Step into the imaginative world of Curiouser & Curiouser

Norman Barney, Squirrel Heaven, 2013

Mummified squirrels, gold leaf, twigs, velvet. 66 x 77.4 cm 

Based on the delightful and somewhat whimsical artwork of Petrolia based artist Norman Barney, Curiouser & Curiouser offers visitors a journey into the wonderfully bizarre world of the imagination.

Barney, along with other likeminded artists including Jorden and David Doody, Dagmara Genda, Karine Giboulo, Catherine Heard, James Kirkpatrick, Ron Noganosh and Chris Stones, take delight in transforming found and recycled objects, creating works that are visually engaging and entertaining while at the same time examine some of society's most complex and urgent social issues. 

Jorden & David Doody, The Pageantry of Power, 2010

Found objects, 96.5 x 40.60 x 71.1 cm

Each of the eight artists featured in the exhibition all work in their own unique and interesting way,  with found objects, assemblage, collage and readymade. 

The term curiouser and curiouser was first coined by Lewis Carol in his 1865 novel, Alice In Wonderland. Today, it is commonly used to express a feeling that you are seeing or experiencing something that doesn't quite make sense, or that imparts a sense of wonder. The phrase implies being drawn further and further into some bizarre world where one is merely an observer into the odd imaginings of others.

 James Kirkpatrick, bob round, 2011

Acrylic marker, gouache , collage on board, 20.3 x 20.3 cm

About the artists:

Norman Barney was born in Saginaw, Michigan to parents who were political activists. Immersed in the intellectual fervour of the civil rights movement and anti-war demonstrations, Barney absorbed distaste for the brutality of war and tyrannical government. In 1969, shortly after the election of Richard Nixon and the assassinations of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King, he moved to Canada with his parents.

Barney's art is characterized by a delight in juxtaposing found objects, antique tourist kitsch and other found materials into unique relationships, creating art objects that instill a sense of wonder and delight in the viewer. While his assemblages are compelling, humorous and innovative, there is a serious political conviction and social conscience that underpins his work. He currently lives and works in Petrolia, Ontario.

Jorden & David Doody are a collaborative team whose artistic practice is heavily influenced by world travel and the cross pollination of mass media, ritual and fetishistic cultures. Their practice moves freely between new media, sculpture, and painting. A common thread that can be traced throughout their work is that of assemblage. By sampling freely from a multitude of different sources, they are able to access unlimited individual histories, societal contexts and cultural symbols. The Doody's live and work in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Dagmara Genda's work is informed by her self-proclaimed nomadic restlessness. Working with cliché Canadiana imagery of a tamed wilderness often represented in coffee table books, her 'drawing collages' investigate the chaos of life and how we negotiate an understanding of society, an activity that is always in flux and completely contingent on context. Genda currently lives and works in Guelph, Ontario.

Karine Giboulo is a Montreal-based multi-disciplinary artist who creates work in two- and three-dimensional form. Made up of dioramas populated by doll-like figures, many of these microcosms represent distinct nations and parts of the world including Canada, Africa, India, China and the Caribbean. Giboulo explores complex social issues such as environmentalism, urbanization, globalization in the information age, and the pursuit of consumer goods and material wealth. Giboulo currently lives and works in Montreal, Quebec.

Catherine Heard creates artworks that interrogate the histories of science, medicine and the museum. Simultaneously attractive and repulsive, her works delve into primal anxieties about the body, manifested in images of the monstrous body, the doppelganger, the abject body and the inform body.

James Kirkpatrick currently resides in London, Ontario where he is producing work in a variety of media including drawing, painting, avant-garde hip-hop and electronic music, sound sculpture, zines, comics, and mask-making. His work is often constructed from used electronics, wood, fabrics, and found materials. His paintings incorporate sculptural, kinetic, and auditory elements, as he combines his 2D aesthetic with circuit-bent electronic toys creating hand-held sculptures that function as both musical instruments and experimental sound machines.

