The Neighbours Project ART HIVE with the LivingRoom

“We can only learn about creativity through our own experience of it.”
Shaun McNiff

The RMG and the LivingRoom Community Art Studio welcome all of our neighbours with warmth and openness to help us activate The Neighbours Project ART HIVE between 12-3:30pm on the Fridays listed below. You’re invited to use our free art materials to explore your creativity through self-expression. Together, as artists, we will work alongside and with one another to co-create a vibrant cultural ecosystem. Join us in this adventure of Creative Human-ing and learn why making art matters!

The Neighbours Project ART HIVE is part of The Neighbours Project. To learn more about the project, please visit the exhibition page.

This event will be facilitated at the following times:

Friday January 12, 2024, 12-3:30pm
Friday January 19, 2024, 12-3:30pm
Friday January 26, 2024, 12-3:30pm
Friday February 2, 2024, 12-3:30pm
Friday February 9, 2024, 12-3:30pm
Friday February 16, 2024, 12-3:30pm

What to expect:

These drop-in events are free.
You’re welcome to come and go as you please.
Coffee, tea, and light snacks will be served.
Everyone is welcome; no art experience required.

The RMG is located at 72 Queen Street, Civic Centre in Oshawa, across from the McLaughlin Branch of the Oshawa Public Libraries. The Neighbours Project ART HIVE is in Gallery A, which is located on the lower level of the RMG. It is accessible by stairs or elevator. Between the elevator and Gallery A, you’ll pass our public washrooms. We have an accessible single-stall washroom as well as gender-inclusive multi-stall washrooms. Read more about our facilities here.

What is an art hive?

Art Hives are spaces that enable people of all ages to participate in free public relaxation. They are safe, accessible spaces that support creative community development through art-making experiences that foster connection and personal well-being. In an Art Hive, traditional hierarchies, processes, and ways of being can be deconstructed and re-imagined in playful, personal, and compassionate ways.

“At the center of everything we call ‘the arts,’ and children call ‘play,’ is something which seems somehow alive.”
Lynda Barry

The Neighbours Project ART HIVE will be facilitated by The LivingRoom’s Mary Krohnert and the RMG’s Hannah Keating and Erin Szikora.

Mary is an actor, art therapist and social arts practitioner with over 25 years of experience in intersectional community engagement through the arts. Founder of the LivingRoom Community Art Studio, she is a graduate of The Toronto Art Therapy Institute, Toronto Metropolitan University, and has studied Art Hives at Concordia University under the founder of the movement, Dr. Janis Timm-Bottos. Her work is driven by a deep appreciation of the human story, and the many ways it can be communicated, acknowledged, and honoured in our efforts to live, learn, work, and engage with greater authenticity, sustainability, and joy. The LivingRoom and its related projects offer practical opportunities for citizen artists of all ages, abilities and walks of life to explore how processes of creative self-expression can be integrated into day-to-day life for the benefit of all.

Hannah is an Associate Curator at The Robert McLaughlin Gallery where she coordinates the RBC Emerging Artist Residency program, curates exhibitions and public programs, and works with community partners. She holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Art History from Carleton University and has previously worked at Artspace, the Winnipeg Art Gallery, the University of Manitoba School of Art Gallery, and the Art Gallery of Peterborough. Hannah is curious about relationships of all kinds and passionate about supporting artists. She is a writer and deep thinker who believes in the power of art to forge connections, provoke conversation, and hold deep truths about the human condition.

Erin is an Associate Curator at The Robert McLaughlin Gallery. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Fine Art and Art History from the University of Toronto and a master’s degree in Art History from OCAD University. She has previously worked at the University of Toronto, Art Gallery of Guelph, Art Canada Institute, OCAD University, the McMaster Museum of Art, and Brock University. Her work is motivated by a deep interest in how personal storytelling can lead to collective liberation. She believes strongly in the power of art to change the world and is excited to live into the future we dream up together.

Visit The Neighbours Project exhibition page to learn more.

