having a blast while you work! Summer Art Camp for ages 5-10 is the perfect place for kids to have fun this summer. There are plenty of options to accommodate parent’s busy schedules, with half days (9am to 12:30pm or 1pm to 4:30pm) and full days (9am to 4:30pm), parents can customize their kids day, depending on their schedule. For parents who need a little extra time before and after camp, we also offer pre- and post-camp options, where we will gladly keep your kids entertained from 8am to 9am and from 4:30pm to 5:30pm. There are five different camps, four days long, with themes ranging from Play All day to Mixed Media Mayhem. There’s something for every kid to enjoy!

When the kids get a day off school, you won’t have to worry about what to do with them this spring! The RMG has P.A. Day camps for kids aged 5-10, that run from 9am to 4pm. The camps coincide with all Durham District School Board (DDSB) and Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB) P.A. Days (April 8 DDSB, April 15 DCDSB, June 3 DDSB) and encourage creative learning and activities so your kids can get a day off school, but their minds will keep going!

Are you hoping to give your teen or pre-teen something more stimulating to do than hanging out at the mall all summer? Well, we’ve got you covered for that, too! With our Pre-teen and Teen Summer Camp for kids aged 10-14, from August 2-5 from 1pm to 4pm, we offer your teens a glimpse of what it’s like to work in an art gallery! They will also have the opportunity to lead workshops while learning art techniques and making socially conscious art projects. This camp will keep your pre-teens mind fresh and stimulate thinking outside of the box while encouraging them to share their ideas and skills. It’s the perfect camp to get their minds ready for school in the fall!

The RMG also has plenty of weekly art classes this spring for kids of all ages. From P.A. days to homeschoolers, we’ve got everyone covered to kick off the closing of the school year and get kids excited to be creative this summer!

For tiny ones aged 2-4, Art Tots is a fun way to break normal routine and engage your kid’s mind in a different kind of creativity! Drop in with your family on Tuesday from now until May 10, 10:30am to 11am.

We know young kids like to have fun, but we also know they need enriching activities to keep their brains strong. That’s why Art FUNdamentals for Kids is the perfect art class for your 5-10 year old this spring! From April 2 – May 28, drop your kids off on Saturdays for 10am to 12pm or 1pm to 3pm for a super fun and informative learning experience! Your little Van Gough or Da Vinci will thank you later!

If your kids are homeschooled, it’s not always easy to come up with educational and stimulating art projects at home. So why not incorporate the RMG into your homeschool curriculum! Our Homeschool Art Classes run from 10:15am to 11:15am on Tuesdays from now until May 10, and offer a fun way to give your kids the attention of homeschooling while interacting on a creative level at an actual art gallery! How much fun is it to run art class in a gallery? Your kids will be thrilled and your home curriculum will be elevated!

So if you’re looking for enriching, educational and super fun spring classes or summer camps, look no further! The RMG is your one stop shop for your artsy kids. Visit Learn & Participate for a full list of art classes and camps, details and pricing, or call us at (905) 576-3000 for more information. Can’t wait to see you all this summer!

Expand your mind at the RMG!

While the RMG is full of art classes and camps for kids, we haven’t forgotten about parents and adults! The gallery invites art enthusiasts of all ages – young and old – to learn something new with us! Our adult classes range from artistic to physical, and we’re positive you’ll find something that strikes your interest.

If you feel like winding down after a busy day, the RMG knows just what you need! Yoga in the Gallery is the perfect way to calm your nerves and settle your mind after a long and busy Thursday at work. Meg Cox, our zen-tastic instructor, opens the class up to people of all levels, from beginners to seasoned yogis. With her down to earth and approachable attitude, and the beautiful art surrounding you in the Isabel McLaughlin Gallery, anyone can feel welcome and relaxed in our spacious yoga studio – and what better studio than an art gallery? The current session is running until April 21, with drop ins welcome, and the next session will be starting on May 5, and running until June 23.

Changing pace, we are offering a different kind of class dynamic with Open Studio Mondays. Starting May 2 and running until June 27, our studio will be open from 10am to 4pm for artists who are encouraged to bring their own materials and work independently and freely in an open studio space.

We are also hoping to expand your mind, create inner peace and connect you with the deeper parts of yourself with Mindfulness Mondays, a six week course starting May 9 and running until June 20 from 12pm to 1pm. With Randi-Mae Stanford-Leibold, explore meditation and reflective writing using inspiration from the gallery. This is a great opportunity to slow things down and take a minute for yourself.

We have a number of exciting and unique workshops coming in spring and summer. These workshops are a great place for beginners to learn some new techniques and for artists to finesse their skills.

On Sunday, May 29, join us for Found Drawings with artist Ruth Read from 1pm to 3pm. Using various found materials, this workshop focuses on serendipitous artwork – art that happens by accident. This unique approach to art will stimulate your creativity and challenge you to look at art from different perspectives, as well as encourage you to work harmoniously and collaboratively with other artists to stumble upon some found imagery.

Ruth Read; The Garden in Winter

A couple weeks later on Sunday, June 12 at the same time, we have another intriguing workshop, Cartography of Process with Jessica Field, which hones in the theory of creativity, helping artists examine their creative process and make the most of their artwork.