Ron Noganosh's sculptural assemblages integrate aspects of his Ojibway heritage with contemporary civilization's garbage to create ironic comments on ecology, racism, identity and socio-economic hierarchies. His work is filled with humour and irony as he brings new meaning to discarded objects while exploring questions of culture and identity. In addition to his imaginative use of recycled garbage, Noganosh also makes sensitive use of the more natural materials he finds —feathers, wood, stone, bone, and fur. Born on the Magnetawan Reserve on Georgian Bay, Noganosh is currently living and working in Ottawa.

Chris Stones lives and works in Thunder Bay, Ontario. As a sculptor and mixed media artist with a keen interest in his natural surroundings, the lake and the region figure prominently in his work. His ability to select and see the potential of found objects to create sculptural assemblages is a defining strength of his practice. At the heart of his reclamation and employment of found materials is an examination of the tensions and issues most pressing in the contemporary lives in the Thunder Bay region.

Curiouser & Curiouser is now on display until May 11. For updated exhibition and event information visit www.jnaag.ca 

New Exhibitions Promise to Engage and Delight!

February Frist Friday, marks the opening of two new and innovative exhibition at the JNAAG.

 Curiouser & Curiouser and Eleven Times Eleven feature works by of some of the most cutting edge contemporary artists working in Canada.

Curiouser & Curiouser 

Based on the delightful and somewhat whimsical artwork of Petrolia based artist Norman Barney, Curiouser & Curiouser offers visitors a journey into the wonderfully bizarre world of the imagination.

Barney, along with other likeminded artists including Jorden and David Doody, Dagmara Genda, Karine Giboulo, Catherine Heard, James Kirkpatrick, Ron Noganosh and Chris Stones, take delight in transforming found and recycled objects, creating works that are visually engaging and entertaining while at the same time examine some of society's most complex and urgent social issues.

The exhibition offers an opportunity to experience art work by eight emerging artists from across Canada, all working in their own unique way with assemblage, collage and found objects. Centered on the work of Petrolia artist Norman Barney, the exhibition will challenge your perceptions about what art can be and how it can function in the world."

Eleven Times Eleven / Peyakosâpwâw, also opens at the JNAAG on February 7. The exhibition investigates Indigenous traditional knowledge known as The Great Law of the Iroquois; a principle that requires consideration for seven generations into the future when governing decisions are made. 

Well-known Aboriginal artist Ron Noganosh has created works that speak to ancient traditions in Indigenous image making and storytelling, while acknowledging future generations. Eleven Times Eleven / Peyakosâpwâw has been produced in conjunction with the Emerging Aboriginal Curatorial Residency Project, generously sponsored by RBC.

Artist Talk with Ron Noganosh
Thursday, February 6 at 7:00 pm

Join us for a rare opportunity to sit down with important Canadian artist Ron Noganosh, who will discuss his multi-faceted artistic practice with an emphasis on his works in our current exhibitions, Eleven Times Eleven and Curiouser and Curiouser.

For more information about these upcoming events visit www.JNAAG.ca

Artist Talk with Ron Noganosh

On Thursday, February 6 at 7:00 pm, join us for this rare opportunity to sit down with important Aborignal artist Ron Noganosh, who will discuss his multi-faceted artistic practice with an emphasis on his works in our current exhibitions, Eleven Times Eleven and Curiouser & Curiouser.

Ron Noganosh, Power People (digital drawing) 2013.

Inspired by The Great Law of the Iroquois Ron's works featured Eleven Times Eleven, speak to ancient traditions in Indigenous image making and storytelling as they reference early petroglyphs, while simultaneously acknowledging the future as they summon notions of the Star People.

Noganosh grew up on a small reserve near Georgian Bay, and began creating art at a very young age. Many of his works are composed of found materials, musing that “garbage collectors earn three times as much as I do.” His work often combines guarded humour with an undertone of deep concern on Indigenous-Canadian relations, poverty, culture, spirituality, politics, influenced by both his identity as an aboriginal and his concern about current social issues.

Currently Ron is a member of Magnetawan First Nation, Byng Inlet, Ontario. He studied Fine Arts at the University of Ottawa. His works have been exhibited at the Canadian Museum of Civilization, the National Gallery of Canada, The Ottawa Art Gallery and the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec. He is also the recipient of numerous Canada Council Grants and the Ontario Premiers Awards for Excellence in the Arts.

CLICK HERE>> to reserve your seat. 

