A new exhibit, “In the Spirit of Play,” is opening at Callander’s Alex Dufresne Gallery on Saturday, March 2, with a reception from 2 to 4 p.m. The show highlights the work of 14 artists, all of which focus on the theme of play.
“Play isn’t just for children or artists,” noted Museum Curator Natasha Wiatr, “it’s an essential aspect of learning, community-building, and creative discovery,” and the pieces on display depict these many aspects. “Guaranteed inspiration awaits” those who visit, Wiatr added.
Participating artists include Janet Bourgeau, Sarah Carlin-Ball, Christine Charette, Claire Domitric, Monique Godon, Gillian Hebert, Tiina Kirik, Kim Kitchen, Rebecca McGinley, Ingrid Rudnik O’Gorman, Linda Millar, Edna Scott, Pat Stamp, Vanessa Tignanelli, and Brent Trach.
See: New season begins at Callander’s Alex Dufresne Gallery
Sarah Carlin-Ball also curated the exhibit. She noted there is an emphasis on connection, play, and creativity within the collection.
“Since the pandemic, connection, sharing space, and creativity have been thrown into relief as something we humans absolutely need,” she detailed. “The spirit of play has a different meaning for each artist here, but this project highlights the warmth of connection, the joy of exploration, and welcoming the unexpected.”
“The theme,” Carlin-Ball continued, “is intended to inspire us to touch the mystery of life — which generally happens when we are curious, surprised, and awestruck — presenting, in the end, a show that will hopefully effect the same for the viewers.”
The show will run from March 2nd - 30th, 2024. The gallery will be open Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 - 5:00 p.m. Admission to the opening reception this Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m. is free, and there will be light refreshments. There will also be free admission to the museum that day, and artists will be attending.
The Alex Dufresne Gallery is located at 107 Lansdowne Street, in Callander, within the same building as the Callander Bay Heritage Museum.
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
