Painters Eleven: Ontario’s Abstract Collective

Painters Eleven was the first abstract artist collective in Ontario. They were founded in 1953 at the cottage of artist Alexandra Luke on the Oshawa/Whitby border. Rather than having a common philosophy or style, Painters Eleven banded together around their shared desire to support abstraction and exhibit together. As Jock Macdonald noted: “The meaning of our group is the fact that we think alike about creativeness in art and the unity established is our power.” Rather than a manifesto, the group settled on a statement: “There is no manifesto here for the times. There is no jury but time. By now there is little harmony in the noticeable disagreement. But there is a profound regard for the consequences of our complete freedom.” (1955)

The Robert McLaughlin Gallery’s collection began in 1967 when artist Alexandra Luke, a member of the Painters Eleven, donated thirty-seven works from her private collection. Luke’s donation of art included work by all of the members of Painters Eleven and helped to establish the RMG’s unique focus on collecting and exhibiting the work of Painters Eleven. Today, the RMG’s collection of paintings, drawings, sculptures and prints by Painters Eleven has grown to over 1000 works, including works from before and after the Painters Eleven years (1953-1960). The RMG has regular exhibitions featuring works by the group, pulling together different aesthetics or themes.

Installation of Painters Eleven: Ontario’s Abstract Collective at The Robert McLaughlin Gallery, 2023. Photo by Toni Hafkenscheid.

Mary Rawlyk: Domestic Disruptions

The Covid-19 pandemic laid bare the heightened and continued economic and domestic disparities women experience in the workforce. Over the last three years, women were laid off at a higher rate, and those priviledged to be able to work from home still bore the brunt of the caregiving and domestic labour. This widening inequality has sparked a renewed interest in the work of feminist scholar and activist, Silvia Federici, who founded the Wages for Housework movement in the 1970s, which fought for governments to recognize that unpaid domestic work done by women is a form of gendered economic oppression. As Federici famously said: “They call it love, we call it unpaid labour.”

Artist Mary Rawlyk’s artwork explores how housework goes unnoticed and unpaid. During the 1970s, Mary Rawlyk was a full-time mother, housewife and a trained printmaker. Struggling to find time and energy to make art, she wrote: “There are times when I feel my very soul and creativity are extinguished by household trivia. Many prints never reach completion because of domestic disruptions.” She began reading feminist texts and discovered she was not alone in her dissatisfaction with the domestic role, and realized that her art could be a way to express her struggles. Rawlyk developed a series entitled Unpaid Labour (1973-1977) that explores domestic labour through imagery of the household objects she used such as a stove, iron, and sewing machines. Her series entitled Housewife (1982), incorporates a portrait of herself within the domestic objects, a personal reflection on feeling invisible and isolated in daily domestic tasks. A more overt political comment on women’s roles is seen in Canadian Apron Flag (1982) which replaces the maple leaf with an apron, it’s ties mimicking hands on hips—a confrontational gesture.

The Robert McLaughlin Gallery has a rich history of supporting and collecting women artists. With a collection of 35 prints by Mary Rawlyk ranging between 1972-1982, this exhibition pulls together a selection of work that explore her personal struggles with housework and how these gendered domestic demands enable a wider political structure that controls women’s lives.

Mary Rawlyk studied art at Mount Allison University (1960-61), and took classes at the Nova Scotia College of Art (1963-66) and Brighton Polytechnic (Brighton, UK, 1971-72). She has had solo exhibitions at Art Gallery of Burlington, Agnes Etherington Art Centre, and The Robert McLaughlin Gallery. Rawlyk’s work can be found in private, corporate and public collections including the Agnes Etherington Art Centre, Art Gallery of Guelph, Winnipeg Art Gallery, Art Gallery of Ontario, and The Robert McLaughlin Gallery. Rawlyk currently resides in Burlington, Ontario.

Installation of Mary Rawlyk: Domestic Disruptions at The Robert McLaughlin Gallery, 2023. Photo by Toni Hafkenscheid.

Kaleidoscope

Durham Catholic District School Board Art Exhibition

This exhibition celebrates artworks by students in Kindergarten – Grade 12 from across the Durham Catholic District School Board.

Summer Camp 2023

Do you want your kids to dive into creativity this summer? We have got you covered! Our fun-filled, fine art camps are packed with inspired projects, interactive gallery activities, active outdoor play, and our RMG kids make memorable friendships! Here’s the best part: we take care of the mess and our camp leaders are awesome!

Choose from 2 different camps, Out of this World and Down to Earth! Each camp includes experimentation with a variety of creative, mixed-media materials that rotate activities/projects between the 2 offered camps. The projects are individually guided and personal to each participant!

