RMG Shop Volunteer Field Trip

Here at the RMG we have a beautiful boutique showcasing local artisans. A team of dedicated volunteers make sales and provide customer service, while Carla Sinclair, our Manager of Community and Volunteer Development buys new merchandise and contracts consignment work. Our vision moving into 2016 is to support even more Canadian handcrafted items while providing meaningful opportunities for our amazing volunteers.

These goals influenced Sinclair to initiate a field trip with her volunteers. A group of 8 ventured to Peterborough on the weekend for a day of art show hopping and lunch, guided by the RMG’s Leslie Menaugh. Leslie manages our Public Programs and ArtReach. She is connected with a large community of Artists in the Peterborough area and offered to helm the art tour, introducing our eager crew to some wonderfully talented folks!

“It’s so important that the volunteers know each other and bond. When Carla asked for location suggestions for the trip, two really exciting art shows came to mind. The Focus fair, downtown Peterborough and Eddy Creek. This is my personal stance but my sense is that the RMG wants to adopt an economic model that starts with community building. We do this with our volunteers in designing these kinds of programs. Bringing people together. Looking for work produced in Ontario has become very important in bringing awareness to how fruitful this area is in terms of creativity. “ – Leslie Menaugh, Manager of Public Programs, The RMG

Feedback from the volunteers was phenomenal.

“What a great outing to Peterborough we had! Not only did we get to give some input on shop merchandise we also got to meet the artisans. On top of that, as a new comer, I got to meet other shop volunteers and have lunch with them in a great little bistro. It’s really nice how courteous and respectful everyone is.” – Timothy Cadan, RMG Shop Volunteer

“I didn’t realize there were so many “local artists” that do such beautiful and innovative art right on our own doorstep. I especially enjoyed meeting and speaking with each artist. If they agree to consign their work in the RMG gift shop, we can honestly speak about the artist and promote their work. I do hope we can do this again. Speaking for myself, I feel more included and a part of the RMG team.” Pat Bayus, RMG Shop Volunteer

This is the kind of magic that happens when you have a dedicated group working towards a common goal. Visit the RMG shop to chat with a volunteer, view stunning Canadian made art and participate in the cultural community at the heart of Oshawa.

Happy Holidays from the RMG!

Wishing you and your family all the best for the holiday season! See you in 2016!

Volunteer Spotlight: Illianna Wotton

Illianna Wotton is a grade 11 student at O’Neill Collegiate in Oshawa. She has been volunteering with the RMG for many years and is currently completing a co-op placement with our Manager of Community and Volunteer Development. Illianna’s trademark has become the creation of the beautiful and informative signage on display for our monthly community event, RMG Fridays. We sat down with her to learn more about her time at the RMG.

The RMG: How did you get involved with volunteering at the RMG?

Illianna: When our family first moved to Oshawa, we realized there was an art gallery really close by; and when we attended our first RMG Fridays, my parents wanted to volunteer and help with this amazing space. As I grew older, I began to fall into the same sort of path, and started to volunteer as well.

The RMG: Why were you interested in volunteering in an art gallery?

Illianna: I’m generally an artsy person, and I like the vibe that galleries give off. Since they needed volunteers, I thought “hey, why not volunteer somewhere fun”. And when I discovered it was possible to have a co-op placement here, I jumped on the opportunity.

The RMG: What have you been doing during your placement at the gallery?

Illianna: It’s been a whole lot, honestly- Everything from data entry, to working in the gift shop, to organizing the libraries, to helping kickstart a new program for the Youth of Oshawa here in the gallery. I know that whenever I come to work in the morning, I don’t know for sure what I’ll be doing because it’s such an eclectically organized job.

The RMG: What is one thing you want to share about the RMG?

Illianna: The fact that everything looks a lot easier than it is. The way that this staff pulls every event off so flawlessly is astounding, but behind the scenes, there are a million tiny little tasks that need to be done. And it’s done once a month for RMG Fridays, once a year for RMG Exposed – every event you see here took careful planning and immaculate execution to get it the way it is and it’s just really satisfying being a part of that and seeing it become something fantastic.

The RMG: What is your favourite museum?

