Category Archives: Programs

January 28, 2017 – Dark Sky Photography

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Creative Minds: Dark Sky

On Sunday, January 28, 2018 at 2 pm,  Timothy Doucette of Deep Sky Eye Observatory discussed night sky photography at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia-Western Branch, in Yarmouth to a full audience.

Doucette is a legally blind amateur astronomer whose passion is sharing and photographing the celebrated dark skies of southern Nova Scotia. He included an explanation of the many step needed to complete an image like the one above. The audience also learned much more about the need for dark skys and his observatory in Quinan.

This presentation was part of the Creative Minds series sponsored by the Friends of the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia.

April 27, 2014 – Creative Minds – The Artist’s Way Collective.

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Artist's Way Collective for FBOur final Creative Minds series of the season is coming up and we’re excited to meet members of The Artist’s Way Collective from Annapolis.

This is a unique group who got together for 13 weeks to discuss Julia Cameron’s book titled The Artist’s Way. But they did more than discuss the book and how to “get creative.” They worked through whatever blocks they had, did their homework, and produced some amazing stuff.

Members of the collective will be taking us on a journey behind the scenes to understand what transpired, the challenges and rewards. Bonus: the gallery has a make-over! Brand new exhibits in every gallery. Exciting stuff!

March 16, 2014 – Creative Minds features Darryl Whetter

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Darryl Whetter Widely-acclaimed author, poet, and critic, Professor Darryl Whetter will use his two most recent books (Origins and Keeping Things Whole) as a basis for his reflections on the topic “Writing about place … within poetry and fiction.”

His presentation and discussion promises to be lively, informative, and interesting. No charge. All welcome!

Sunday March 30 at 2 p.m.

 

February 23, 2014 – Creative Minds with June Deveau

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June Deveau will be giving a special presentation at the AGNS in Yarmouth this Sunday at 2 p.m. as part of the popular Creative Minds Series. She’ll take us behind the scenes of her paintings as she discusses the inspiration that’s guided her for so many years. Namely, the rich cultural background that is rooted in the Acadian villages and landscapes along Baie Sainte-Marie, Nova Scotia, where she resides and works.

Mostly self-taught, June has also over the years studied with several well-known artists and has participated in various solo and group shows in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Québec and Louisiana.  While she primarily paints with acrylics, she enjoys watercolours, drawing, monotypes, and linocuts. Colour, texture and form have always fascinated her. Her paintings reflect the beauty of her region, traditional arts, and values of the past. In 2003, June opened her gallery, June Deveau Galerie Studio, located in Saint-Alphonse, N.S., where she receives visitors from various parts of the world.

In addition to her personal artistry, and participation in various artistic projects within the schools, June teaches painting and sketching to residents of her community. She has also won numerous awards as a small-business owner. A selection of her artwork can be seen on her website, www.junedeveau.com.

June has recently launched  “Inspiration to Creation,” a tourism experience that allows visitors to participate in an exploration of  various art forms, the Acadian culture and local scenery, then push their boundaries through creating works of their own. Please join June for her presentation this coming Sunday. There is no admission charge.

 

January 21, 2014 – Program summary

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New Lobby Show

Lobby Exhibit“Individual Perspectives,” an exhibit of student photography done through an ArtReach s project led by Bill Curry, is on display in the lobby.

 

Creative Minds, Sunday January 26th, 2 p.m.

Linda Marie Coakley reviews some of the photos related to the projectJoin us for a presentation by Linda Marie Coakley about a thought-provoking exhibit in the Community Room titled The Plight of the Child Soldier—Innocence Lost. Linda Marie will take us behind the scenes of an ArtSmarts project with students from two schools in Yarmouth and Barton.

 

 

 

 

January 26, 2014 – Creative minds series returns

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Friends of the AGNS are pleased to open the 2014 Creative Minds series with  The Plight of the Child Soldier—Innocence Lost, presented by Linda Marie Coakley, on Sunday January 26 at 2 p.m.

This fall, Coakley worked with elementary students in grades 5 and 6 from Yarmouth Central School, and Barton Consolidated School in Digby County, under the auspices of ArtsSmarts. She helped them to respond dramatically to photographs from the Roméo Dallaire Child Soldiers Initiative at Dalhousie University.
The students chose photographs that held particular interest for them, then discussed and created dialogues around these images. They also reviewed the UN Declaration of the Rights of the Child, and noted the abuses suffered by child soldiers worldwide. They observed on maps how widespread this unimaginable situation is around the world, and the changing face of war, with young boys and girls as unwilling soldiers. It was particularly meaningful for the students as many child soldiers are the same age as the Nova Scotia students.
“I wanted my students to understand that no bedtime stories, after school snacks, trips to the beach, hugs, ice cream treats, and other pleasures were ever to be a part of a child soldier’s childhood,” says Coakley. “The security we expect and are entitled to, are never part of a child soldiers life; and so we began with this acknowledgement.”
During her presentation, Coakley will give an overview of the project, and the profound effect it’s had for all involved. Bonus: the exhibit of selected photographs and the poetry that the children wrote are on display in the Community Room at the AGNS from Jan. 16-Feb. 23.

