Arts Letter Vol. 44 No. 2 March/April 2021
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PENTICTON ART GALLERY Arts Letter March / April 2021 Vol. 44 No. 2 OUR MISSION OUR VALUES The Penticton Art Gallery exists The following inform all initiatives and shape the mission and vision to exhibit, interpret, preserve, statements of the Gallery: and promote the visual, artistic, and cultural heritage of Indige- Community Responsibility: the Gallery interacts with the communi- nous Peoples and of Canada; ty by designing programs that inspire, challenge, educate, and enter- and to educate and engage the tain while recognizing excellence in the visual arts. public on local, regional, and global social issues through the Professional Responsibility: the Gallery employs curatorial exper- visual arts. tise to implement the setting of exhibitions, programs, and services in accordance with nationally recognized professional standards of oper- ation. OUR VISION Fiscal Responsibility: the Gallery conducts its operations and pro- We envision a gallery accessible grams within the scope of the financial and human resources availa- to everyone as a vibrant public ble. space in service of our commu- nity, to foster greater social en- gagement, critical thinking, and Territorial Acknowledgement: the Penticton Art Gallery acknowl- creativity. edges that the land on which we gather is the unceded territory of the Sylix (Okanagan) Peoples. VISIT US GALLERY STAFF BOARD OF DIRECTORS 199 Marina Way Paul Crawford Eric Hanston Penticton, British Columbia Director/Curator President V2A 1H5, Canada [email protected] Kristine Lee Shepherd This gallery is wheelchair accessible Julia Snow Vice-President Administrator [email protected] Dr. Claude Roberto CONTACT US Secretary McKaila Ferguson, MSc (250)-493-2928 Collections + Communications Ret Tinning [email protected] [email protected] Treasurer www.pentictonartgallery.com Carla O’Bee, BEd, BFA Heena Nagar; Eric Corneau; Ann Education + Programming Doyon; Jane Bruff; Robert Doull [email protected] Directors Kajal Singh HOURS Visitor Services + Gift Shop [email protected] Monday-Friday: 10am-5pm Jill Moreton Saturday: 11am-4pm Weekend Visitor Services Sunday + Holidays: Closed [email protected] Cornelia King + Lou Rutherford On-Call Receptionists Above: Love Penticton Local designed by Skyler Punnett, 2020. Publication Agreement #40032521 Cover: Laurie Landry, Pandemic Lipreading, ISSN 1195-5643 2020, oil on canvas, 10” x 20”. Commis- sioned by City of Vancouver Public Art 2 Program. MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD Where has the time gone? It seems like it was just er future? I am finishing up my 4th year on the last week when I was rushing to get my message in Board, my 3rd as Board President, and it is time for for the first Arts Letter in 2021. Time has a way of me to step aside and let others take up the helm, so passing you by if you aren't paying attention. to speak. I leave knowing things are going well and hope that the new Board will have some new faces. For my message in this Arts Letter, while time still If you are interested, get in touch with Paul Crawford allows, I would like to focus on asking you to con- or myself. sider putting your name forward to join the Gal- lery's Board of Directors. The AGM will be upon us I urge any of you reading this that might be thinking before we know it, and with that comes the election you have something to contribute by being on the of a new Board. Mark down May 26th in your cal- Board, please, come forward. It is time well spent! endars! As it is every year, there are returning Di- rectors and Directors who are departing after serv- All the best, ing their time. Having new people with new ideas and energies joining is what keeps things thriving Eric Hanston, President and alive. It is one of the finest ways a person can contribute to keeping our Gallery doing the fantas- tic things it does. We are in a good place right now at the Gallery. Staff and Board are working well together focusing on bringing about as much success to the Gallery as they can. So why not consider what YOU can Above: Eric Hanston, President of the Board of Directors, Penticton Art contribute and bring it forward into an even bright- Gallery. Photo © Bill Blair. 3 MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR/CURATOR It has been incredible to see how our community’s already tenuous and fragile arts and culture ecosys- tem has adapted to these new found realities. I tip my hat to the team at the Penticton + District Com- munity Arts Council who have found many new and exciting ways to expand their outreach into our com- munity, building partnerships to distribute program- ming and art supplies to those who might not other- wise have had access to these resources. It has been incredible to see the community come together in support of the Okanagan School of the Arts as they adjust not only to COVID-19, but the move and relo- cation of their operations from the Shatford Centre to CoWork Penticton and the Elks Lodge. The Pentic- ton Academy of Music continues to deliver pro- gramming and has moved their lessons online. While the recent spat of needless vandalism to the Leir House Cultural Centre has diverted much need- ed resources and funds from the activities of all the tenants, it has also been a gift allowing for some renovations and upgrades to the building. I would It’s hard to believe that after watching it work its also like to acknowledge the work being done way across the globe, March marks the one year by Chandra Wong and the team at the Penticton anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic’s arrival in Museum + Archives for all the online programs our community. As we cross this milestone we do so they have developed over the past year. Similarly, knowing that while there may be a light at the end the folks at the Penticton Public Library are adapt- of the tunnel, the reality for the foreseeable future ing and innovating how they develop and deliver remains the same. As we cross this milestone I want new programming ideas. There is so much out there to take this opportunity to thank all those who have to discover and I am constantly amazed and inspired stuck with us over the past year. Thank you for your by the work and creativity which exists here in our continued support of our efforts to deliver as many community. We are far richer for all you have done of our regularly scheduled exhibitions, while also to help us through these times, and I hope the lega- developing new ways for increased community en- cy of your hard work will continue pay dividends well gagement. Every day is an adventure as we collec- into the future. tively navigate the constantly shifting landscape. In spite of the challenges this past year, I have been We miss our role of being seen by many as a com- encouraged by the interest and support our artists munity living room, providing a place for everyone and cultural institutions have received. I hope this to gather and be beguiled, inspired, enchanted, experience has highlighted the often overlooked val- and challenged. We long for that day when we can ue the arts have to the economic, social, and emo- all gather again to share our stories and partake in tional well-being of our society. Universal access to the joy and value of the collective experience. the arts is intrinsic to enjoying a high quality of life. Looking ahead we have the real opportunity to ex- 4 perience a significant cultural renaissance while share ideas on how we can move our community reimaging how we want our community to look. forward with arts and culture acting as the catalyst Back when we could travel it was easy to see how for change. the arts had the power not only to transform a city, but define our experience and memory of the place. A well-supported creative community is the social Anyone who has been to Puerto Vallarta cannot de- and cultural tie that bind us together, and is the last- ny the incredible asset of the Malecon Boardwalk, ing legacy by which future generations will ultimately creating a pedestrian-friendly amenity. It is constant- judge us. One of the exciting aspects of our new re- ly animated by artists, artisans, buskers, public sculp- ality is that everyone one of us, regardless of eco- ture, sandcastles, sports, recreation, and food. We nomic standing, has the capacity of becoming a are doubly blessed here in Penticton with two incred- meaningful patron of the arts. You can do this by ible and distinct waterfront experiences tied together simply choosing to buy an artist’s album rather than by the channel, which when combined, could be so burning a copy for free online, or by introducing art- easily developed into a world class amenity. ists to friends who will purchase their work. Patron- age does not merely create job security — it also en- I don’t believe this is an outrageous dream. This is sures that an artist has the foundation from which entirely possible and within our reach and financial they can springboard their creative aspirations. Ulti- capabilities, with our only limitations being the col- mately, there is neither a right nor a wrong way to lective will, unified vision, leadership and courage to become a modern-day patron, nor is there a defini- make it happen. There are so many exciting exam- tive definition of the role it plays within our artistic ples of dynamic community planning and we have ecosystem.