Aftermath!

Wow. I think that our busy week paid off. The opening of Phyllis Grant's Contemporary Observations in Photos, Drawings, and Music Inspired by Patterns, Forces, and Beats in Nature, Heather Goodchild's From Some Wilderness Place, and the AGSM Instructor's Show in the Main Gallery, as well as the celebration of Amber Andersen's exhibibition of Homesick in the Community Gallery, was a huge success. Well, I had fun at least. Heather showed up on Thursday with what must be the most lovely group of friends a girl could ask for. All four of them (that includes Heather) flew to Winnipeg from Toronto and braved March driving conditions from Winnipeg to Brandon in order to help Heather with the install. They were happy to pitch in with the show and asked only for a good milkshake in return. Once the installation was complete, Heather jumped right into action by meeting with Steve Gouthro's BU class on Thursday night and giving an awesome presentation. When she was done we pulled Amber Andersen out of the class she was teaching in the Drawing Studio and had her talk about the Community Gallery exhibition. A busy night, but a good way to start off the fun.

On Friday morning Jimmy and I got to the gallery early and set up Phyllis' work which had just arrived from New Brunswick. Then we were off to the races. The opening reception started at 7:30 on Friday night and sometime after 8pm we got the artists to speak about their work. Heather went first and she brought in her friend, musician Doug Paisley, to help. Doug sang some of the traditional folk songs that had inspired the work while accompanying himself on acoustic guitar. It was great! Then we moved everyone over to the other side of the gallery to hear Phyllis' talk. She spoke eloquently about her life and work, allowing the audience to ask questions before wrapping up with an original poem. After that everyone milled around enjoying these two exhibitions and the exceptional work of the Instructor's Show.

Next it was off to the Brandon Friendship Centre Bingo Hall for musical performances by Richard MacKay, MO3 (Phyllis), and Bo Schowz (Jimmy). Jimmy was already down there so Phyllis and I hustled over just in time to miss Richard's set. So we dimmed the lights and I gave the most awkard-bespectacled-curator-introduction-to-a-rap-performance-schpiel ever. But Phyllis picked up the slack and performed beautifully, even getting Jimmy up to do a number with her. Jimmy took over after that and blew us all away. Then we we gave out some stellar door prizes donated by the Manitoba Metis Federation and still had time for Richard to play another set! Folks, if you ever get the chance to hear Richard MacKay perform, do so. Especially if Gerald Thunderbird is on lead guitar. Good stuff indeed.

Anyway, this goodness trickled over into the next day. On Saturday afternoon Phyllis and I headed back to the AGSM for a screening of her children's film "MAQ and the Spirit of the Woods." I had figured that we would get a small crowd of youngsters and Phyllis could give a little talk about the movie and that would be it. But in the end we wound up having two small groups of kids joining us, which was great because it let Phyllis talk with them rather than at them. She was amazing at it too. No wonder she's MO3 (Mother of Three!). Much fun. Big thanks to everyone who came out and helped in any way, including all the AGSM staff, Vanna Evans with food, Jason at the MMF, and John from the Brandon Friendship Centre. We'll have to do it again sometime...

Afterparty!

Installation week is always a rollercoaster ride - Will the artwork make it up on the walls in time? Will people like the show? Will the staff all get so stressed out that we all catch the flu? Installation week after a major event like the Art Auction has even more anxious excitement to it. That's why we need to party when this week is done. On Friday night at 7:30pm we will have our opening reception for Phyllis Grant's Contemporary Observations in Photos, Drawings and Music Inspired by Patterns, Forces and Beats in Nature, Heather Goodchild's From Some Wilderness Place, the AGSM Instructor's Show, and Amber Andersen's Homesick. Phyllis and Heather will talk about their work that night and then musician Doug Paisley will perform a few tunes. Afterwards, at 9pm we'll all head over to the Brandon Friendship Centre Bingo Hall (205 College) for some hip hop by MO3 (Phyllis) and Bo Schowz (our own Jimmy). Should be fun and it's been great working with Jason from the MMF and John from BFC to pull it together. Come on out and bring your friends! There'll be door prizes (a CD player and an MP3 player!) and free coffee. No joke. And if you know anyone who is into hip hop or spoken word, and would like to perform, give us a call at the gallery 727.1036. After this week, we need to party and we need you to help...
Phyllis Grant/MO3: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=39010146
Heather Goodchild: http://www.heathergoodchild.com/
Doug Paisley: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=129905557
Bo Schowz: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=114207071
Brandon Friendship Centre: http://www.mac.mb.ca/brandon/
Manitoba Metis Federation: http://www.southwestmmf.ca/main.aspx

Installing Amber's Show

Jimmy and I have been installing Amber Andersen's exhibition "Homesick" in the Community Gallery since Monday. We are covering the walls with Amber's prints and drawings, and let me tell you, it is intense. Check out the photo of Jimmy and all that pink paper. Look interesting? Come check it out. Once installed, "Homesick" will be up until April 7. By then we will all be suffering from pink eye.

17th Annual Art Auction and Birthday Bash

It’s coming! The Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba’s 17th Annual Art Auction is happening at the Victoria Inn, Imperial Ballroom on Friday, March 2, 2007.
We left it for a year so we could make the 2007 event extra special because not only is it the 125th Anniversary of the City of Brandon it is also the 100th Anniversary of the Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba. In 1907, the Brandon Art Club came together to offer art classes and exhibitions to the people of southwestern Manitoba. Here we are after numerous name changes, locations, and people, loved and lost, in a beautiful facility still doing much the same things we did 100 years ago.

Over 60 artists have contributed work and some have even created pieces just for our auction that mark special moments, people, and places in our combined history. The City of Brandon and the Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba have grown up together. Like the best of families it’s time to celebrate all we have done and all we hope to do in the future. Our Gala Dinner will be one great big birthday bash to celebrate the 225 years between us.
With Diane Nelson as our charming and musical Emcee there will be many surprises in store for the evening. We are certain it will follow the tradition of all good birthday parties with hijinks galore and cake afterwards.

Individual tickets for the event are $65 and a table of eight is $480 with all proceeds from the auction and ticket sales go to support the Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba art education programs for children and adults. Our visual arts programs enrich life in this region and make Brandon a great place to live!