 No registration necessary. Admission by donation.

For more information call 749.2248 or email agnsyarmouth@gov.ns.ca.

December 1, 2013 – Creative Minds with Maggie Schmidt

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Quite a Trip: The Art of Maggie Schmidt Mandell

Maggie MandellArt Gallery of NS, Western Branch – Creative Minds Series

Maggie Schmidt Mandell was born in New York City. From the age of nine, Maggie knew that she was meant to be a visual artist. Her parents made her a studio in a cabin on their property. She was later educated in Fine Art and Education at Pratt Institute of Brooklyn and also studied Behavioral Sciences, Sociology and Printmaking. In 1972, she arrived in Canada and then became a Canadian citizen. She has worked in the fields of education and art therapy in addition to her own artistic pursuits, with additional forays into dairy goat farming, the lobster fishery, communications, and advertising.

Needless to say, such a varied background has served her well as an artist.

In Maggie’s own words, “I am primarily a painter. Painting is my passion.”

Her work has been featured in numerous exhibitions, from Charleston, SC to Victoria, Montreal and Halifax. It may be found in the collections of many notable individuals and organizations, including Standard Life Insurance, Bank of Nova Scotia, Readers’ Digest and former Prime Minister and Mrs. Brian Mulroney.

“In my talk, I will address being an artist all of one’s life … I am now 72, so it has been quite a trip to live the creative life.” In addition to the development of her own work, Maggie’s presentation will include a discussion of the role of women in the arts, the concept of painting as opposed to picture making, and the artist in old age. Maggie Schmidt Mandell now lives in Wedgeport with her husband, Roy Mandell, who is also a visual artist. Their website http://www.schmidtmandellstudio.com contains much more detailed information about both artists and their work.
The presentation will take place on Sunday, December 1 at AGNS Yarmouth, starting at 2 PM. There is no admission charge.

 

October 24, 2013 – Creative Minds with Gerry Curry

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Creative Minds is back! 

KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERADuring the fall and winter, Creative Minds presents an “insider’s” view about how creativity works for various individuals on the last Sunday of the month.

October’s program (Sunday Oct. 24 at 2 p.m.) Gerry Curry will be presenting Sou’west Nova 366–living with your camera for 366 days straight.

Gerry undertook this daily image project as an attempt to make a long-term commitment and to improve his artistic sense and photographic skills.  Over a period of a full year (and one extra day as it was leap year!) Gerry photographed an interesting image and added it to his collection. The project started on March 19, 2011 and concluded on March 18, 2012. With very few exceptions, the images were taken in Southwest Nova Scotia.

For the Creative Minds series, Gerry will be giving an audio/visual presentation that was given on the opening night of his one man show at the Osprey Centre in Shelburne. It will be a lively discussions of the project and the equipment and techniques he used, as well as tips and tricks to help people take better nature and landscape photographs. The grand finale will be a musical presentation of the entire project!

Come enjoy a great program, good conversations and some light refreshments. Admission is free although donations are always appreciated.

February 24, 2013 – Creative Minds – Tim Wilson

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CREATIVE MINDS

February, 24th, 2-4 p.m.

Tim Wilson sm

An award-winning writer, producer, host and director in radio, television, film and news media, Tim Wilson makes documentaries for broadcast, web and theatrical release, as well as private commissions. He has interviewed, collaborated with or produced profiles of many notable figures on the world stage including John and Yoko Lennon, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn and Albert Speer.

He has also tackled a variety of subjects and settings, from Digby Neck to Fogo Island. A former host on National Public Radio, and of CBC’s Arts Report, Tim is a contributor to that network’s documentary series, Ideas. He was also arts presenter on VISION TV.

His radio features have aired on public networks in Canada, the U.S. and Europe, his television essays on CBC-TV, Hallmark and The Documentary Channel, and his photography in National Geographic online. His 2008 feature documentary, Griefwalker, was produced by The National Film Board of Canada.

Tim has guest-lectured, hosted or taught at the Banff School of Fine Arts, the McLuhan Program in Culture and Technology (U. of Toronto), Acadia and Laurentian universities, and New York’s Cathedral of St. John the Divine. He currently produces for major media while living in Bear River, N.S.

Presentation date is February 24, 2 p.m. in the AGNS Community Room.