Our Art & Ideas series is generously supported by 

Art's Birthday Live Broadcast

Our Art's Birthday festivities are about to kick-off! The artists have set up their gear and sound-check is over.

Just one example of the home made instruments that will be used in tonight's performances

A combination of traditional instruments and electronic gear will be used in various
forms throughout the evening. 

Can't make it into the gallery? Follow our live streaming broadcast at http://ustre.am/18USf to catch all of the action. Our events will be broadcast across the Art's Birthday Eternal Network. 

Celebrate Arts Birthday!

Everyone loves a good birthday party right? Join us this Friday, January 17 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, for the worldwide celebration of Art's Birthday!

Art's Birthday is an annual event, proposed in 1963 by French artist Robert Filliou to celebrate the presence of art in our lives. With the creation of this celebration, his hope was to make the creation of art an everyday activity, accessible to everyone and not a rarefied object. It has since been celebrated on January 17 as an annual exchange-art event by a collection of artists and artist organizations around the world.

Gym Naysium (aka James Kirkpatrick) will perform

This year the JNAAG will be taking part in Art's Birthday celebration with an evening of sound exploration, with musical performances and a live broadcast across the Art's Birthday network! Featured electronic artists include Gym Naysium (London), Ruin (Toronto) and the brothers pus (Sarnia), who will each perform a solo set, culminating in a collaborative jam session. And what goes better with exciting musical performances than birthday cake!

This is a free, after hour's event but tickets are required. Pick-up your tickets at the main reception desk during regular public hours or reserve by calling 519-336-8127 ext 3231. Limited seating is available.

Take in 'Inspirational Memories' This Weekend

Hands at work during an art activity with the Alzheimer Society of Sarnia Lambton

January marks Alzheimer Awareness Month in Canada, and on January 11 and 12, 2014, the Judith & Norman Alix Art Gallery, along with the Alzheimer Society of Sarnia Lambton, presents Inspirational Memories, an exhibition featuring art work created by the participants of a pilot program in partnership with the Alzheimer Society of Sarnia Lambton. Please join us in celebrating this important partnership at the opening reception on Saturday, January 11 at 1:30 pm.

In September 2013, The Alzheimer Society of Sarnia Lambton partnered with the JNAAG to provide an outreach program for local individuals living with early onset dementia and their caregivers. The program was inspired by a concept developed at the Museum Of Modern Art in New York. Under the encouragement of trained facilitators and volunteers, local residents and their caregivers gathered at the gallery for group conversation around selected artworks, followed by a hands on activity designed to foster involvement and discussion.

A few examples of the art works created during the pilot project

Research has shown the powerful role that engaging with art can play in the lives of people living with dementia and this partnership provides those living with the degenerative disease an opportunity to articulate unspoken emotions through art therapy. In partnering with the Alzheimer Society of Sarnia Lambton, the JNAAG's goal is to work together and provide a creative and safe environment where participants can express their thoughts, opinions and stories through art."

Inspirational Memories, will present artworks created by program participants this Saturday January 11, and Sunday, January 12, in the second floor lecture theatre of the JNAAG. The JNAAG, and the Alzheimer Society of Sarnia Lambton, will be expanding programs for individuals with dementia throughout 2014.

Treat Your Family To Festive Art Activities

It is important to make time to spend together during this busy holiday season, and the JNAAG's  free art activities provide a terrific opportunity for families to create and engage with art together.

We invite families of all types to participate in two upcoming festive art drop-ins that are sure to get you in the festive spirit!

Fri, Dec 20 - 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

PA Day Activity - Seasonal Stars

Families! Looking for a great way to spend time together? Our creative Seasonal Star activity will ensure that no-one gets bored on their day off. Our art instructors will guide you through the process of making decorative stars using kite paper, layering to create texture and depth. Explore and experiment with colour and design to liven up your windows for the winter season.

Sat, Dec 21 - 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm 

Festive Holiday Arty Party

Still snowing outside? Get out of the cold and into the gallery, as we celebrate the season with festive treats and holiday crafts. 

Using potato stamps of different shapes and sizes, you can creatively customize your holiday gifts by making your own unique wrapping paper. While your paper dries, decorate your own gingerbread cookies. Your artistic take on this holiday classic will be good enough to eat!

