#MuseumSelfieDay at the RMG

Wednesday January 20, 2016 was #MuseumSelfie Day and the RMG’s staff and guests got into it by snapping some pretty fabulous and creative photos in the gallery.

Carla Sinclair, Manager of Community and Volunteer Development, gets expressive with Rita Letendre.

Donna Raetsen-Kemp, CEO, gets up close and personal with Jock Macdonald.

Leslie Menagh, Manager of Public Programs and Art Reach, poses with work by Gallery A artist Janice McHaffie.

Staff from the Oshawa Public Library get a sweet selfie with a photo by Holly King.

Steve Dick, Manager of Protection Services, does his best Vanna White impersonation with our new banner.

Senior Curator Linda Jansma mimics a work by Michael Snow.

Sam Mogelonsky, Manager of Marketing and Communications, gets mysterious with a photo by Holly King.

Olinda Casimiro, Director of Finance and Administration, hanging out with Elvis by Tony Scherman.

Sonya Jones, Associate Curator, gets a bright idea from a Ray Mead drawing.

Curatorial volunteer Alessanra Cirelli, takes a selfie while framing.

Parvathi Bhat, Gallery Educator, poses with her favourite Jack Bush.

RMG enthusiast Cassy Goulding dropped by for this quick snap in the lobby.

Interview with Kevin Alexander Hache, Co-Op Student

Kevin Alexander Hache is a Clarington Central Secondary student in his senior year. Joining the RMG team as a co-op student in the Education department, he spent most of his time providing in-studio support. In addition to Kevin’s eager disposition and great energy with the kids, we found that Kevin also had an amazing aptitude for 3D design. Keep reading to see what he accomplished!

Last fall I found myself without a co-op placement. This dilemma was quickly solved by going home after school and searching for places that connected with my interests. I decided to approach The Robert McLaughlin Gallery because I am an artist in the high skills major program for technology at school. After connecting with Jennifer Treleaven in the Education department, I had finally found a suitable co-op placement! I learned how to focus, develop a work ethic, manage timelines and incorporate my technology skills.

Working with RMG staff as a co-op student is thrilling. I feel capable to express my creativity to everyone freely. One day the opportunity to create a digital 3D model of the RMG building surfaced. It’s been over one year since I started 3D modeling. Using a free software called Blender, I designed a replica (to scale) of the gallery for staff to use when designing and planning exhibitions. (If you have an interest in CG (computer graphics), check out Blender.com online. Voila! Your turn to learn.)

3D rendering of the RMG, Kevin Hache, 2016

The project was a very fun process overall and my skills developed as I worked on the piece. I needed to examine the entire gallery, measure every corner and develop techniques to make the job more efficient. My mind is like a matrix with this type of work. Creating things out of nothing is why I love art. Like the architecture of this building, the creative process is so unique! I committed to the task never doubting my abilities and pulled off 4 models (meshes) of the space. I must say that this type of work makes me happy and provides a sense of accomplishment.

3D rendering of the RMG, Kevin Hache, 2016

Daily work at The Robert McLaughlin has really made me feel like I’m pointed in the right direction in life. The excitement of teaching kids how to paint or sculpt gave me a sense of leadership and responsibility.

3D rendering of the RMG, Kevin Hache, 2016

I am grateful to Jennifer for letting me participate in this thriving community. I enjoy spending time with the team, and helping out with all the programs. I especially liked connecting with every one of the volunteers and employees, I see them all as great workers. I’m positive that other co-op students who have a creative mind will find the thrill and excitement in this placement.

– Kevin Alexander Hache, 2016

3D rendering of the RMG, Kevin Hache, 2016

Holly King at Core 21

The RMG is thrilled to present artist Holly King’s photograph Chalk Shoreline in the windows of Core21, a co-working space in downtown Oshawa. The artwork is in conjunction with the exhibition Holly King: Edging Towards the Mysterious and will be on view until Spring 2015.

