Art is a language received through the senses, and viewing the Member’s Show at the Old Schoolhouse Gallery is a perfect opportunity to learn how this visual language creates feelings and messages when we look at the art works.
Continue reading Seeing the language of Art
Eighty-three people turned out on Friday June 7, for the gala opening night of the Old Schoolhouse Art Gallery’s 2024 season. This is a group show, which will be open to the public on Fridays (6-9 PM) and on weekends (2-6 PM) until June 16th.
Bianca Lee, Manager of the Old Schoolhouse Art Gallery, was delighted by the large turnout, “I wasn’t sure how it was going to work out having the member show at the beginning of the season, but it worked out pretty magnificently. There was so much interest and participation in the show. It seems like a really beautiful way to start out the season, get people excited about the gallery and also avoid the burnout of late season.”
Continue reading Opening Night of the Old Schoolhouse Art Gallery’s 2024 Season
On January 26, Manda Aufochs Gillespie was joined by artists and organizers Bianca Lee (Old Schoolhouse Art gallery), Melanie Boyle (Cortes Island Museum), Rex Weyler (Love Fest + coffeehouses), and Meinsje (Old Schoolhouse Art Gallery). This was a lovely conversation about personal practice, the role of arts and culture in remote communities, the importance of everyday art, and upcoming events + opportunities for greater collaboration.
Continue reading Folk U: Arts on Cortes
“I think that artists have a finger on the pulse of what’s going on. We need a place to show work, and we need to gather and see what’s going on.” – Janet Turpin.
“For me personally, it gives me a sense of connection to the deeper understanding of what’s behind art and it’s a mirror of what’s going on in the community. It’s a mirror of what’s going on in the world. That’s what I think artists tap into.” – Lynne Barker
“Art reflects life and then life reflects art again. Personally, it helped me grow as an artist. If I look back in 1997 and I look back now, I grew in this gallery. As artists, we come together. We talk about the shows. We talk about art, I have learned so much.” – Meinsje Vlaming.
They were responding to the question, ‘why is the Old Schoolhouse Art Gallery important?’
The Old Schoolhouse Art Gallery just celebrated its 26th anniversary. Some of its early posters and reproductions of artwork were put up on the walls for the society’s recent AGM. During conversation with some of the earlier members, Cortes Currents learned the gallery was in operation prior to the beginning of written records in 1997.
Continue reading Birthing of the Old Schoolhouse Art Gallery
After more than a decade of service, the Oyster Bay schoolhouse was barged over to Whaletown in 1950. There it opened its doors to the children of a new community.
Brigid Weiler started attending the Whaletown School in 1959.
Her earliest memories are in that area.
Continue reading Memories of the old Whaletown Schoolhouse