Illianna: I think my favourite museum is the Musée d’Art Contemporain de Montréal; I went to Montreal for a family trip on my sister’s birthday, and they had a beautiful installation outside of these spinning prisms with gels and lights and bells inside that made music when you spun them around. That got me hooked, and the museum itself was so cool. I’m a fan of more contemporary art so that was a fantastic place to be.

The RMG: What is your first memory of art?

Illianna: As a kid, when I lived in Toronto with a small television set, I remember watching a TV show called Art Attack and trying to drag yarn across my living room floor to make a picture like the guy on TV did. It didn’t turn out very well, but I remember having fun while I did it.

The RMG Gift Guide 2015

Vol ‘n’ Tell is an ongoing series of blog posts written by RMG Volunteers. Meghyn Cox is new to Oshawa, a yoga teacher, and graphic designer.

Whether you’re looking to spend $1 or $100, we’ve rounded up some of the most stunning and heartfelt gift options around—each and every item (whether it’s handmade, locally crafted, just plain adorable, or decadent) are gifts we’d love to give and receive.

For the Entertainer

We all have someone on our holiday list who seems to have everything. Well, there is an easy pleaser for all of these wellstocked, entertaining folks: a big beautiful bowl. From holding keys, fruit, or serving a delicious pasta, a hand turned wooden bowl will always be useful! This nofail gift is a great idea for the Entertainer on your list, what better gift to give than a locally turned, gorgeously handcrafted wooden serving bowl? Bowls start at $50 each.

A great stocking stuffer for the Entertainer on your holiday list a hand crafted wooden cocktail muddler for their holiday drink making! Perfect for crushing mint for your mojitos or fruit for specialty cocktails, this muddler is hand carved from a variety of wood by Darren Neil. Made in Oshawa, ON. Items start at $20 each.

For the Spa Savvy

Why not give the gift of a spa day? Perfect for the guy or gal that loves a good tub or shower, AIDE bodycare products are perfect for pampering. Products vary from handmade soaps, scrubs, lip balms and face serums that are scrumptious, decadent, and ohsolovely. Soaps are created using the traditional coldprocess technique and feature popular scents as Vintage Rose, Lavender, Organic Oatmeal, and Sweet Orange. AIDE Bodycare is a cold process soap + apothecary company rooted in natural ingredients & uplifting body care products. Each item is made by hand in small batches from their studio in Oshawa, Canada. Featuring natural deodorant, lip balm, bar of soap, and loofah body care kits start at $30 each.

For the Little Ones

These gorgeous 100% alpaca knit children’s clothes are something we all wish we could fit into! Tenderfield’s creator, Bree Zorel, of Toronto, ON created a collaborative line of knitwear for sale that supports the creators in Melipilla, a province of Chile. Each handwoven piece starts at $34 each.

Know a train lover? This hand crafted train is both toy AND a piece of art! All pieces hand carved from a variety of wood by Ron Stuart. Made in the Oshawa, ON. Hand carved train is only $70.

For the Collector

Everyone knows someone who loves OWLS! Maybe it’s their cute big eyes or soft pillowy appearance. For the owl lover out there, why not gift one our precious copper colored Owl votive holder? Or a sweet holiday owl ornament to brighten their tree, desk, or car!? Check out these cuties for the owl lover in your life. Owl accessories start at $5 each.

For the Down to Earth

Tap into the cosmos with pieces made with gemstones, jewels, and rocks from our Earth’s center. We’re thrilled to showcase jewelry and accessories from Hen Jewelry, handcrafted in London, Ontario. Genevieve Smolders, the creative drive behind Hen + Bear Jewelry, draws inspiration comes from both Aboriginal and Bohemian cultures, nature, and raw materials. Materials used include: gold, white gold & silver plate, brass & vintage brass charms, semi-precious stones, and a touch of love. Products start at $25 each.

Under $20 Holiday Guide
For those of us with several people to shop for, check out our Under $20 Holiday Guide featuring our newest additions to the RMG Gift shop all under $20.

