Tom Thomson Art Gallery Opens Three New Exhibitions Including Creative Pathways, a Community Partner Project with the Reach Centre

On Saturday, September 28, from 2 to 4 p.m., the Tom Thomson Art Gallery will unveil three new exhibitions, including a community partner project with Owen Sound’s Reach Centre.

Through a public call, the Tom Thomson Art Gallery (the TOM), in partnership with the Reach Centre Grey Bruce, invited local artists who self-identify as neurodivergent to submit artwork in response to the concept of community. The call was an extension of the community quilt project that was completed in the fall of 2023, which saw over 150 artistic expressions on small sheets of paper that were stitched together into a large collaborative depiction of what community looks like. Four artists—Nancy Allan Hall, Lydia Knox, Emmitt Williams, and Kristofer Wist—were selected by the jury to participate in this exhibition, each offering their vibrant, individual interpretations of this topic. At its heart, Creative Pathways celebrates artistic expression and community partnership while highlighting the immense talent and creative energy of neurodivergent artists in our region.

In conversation with this exhibition, the TOM has curated a selection of artwork from the collection, including works by Harold Klunder, Barbara Irvine, Robert Markle, David Milne, Janet Mitchell, Norval Morrisseau, Hanni Rothschild, and Jamasie Teevee, which explore the spirit of interconnection. The Mark of Community: Works from the Collection opens alongside Creative Pathways.

Also opening is Bonnie Devine: Land in War. Devine is a cross-disciplinary artist, writer, and educator whose work is deeply immersed in the storytelling and image making traditions central to Anishinaabe culture. In this exhibition, she reflects on land and how its possession and control are at the heart of warfare through the stories of eight pivotal figures: three Victoria Cross recipients interred in Owen Sound, four Indigenous warriors who fought on various North American battlegrounds, and her own father, who served with the Canadian army in Belgium and Holland in 1944. The exhibition includes delicate charcoal portraits of these individuals, coupled with expansive landscape paintings inspired by their actions, and smaller monoprint studies of each battle site. During a time marked by escalating global conflicts, Devine’s work prompts reflection on colonialism’s tendency to incite violent conflict and the devastation it causes to both people and the natural world. The exhibition asks that we consider not only the harm the land has suffered because of these conflicts, but also its enduring resilience and beauty.

A free public reception will take place on Saturday, September 28, from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m., with a cash bar and cheese selections available from The Milk Maid.

For more information, please contact Aidan Ware, Director and Chief Curator, Art Gallery, Culture, Tourism, at 519-376-1932 ext. 5001 or email aware@tomthomson.org

Quotes:

“All three exhibitions build on local connections and subject matter with an intentional focus on examining our social and physical landscapes. Creative Pathways presented the Gallery with the unique opportunity to connect with the Reach Centre and the neurodivergent community in ways that caringly explore concepts of belonging.”

- Aidan Ware, Director and Chief Curator

“The Creative Pathways exhibition marks a milestone of recognition and inclusion of neurodiverse individuals in our community showcasing that every mind shines. The Reach Centre is proud to be part of a collaboration that invites us to embrace the unique perspectives that enrich our communities, fostering understanding and connection in a world that thrives on diversity.”

- Jennifer Miller, Executive Director, Reach Centre

“The exhibitions remind me of how much Owen Sound has to be proud of – at their heart highlighting the strength and diversity of our community.”

- Mayor Ian Boddy       

Quick Facts:

• Three new exhibitions at the Tom Thomson Art Gallery will open to the public on September 28, 2024
• There is a free public opening reception on September 28 from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m.
• The TOM is open to the public Monday through Friday, 12 p.m. until 4 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., and by appointment in the mornings for tours and events.
• Admission is by donation or free with the OPEN Card

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