This project is the first of a series of artworks in the windows of downtown businesses, and an on-going partnership with the RMG and Core21.

The RMG extends a special thank you to Media Sign for the beautiful vinyl printing and ongoing support.

Weekly Yoga in the Gallery

Was your New Year’s resolution to improve your health and see more art? Starting January 21, enjoy yoga in the gallery and expand your mind, body and creativity with weekly yoga practice in the Isabel McLaughlin Gallery, led by local yoga instructor and RMG Volunteer Meg Cox.

Join us for a six week session and grab a glimpse of the works on display while centering and relaxing the body and mind. Classes are suitable for all levels. Sessions will begin with introductory poses, mindfulness and breathing techniques. Make your health a convenient habit in 2016!

Meg Cox is based in Oshawa and an active volunteer at the RMG. Her classes are a lighthearted and welcoming environment. She enjoys teaching people who, like her, never thought yoga was something they could practice or enjoy. Cox initially started yoga to help strengthen her back from rowing injuries, but was captivated by the body accepting and nurturing nature of the practice. Now, with over 10 years of practice, her knees and back have strengthened and she has a kindness towards her body and life she never thought possible before.

Studying with a variety of teachers around the world, Meg completed her first teacher training in 2014 through the AyurYoga EcoAshram in Mysore, India. She has since completed trainings with Yogaworks Yin Yoga with David Kim and attended international yoga conferences with Kathryn Budig, Kia Miller, and Forrest Yoga teacher Sinhee YeMcCabe.

Yoga in the Gallery with Instructor Meg Cox
Session 1: January 21 – February 25, 2016
Thursdays 5:30pm – 6:30pm

Full Session: Members $75 | Non-Member $85
Drop In: $15

[button link=”https://rmg.on.ca/activities/yoga-in-the-gallery/” new=”false”]Register Today![/button]

RMG Fridays Partnership with the Moustache Club

The RMG is thrilled the announce that The Moustache Club will be the official host of the “after party” for RMG Fridays!

Following the close of RMG Fridays at 10pm, we ask guests to head over The Moustache Club at 15 Simcoe Street North to enjoy more live music by local bands. Guests at RMG Fridays who present proof of attending the event will receive a discount on cover at the Club.

We’ll see you at The Moustache Club!

What are we excited about in 2016?

There’s plenty to look forward to in 2016 at the RMG! The New Year brings all new exhibitions, community programming, learning opportunities and RMG Fridays to the gallery. We asked our staff what they were most excited about in the upcoming year and we hope you’ll let us know what you’re most excited about too!

“I am excited about new exhibitions in the second half of 2016 that will be in galleries with new floors! A beautiful wood floor in the upper Alexandra Luke Gallery and polished concrete in the RS McLaughlin Foundation Gallery will serve to highlight the amazing work that graces those spaces.”
– Linda Jansma, Senior Curator

“I’m super excited about curating, Durham Regional artist, Jay Dart’s exhibition Greetings from Yawnder! Jay Dart has created fictional worlds known as Yawnder and Elsewheres in order to explain his creative process. This exhibition will bring Dart’s world, Yawnder, to life. Each illustration will recount a different layer to his fictional story, inviting the viewer to help the character, Jiggs, on his journey. There will be installations of geist trees, jars with Magical Mystery Beards, and twig libraries, bringing Yawnder beyond the pages and into the gallery space. This participatory exhibition will have the visitor contributing to both the story and the creative process. It will be a lot of fun to work on and so rewarding to watch the community engaged with it!”
– Sonya Jones, Associate Curator

“I’m really looking forward to the Art Lab and Gallery A residencies and exhibits by contemporary artists at the RMG this year. We have an exciting line up of practicing artists who will partake in absolute audience engagement in the process of their residency. It will be fantastic!”
– Parvathi Bhat, Gallery Educator