We want to express sincere gratitude to our partners and collaborators for their support: The Back Door Mission, The Gap Committee, The LivingRoom Community Art Studio, April Hind, and Selena Hind.

Do you have any questions? Please get in touch by emailing hkeating@rmg.on.ca and eszikora@rmg.on.ca.

How to Price Your Artwork

This event will be held on Zoom. It is free and open to everyone, but registration is required. Click here to register.

Deciding how much you should charge for your artwork can feel like a shot in the dark, but artists Chrissy and Kyle of Spark Box Studio have developed a pricing system that dives into the nitty gritty. In this workshop, they will share how they determine fair prices for their work. With appreciation for the nuance of this complex topic, you’re invited to join our conversation. Chrissy and Kyle will answer questions about applying this system to your own practice and offer tips for talking about the value of your art with others.

About the Facilitators

Thirteen years ago Chrissy Poitras and Kyle Topping opened Spark Box Studio, a social enterprise, artist residency and community printmaking studio; committed to addressing cultural and social needs by fostering, supporting and promoting individuals working in the arts.

They created a practice rooted in resource sharing and collaborative exchange. They built a safe, nurturing environment that has hosted over 450 artists from around the world and brought together hundreds of community members to expand their understanding of creativity and professional practice.

Since the pandemic they have been re-envisioning their creative practice and learning how to nurture the shared sense of place virtually that was created in their studio and residency. They have been doing so through a variety of online programs: Artist Confessional, Flat Files, The Art Discourse and Love Letters. All of these video series open up the doors of their studio to the public, encourage collaborative exchange and build connections with artists in their community.

In addition, they are multidisciplinary artists who work collaboratively on community art installations and public art projects; most notably with organizations such as Crazy Dames, The Department of Illumination, Kick Start Arts, Critical Mass and the Gladstone Hotel.

Closed captioning and live transcription will be available through the built-in Zoom CC and Transcription features. ASL Interpretation can be arranged upon request. Please contact Hannah Keating at hkeating@rmg.on.ca to submit an interpretation request by November 8, 2023. All efforts will be made to fill a request, but if an Interpreter cannot be secured, we will let you know before the event takes place.

Is there anything else we can do to support your participation? Please reach out to Hannah at hkeating@rmg.on.ca.

The RBC Emerging Artist Residency Program at the RMG is generously supported through the RBC Foundation’s Emerging Artist Project.

What We’ve Learned Installing Our Art

This event will be held on Zoom. It is free and open to everyone, but registration is required. Click here to register.

Artists Chrissy and Kyle of Spark Box Studio have experience presenting their work in all sorts of conventional and unconventional settings. From community engaged projects to murals to pop up events, they have collaborated with other artists and each other to bring their work to different audiences. Offering tips and answering questions, they will facilitate a reflective conversation to share some of the experiences they’ve had and the lessons they’ve learned installing artwork in various settings.

About the Facilitators

Thirteen years ago Chrissy Poitras and Kyle Topping opened Spark Box Studio, a social enterprise, artist residency and community printmaking studio; committed to addressing cultural and social needs by fostering, supporting and promoting individuals working in the arts.

They created a practice rooted in resource sharing and collaborative exchange. They built a safe, nurturing environment that has hosted over 450 artists from around the world and brought together hundreds of community members to expand their understanding of creativity and professional practice.

Since the pandemic they have been re-envisioning their creative practice and learning how to nurture the shared sense of place virtually that was created in their studio and residency. They have been doing so through a variety of online programs: Artist Confessional, Flat Files, The Art Discourse and Love Letters. All of these video series open up the doors of their studio to the public, encourage collaborative exchange and build connections with artists in their community.

In addition, they are multidisciplinary artists who work collaboratively on community art installations and public art projects; most notably with organizations such as Crazy Dames, The Department of Illumination, Kick Start Arts, Critical Mass and the Gladstone Hotel.