RMG banner tote bags! In partnership with Amie Scott from Oshawa’s The Labor District, we have re-purposed the fabric from our banners to create one of a kind tote bags! $18
Cleverly written comedic book with illustrations paying homage to artists. $15
Soy blend jar candles scented with essential oils $20
Jeffrey Macklin art print holiday cards $5
Hedore Gionet hooked ornaments $10

Linda Jansma wins a writing award for Jock Macdonald: Evolving Form

The 2015 Ontario Association of Art Galleries (OAAG) Awards were presented on 18 November, 2015 at the Gladstone Hotel in Toronto. The Awards are annual, province-wide, juried awards of artistic merit and excellence. They recognize the new exhibitions, publications, programs and community partnerships commissioned and produced by Ontario’s public art galleries over the previous year.

During the ceremony, Linda Jansma, the RMG’s Senior Curator, received the Curatorial Writing Award, Major Text for the essay entitled “Jock Macdonald, Dr. Grace W. Pailthorpe and Reuben Mednikoff: A Lesson in Automatics” for the exhibition Jock Macdonald: Evolving Form. The 208-page catalogue features essays, as well as full-color photography, and was printed by Black Dog publishing. The publication also features texts by co-curators Ian M. Thom and Michelle Jacques, an essay by scholar Dr. Anna Hudson, excerpts from Macdonald’s correspondence and a diary the artist kept while living in Nootka Sound from 1935 to 1936.

“The OAAG awards are important because they represent the best in work from Ontario art galleries, as reviewed by our peers. I am thrilled to receive this award. – Linda Jansma, Senior Curator, The Robert McLaughlin Gallery

The exhibition Jock Macdonald: Evolving Form was organized by the Vancouver Art Gallery, the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, and The Robert McLaughlin Gallery, and was curated by Ian M. Thom, Michelle Jacques and Linda Jansma. The exhibition was held at the RMG from 3 February to 24 May, 2015. For more information about the exhibition, please visit the project’s website at jockmacdonald.org.

Public Art Guide of Oshawa

Have you picked up your Public Art Map of Oshawa yet? This guide features images and maps of public sculptures and murals through the city!

We are proud to have partnered with the City of Oshawa, Parkwood Estate, the Oshawa Community Museum, Durham College and University Institute of Ontario (UOIT) to realize this project!

Meet Parvathi Bhat Giliyal – Our New Gallery Educator

Parvathi Bhat Giliyal is the RMG’s new Gallery Educator. Prior to joining us, she was working as a visual artist and graphic designer, as well as art gallery management and art education. Drop by the RMG and say hello!

RMG: What were you up to before the RMG?

Parvathi: In the last 5 years I’ve been Gallery co-ordinator, educator, graphic designer and curator besides actively exhibiting my paintings in India. When an opportunity to move to Canada came up, I jumped at the new and exciting possibilities that may open up to me in the art and museum sector of Ontario. So far, the RMG has been everything I’d imagined my life here to be!

RMG: What drew you to the museum sector?

Parvathi: As an artist, the gallery and museum life was my calling. My father and I would spend a lot of time in museums and we believed in engaging with every piece of art. From a very young age, I believed that I could grow into a better artist through awareness and exposure to art of any kind.

RMG: What is your favourite museum?

Parvathi: The National Gallery of Modern Art in Bangalore, India, the city I grew up in and The Musée d’Orsay in Paris, France. The former for its vast collection of my favourite Indian art works and the many hours of talks and lectures that I attended; and the latter for the fantastic opportunity it gave me to experience all the European greats that I had only read about until that point.

RMG: What is your first memory of art?

Parvathi: My first memory of art would have to be watching my father work on his oils in our tiny living room, randomly throwing tips at me on the hows and whys of oil painting. It is funny how I was always surrounded by art but took me until my last day in college to realize I needed to be in the art world.

RMG: What is one thing that you want to share with people about the RMG?

Parvathi: The RMG has something for everyone. The spectacular permanent collection on display, Art classes, Art workshops, Residency programs, RMG Fridays with its live music and film features, the list is endless! I feel it is all about taking that first step inside the gallery and never wanting to leave!

Oshawa Cultural Summit

Under the theme of Creative Spaces, this year’s annual Cultural Summit is an opportunity to share ideas, learn about what’s going on and celebrate culture in Oshawa!