The free activities are best suited for ages 4-13, and children must be accompanied by an adult. 

Along with these special activities, stop by the gallery every Sunday from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. for the JNAAG's Family Sunday Art Drop-ins. Proudly powered by Bluewater Power, these art activities experiment with different artistic themes and practices, in a fun and relaxed environment. Materials are always provided.

Please note that the JNAAG will be open the following hours over the Holidays:

December 23 - 27: CLOSED

December 28 - 29: OPEN 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

December 30 - 31: CLOSED

January 1: CLOSED

Free Films Expand on Themes in Contemporary Art

The gallery has a fresh line-up of free film screenings that are sure to excite all art lovers. Covering a broad spectrum of artistic genres, these films explore themes in contemporary art and expose current artists working in all mediums to a broader, North American audience. 

Upcoming film screenings include:

Saturday, Dec 7 - 1:00 pm
Robert Motherwell and the New York School

In 1991, Robert Motherwell was seen as only surviving member of the New York Abstract Expressionist movement. Known for his graphically expressive works, Motherwell along with other artistic giants including Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, Mark Rothko and Franz Kline, found themselves on the battleground of American art in the 1940's. The results of their efforts set American painting on an international scale, shifting the centre of modern art to New York City.

The film charts the growth of the Abstract Expressionist movement through the personal stories of Motherwell. Through interviews and film footage, the artist also provides insight into his own struggles and triumphs, along with his creative process. The screening serves not only to document the rich artistic scene of post- WWII New York, but also the personal story of one of the greatest champions of modern American art.

Produced by PBS, the Art 21 series seeks to explore and highlight contemporary art and artists in an accessible and creative manner. Under the title "Art is for the many, not the few,' the artists featured in the series reflect current practices in visual art, offering new philosophies and practices. 

Thursday, Dec 12, 7:00 pm
Art21: Place

Our first installment of the Art 21 series, addresses the idea of 'place' in contemporary art. How do artists address themes such as land, home and national identity in their works? From which locations do artists gather inspiration? This episode will examine the function of 'place' in the life of artists Laurie Anderson, Richard Serra, Sally Mann, Barry McGee, Margaret Kilgallen, and Pepón Osorio.

Saturday, Dec 14, 1:00 pm
Art21: Structures
Through this episode we will explore the idea of 'structure' and how contemporary artists define daily routines and interactions in their practices. These artists investigate space in their work, engaging with perception, shifting scale and context to make connections to the world around them.
Featured artists include Matthew Ritchie, Fred Wilson, Richard Tuttle, and Roni Horn. With an introduction by Sam Waterson, this installment is sure to turn challenge your notions of how space is utilized in visual art.

Saturday, Jan 11, 1:00 pm
Art21: Consumption
This installment examines the culture of consumerism in the United States, bringing to light the different ways in which popular culture influences contemporary art. Five artists, including Barbara Kruger, Michael Ray Charles, Matthew Barney, Andrea Zittel, and Mel Chin share how consumption affects their lives, practice, and choice of subject matter.

For more information about upcoming events at the gallery, check out our calendar of events. 

Festive Art Activities

For the month of December, the JNAAG is featuring seasonal inspired art activities that the whole family can enjoy together. Follow your imagination and experiment with new ideas and projects each week. Materials for each activity are always provided, but each project is best suited for ages 4-13.

Join us for an afternoon filled with fun, free art activities. Drop-in, make, and take a fantastic piece of art home with you.

Upcoming Seasonal Activities:

Sun, Dec 1 - Paper Cut Snowflakes
This week our talented instructors will help you create intricate paper cut snowflakes using different textures of paper that won't melt when you take them home. A beautiful decoration for the winter season. 

Sun, Dec 8 - Seriously Decked Out Snowmen
We are taking our snow-spiration from Frosty himself! Create your own snowman using layered cups as the base and decorate in any style you choose.  Make a whole snow family, with no need to worry about frostbite!


Sun, Dec 15 - Frosted Pine Cone Trees
This week's activity packs a seriously seasonal punch.  Starting with a layer of foam as the base, our instructors will help you arrange individual pinecones into miniature trees. Create a frosted look by adding paint or glitter. A creative decoration for these wintry months.

