GALLERY
Our gallery is OPEN, Tuesday to Saturday 12-5 pm for public viewing.
Our gallery is free admission and showcases the talents of many local and emerging artists throughout the year.
On Now:
REFLEX
41st annual Fanshawe Photography Program Student Image Competition
April 9th - April 13th
The photographs are the top finalist in each category of our 41st annual Photography Program Student Image Competition. It features images from the Fanshawe Photography and the Photography Advanced Programs.
This is an opportunity to see the high caliber images created by young emerging photographers. In addition to the finalist, there will be images from various student projects representing first and second year students. The categories include portrait, food, nature, scenic, architectural, fashion, editorial, and effects.
The exhibition will be taking place April 9th - April 13th, and the opening reception for this exhibit will be taking place on April 9th, from 6PM until 8PM.
Bar Scene
An installation created by resident artist Anne Hamilton.
Taking place in Lab 203
Until March 31st
Join us for Bar Scene, an installation created by resident artist Anne Hamilton. Bar Scene explores her obsession with old movies and her desire to be absorbed into one. This piece is the first in a series based on favourite old movie settings bars and nightclubs. This installation is a reimagining of brightly coloured Technicolor musicals using coloured lights to create a dreamlike atmosphere.
Thank you for the support of Canada Council and Ontario Arts Council in the development of this work.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Anne Hamilton is a multidisciplinary artist. Her work explores her experiences as an autistic woman. A graduate of Bealart, she has had residencies at TAP Centre for Creativity (London) and Akin Studio at Auto BLDG (Toronto) and has had shows at Satellite Project Space (London), Queens Square Gallery (Cambridge) and Tangled Art Gallery (Toronto). Anne has received grants from both the Ontario Arts Council and Canada Council for the Arts. In 2024, she will be artist-in-residence at Kunstram
(Brooklyn, NY).
Upcoming Exhibitions
Tingfest 2024
8th annual graphic artists show inspired by Merle 'Ting' Tingley, featuring works from artists across SWO
April 16th - May 11th
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Named after Merle “Ting” Tingley, London Free Press’ editorial cartoonist from 1948 to 1986, Tingfest is an annual celebration curated by TAP Centre for Creativity that showcases the work of past, present and future comic and graphic artists from Southwestern Ontario.
While this festival is an homage to Ting’s work and influence on generations of artists, Tingfest is a rare forum for emerging and established artists to present their work to the public through a gallery show that is complemented with free events and programs.
This year, the exhibiting artists that will be featured are František Bidlo, Chris Elliott, soft flirt, Dax Gordine, Kevin Hearn, Matt James, Ivan Kocmarek, Owen MacKinder, Julian Miholics, Lido Pimienta, Merle 'Ting' Tingley, Alyssa Waterbury. You can find more information about the artists and programs HERE.
The opening reception for this festival will take place on Saturday, April 20th. Stay tuned to our website and social media for more information about programs and events.
Past Exhibitions
Hermits
An exhibition presented by graduates of
the Fanshawe Fine Art program.
March 27th - April 6th
HERMITS is the 52nd graduating class exhibition of the Fanshawe Fine Art Advanced Diploma program.
This small class formed during the height of the pandemic, each had a single space to occupy, creating art behind masks and face shields within the boundaries of personal studios, no one approaching closer than six feet in distance, social life confined to glowing screens. Yet the students in this cohort persevered and used their time as hermits to produce some extraordinary art. Celebrate as the hermits emerge from their shells to present their creations publicly in this group exhibition.
Artists in the Exhibition:
Charlotte Buenaobra
Mikayla Fisher
Amber Lynch
Georgia Ross
John Weir
Exhibition runs March 27 – April 6, 2024
Connect on TAP: Hear the students discuss their work in the exhibition Wednesday, April 3, 2024, 5:30 pm
Reception: Saturday, April 6, 2024, 7 pm, remarks at 7:30, catalogue available for purchase
Guest Speaker: Tabitha Verbuyst, Executive Director/Curator, Station Arts Centre, Tillsonburg, ON
We're Sew Screwed!
An exhibition presented by second year Fanshawe Fine Art students.
