Blog: July at Snowball Gallery & Workshop
SNOWBALL GALLERY
& WORKSHOP
JULY 2010
Hope Canada Day was or is continuing to be a refreshing holiday. Feels like it snuck up a bit, tucked in behind this G20 business. Though the country's another year older, the wiser bit, remains in question. Most Torontonians out and about yesterday seemed to be taking their cues from American psychologist and philosopher William James, who once said, "The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook." With that said, the art of being goes on.
Next week, ABC: ANYTHING BUT CANVAS, a group painting exhibition opens Thursday, July 8th with a reception from 7-11PM. The show is comprised of the works of fourteen contemporary artists from across Canada and runs until July 25th.
Our current exhibition, After School Special: The Student School Art Show has been extended through this Sunday, July 4th, if you haven't yet had a chance to check out the works of this next generation of artists. Lots of imagination and energy up on the walls.
Hope to see you around soon,
Alison
Press Release: Snowball Gallery & Workshop presents ABC: ANYTHING BUT CANVAS
SNOWBALL GALLERY
& WORKSHOP
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TORONTO [JUNE 27, 2010] Snowball Gallery & Workshop is pleased to present ABC: ANYTHING BUT CANVAS, a group painting exhibition. Featuring the works of more than a dozen contemporary artists from across Canada, the show opens Thursday, July 8, 2010 with a reception from 7-11 PM. The exhibition will run through Sunday, July 25, 2010.
Works by:
Carlo Allarde Dani Nash
Tammi Campbell Derek Power
Tony Yin Tak Chu Shawn Skeir
Shlomi Greenspan Josh Thorpe
Christofer Hutch Istvan & Christian Toth
Henna Kim Kathy Toth
Aaron Li-Hill
Curated by:
Alison Snowball
ABC: ANYTHING BUT CANVAS is about getting back to basics. The word canvas has its early roots in the Greek kannabis or 'made of hemp', as the material was originally. Now, it is woven generally of cotton or linen. Canvas has been long valued for its durability yet flexibility, strong enough for a circus tent yet soft enough for a sail. It came into use as a painting surface in Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries, marking a shift away from the then common medium of wood panels. In the process, paintings became portable and separate from their surroundings, objets in and of themselves.
ABC: ANYTHING BUT CANVAS acknowledges the important role of canvas in the development of painting, but questions what its legacy is now and will be. Is it a unique, material offering or a transcendant, metaphysical one? Or perhaps something else entirely.
Snowball Gallery & Workshop is located in Toronto’s Parkdale Village at 1690 Queen St. W., just east of Roncesvalles. The gallery is open Thursday & Friday from 1-7PM and Saturday & Sunday from 12-6PM. More information about gallery programming and events can be found at www.snowballgallery.com or by calling 416.456.4966.
Blog: After School Revolution
Gearing up for tomorrow night's opening of After School Special. It is a special privilege to be behind the scenes of this show - the energy and spirit of youth of The Student School artists is infectious. Can't wait for you all to see what they have made and hear what they have to say.
What is happening in here feels in stark contrast to political rumblings emanating out of G20 and now physical ones - thanks to an earthquake today in Toronto! Amazing, really. Can you say confluence of factors?
Seriously though, as a sampling of what the Students have to offer: a collaborative piece entitled Toronto Recycling: A Ship in Distress [2009], a critique of the City of Toronto's practice of sending 30,000 tonnes of waste a month to facilities in China and South Korea. There's the environmental impact of the shipping, the Students argue, and in the case of China, questions about labour practices at Nine Dragons processing facility. Read the statement accompanying the work on The Student School Art Blog.
Composed not only of the 8'x4' pencil crayon & marker work pictured above, but also of email correspondence between the class and city politicians. First a note to Mayor Miller, then dialogue with Vincent Sferrazza, Director of Policy and Planning for Solid Waste Management Services in the city and, in the end via Mr. Sferrazza, all city councillors. Mr. Sferrazza defers largely to existing contracts to explain ongoing shipments to China and cites high labour standards in South Korea. The students also highlight recycling best practices in Germany and Japan.
The correspondence concludes with an invite to the show - wondering whether Mr. Sferrazza or any of the councillors will be able to make it? Come down this weekend to see the full text of the dialogue. We all need to be a part of this conversation.
Kudos to The Student School teacher Janet Csontos for putting and keeping this show and group all together.
Postcard: ABC: ANYTHING BUT CANVAS
Press Release: After School Special [June 24 to 27, 2010]
SNOWBALL GALLERY
& WORKSHOP
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TORONTO [JUNE 16, 2010] Snowball Gallery & Workshop is proud to present After School Special: The Student School Art Show 2010, opening Thursday, June 24, 2010 with a reception from 6-10 PM. The exhibition will run through Sunday, June 27, 2010.
This year’s show will be about gut feelings, pride, words to live by, using less, thinking laterally, what the world needs more of, class treason, little shoes, the human form, the abject, diptychs, buildings, a magical relaxation portal, chickens, spirit mates, a cozy blanket, and possibly, the return of Carter Brown. Not to be missed.