Ages 5-7                      15 spots per age group (all ages 5-7 camps are full)

Ages 8-12                    15 spots per age group

$200 Members/$210 Non-Members for 5 day camps

$160 Members/$170 Non-Members for 4 day camps

Down To Earth

Come and discover the endless artistic possibilities that the RMG has to offer. Let’s get down to earth with all things natural and wild. This camp will take us on an adventure in and around our life and where we fit into it all. Inspired by some new summer only exhibitions, your child will draw, sculpt and paint unique artworks!

This camp is running during these weeks:

  • July 4-7 (4 day week) (Ages 5-7 and 8-12 is full)
  • July 17-21 (Ages 5-7 and 8-12 is full)
  • July 31-August 4 (Ages 5-7 and 8-12 is full)
  • August 14-18 (Ages 5-7 and 8-12 is full)

Out of this World

Welcome to our other worldly adventure in art!  This camp rockets ahead with endless imagination by exploring life beyond the limits of our physical world where your own ideas become possibilities. Using a variety of fine art materials and tons of imagination, campers will make their very own contemporary artworks.

This camp is running during these weeks:

  • July 10-14 (Ages 5-7 and 8-12 is full)
  • July 24-28 (Ages 5-7 is full)
  • August 8-11 (4 day week) (Ages 5-7 and 8-12 is full)
  • August 21-25 (Ages 5-7 and 8-12 is full)
Sign up today!

Curatorial Tours: Loose Parts

sophia bartholomew, dances around a living tree (detail), 2022, wood, found materials and organic matter, string, C-clamps, and laminated sheets.

Join curator Hannah Keating for a guided tour of the exhibition Loose Parts, which includes work by sophia bartholomew, Akash Inbakumar, and Justin Mezzapelli.

Thursday Curatorial Tours are free and open to everyone. They provide deeper insight into the themes, context, and content of our exhibitions. Seating options are available. For more information about access and our facilities, please visit rmg.on.ca/visit/ or contact Hannah Keating at [email protected] with any specific requests.

No advance registration required.

Save the date! Join us for these upcoming Curatorial Tours:
 
March 23 – Powerful Glow, Lisa Myers
Join curator Lisa Myers for a tour of our special exhibition, Powerful Glow.
 
April 20 – Piecework, Erin Szikora
Join Associate Curator Erin Szikora for a guided tour of the exhibition Piecework, which includes work by Hangama Amiri, Alicia Barbeiri, Colleen Heslin, Jeremy Laing, Tau Lewis, Preston Pavlis, Jagdeep Rania, Moraa Stump, Joyce Wieland, and Alice Olsen Williams.

May 18 – The Ties That Bind, Sonya Jones
Join Senior Curator Sonya Jones for a guided tour of the exhibition The Ties That Bind, which includes work from the RMG’s permanent collection.

June 29 – Queering the Collection, Heather Riley
Join Project Coordinator, Digital Collections and curator of this show Heather Riley for a guided tour of their permanent collection exhibition, which explores themes of queerness within the RMG’s collection.
 
September 21 – Untouched Landscapes and Topographies, Erin Szikora
Join Associate Curator Erin Szikora for a guided tour of the exhibitions Untouched Landscapes, with work by Aaron Jones, and Topographies, with work by Anna Binta Diallo.

Unity Through the Arts: Inaugural Juried Exhibition

Thursday October 12 from 6-8:30pm

Come together to celebrate cultural diversity in Durham Region!

The RMG invites you to attend the opening reception of Unity Through the Arts: An Inaugural Juried Exhibition presented in partnership with Cultural Expressions Art Gallery Inc.

Several awards will be presented to adults and youth ranging from $100 to $1000. Refreshments will be provided.

For information on our facilities, please click here. If you have questions about the event or other requests, please email Erin at [email protected].

Community and Joy

The Robert McLaughlin Gallery (RMG) teamed up with the Abilities
Centre in Whitby, to develop a photography project for their TR
Creative Café participants to explore personal expressions of
community and joy.


The Abilities Centre’s mandate is to provide:
“…accessible and inclusive programs and services of the highest
quality and value. Abilities Centre supports members of the
community, no matter their ability, age or background, to improve
their quality of life by positively impacting health & wellbeing, social
inclusion and economic participation.”


The TR Creative Café, is a new art centered therapeutic recreation
(TR) program that encourages creative expression as a way to build
the skills required to cope with change, express emotion, explore
values and identify creative goals and strengths. In a two-part
program with the RMG, TR Creative Café participants were asked to
take and share photographs that reflect who their community is and
what brings them joy. The resulting photographs capture a range of
favourite activities including community events, spending time with
loved ones, sports, and hobbies.