“Prepare yourself for February 5th. RMG Fridays will be celebrating its 5th anniversary and will be off the hook amazing!! Dance performances, 2 musical acts and the opportunity to watch an artist paint live on site are just a few things in store. We even have Museum Hack, all the way from New York on-site hosting interactive exhibition tours and I can hardly contain my excitement! It has been a thrilling night to program and will be even more epic to see first-hand. I’m also counting down the days until the March 4th RMG Fridays to hear Birds of Bellwoods perform! The incredibly talented band that stole the hearts of our guests will be back by popular demand for both sets of music. This time I’m buying a CD; They sold out before I could get my hands on one last time!”
– Carla Sinclair, Manager of Community and Volunteer Development

“I’m really excited about Sarindar Dhaliwal’s exhibition in May. I first saw her work while I was a student in 2006 and am looking forward to seeing what she does at the RMG in 2016. I’m also looking forward to ‘meeting’ more of our community online through social media. Log on and say hello on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!”
– Sam Mogelonsky, Manager of Marketing and Communications

Image: Now Entering Beyawnder, Jay Dart, 2015-2700

RMG Fridays: Folklore & Myth

Join on January 8 from 7-10pm for an evening of folklore & myth with Celtic music by Ugly Horse. Paint Fairy Doors in the studio, catch My Vivid Life’s: Ireland Webisode in our Friday Film Features screening room and celebrate the opening of Holly King: Edging Towards the Mysterious. In Gallery A, we will introduce artist Janice McHaffie.

On the first Friday of the month, join the RMG in celebrating local talent. The gallery buzzes with live musical performances, short films, interactive art experiences, open gallery spaces, social mingling and more. Suitable for music lovers, youth, families, date nights, and culture-vultures.

Free to attend | 7-10pm | Cash Bar | All ages welcome. Follow the twitter feed at #RMGFridays!

Curator’s Choice: Holly King

In 2012, the RMG was gifted Solitude by Holly King. I placed the work in the permanent collection exhibition Objects May Be Closer Than They Appear, the following year. Now, we have an opportunity to celebrate King’s work in a larger way with the mid-career retrospective Edging Towards the Mysterious.

Solitude is earlier than any of the work in the new exhibition. King practices mise en scène photography. Her process begins by staging her landscape settings in her studio using various props and materials. She then photographs the theatrical fabrications—the end result is the creation of “imaginary landscapes that hover between reality and fiction.” In Solitude, a horizon line helps to differentiate the dominating sky and the water. Two small islands, made of found foliage, are surrounded by the immense, never ending blue sky and water, giving, as the title suggests, a sense of remoteness. The island’s remoteness prompts thoughts of untouched/unexplored nature—a welcomed retreat. However, the materiality of the staged setting in this photograph—the painterly quality of the sky and the foliage used to suggest land—reminds the viewer of the artificiality of the waterscape. King’s sharp focus photography does not allow the viewer to mistake the landscape as real, but encourages instilling their own personal experiences through their memories and imagination with both the objects used and the constructed environment. The tension between illusion and reality in King’s work becomes a journey for the viewer to explore.-

– Linda Jansma, Senior Curator

A look through the lens…

This winter, the RMG shifts its focus to exploring how artists view the world through images. Photography is used to document history, to capture a memory, to tell a story or to create an imaginary landscape. We invite you to consider capturing these moments and the role of the artist behind the lens when you visit.

The Other NFB: The National Film Board of Canada’s Still Photography Division, 1941-1971 is an exhibition exploring our national identity and history by showing how Canada was presented to the world. Through this collection of images, we see a slice of Canadian life at this important time in history. This exhibition serves as a reminder of how photography informs our national identity. How do you relate to these images? How does the photograph relate to your personal narrative or family story?

In Their Stories: Unidentified Portraits from the Thomas Bouckley Collection we are taking a different approach to historical photography. In this exhibition, we put out a call for writers to create narratives for a selection of unidentified portraits from our collection of historical Oshawa photographs. The stories we received were varied, creative and shine a new and exciting look into the possible lives of these people. We encourage you to think about these unidentified subjects and the lives they may have lived.

