2012

GREETINGS FROM THE DIRECTOR OF FINE ART

Welcome to the first Fine Art Alumni Newsletter. This follows on the recent creation of the BFA Programme website and monthly newsletter. I hope that you will enjoy the update on programme activities and Alumni news that are covered here. In particular, we are pleased to highlight the excellence and breadth of educational opportunities available to our students.

We enjoy hearing from Alumni, and even more meeting you during alumni events or visits to the department. I hope to meet you personally, during my tenure as Director.

All the best,

Alumni NewsletterF I N E A R T

Kathleen SellarsDirector, Fine Art

2011-2012 EVENTSOctoberLiz Parkinson, Visiting Artist LectureNew York Trip, Annual Student Gallery Field Trip

NovemberNorth Adams Student Print TripShelagh Keeley, Visiting Artist Lecture

JanuaryColette Urban, Visiting Artist Lecture

FebruaryDavid Urban, Koerner Artist LecturePrologue, Select works from the 4th Year BFA Class

MarchDavid Urban, Koerner Artist Lecture and ReceptionJason Paradis, Visiting Artist LectureVisual Articulation, 4th Year BFA Fundraising Auction

AprilSuspend Your Disbelief, BFA Graduating Exhibition

PROGRAMME UPDATES

Programme Developments u The change last spring in the governance structure in the Department of Art created a new position of Director of Fine Art, providing a stronger voice for the BFA Programme and equal opportunity for funding, important for both maintenance and growth of the programme. For example, with our successful application to the Dean’s Student Resource Fund this year we have gained a new data projector for the painting area and a replacement drill press for the welding shop. This governance change has also supported a new BFA Programme website and a monthly newsletter published during the school year (http://www.queensu.ca/bfa). Both are great ways to keep track of up-coming programming and student events. Also note the Alumni page and Alumni feature articles. We would love to hear what you’re currently up to and welcome your contributions. Please send your images and news to Sue Whetstone <sue.whetstone@queensu.ca>.

New Studio Courses u Two new courses, open to all Queen’s students, will be delivered this coming year: ARTF101 Fundamentals of Drawing and Painting and ARTF102 Fundamentals of Drawing and Sculpture. As Queen’s no longer offers on-campus courses through Continuing and Distance Studies, these new studio courses offered by Fine Art provide important opportunities for non-BFA students to take studio courses for credit at Queen’s, and are a very welcomed addition for Concurrent Education students who are seeking art as a second teachable.

Faculty Members u The BFA Programme continues to excel in many ways. Our faculty members continue to receive first-rate teaching reviews from our students, to be exceptionally engaged with their students, and to be active in their professional practices. This is reflected by the many achievements of our faculty and students, some of which are highlighted in this newsletter.

I am happy to report that Rebecca Anweiler has been promoted to Continuing Adjunct in the BFA Programme. Rebecca is a nationally recognized artist who has a breadth of studio art teaching experience at Queen’s and other Canadian universities. She is a very welcomed addition to the teaching faculty in Fine Art.

AWARDS

Congratulations to Emily Turner who is the 2012 recipient of the Andre Bieler Prize, awarded annually to the BFA student with the highest achievement in studio art.

Heather Smith (BFA, 2012) just received the Don Phillips Scholarship, a year-long residency at Toronto’s Open Studio.Congratulations Heather!

2012 Graduating class Ashley Eagan, Anya Mielniczek, Lianne Suggitt, Phoebe Cohoe, Torie Whitehead, Emily Turgeon-Brunet, Dera Burrows, Faith Webster, Megan Alguire, Daniela Tanaka Lo, Heather Smith, Scott MacDonald, Emma Craig and Sebastian Dowd. Not in photo: Sarah Ammons, Charlotte Ficek, Janghan Hong, Nevan Ryan, Casey Wilson, and Emily Turner.

BFA students, family and friends enjoyed refreshments in Ontario Hall during the reception for the BFA Graduating Exhibition, Suspend Your Disbelief 2012.