Highlights Include:

Keynote speaker: Tim Potocic, Director – Hamilton Supercrawl!
Community presentations:
- Laura Suchan, Executive Director, Oshawa Community Museum + Dr. Helen Haines, Assistant Professor Department of Anthropology , Trent University Durham discuss their recent archeological project partnership at the museum.
- Donna Raetsen-Kemp, CEO, The Robert McLaughlin Gallery and Gallery A artist (TBC) presents the newly renovated community gallery space at RMG.
- Filmmaker Carla Sinclair, explores LGBT culture in her recent documentary Heal Myself.
The City of Oshawa will present on Culture Counts:Oshawa’s Arts, Culture & Heritage Plan and 2015 achievements.
Special performance to be announced shortly!
Refreshments and Networking Opportunity!

Visit the Cultural Summit webpage for more information: www.oshawa.ca/culturalsummit

Have a question? Please ask! Send an email to [email protected]

WHEN
Thursday, October 22, 2015 from 7:00 PM to 9:30 PM

WHERE
Arts Resource Centre – 45 Queen Street Oshawa, Ontario CA

TICKETS
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/oshawa-cultural-summit-tickets-18977026798

Meet our new CEO Donna Raetsen-Kemp

Donna Raetsen-Kemp is the RMG’s new Chief Executive Officer. Prior to joining us, she was managing the Station Gallery in Whitby. Stop by and welcome Donna to the RMG!

The RMG: What were you up to before the RMG?

Donna Raetsen-Kemp: For the past ten years I spent my days leading the arts and culture charge at Station Gallery in Whitby. I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to work together with the community to transform the gallery to a thriving people place. We set our sights on creating a warm and welcoming cultural hub. A gathering place with opportunities for people to engage with art in ways that were meaningful to them – a place for everyone. I’m immensely proud of the work we did there.

RMG: What drew you to the museum sector?

DRK: There were fascinating local and global things at play. Globally, the museum sector was on the cusp of a sweeping change. I found that notion exciting. Locally, there was a small, once bustling art gallery that I took classes at as a kid that had become quiet. It had just undergone a significant renovation. The opportunity to breathe life back into Station Gallery was compelling.

RMG: What is your favourite museum?

DRK: In 2012 I was part of a Canadian delegation of arts leaders on an exchange to Venice and Florence. We visited more museums than I can count, but the museum that left its mark was the Palazzo Strozzi in Florence. It’s one of those great museums that you’ve probably never heard of. Their approach is bold and innovative. They take a unapologetic stance about putting their community at the forefront of programming and redefining the museum experience. They invite the community to participate in simple and delightful ways. Palazzo Strozzi houses some of the most visited exhibitions — and has a reputation as the cool place to hang out. Their courtyard is open morning until evening with a wild array of activities that bring people together and connect them with artists and exhibitions. They bring stories to life. I still check in online regularly to see to what they’re up to.

RMG: What is your first memory of art?

DRK: It’s hard to pin down one defining moment. It’s a wonderful confluence of events and experiences.

RMG: What is one thing that you want to share with people about the RMG?

DRK: I simply want to invite everyone in. Our doors are wide open. Drop by for 5 minutes or stay for hours. Let’s get to know each other a little better. What would you like to see in your RMG? I can’t wait to get the conversation started.

Image: Donna poses a the RMG with Director of Finance and Administration, Olinda Casimiro.

Ghosts of the Gallery

Public call for Ghost Stories about The Robert McLaughlin Gallery! After almost 50 years in the community, Oshawa’s art gallery has some history behind it, as do the many artifacts, paintings, sculptures and curiosities housed in our gallery vault.

The RMG is currently producing a short documentary titled “Ghosts of the Gallery” set to launch on October 2^nd at RMG Fridays in our Friday Film Features screening room. In the spirit of Halloween, gallery staff are sharing their supernatural experiences on camera and we invite the public to participate as well!

A chill on the back of your neck, unexplained perfume smells, objects moving without the help of human hands, strange apparitions, orbs captured in photographs – we want to hear them all! Telling your story does not mean you have to go on camera, there are many ways we can include it in the film!

Please submit your stories by September 15^th to:

Carla Sinclair, Manager of Community and Volunteer Development
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 905-576-3000 x106