Closed captioning and live transcription will be available through the built-in Zoom CC and Transcription features. ASL Interpretation can be arranged upon request. Please contact Hannah Keating at hkeating@rmg.on.ca to submit an interpretation request by November 8, 2023. All efforts will be made to fill a request, but if an Interpreter cannot be secured, we will let you know before the event takes place.

Is there anything else we can do to support your participation? Please reach out to Hannah at hkeating@rmg.on.ca.

The RBC Emerging Artist Residency Program at the RMG is generously supported through the RBC Foundation’s Emerging Artist Project.

Artist Residency Information Session + Application Workshop

This event will be held on Zoom. It is free and open to everyone, but registration is required. Register here.

In this virtual gathering, RMG Associate Curators, Hannah Keating and Erin Szikora, will provide an overview of the RBC Emerging Artist Residency Program application, sharing tips for preparing your own application and talking through strong samples from past applicants. This guidance will be applicable to the RMG’s active call for residency applications, but will also have broader relevance for other exhibition or grant opportunities. Following a short presentation, we’ll answer questions from the audience.

Closed captioning and live transcription will be available through the built-in Zoom CC and Transcription features. ASL Interpretation can be arranged upon request. Please contact Hannah Keating at hkeating@rmg.on.ca to submit an interpretation request by May 16, 2023. All efforts will be made to fill a request, but if an Interpreter cannot be secured, we will let you know before the event takes place.

Is there anything else we can do to support your participation? Please reach out to Hannah at hkeating@rmg.on.ca.

What I’ve Learned Selling My Artwork

A panel discussion with Shahrzad Amin and Raoul Olou

Let’s chat about selling artwork! For this workshop, we’ve invited two practicing artists to share some of their experiences selling works on various platforms, including Instagram, art fairs (in-person and online), and their own virtual shops. The moderated conversation will cover a range of practical topics, including:

Maintaining an online presence
Dealing with customers
Assessing shipping strategies
Paying yourself and reinvesting in your practice
Managing work-life boundaries

This workshop will be hosted as a 70-minute Zoom meeting. The panel will run for 45 minutes with 15-25 minutes reserved at the end for questions and conversation with the audience.

This event is free and open to everyone, but registration is required. Register here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Raoul Olou is a multidisciplinary artist based in Toronto. He creates work that references personal experiences, which reveal concepts of nationality, citizenship and race, through the depiction of everyday environments. Formally trained as filmmaker and currently practicing as a self-taught painter for over 10 years, Raoul has exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Mark Christopher Gallery, and the Run Gallery. He has received several grants and awards from the Canada Council for the Arts, Toronto Art Council, Ontario Arts Council, and received the Mayor’s Award and the Honorable Painting Award at the Toronto Outdoor Art Fair (2019 and 2022). He has been commissioned on several large scale mural projects all over the Greater Toronto Area, working with Mural Routes, KJBit Collective, and through his own independently led projects including a recent City of Toronto commissioned mural. Raoul has also been commissioned on significant private works for the Drake Hotel, the Gladstone, and the Sheraton Hotel. His work has been collected publicly and privately—by the City of Toronto, the Royal Bank of Canada, and the Wedge Collection and has been invited for artist residencies at the Museum of Contemporary Art x Akin Collective, Drake Devonshire, and Annandale Artist Residency.

Shahrzad Amin is an award-winning interdisciplinary artist who exhibits her works nationally and internationally. She creates socially engaging art pieces that invoke thoughts and encourage conversations about socio-cultural issues that surround us. Shahrzad makes original pieces that truly move people to feel intense emotions. Her interest in fundamental social issues such as democracy, equality, and migration has informed an art practice examining diasporic and socio-cultural subjectivities through the lenses of art practice, sensory ethnographic filmmaking, architectural design, gender, and language. Her works also highlight a social openness and necessity for global international connectivity by applying the historical eastern architectural figures such as arch bridges and combining cultural motifs as a metaphor for overcoming cultural distances. She received a BFA in Sculpture and Installation from Tehran University of Art (2010) and an MFA in the Interdisciplinary Master’s in Art, Media and Design from OCAD University (2020). Notable awards include Research-Creation Grant (Canada Council for the Arts), Exhibition Assistance Grant (Ontario Arts Council), Artscape Foundation Launchpad Bursary, and more.