Fri, Dec 20 - 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
PD Day Activity - Seasonal Stars
Families! Looking for a great way to spend time together? Our creative Seasonal Star activity will ensure that no-one gets bored on their day off. Our art instructors will guide you through the process of making decorative stars using kite paper, layering to create texture and depth. Explore and experiment with colour and design to liven up your windows for the winter season.

Sat, Dec 21 - 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Festive Holiday Arty Party
Still snowing outside? Get out of the cold and into the gallery, as we celebrate the season with festive treats and holiday crafts.

Using potato stamps of different shapes and sizes, you can creatively customize your holiday gifts by making your own unique wrapping paper. While your paper dries, decorate your own gingerbread cookies. Your artistic take on this holiday classic will be good enough to eat!
               

Sun Dec 22 - Hand Rolled Beeswax Candles
Join us for this annual holiday favourite, where you can learn how to roll and decorate beeswax candles together as a family. Decorate in any holiday theme you choose. A great homemade gift to light up cold winter nights.

Sun, Dec 29 -New Year - New Stories!    

Let's kick off this New Year with an activity full of creative possibilities. Our instructors will teach you how to bind and create your own personal journal or a story book, and the rest is up to you! What will your story tell?

For more information about our upcoming events and programs, visit our Calendar of Events. 

Dorkbot - A New Program at the JNAAG

We are pleased to present a dynamic new program designed to nurture our local electronic arts community by offering an informal peer development network for any strange things with electricity. 

Dorkbot is an informal group of affiliated organizations worldwide that sponsor grassroots meetings of artists, engineers, designers, scientists, inventors, and anyone else working under the very broad umbrella of electronic art. It was started by Douglas Repetto at the Columbia University Computer Music Center in 2000 and currently has over 100 chapters actively planning and holding meetings. 

The goal of our program is to provide an open discussion and peer exchange of ideas and projects from those involved in the electronic arts, to see how we can build on and develop these common interests. This community exchange will ultimately help identify the direction the program will take.

The program will be a two-month cycle. On the first month, a featured guest will give a presentation on their use of electricity. Sometimes guests will be local enthusiasts, while other times it will be visiting artists and inventors from across the country. The presentation will set a theme. The second month will be an open studio with a variety of tools and supplies provided to explore the ideas that were introduced in the presentation. 

Potential topics include: circuit bending (beginner and advanced); MAX/MSP; Arduino; Solenoids and Motors; Programmable LEDs; sensors; optics; whatever you want!


Get plugged in - Every Third Thursday at 7:00 pm

Nov. 28: DORKBOT 1.1 - Program Introduction / Community Input

The introductory gathering will be less formal and more about keeping it real; an opportunity for our community of curious souls to engage with ideas and each other in an open and friendly environment. This community exchange will ultimately help identify the direction the program will take.

With such diverse and multi-disciplinary subject matter, we encourage participation from all types of artistic and professional backgrounds. If you're a painter, engineer or sculpture, electrician, musician or other creative type, you will fit right in!  Share your ideas and learn all about the strange things your neighbours are doing with electricity.

Dec. 19: DORKBOT 1.2 - Open Studio / Community Input

Building on the introductory Dorkbot session, this evening will offer a platform for home grown talent to share projects, experiments and new technologies that may be of interest to the group.

 The results of this session will be as technical, off-beat, and wacky as the participants personal interests.  Even if you do not have a project to share, we encourage you to come out and learn about new, cool tech projects in our community.

Jan. 16: DORKBOT 2.1 - James Kirkpatrick, Circuit Bending in Art and Music

The second cycle of Dorkbot will focus on the incorporation of electronics into artistic practice, beginning with a presentation by London-based artist James Kirkpatrick known for working in a variety of interactive mediums including drawing, painting, mask-making and sound improvisation.

Kirkpatrick will focus on his practice of creating custom built circuit-bent electronics, the creative art of short circuiting of electronic devices to create new musical qualities. Learn how James incorporates his technological experiments with other artistic interests. It is sure to be a sonic treat!