“The support of this community, in combination with the high quality of instruction and resources, makes the programme the success that it is.“- David Woodward

SUPPORTING STUDENTS

David Woodward (BFA, 2013)Recipient of the Robert Shotton Memorial Entrance Award

Choosing the Queen’s BFA programme has proven to be the most positive decision I have made towards my development as an artist. In my first year of the programme, I was fortunate to receive the Robert Shotton Memorial Entrance Award. Not only did this award aid me in the purchase of studio materials, but it was also a real honour to be recognized on the basis of my entrance portfolio. Working towards my BFA in a small programme has encouraged close relationships with both my professors and peers. The support of this community, in combination with the high quality of instruction and resources, makes the programme the success that it is.

Kathy ShottenBenefactor of Robert Shotton Memorial Entrance Award

As my late husband and I met at Queen’s and as he was a strong supporter of Queen’s, both while on campus and afterwards, it was fitting to choose to establish a scholarship at Queen’s in his memory. Although

Rob was a Commerce’ 68 graduate, he supported the arts and felt they added richness to life, both personally and to the university. He was an enthusiastic borrower of paintings at the Agnes Etherington Arts Centre as a student. As a teacher, I am particularly pleased that the Robert Shotton scholarship has given me the opportunity to meet many enthusiastic and talented young Fine Art students, admire their work and take satisfaction in the small part the scholarship may have played in their success. A scholarship is truly a living memorial and the Fine Art Programme at Queen’s offers a richness of diversity to all students.

VISITING ARTIST SERIES

The BFA Visiting Artist Series this year brought in four exciting guests; including Colette Urban, Liz Parkinson, Shelagh Keeley, and Jason Paradis, to give presentations on their artwork, visit with students in their studio spaces, facilitate class discussions and, in one case, invite students to help set up work at Modern Fuel Artist Run Centre.

ANNUAL TRIPS TO NYC & NORTH ADAMS

Fine Art professor Jan Winton (3rd from left) leads a group of BFA students dur-ing the NYC fieldtrip.

Otis Tamasauskas and students work at Gavity Press in North Adams, MA.

The North Adams Printmaking and New York Gallery trips were highlights of BFA student learning again this year. A selection of the 4’ x 8’ woodblocks, that students printed at Gravity Press in November, were exhibited at Union Gallery in May and June. This year, the New York trip coincided with the International Print Fair where students had a unique opportunity to see a wide variety of original prints, ranging from historical work by Rembrandt to current large mural-scale work by Robert Cottingham. Many students had such a great time that they plan to attend again with this year’s second-year BFA class.

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KOERNER ARTIST IN RESIDENCE

The Koerner Artist in Residence Programme is an annual professional residency in the Fine Art Programme and is made possible by the generous support of the Koerner Foundation. The residency programme provides students with unique access to mentorship from a celebrated artist, and gives the artist a chance to share their expertise.

This year the BFA hosted David Urban. During his time here, 4th-year BFA student, Phoebe Cohoe, had the opportunity to speak to David about her work. He encouraged her to continue elaborating on the sculptural concerns she has been attempting to address and the more abstract methods she has been experimenting within her art. Phoebe found many of his comments and ideas about her work to be beneficial in moving forward.

FEATURED ALUMNI

ALEXANDRA CHOWANIEC (BFA, 2006)

Alexandra Chowaniec currently lives and works in New York. She paints full-time in her studio in Bushwick and exhibits internationally. She is a painter, filmmaker and new media artist. Her work engages the hybrid spaces, conceptualizing the human figure and its extensions in contemporary visual culture. She is also working with the U.S. Pavilion team, presenting Sarah Sze at the 2013 Venice Biennale. Chowaniec was selected by the Olympic Fine Arts Committee to show, as an emerging Canadian painter, in an exhibition at the Barbican Centre in London this summer (2012).

Alexandra Chowaniec, Clutches, oil on canvas, 84” x 60”, 2009. (Left)

ALEKS BARTOSIK (BFA, 2001)

Aleks Bartosik presently works from her studio in Toronto where she makes large-scale paintings and drawings.  Her work also extends to sculpture, installation, video and performance where drawing is the key medium.  Bartosik is also employed at the Art Gallery of Ontario as a painting and drawing instructor.