Closed captioning and live transcription will be available through the built-in Zoom CC and Transcription features. ASL Interpretation can be arranged upon request. Please contact Hannah Keating at hkeating@rmg.on.ca to submit an interpretation request by October 26, 2022. All efforts will be made to fill a request, but if an Interpreter cannot be secured, we will let you know before the event takes place.

Is there anything else we can do to support your participation? Please reach out to Hannah at hkeating@rmg.on.ca.

The RMG would like to acknowledge the RBC Foundation for their generous support of the Artist Professional Development Workshop Series.

Post-Production Artwork Documentation

With Laura Findlay

Hosted on Zoom

Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ktNs4Tm_RceDkt3BG3-kTA

This event is free and open to everyone.

Learn how to put your best foot forward with images! In this workshop, we’ll look at editing tools and processes that are relevant to the post-production side of artwork documentation. Whether you’re uploading examples of your work to a grant application, a call for submissions, or your online portfolio, this workshop will help you share accurate and polished images of your work with funders, curators, and others who rely on photo documentation to make important decisions about you and your work.

Topics include:

A review of digital files – what you need to know about resolution and file size
An overview of fundamental photo-editing techniques
An introduction to preparing image files for applications with a discussion about why good quality images matter and how to meet expectations

Please note: This workshop does not cover how to take good pictures, so it won’t cover camera types or settings, accessories, or techniques for capturing accurate colour or lighting. This workshop also isn’t about preparing digital files for print. The goal of this workshop is to provide an overview of post-production tactics for creating high quality digital images that can be used in grant or exhibition applications, or like settings.

This workshop will be hosted as a 70-minute Zoom webinar with an opportunity to ask questions at the end.

Closed captioning and live transcription will be available through the built-in Zoom CC and Transcription features. ASL Interpretation can be arranged upon request. Please contact Hannah Keating at hkeating@rmg.on.ca to submit an interpretation request by September 21, 2022. All efforts will be made to fill a request, but if an Interpreter cannot be secured, we will let you know before the event takes place.

Is there anything else we can do to support your participation? Please reach out to Hannah at hkeating@rmg.on.ca.

About the presenter:

Laura Findlay (she/her) is a Toronto based artist and the owner of LF Documentation. Originally from Montreal, she received her BFA from Concordia University in 2011 and MFA from the University of Guelph in 2014. She’s exhibited work and participated in artist residencies throughout Canada, the US, and Europe and she is represented by Norberg Hall in Calgary, Alberta. Laura has professionally documented artwork and exhibitions for clients throughout southern Ontario, Montreal, and abroad since 2009. Clients include the AGO, RBC Visual Arts Collection, Scotiabank Fine Art Program, Superframe, C Magazine, Oakville Galleries, Scrap Metal Gallery, Daniel Faria Gallery, Bradley Ertaskiran, Arsenal Contemporary, Galerie Nicolas Robert, Galerie Antoine Ertaskaren, Franz Kaka Gallery, and Aargauer Kunsthaus, among others. Her photographs of artwork have appeared in print in Artforum, Border Crossings Magazine, Canadian Art Magazine, C Magazine, Vogue Paris, and Chatelaine, among others. She has served on the juries for international residencies and scholarships.

If you have any questions about this event, please contact Hannah Keating at hkeating@rmg.on.ca.

The RMG would like to acknowledge the RBC Foundation for their generous support of the Artist Professional Development Workshop Series.

Story and Song: Intro to Anishinaabemowin with Melody Crowe

This event is free and open to everyone. Registration required.

Join us virtually or in-person at Oshawa Public Libraries – Delpark Homes Centre Branch on Saturday June 18th from 10:30 – 11:30 am for a morning of stories and songs with Anishinaabekwe Melody Crowe. Learn the Anishinaabemowin names for the animals living around us. This event is hybrid with limited in-person capacity. Our in-person capacity is now full. To participate virtually, please register with the link above. Each participant will receive a printable colouring book.