Feb. 13: DORKBOT 2.2 - Open Studio: Circuit Bending

Taking inspiration from James Kirkpatrick's experiments with circuit bending, this open studio night will provide the background and knowledge to create your own circuit bent device. Participants will be given a brief background on circuit bending and will be shown common techniques and precautions. From there the group can work collaboratively or independently to create their own circuit bent instrument.

No previous experience with electronics necessary.

For more information about this new program, visit out website, www.jnaag.ca  

Are You My Mother? A Curatorial View

Colin Lyons, 'Boom Town' (detail), 2008-2009. Zinc plates, 24"x48"x48"

This Thursday, November 14 at 7:00 pm, join JNAAG Curator Lisa Daniels for a conversation and curatorial walk through of our current exhibition, Are You My Mother?

With so many intersecting themes at play within the exhibition, Daniels will explore the materials, images, concepts and processes used by the three artists featured in the exhibitions, to create a display that challenges social, political and cultural norms.

More about the exhibition:

The art of Cal Lane, Colin Lyons and Clint Neufeld,  shatters any preconceived notions one might have about the masculine and the feminine; practicality and frivolity; ornamentation and function; absence and presence; flourishing and failing; craft and fine art. 

Clint Neufeld, 'Valve Grinder and Other Sunday Afternoon Activities,' 2012.
Ceramic, found Tea Cart 40" x 16" x 29". The Donovan Collection, St Michael's College, Toronto ON.

Neufeld works with concepts of masculine identity, beauty and contradiction in the form of ceramic engines and machinery. In Are You My Mother?, he has taken a popular symbol of the alpha male and re-contextualized them into objects of delicate beauty, perched on top of elegant pieces of antique furniture. The furniture evokes notions of home, and assist in misdirecting our processing of these objects.

Cal Lane, 'Untitled,' 2009. Plasma cut shovels, 59" x 7.8" x 4" each.

Reminiscent of medieval tapestries and delicate lace, Cal Lane transforms discarded industrial aluminized steel corrugated sewer pipes, rusty I-beams and used oil drums into objects of beauty. Filled with contradiction, her sculptures pull together industrial and domestic life as well as relationships of strong and delicate, masculine and feminine, practical and frivolity, ornament and function.

Exhibition shot of Are You My Mother? Featuring Colin Lyons' works,
'Automatic Ruin' and 'Boomtown,'

Colin Lyons' work focusses on the process of ruination at all stages of transformation. In Automatic Ruin a three dimensional replica of a discarded industrial object, constructed from a zinc etching plate, is fully submerged in a weak solution of copper sulphate and is actively in the process of becoming a ruin throughout the course of the exhibition.  

Join us this Thursday at 7:00 pm to learn how these contradictory materials and ideas work together to create an exhibition that is both visually stunning and transformative by nature.

Remembering Through Art

Scott Waters, 'The Twins (3VP),' oil and acrylic on panel, 30"x 40", 2012.

Throughout the 20th Century, Canadian artists and art history has been inextricably linked to conflict around the world. During the onset of World War One, Lord Beaverbrook created the Canadian War Memorials Fund, a project to record the war from Canada’s point of view. From there Beaverbrook selected up and coming artists to document the war in film, photos, print and paint.  

Since the First World War there has been some type of artist program that has allowed Professional Canadian artists the opportunity to research, understand and reflect on the participation of men and women of the Canadian Forces in a wide variety of activities at home and abroad. 

While there are fewer and fewer veterans of the two world wars, the memory of these conflicts will live on through the work of the war art programs, which have and continue to create a visual record of conflicts overseas and at home for future generations. 


Remembrance Day Activities: 
In honour of Remembrance Day, the gallery will be hosting a number of thought provoking and enriching activities. 

Join us for these free events:




Sunday, November 3 - 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Family Sunday Art Drop-in - Origami Poppies
Our instructors will assist you in creating beautiful origami poppies to wear over your heart in honour of our Canadian veterans. The poppy became a symbol of remembrance and the sacrifice made by all Canadian soldiers after Lt. John McCrae penned his famous poem, In Flanders Fields during the First World War.

Wear your poppy with pride. 

