By James Bowler

Local gallery prepares for annual Winter Festival

Jan 12, 2015 | 11:06 AM

It’s an annual opportunity for local artists to gain some recognition for their work.

The 39th Annual Winter Festival Juried Art Show & Sale is coming up at the Mann Art Gallery, and newly appointed curator Jesse Campbell is preparing for the gallery to accept artwork for the exhibition.

“This is a community show, so anyone from Saskatchewan can submit works to be displayed in the three gallery spaces that we have,” said Campbell. “The only stipulation is that people must be members of the Mann Art Gallery.”

Campbell said the gallery will be accepting the art works on Sunday between 1-5 p.m. and Monday Jan. 19 between 1-5 p.m. A maximum of two pieces of artwork can be submitted.

As this is a ‘juried’ show there will be an art specialist to judge the works that will be presented during the exhibit, she said.

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There will be prizes selected by the juror and donated by local businesses for specific categories.

This year’s judge will be Grant McConnell, an artist from Saskatoon who has a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Saskatchewan and has also studied Fine Arts at Mount Allison University in Sackville, N.B.

He currently teachers Canadian Art History at the University of Saskatchewan and has worked as a curator for the university as well.

McConnell’s works often focus on Canadian historical themes. 

Campbell said McConnell, like jurors past, will have quite a lot of artwork to critique.

“They come into about 300 artworks each year, they look at what has been produced within the community; everything from amateur levels to professional artists, and they see what trends and themes are emerging or not,” said Campbell. “They will spend a few days with the artworks and form a show based on the works that are submitted each year.”

Within the festival there will be a number of events with some open to the public.

With those include an opening reception, walk-through tour with the judge and a workshop with McConnell.

“We have an opening reception and gala each year where the juror comes and talks about their involvement during the show, they talk about the artwork that they’ve seen,” said Campbell. “We have a wonderful caterer, so it’s a lovely evening where everyone can come together and celebrate art and community.”

The reception will run on Friday Feb. 6 and is $15 for the general public, $10 for gallery members and free for participating artists.

Following the opening gala, artists who have submitted work will have an opportunity to speak with McConnell about their work and his thoughts.

“Artists who have submitted to the show can come and they can get a very direct critique of their work,” said Campbell. “And they can talk with our juror and get feedback to develop their own practice.”

After the community has had some time to take in the exhibit there will be a workshop with McConnell on Mar. 15, although, pre-registration will be required to attend this event.

“He’s going to be talking about the business side of art,” said Campbell. “Telling artists what they need to do in order to submit their own proposals to galleries to hopefully get shows of their own.”

“The whole point of the Winter Festival Show is both to see what people have been producing within Prince Albert, within Saskatchewan, and also to give them the opportunity to develop their own practice.”

Campbell said, overall, this is a service that the Mann Art Gallery is working to give back to the arts community.

“This is one way that we work to really build up our arts community, and also encourage people to come out to the gallery and see what everyone is producing.”

jbowler@panow.com

On Twitter: @journalistjim