This event is for all ages and is presented in partnership with The Robert McLaughlin Gallery and Oshawa Public Libraries.

This program is presented as part of Mamanaw Pekiskwewina | Mother Tongues: Dish With One Spoon Territory, the second of four locality specific iterations of the Mamanaw Pekiskwewina project, and was developed in tandem with the presentation of Taskoch pipon kona kah nipa muskoseya, nepin pesim eti pimachihew | Like the winter snow kills the grass, the summer sun revives it at The Robert McLaughlin Gallery. Mamanaw Pekiskwewina | Mother Tongues: Dish With One Spoon Territory is co-curated by Missy LeBlanc and Erin Szikora.

Melody Crowe is a Michi-Saagiig Anishinaabe Woman from Alderville First Nation which is located on the South Shore of Rice Lake, Ontario. She has dedicated her life to creating a deeper understanding and appreciation of First Nation culture, knowledge, language, and history, and has more than 25 years of teaching the Ojibway language to children, youth, adults, and Elders. She works from the place of honouring her Ancestors and honouring the importance of Indigenous Peoples and ways of knowing. In 2007, Melody received the Lifetime Achievement Award for her work in the preservation of language and culture from the Union of Ontario Indians, and in 2015, the Honouring Our People Award from the Ogemawahi Tribal Council. Melody is also an eagle feather carrier, a jingle dancer, and a photographer.

Mamanaw Pekiskwewina | Mother Tongues: Dish With One Spoon Territory is presented in partnership with TRUCK Contemporary Art.

We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Trillium Foundation for this project.

Grant Writing Workshop + Guided Peer Review With Daniella Sanader

Part I: Grant Writing 101 with Daniella Sanader

Wednesday, April 13, 2022

6-7:30 pm

Hosted on Zoom

Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwpduugrjsuHNUdyNS-CokpYIxZMrGPaiST

Part II: Guided Peer Review: Project Proposals

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

6-7:30 pm

Hosted on Zoom

Register by April 20, 2022: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwkcO2pqTsuHNKiQzSWxjb_5bcifXfBhLBJ

Both sessions are free and open to everyone.

Attendance at both sessions is not mandatory; however, if you’re new to grant writing and you’re interested in taking part in the guided peer review session, we strongly encourage you to attend Part I: Grant Writing 101. Please note that the deadline to register for the peer review session is April 20.

Closed captioning and live transcription will be available through the built-in Zoom CC and Transcription features. ASL Interpretation can be arranged upon request. Please contact Hannah Keating at hkeating@rmg.on.ca to submit an interpretation request by March 30, 2022. All efforts will be made to fill a request, but if an Interpreter cannot be secured, we will let you know before the event takes place.

Is there anything else we can do to support your participation? Please reach out to Hannah at hkeating@rmg.on.ca.

Part I: Grant Writing 101 with Daniella Sanader

Offering an overview of the funding landscape, this workshop will highlight how grants can support your art practice and projects, how to prepare and manage your time, and where to find key funding opportunities. We’ll also review best practices for budgets and support material and read through a successful grant application to explore useful writing tips you can use in your own applications.

This workshop will be hosted as a Zoom webinar, with a short mid-session break and an opportunity to ask questions at the end.

Part II: Guided Peer Review: Project Proposals

In this facilitated session, you will be paired with another artist to exchange project proposals and provide mutual support through questions and suggestions. We will provide structure and advice for the peer review that will guide your 1:1 breakout rooms and Daniella Sanader will join the call at the end to address any additional questions.

Each participant should come prepared with ONE of the following:

Option A: If you are preparing to apply for a grant and already have a project proposal prepared, bring that draft text for review. The text should be no longer than 500 words.

Option B: If you don’t currently have a grant in mind, you can prepare a hypothetical project proposal using the following prompt: Describe your project. Explain the inspiration for your project or why you wish to undertake it at this time and how this project will contribute to your artistic development. The text should be no longer than 500 words.