Saturday, November 9, 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm
Artist Talk: Scott Waters - Canadian Forces Artist Program (CFAP)
CFAP is the most recent initiative in a long history of war-art programs that started during the First World War.

In 2006, Scott Waters was accepted into CFAP, and travelled to Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, to record the daily operations of the Second Battalion of The Royal Canadian Regiment prior to their deployment to Afghanistan. Waters was also selected to participate with the CFAP again in 2011, to record The Third Battalion of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, as they began The Canadian Forces' mission to train the Afghan National Army, in Kabul Afghanistan.

Water's body of work from that time investigates how military society operates as a social unit both in seclusion from and in relation to general society. He is particularly interested in showing the fraternity and loyalty of military life as a unit, working both for, and against how it is perceived by the general public. A former infantryman with the Third Battalion of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, Walters draws on his time in the army, as well as his work with CFAP for inspiration.

Learn more about Waters' work as a war artist.  

Click here to register your seat for the talk>>

First Friday - Painters Smackdown

Get ready to RUUUUUMBLEEEE. 

Join us First Friday, November 1, for the Third Annual Painters Smackdown, featuring local artists painting live in the gallery spaces. Doors open at 6:00 pm. 

The evenings entertainment will feature eight local artists live in action in the gallery spaces, as they duke it out to create a one of a kind canvas. 

Make the gallery your first stop this Friday and come cheer on local painters.   Admission to catch the action is free, but be sure to buy a ticket to win an original painting. Tickets are $10.00 each or 3 for $20.00. Students under 18 can will receive a discount on tickets - $5.00 each or 3 for $10.00 with a valid student card. 

Don't miss out on the most action packed art event of the year! 

Two new exhibitions opening:

This First Friday also marks the opening of two new exhibitions: The 70's - The big turnaround of the seventies, from the collection of the Musée du Bas-Saint-Laurent, and the 70's in Ontario, from the JNAAG's Permanent Collection.

'Flash' Serge Tousignant, 1968. Glazed steel  and stainless steel, 138 x 92 x 90 cm.

The 70s - The big turnaround of the seventies, from the collection of the Musée du Bas-Saint-Laurent,  showcases the profound transformation of the visual arts in Quebec which began in the 1940s, and the new paradigm was reaffirmed in the 1970s. In this decade, art was released from traditional codes and materials; anything was possible, as many artists explored new paths that resulted in formal strategies of great diversity. 

For the first time, the art scene in Quebec was marching in step with major world currents, as was also the case in the rest of Canada. This decade has received scant attention from art historians; this exhibition aims to fill that gap. Drawn from the Musée du Bas-Saint-Laurent’s rich collection, the works represent the most notable aspects of this phase of Quebec’s cultural history.


The project has been made possible in part through a contribution from the Museums Assistance Program, Department of Canadian Heritage.

The 70's In Ontario

Paul Fournier 'Tritarian,' 1974 acrylic and chalk on canvas 109 x 127 cm.
 Gift of David Black, Toronto.

Drawing from the gallery's permanent collection, The 70s in Ontario is representative of the overarching artistic tendencies and interests of art production in Ontario in the 1970s. The 1960s marked a shift from a modernist society to a post-modernist society, where specialization and barriers between different realms of thinking and industry began to collapse and become less important. 

Consequently, the 1970s was a time to refine and sort through the myriad of new materials, subjectivities, and partnerships made available to artists. Leaning toward a thematic exploration of ideas about language in art, the influence of technology and new media, and a conceptually oriented understanding of materiality, featured artists include Paul Fournier, Greg Curnoe, and Joyce Wieland.

Both exhibitions open Friday, November 1. 

Upcoming Talks and Films

The weather outside may be getting cooler, but the JNAAG is heating up with a great line-up of Fall Art & Ideas talks and film screenings. 

Every Thursday night and some Saturday afternoons, our free presentations discuss anything from famous works of art, current exhibitions,  to local artists in our community speaking to their artistic practice.The Art & Ideas series, sponsored by CI Investments, also includes the film screening series, The Private Life of a Masterpiece, bus trips, and more.

Events are always FREE unless otherwise noted. So put on a sweater, grab a friend and head out to the JNAAG!