This exhibition is installed in the Thomas Bouckley Collection
corridor, where the RMG regularly highlights photographs from the
community. The Thomas Bouckley Collection, housed at the RMG, is
a collection of over 3,500 photographs that visualizes the history of
Oshawa. However, the collection lacks the stories and perspectives
of many of Oshawa’s residents.

This project is part of the RMG’s ongoing efforts to present diverse perspectives from the community. The RMG and Abilities Centre would like to express their thanks to the participants for their willingness to explore the ways photography can be used to share and express lived-experience.

Family Day 2023: Personalized Buttons, Eye Spy and More!

This Family Day, we are doing a number of different family oriented activities! Families can design their own personalized pin-on buttons, work together by creating collaborative art, and explore sketching skills with a silly still-life challenge! Check out our new Eye Spy game in the permanent exhibition space, who will find all the artworks first?

We will be open from 10-4pm on Monday, February 20, 2023 for Family Day. Admission is Free!

January OPG Sunday: Winter Wonders

This month, we will be inspired by the beauty of winter. Join us to make unique paper quilled designs inspired by winter landscapes. Then, use watercolour paint to design elegant symmetrical snowflakes!

This event is generously sponsored by Ontario Power Generation.

March Break Art Camp

Ages 5-7 – This camp is full.

Ages 8-12 – This camp is full.

9am to 4pm

$200 Members| $210 Non-Members

Do you want your kids to dive into creativity? Are they looking for exciting new adventures? Campers are encouraged to interact with art in fun and playful ways as they share their thoughts, and express their ideas through art. We will get hands on with some messy and imaginative art making activities that will truly inspire all budding artists. Spaces are limited.

Here’s how March Break Camp will look this year:

  • The RMG will remain closed to public on Mondays – only camp participants onsite
  • Drop-off between 8:45am and 9am
  • Small camp cohorts
  • Mask friendly camp for staff, volunteers and participants
  • Rigorous cleaning throughout the day
  • Pick-up at 4pm

COVID -19 protocols and guidelines

  • We will continue to follow COVID -19 protocols and guidelines outlined by the Durham Region Health Department and the Province’s Chief Medical Officer. Our goal is to ensure the health and safety of staff and participants, and create an enjoyable experience.
  • If we must cancel camp due to public health restrictions, we will issue full refunds. Cancellations by participants will be subject to our cancellation policy.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have questions or concerns that aren’t addressed here, please feel free to contact the Learning Department. More detailed information about camp will be sent to registered families prior to the first day of camp.

I see that you do online registrations, can I register in-person or over the phone?

While we prefer online registrations, we do accept in-person (cash, debit, VISA and Mastercard) and phone registrations (VISA and Mastercard). There is a mandatory registration form that needs to be completed fully for each camper at the time of payment. These forms are reviewed by staff and documented in order to ensure we are aware of pertinent information. We may reach out to families if we have follow-up questions prior to camp.

Families who choose to make payment over the phone will be emailed a copy of the registration form. The form must be filled out and sent back by the first day of camp.

What is your maximum capacity?

15 campers maximum per camp.

What if I have a child that is outside the age range, can they still join?

All of our camps are geared specifically for children within the designated ages. In order to ensure the best experience for everyone, participants must fall within the indicated age range.

Are pre- and post-care available?

No, unfortunately, we are not able to offer this service.

Can I register for one or two days instead of the whole week?

Unfortunately, we ask families to commit to the full week as often our art making fun requires multiple days to complete (many requiring time to dry before paint or adding final details).

What type of activities have you planned, are campers outside at all?

Campers will be spending equal time in the Lookout and the Studio. The camp will have in-gallery interactive visits including looking activities, games, and sketching. Campers in the Studio and Lookout will have opportunities to create with a variety of mediums! We have a fully fenced in backyard, and if weather permits we will be spending lunch and snack breaks outside.

Do you provide snacks/lunch?

Parents are asked to pack a water bottle, peanut free snacks and lunch daily. There are two snack breaks and lunch is from 12-1pm.

What else might my child need to bring?

If you believe your child may need a change of clothes please provide that.  The Studio has fluctuating temperatures, and dressing in layers is suggested to account for this. Please ensure your child wears art friendly clothing and comfortable footwear.

What is the staff to camper ratio?

We aim for a minimum of 1 to 7 ratio.

Do you provide a “kiss and ride”?

Drop-off takes place from 8:45am – 9:00am. On the first day, we ask campers are signed in with a staff member in the front lobby. Families can choose to escort their camper to their “homeroom” or a camp staff member can ensure your child gets to their room.

Families may choose to do a “kiss and ride” drop off in the mornings at the front of the building Tuesday to Friday starting at 8:45am. 

We require all families to pick up their camper at the end of each day at 4pm. Only authorized adults will be allowed to sign out campers.