We take another look at the photographic image in Holly King: Edging Towards the Mysterious. In this mid-career retrospective, the artist presents a series of idealistic and beautiful landscapes. At first glance, you hope these are real— possible utopian escapes. But at second glance you feel a sense of loneliness and anxiety from something unsettling in the landscape. This feeling is caused by King’s use of staged photography. By manufacturing her landscapes, we are forced to question the image we are presented with— is it real, is it fake, or are we lost in our imaginations?

In April, we will celebrate the CONTACT Photography Festival with an exhibition by RMG Exposed winner Lindsay Lauckner Gundlock entitled Familiarity in the Foreign. The images represent the quiet moments that she found among the chaos of travel, as well as memories of places visited.

In conjunction with our photography exhibitions, we are excited to offer accompanying programming. Please join us for a symposium, featuring The Other NFB, that will examine Canada and Canadian identity through visual image. A tour of the exhibition will be given by curator Carol Payne, followed by an interactive discussion with 5 panelists. This will be an invigorating day so register early to guarantee your spot!

The RMG Celebrates Hometown Hockey

This holiday season, visit the RMG as we celebrate Rogers Hometown Hockey in Oshawa with a special display in our lobby! We have gathered together artworks and historical photographs from our collection, as well as incorporated a display of hockey-inspired artwork by Peterborough artist Jeffrey Macklin. Learn more about the display below and visit us with your family (and hockey fans)!

Photos from the Thomas Bouckley Collection:

Dupont Hockey Team, c. 1919

Dupont Hockey Team, 1919
Eleven team members pose for their photograph on the open-air ice rink at the General Motors plant at Division Street and Elgin Street. This hockey team was the American Championship Team, 1919-20.

Cedar Dale Hockey Team, c. 1925

Cedar Dale Hockey Team, c. 1925
The official team picture is photographed by G. Potter, a professional photographer. All team members are identified.
Back row, left to right: Wes. Kirkpatrick, Howard Gunn, Matthew Redmond, Bill Jackson, Lou King, Charles Barriage.
Second row, left to right: Bill Lloyd, Willfred Whalen, Tom Riordan, Fred King, Norman Mallett.
Seated in front is Hugh King, probably the mascot, and a cocker spaniel dog.

Bishop Bethune College outdoor hockey rink, c. 1925

Bishop Bethune College outdoor hockey rink, c. 1925
A girls’ hockey team plays at the back of Bishop Bethune College. The private school for girls was sponsored by the Church of England, and operated from 1889 until 1932 at 240 Simcoe Street South.

Sculpture from our Collection

Donna Gordon (Canadian, b. 1942), The Save, 1992, painted papier-maché with wood, stainless steel

The Save
Donna Gordon (Canadian, b. 1942)
painted papier-maché with wood, stainless steel
1992

“Donna has embraced the often misunderstood and little known art of papier maché. She feels the medium has, as yet, untapped potential for creative expression and innovation. She believes that…paper maché is a building process that artistically evolves, growing almost organically to take on a shape which is meaningful to both the artist and her audience.” – The Russell Gallery of Fine Art

Contemporary Hockey Puck Artwork by Jeffrey Macklin

Jeffrey Macklin is a Peterborough based artist, working primarily with relief printing (letterpress) and mixed media. He often employs words as visual triggers, as well as Canadiana and present-day/historical pop-culture icons and figures in both his print work and his mixed media pieces.

Macklin prints relief from the raised surfaces of hand-set wood and lead type. When he requires an image for a broadside or chapbook project, he carves from lino-block, plywood or end-grain hardwood. He also uses old neglected wood boards and rough cut plywood for backgrounds or texture, and in 2014 he begun using found hockey pucks.

Hockey pucks are resilient, pliable, and easy to carve. Printing from the surface of unusual materials has always been a primary driver in Macklin’s letterpress shop.