Option C: If you recently applied for a grant, but were unsuccessful, you can bring your project proposal from that application. You may have an opportunity to reapply or submit the project for consideration in another grant application. The text should be no longer than 500 words.

Schedule

This workshop will be hosted as a Zoom meeting and will have the following schedule:

6:00-6:10 Welcome and housekeeping
6:10-6:30 Breakout rooms in pairs – participants introduce themselves and exchange texts; read and reflect independently.
6:30-6:45 Partner 1 offers feedback to Partner 2
6:45-7:00 Partner 2 offers feedback to Partner 1
7:00-7:20 Return to the main Zoom room – pairs or individuals can bring questions to the group for more input; Daniella Sanader will join the call to answer questions as well.

About the workshop leader

Daniella Sanader is a writer and reader based in Toronto. Her writing has appeared in Canadian Art, Artforum.com, C Magazine, BlackFlash Magazine, Border Crossings Magazine, Maclean’s, The Brooklyn Rail, esse magazine, and others. Her texts have also been published by a number of galleries and artist-run spaces across Canada and internationally. In January 2018, she was named the annual Emerging Cultural Leader by the Artist-Run Centres and Collectives of Ontario (ARCCO). She was also a participant in the Critical Art Writing Ensemble III at the Banff Centre in 2018. Currently, she works as a freelance editor, supporting artists, curators, and arts organizations to realize a variety of texts.

If you have any questions about this event, please contact Hannah Keating at hkeating@rmg.on.ca.

The RMG would like to acknowledge the RBC Foundation for their generous support of the Artist Professional Development Workshop Series.

In Bloom: Lino Printmaking with Laura Grier

This workshop is a celebration of spring facilitated by printmaker and RBC Emerging Artist in Residence Laura Grier. Laura will provide step-by-step instructions for designing, carving, and printing your own botanical relief prints inspired by the flowers that bloom at this hopeful time of year. We look forward to creating hand-printed cards and artworks together.

In this workshop, you will use a linoleum (lino) block to create a relief print. Much like the woodblock prints in Laura’s exhibition, you will use sharp tools to carve a pattern or image into a lino block; what’s left on the block will be inked and printed.

Materials:

We will provide all of the printing materials, including three blank cards for each participant.

Optional:

If you want to bring additional objects to print on, you can. For example, you could print on a plain tote bag to make your own custom design.
You can also bring your own flower samples to work from. For example, if you have fresh blooms in your garden, you can take a picture or pick a sample to use as your relief print inspiration.

Please keep in mind: If you are new to lino printing, we will be using sharp cutting tools. They are easy to use, but require a lot of care. Please be safe and follow Laura’s guidance.

This event is free and open to everyone, but there is a limit of 10 participants. Sign up to save your spot! If you sign up, but cannot attend, please email Hannah at hkeating@rmg.on.ca so we can open your spot for someone else.

Register here: https://thermg.typeform.com/to/d76GTdVX.

Is there anything we can do to support your participation? Please reach out to Hannah at hkeating@rmg.on.ca.

About the Workshop Facilitator:

Laura Grier is a Délı̨nę First Nations artist and printmaker, born in Somba ké (Yellowknife), and raised in Alberta. Through the use of traditional print mediums, they instrumentalize the power of the handmade to reflect political sociology, culture, ecology, and Indigeneity. Responding to lived experiences of urban displacement as a Dene woman through print, Laura’s work is also inspired by the dynamism of Indigenous art practices and uses printmaking as a tool for resistance, refusal, and inherent Bets’ı̨nę́. They hold a BFA from NSCADU (K’jipuktuk) and an MFA from OCAD University (Tkaronto). They have exhibited at Xpace Cultural Centre, Harcourt House, DC3 Art Projects, SNAP Gallery, and ArtsPlace. Laura has received grants and awards for their work, including the Indigenous project grants from the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Toronto Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts, and was the 2018 RISE Emerging Artist recipient. They currently reside in Tkaronto.