The Student School is an alternative school in the High Park area for grades 11 and 12. It is currently registering new students for the Fall Semester. Call Lisa at 416 393-9639 or email us at THESTUDENTSCHOOL@tdsb.on.ca for more information.
Snowball Gallery & Workshop is located in Toronto’s Parkdale Village neighbourhood at 1690 Queen St. W., just east of Roncesvalles. The gallery is open Thursday & Friday from 1-7PM and Saturday & Sunday from 12-6PM. More information about gallery programming and events can be found at www.snowballgallery.com or by calling 416.456.4966.
Blog: Gone Fishin'
The Gallery will be closed this weekend and next as we prepare for our upcoming shows - reopening with After School Special: The Student School Art Show 2010, the evening of Thursday June 24.
Thanks & see you soon.
June at Snowball Gallery & Workshop
SNOWBALL GALLERY
& WORKSHOP
JUNE 2010
First thoughts of June take me back to a sweltering classroom, classmates and I restlessly assembled, just before the final bell. The taste of banana popsicles is palpable.
Maybe it's the humidity exerting its force, but now, as then, there seems to be an anticipatory feel in the air. The days still getting longer, Torontonians accepting it's gonna be a 'hot' one and mapping out the dog days.
Around here, it's T minus 29 hours until the launch of the first of two gallery shows this month. Opening tomorrow evening and running this weekend is Wanderlust, with two travel photographers presenting their take on east meets west.
Later in the month, if you are looking to get out or stay out of Toronto's 'security zone' during the G20, After School Special presents end of year works by young artists from The Student School.
WANDERLUST
Photographs by Nicholas Menzies & Kate Zuzek
June 3 to 6, 2010
Reception on Thursday, June 3, 7-10PM [FB EVENT]
With DJ Mark Jestley
AFTER SCHOOL SPECIAL
The Student School Art Show 2010
June 24 to June 27, 2010
Reception on Thursday, June 24, 6-10PM [FB EVENT]
With DJ Anna O and special guest Sam Sam
This year’s show will be about gut feelings, pride, words to live by, using less, thinking laterally, what the world needs more of, class treason, little shoes, the human form, the abject, diptychs, buildings, a magical relaxation portal, chickens, spirit mates, a cozy blanket, and possibly, the return of Carter Brown. Not to be missed.
The Student School is an alternative school in the High Park area for grades 11 and 12. For someone who might be interested in their educational approach, they are currently registering students for the fall semester.
In between shows, from June 10-20, the gallery will be closed as we plot our own map of the summer and beyond. Our next, next, next show: ABC: Anything But Canvas opens Thursday, July 8 and runs thru the 25th.
Take care for now,
Alison
Call for Submissions: ABC: Anything But Canvas
ABC: ANYTHING BUT CANVAS
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
DEADLINE MAY 30, 2010
ABC: ANYTHING BUT CANVAS is a group painting show on any material other than canvas. To this end, two or three dimensional works are encouraged and open for consideration.
The word canvas has its early roots in the Greek kannabis or 'made of hemp', as the material was originally. Now, it is woven generally of cotton or linen. Canvas has been long valued for its durability yet flexibility, strong enough for a circus tent yet soft enough for a sail. It came into use as a painting surface in Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries, marking a shift away from the then common medium of wood panels. In the process, paintings became portable and separate from their surroundings, objets in and of themselves.
ABC: ANYTHING BUT CANVAS acknowledges the important role of canvas in the development of painting, but questions what its legacy is now and will be. Is it a unique, material offering or a transcendant, metaphysical one? Or perhaps something else entirely.
We are looking for existing paintings and/or installations that respond to these ideas.
Exhibition details:
July 8 through 25, 2010
Opening reception: Thursday, July 8, 7-11 PM
Installation: July 5 through 7
Submission Requirements:
+ Contact info: name, email address and phone number
+ CV and/or bio
+ Project description incl. dimensions, medium, any installation/technical requirements
+ A photo of the work[s] you are proposing for the show [max. 2 MB]
Please send your digital submissions to: info@snowballgallery.com
All submissions are due by May 30, 2010.
All applicants will be contacted by email regarding their submission by June 6, 2010.
Blog: Long Weekend in the Citay
With May Two Four weekend days away now, your near term plans are either to: a] get out of the city or b] stay in the city. So, if you fall into the former category - bye bye! But, if you fall into the latter and are looking for things to do - you should come check out a night of live music and stories this Sunday, May 23rd from 7-10PM as Halifax' Fuller Terrace Lecture Series makes a special guest appearance in Toronto. Artists Ella Tetrault and Bethany Riordan-Butterworth will be joined by a lineup of musical acts including: Seeing Other People, Father Christmas, and Kira Sheppard.
Blog: Stillness & Motion
Photographs by Nadia Cheema & Rob Davidson. In the gallery until May 30.
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