If you’re looking for a mini camp experience for yourself, from August 15-19, the RMG has an exciting NEW opportunity for 19+ artists, Intro to Video! Without any experience necessary, we will teach you the basics of video and film making so you can be on your way to the next big film festival!

This spring and summer, the RMG is the creative mind’s oasis! You can relax with yoga, open your mind with mindfulness courses, and learn some awesome new artistic skills! It’s everything the creative bug in you could want and more! For more information, call us at (905) 576-3000 or visit for a full list of everything happening at the RMG!

Museum Week Fun

Samantha Pender and Jessica Moffitt are second year Public Relations students at Durham College and the RMG’s communications interns for the winter.

It’s that time of year again! Museums and art galleries around the world will be coming together on the Internet to celebrate one of the most exciting calendar weeks. That’s right, it’s time for #MuseumWeek!

Photo by Michael Cullen

Museum week is a social media gathering of museums and galleries across the world to share cool things with their audience. There are seven days with seven hashtags, each a different theme that dictates the tweet/fact about the museum. Here is this year’s lineup:
Monday – #SecretsMW

Tuesday – #PeopleMW

Wednesday – #ArchitectureMW

Thursday – #HeritageMW

Friday – #FutureMW

Saturday – #ZoomMW

Sunday – #LoveMW
Our communications interns, Jessica and Sam have been preparing for this exciting week, learning all the in’s and out’s of the RMG to share with you on Twitter. With about three to five tweets a day, fans of the RMG can expect to learn plenty of new and exciting things about their favourite Oshawa art gallery!

Monday through Wednesday was researched and planned by Sam, who had a great time digging into rich, Oshawa history and learning about architecture. The gallery is deeply rooted in the McLaughlin family history, so you can expect to learn a bit about one of Oshawa’s most famous families and their affiliation with the RMG on Tuesday’s #people.

Queens Hotel, Oshawa

The building itself is also touched by fame, designed and built by a famous Canadian architect – don’t worry, you’ll find out who during Museum Week on Wednesday’s #architecture! Sam was able to really learn about the bare bones of the building, exploring not only the physical architecture, but also the culture of the building and architect as well.

Sam also searched up some little known facts about the RMG that we will be sharing to kick off the week on the first day of #secrets!

Unidentified Portrait from the Thomas Bouckley Collection. Collection of The Robert McLaughlin Gallery.

Jess, who planned out Thursday through Sunday, had fun diving into her hometown #heritage and learning all about Oshawa! Seeing old black and white photos from The Thomas Bouckley Collection was a highlight for her, getting a glimpse of what the city looked like long before we were here.

After going back in history, Jess looked forward to the #future of the RMG – we don’t want to ruin anything, but it the future looks bright. She also digs deep into a few key pieces in the gallery for #zoom, sharing interesting stories while she takes a closer look. Sunday is all about #love, and Jess had plenty of that to share. What’s not to love about the RMG?

Museum Hack. Photo by Mat Calverley.

Jess and Sam can’t wait to share everything they learned about the RMG with you during #MuseumWeek! Make sure you check out our Twitter feed @theRMG so you can learn it all too!

RMG Fridays April – HIP HOPera, what?!

Next month, RMG Fridays is on April 1^st, and the killer line up is no April Fools joke! We are combining two classic genres of music for one amazing night. This April, RMG Fridays is bringing together hip-hop and opera, the ultimate mash up!

This exciting mash up will be a one-of-a-kind experience for RMG Fridays guests, and the music and dancing will be bringing down the house! Turning the RMG into an opera house will be Jennifer Mizzi, a Soprano singer, and Kristine Dandavino, a Mezzo-Soprano, from the Oshawa Opera Association.

Jennifer Mizzi – Soprano; Kristina Dandavino – Mezzo-Soprano. From Oshawa Opera Association

Switching gears, we have an awesome emcee Shaheen rapping in the gallery. We’re also turning the space into a dance floor with Judi Lopez, a b-girl who will be breakdancing. That’s not all, though; DJ Mark V. Campbell will be demo scratching as well!

B-girl Judi Lopez. Photo from www. keeprockinyou.com

We have a little visual art tying into our theme as well as some interesting themed history for you curious folks. Paul Paget (Praxis) will be explaining the roots of graffiti, and will also be doing a collaborative art project as our studio activity for the night! Showing the same love to our opera fans, Friday Film Features will be screening a short documentary about opera that night.

Durham Folklore Storytellers will also be joining us with a performance as we say goodbye to our exhibition Their Stories: Unidentified Portraits from the Thomas Bouckley Collection. You will also have the chance to meet our new ArtLab resident Ruth Read!

Unidentified Portrait from the Thomas Bouckley Collection

On top of the amazing music, rapping, dancing, and scratching, we have some community partners appearing at RMG Fridays. Crayons for Change will be in the gallery, where you can donate your used crayons that night as well as the City of Oshawa, launching their “Our Oshawa” Campaign, where our guests are encouraged to participate and take a photo, revealing what Oshawa is to you.

Bring your used crayons to Crayons for Change at RMG Fridays in April

So bring out your favourite MC Hammer parachute pants, your strongest singing voice and best tagging paint, the RMG is turning into a graffiti and HIPHOPera house!