Why participate in the ‘past present future’ exhibition?
By Caroline Ho, Arts Editor
The Amelia Douglas Gallery is still open and eager for submissions for its upcoming past present future employee and student exhibition.
Opening in January, the exhibition will showcase artwork created by current students and current and retired employees. Anyone of any artistic skill level is encouraged to submit, and to take this opportunity to share their work with peers and others in the Douglas community.
Whether seasoned gallery veteran, lifelong photography hobbyist, or doodler who first picked up a paintbrush two months ago, past present future wants to celebrate creative spirit from all corners of the college. The Amelia Douglas Gallery held its last employee and student show Avocations in 2015, and the Other Press had the chance to speak over the phone with some artists who exhibited their work last time.
Todd Harper, chair of the Biology Department at Douglas, had three pastel pieces featured in Avocations. Harper found the show’s opening reception, which is open to the public, to be the most rewarding part of the exhibition. It gave him the opportunity to interact with—and show his work in front of—friends, colleagues, and fellow artists.
“It was humbling in some ways because I don’t really consider myself to be on par with professional artists … But just seeing other people’s artwork, it really made me strive to be better,” he said, adding that he hopes to have even better work to submit for past present future.
Nancy Walker, who works for the I-CARE Adult Literacy Program, also said she really appreciates the opportunity to share her work, to hear feedback on her own pieces, and to talk to others about their art. In addition to having three acrylic paintings in Avocations, she was also part of Douglas College’s previous employee and student exhibition several years prior.
“It’s a great tradition that we have here at the college every few years, to have a show that’s so inclusive of people who spend their days at the college, whether employees or students,” she said to the Other Press.
Along with seeing the possibly lesser-known creative sides of those in the community, the show also provides the opportunity for artists to witness their work displayed in a gallery setting alongside other pieces. Harper said he found the experience of seeing his art on the wall “very surreal,” having never participated in an art show before Avocations.
Walker said that having one’s own work framed and hung in a professional space is very meaningful for an artist. “You look at it in a different way, especially with a lot of other works in an exhibit. I think it can have quite an impact on a person,” she said.
Guidelines: https://www.douglascollege.ca/about-douglas/groups-and-organizations/art-gallery/submission-guidelines
Deadline for submissions: November 17