Aleks Bartosik is a two-time recipient of the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant (2004 and 2007) for her figurative painting and drawing, and is generously supported for her work by the Ontario Arts Council. As part of Bartosik’s research and artistic development, she is an active participant in artist residencies and/or collaborations all over the world. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, most recently in Canada (British Columbia, Quebec, Ontario, and Alberta), USA, Germany, Italy, Japan, Brazil, Chile and Argentina. Her work was featured in a group exhibition titled the Canadian Contemporary Figurative Art Exhibition at the Art Gallery of Mississauga (2006).

Aleks Bartosik, lady bird, oil and acrylic on canvas, 48” x 48”, 2012. (Above)

SARA ROBICHAUD (BFA, 1995)

Sara Robichaud has been represented across Canada since 2001 and is currently with galleries in Calgary, Vancouver and Los Angeles. Her work has been at International Art Fairs in Toronto, New York and Los Angeles and is in private & public collections in North America and the Middle East.

Most notably 4 paintings were sold to Princess Nora of Dubai for a wedding gift and recently 4 paintings went to a 6 star hotel in the Caspian Sea. Sara’s next focus is on the public sphere and she has a solo exhibition called “Double Life” at the Nanaimo Art Gallery in September of 2012.

DAVID BRACE (BFA, 1990)

After graduating from Queen’s, David Brace returned to his home town of Hamilton, Ontario. He opened his first gallery with a partner in 2001 (transit gallery) and left the partnership in 2010 to start b contemporary.

The new gallery, b contemporary, is located on James Street North in Hamilton. This area is the bustling hub of a vibrant art scene. He has had the pleasure of showing some amazing artists in the last decade. Andy Fabo, Harold Klunder, Gary Michael Dault, Michael Davidson, Nicole Collins, Michael Allgoewer to name a few. David is trying to keep a balance between supporting established artists and emerging artists. The exhibitions focus on artists who are making a significant contribution to the culture of Canada.

From the Ground Up, installation view at b contemporary. photo: David Brace

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“My painting practice has been through many directional shifts but I am ever aware of the seed of abstraction that was planted at Queen’s!” - Sara Robichaud

Dear Friends:

This past year has brought many challenges and successes for the Queen’s BFA Programme. If you have not already heard the good news, I am very pleased to share with you that admissions have been re-opened to the Bachelor of Fine Art for 2013. Thank you to all faculty members, staff and students who helped to make this decision possible. Special thanks to all of our friends and alumni for your letters of support.

There remains much planning ahead and the Planning Committee, including faculty and students in Fine Art, will continue to meet regularly over the coming year to review options to make the BFA sustainable while maintaining the integrity of the program that alumni have both benefited from and enjoyed. I would like to emphasize that, when we talk about sustainability, it is not only a matter of cost savings but also importantly a matter of accessing the potential for collaboration and exchange, creating new ties and strengthening links within the university, and with artists and art organizations in the Kingston community and beyond. Working together, I see a bright future for the BFA Programme and fine art at Queen’s.

We are also very pleased to tell you about new opportunities to support the BFA Programme. Two trust funds have been established to support BFA programming: the BFA Programme Trust and the Printmaking Trust. The BFA Programme Trust monies will be used to support both academic and curricular related activities for BFA students, such as equipment renewal, and the 4th Year Graduation Exhibition and catalogue. In addition to student fundraising initiatives, the Printmaking Trust supports the annual senior student trip to North Adams, Massachusetts, where students print large-scale woodblock prints at Gravity Press, a professional print shop which boasts the largest press in North America; a unique learning experience for our students. Thank you to our very generous donors. Your contributions make a big impact on our small programme!

Wishing you all the best for the summer months and holidays.

With warm regards,

Kathleen SellarsDirector, Fine Art

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Queen’s UniversityKingston, Ontario, Canada k7l 3n6Tel 613 533-6166Fax 613 533-6891WELCOME LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR

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