Upcoming talks: 

James Provencher in his studio. Photo by Hailer McHarg

Thursday, October 17, 7:00pm to 8:30pm

Artist Talk: James Provencher 

Local artist James Provencher will provide insight into his process based artistic techniques and speak to his past projects, leading up to in his recent exhibition, Under Saturn, which was on display at the Urban Nature Centre on October 4th.

Provencher's artistic journey over the past decade has been quite interesting. After a five-year hiatus from painting, he returned to his practice with a more organic approach. Taking inspiration from the great British impressionist JMW Turner and abstract expressionist Marc Rothko, Provencher uses the natural effects of light and reflection as inspiration for his use of colour.

Saturday, October 19 - 1:00 pm

The Private Life of a Masterpiece:

Leonardo da Vinci - The Last Supper (1495)

The Last Supper by Leonardo Da Vinci depicts the dramatic moment when Christ tells his disciples that one of them will betray him. From it's creation in 1495, the fresco has withstood a number of dramatic events, including two world wars, looters, bombings and a number of attempts to destroy the work. The conservation techniques used to restore the painting throughout the centuries, are almost as controversial as its subject matter.

Thursday, October 24- 7:00 pm 

The Private Life of a Masterpiece:

Salvador Dali - Christ of Saint John of the Cross (1951)

The Christ of St John of the Cross by Salvador Dali is the first of two extraordinary crucifixions painted by Dali in the early 1950s. The painting is based on a 'cosmic dream' Dali is said to have had, in which the nucleus of the atom is was a figure of Christ himself. 

The painting offers a surrealist view of the crucifixion of Christ, and is based on a drawing by the 16th century Spanish friar Saint John of the Cross. But Dali's vision was somewhat unique, using an unusual artistic perspective in which Christ is seen from above. 

Saturday, October 26 - 1:00 pm

The Private Life of a Masterpiece:

Piero della Francesca - The Resurrection (1435-65)

The Resurrection, is a fresco by the Italian Renaissance master Piero della Francesca, showing the resurrection of Christ. But the painting is not an idealised depiction of Christ, unlike images before it. Blood drips from his wounds, and the bags under his eyes suggest he is unwell,  his nose looks flattened and his beard is not well-tended. 

Writer Aldous Huxley, considered it “the greatest picture in the world”, noted this Christ’s “physical and intellectual power”.

Saturday, November 2 - 1:00 pm

The Private Life of a Masterpiece:

Francisco Goya- The Third of May, 1808 (1814)

The Third Of May 1808,  portrays the slaughter of civilians, after Napoleon's troops entered Madrid during the Dos de Mayo Uprising in 1808. Painted in 1814 by Don Francisco Goya, the picture was far removed from the conventional expectations of a war painting. Instead of glorifying the King, the army or the state, Goya focused on a group of anonymous soldiers being shot at point-blank range by a firing squad. 

Thursday, November 7 - 7:00 pm to 8:00pm

The Private Life of a Masterpiece:

Michelangelo - David (1501)
Michelangelo's large-scale marble sculpture, represents the biblical figure of David, a favoured subject in the art world of Florence at the end of the 15th century. This episode begins in a marble quarry, and slowly reveals how the artist managed to capture the human body in exquisitely fine detail, when so many other before him tried and failed.

Scott Waters, The Twins (3VP), oil and acrylic on panel, 30" x 40", 2012 

Saturday, November 9 1:00 to 3:30 pm

Artist Talk: Scott Waters - Canadian Forces War Artist Program (CFAP)

CFAP is the most recent initiative in a long history of war-art programs that started during the First World War. Canadian art icons such as Arthur Lismer, Alex Colville and Pegi Nicol MacLoed have participated in various incarnations of the program, which offers current Canadian artists, “opportunities to support the independent, creative work of professional Canadian artists of all cultures who wish to contribute to the history of the Canadian Forces.”

Toronto based artist Scott Waters was selected to participate in the program twice, travelling to military bases in Canada and Afghanistan to record the daily operations of Canadian troops. A former infantryman with the Third Battalion of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, Waters draws on his time in the army, and his work with CFAP, to represent how the infantry operates as a distinct social unit.

To see a full schedule of our Art & Ideas talks, click here>>