The basic break down of the camp is that it is divided into 3 age groups, junior, intermediate and senior.  All three age groups were working on Diane Landry-inspired artwork when I visited them today.  Laurie told me that each of the groups do a tour of the Gallery for inspiration, and then channel a certain artist’s techniques through the artwork they create during the rest of the day.

This morning, the Seniors were working on graphite flip books.  Two of the campers explained to me that graphite works as a stencil, so that in their flip books, parts that weren’t supposed to move would be exactly the same.  In the afternoon, they set out to create a Landry style plastic water bottle sculpture, involving two water bottles fused together filled with glitter.  The Intermediate crew was working on Landry style umbrellas, as featured in Landry’s Defibrillators exhibition.  I was even able to help some of the campers out with the gluing process, (and I must say it was tricky even for me!)

What makes the March Break Mania camp at the AGH so unique is the fact that the leaders are not afraid of letting the campers get messy.  I’ve worked at art camps before, and the “messy” factor always determines which projects campers get to work on.  At the AGH though, “messy” is just a small thing that happens on the side when campers are creating their masterpieces.  The umbrella project is true of this, as, although the campers all had sticky hands from the glue, the pride taken in their competed projects definitely seemed to be the main focus of the morning.  Although there was a small bit of disappointment, as one camper informed me, “I really like my umbrella, but I don’t think it is going to keep me dry in the rain.”

I was able to catch a quick interview with them this morning before they went about their daily routines.  Here are some of the questions I asked them.

Intern:   How did you get to this position?

J:             I am currently completing an MBA at McMaster, this is a co-op position for me.

C:            After completing a degree at Ryerson’s Ted Rogers School of Mangement in                       marketing and business, I worked at Indigo and Junior Achievement of Central                 Ontario (in Special Events), I was placed here on a contract from                                           Cultural Careers Council of Ontario.

Intern:   Why do you like working at the AGH?

J:            I like the fact that there is such a diversity in the roles I partake in at the                            Gallery   (I’d rather switch it up than stare at an Excel spreadsheet all day)

C:           The AGH is a fun and dynamic environment.  It’s a registered charity, which                        means there is always something to be promoting.  Working here is always fast                  paced, and there is always room for growth.

Intern:  Why is the AGH important to the community?

J:            It offers something for everyone.  The AGH caters to every demographic; kids,                  young professionals, families, seniors.  It brings culture to the community, and                  really educates and enriches people with art, history and topics from around the                world.

C:           It is just a great community resource.  It offers so many programmes and                            activities outside of the exhibitions that a lot of people are just starting to                          recognize.  On top of that, the AGH houses excellent exhibitions, our curators                    do a really good job bringing their ideas and art from all over to the Gallery.                      The AGH is really undervalued for what an amazing role it has the potential to                  bring to the Hamilton community.

After speaking to Jay and Cheryl I actually realized just how much is constantly going on at the AGH.  There is so much more to the AGH than the exhibitions, which are also wonderful.  From the AGH Talks series to Family Fun days, the AGH really does seem to be creating a community both within the art scene here at the gallery, but also within the Hamilton area.  Here are just a few of the upcoming events for the next couple of weeks.

AGH in the studio: Introduction to Silkscreen
March 6 at 12:00pm
(make your own one-of-a-kind tote-bag or t-shirt!)

AGH Talks: The Shock of Abstraction
March 10 at 6:30pm

AGH children’s programmes: March Break Mania!
Marcy 14 to 18, half and full days

Tea & Tours
March 16 at 3:00pm

AGH Family Fun Day: Egg-stravaganza (Decorate an Egg)
March 27 from 1:30 to 3:30pm
(only $5 per family including up to 4 children)

Because of my hours here at the AGH, I was able to see Landry’s piece both in its normal on and working appearance, but also before the gallery opened, in its stagnant, or off, form.

It really is noticeable difference between the two; almost as if someone had given the breath of life into the otherwise industrial and static sculptures.  In one section of the installation there are what can only be described as motorized salad spinners, which have been transformed into peep hole movie players.  This part of Landry’s work has inspired me to perhaps create my own sort of defibrillator.  Stay tuned for my upcoming creation, because I have next week off of school!

Check out her website here <http://www.dianelandry.com/>

I also spent some time with a couple of the AGH volunteers, assisting with sorting the invitations for the upcoming AGH Annual Gala.  The ladies I was working with were really invested in helping the gallery out.  They both connected with me over an affinity for the arts.  We chatted for a bit about working in the arts and communications, and I received some helpful advice about looking for jobs in the market from those who had already been there.  The one piece of advice that I think is applicable to anything in life that I received was to “do what you love, don’t do something just because it’s easy or will make you money, do it because you truly care about what you are invested in.”

To find out more about volunteers at the AGH link here

<http://www.artgalleryofhamilton.com/sa_waysofg_volunteer.php>

Check out this link to Kelly Mark’s website

http://www.kellymark.com/

And check out this link to the “Conversations” exhibition at the AGH

http://www.artgalleryofhamilton.com/ex_current.php#6

While this was going on, I was able to talk to both Melissa and Kelly about what drives them to continue in the art world, and about what inspires them.

For Melissa, becoming a curator was a logical step stemming from her love of writing about and researching art, as well as from an interest in art history.  As a former registrar (someone who takes information down on incoming art into a gallery, i.e., artist information and measurements of the piece), she found that she wanted to do more creatively.  She and a friend put together an independent exhibition, which toured many galleries successfully.

She says what drove her throughout art school and her prior jobs was her passion for art.  As most in the arts know, there is hardly a finality of where one is going to end up.  I can identify with this, as I very much don’t know where I am going to end up, as opposed to how someone who is training to be a dentist has a final destination.  Melissa, through every step of school and her professional life, followed her passion, and is now successful because of this.

Kelly Mark is also someone to look to as a form of inspiration.  I had asked her if she had a personal inspiration, or if anything had a major influence on her artistic style.  She countered me saying that she doesn’t think she has a specific style as some other artists do.  She says she is motivated by her peers and friends to actually create art, but takes inspiration from everywhere (she would rather go to a natural history museum to see the mummies than a gallery to see impressionist paintings) and explores everything.  To her, focusing on one thing seems unnatural, which is something I can definitely relate to as I am what I like to call an extreme multi-tasker.  I am sure that many can agree that revolving around the same idea for an extended period of time can be frustrating, but I suppose there are those out there who work better in that way as well.

I just wanted to speak a little about Kelly’s neon piece as well.  It is on display in the AGH foyer.  I really like it.  I suppose it is the communications studies nerd in me, but I totally identify with the message that “Nothing Is So Important That It Needs To Be Made In Six Foot Neon,” and it makes me feel as if Marshall McLuhan’s “medium is the message” theory has been poetically contradicted.  In other words, it’s cheeky and awesome, go see it.

Welcome to my blog!  This space is dedicated to the day-to-day activities happening behind the scenes at the Art Gallery of Hamilton.  In the upcoming months, I will be profiling various employees who keep the AGH running, as well as providing an ongoing narrative of events and daily happenings at the gallery.

Enjoy,
Hanako Smith