Mar. 13th - 23rd
We’re Sew Screwed! This is the sentiment expressed by second-year Fanshawe College Fine Art students as they reflect on the precarious state of our natural world and examine the causes of the current ecological crisis. We can no longer escape the onslaught of climate change and environmental destruction that lies before us. Forest fires have been raging across the land, plastic pollution and oil spills threaten our oceans and water resources, carelessly disposed garbage endangers living creatures, overuse of pesticides obliterates natural pollinators, pollutants poison the air we breathe, while carbon emissions and greenhouse gases resulting from food waste and fast fashion contribute to further devastation. In these students’ opinion, the generations before them have greedily and carelessly damaged our environment in ways that are threatening to obliterate life on Earth. So, as contemporary artists, how can they try to help? The wall hangings and soft sculptures in this exhibition are assembled from repurposed textiles and yarn using hand-crafted techniques including traditional sewing, quilting, embroidery, felting, crochet and beading as well as shredding and knotting to bring attention to these serious issues using materials that are generally associated with comfort, protection, and domesticity. These student artists yearn to make our society aware of nature’s vulnerability through their art. They are rejecting society’s emphasis on materialism, accumulation, and excessive wealth in favour of giving voice to a cause which is all too vital – the need to protect our natural world. Using their needles, they are pricking our consciences and sewing their ideas into view.
The works in this exhibition have been created by students enrolled in the Visual Research course in the second year of the Fanshawe College Fine Art program.
List of Artists:
Alycia Shufelt, Camille Vanstone, Cecil Klassen, Clinton Ncube, Emma Barnes, Erika Aarsteinsen, Ethan Quenneville, Gabrielle Flores, Heather Hachey, Jason Gillis, Kassidy Toner-Tait, Kate Miazga, Lealah Flynn, Mackenzie Beirnes-Daniels, Nadia Ahmed, Natalie Pieterman, Natasha Dufresne, Nicole Hill, Nolan Burridge, Ryleigh Gaudreau, Sadie Pollock.
Slowly/Surely: An Exhibition of Illustrated Allegory
Feb. 27th - Mar. 9th
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“Slowly/Surely” is the debut solo gallery exhibition by artist Robin Henry. This autobiographical exhibition explores themes of storytelling, change, and healing brought to life through hand-painted enamel signs and sculpture. Each piece acts as a bookmark, dog-earing important stories and transformative moments in the artist’s long journey towards healing and gentleness. The central wall installation features thirty-two cut-out pieces of sign work, displayed floor to ceiling in salon fashion. Each piece is designed to be viewed up close as an individual memory, and afar as part of a larger interconnected story. Robin Henry is known for their screenprinting and mural work . This exhibition denotes a new avenue in their career, inviting the viewers to engage with vulnerable memories that have shaped the artist’s path.
The exhibition will run from Feb. 27th until Mar. 9th. The opening reception will be taking place on Feb. 29th, from 6PM until 9PM.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Robin Henry is a dedicated artist from London, Ontario with a focus on illustration, printmaking, and public art installations. With a passion for making art accessible, Robin's work has resonated with a wide audience, from international brands to small businesses and most importantly, a great many London punks.
Robin's artistic journey is deeply influenced by screen printing and their work is characterized by clean black lines, distilling concepts into images of illustrated iconography. Through their art, Robin often explores memories, experiences and emotions through the visual themes of botanicals, animal life, houses and cabins, doorways and portals to other places, and mountains with peaks and valleys.
Robin also does live screen printing demonstrations and workshops, sharing their passion with aspiring artists and inviting others to explore their own creativity. Robin’s work reflects a humble dedication to the power of creativity as a means of reflection, processing, meditation, and connection.
The London Artist Studio Tour Preview Show
A preview exhibition of artists in this year's London Artist Studio Tour.
Feb. 20th - Feb. 24th
The London Artist Studio Tour "Preview Show" is a sneak peek of what you might expect to see if you come out this April for the Studio Tour. This year’s Tour has 31 artists in 28 studios around all areas of London. Normally working solo in their respective studios, this show provides an opportunity for us to display our work collectively and see the wonderful variety of mediums and styles that we make. You’ll see painting, sculpture, ceramics, textile art and more during this week’s show. The London Artist Studio Tour is one of this cities oldest visual arts events, having run for over 30 years. It’s also one of the most popular, as we’ve had some of London’s most celebrated artists display their work, and had hundreds of thousands of studio visits by interested art lovers over the decades. Completely artist run and self funded, the Studio Tour is a wonderful way to experience the arts and meet with working artists in our city.
The 2024 London Artists’ Studio Tour (L.A.S.T.) takes place April 19, 20 and 21. It is a three-day self-guided Tour that offers the public an extraordinary opportunity to meet local artists in their working environs and learn more about their creative processes. The tour is a free event.
Tthe opening reception for this event will be taking place on February 20th, from 5PM until 8PM and the exhibition will continue to run until Saturday, Feb. 24th..
Patrick Thibert: Evolution of Works on Paper 1971 - 2023
Feb. 6th - Feb. 17th
The exhibition, “Patrick Thibert: Evolution of Works on Paper 1971–2023”, is an overview of Patrick’s two-dimensional activity over the fifty-two-year period that this exhibition covers. His approach to the two-dimensional works on paper has changed with the decades. The works on paper have been, at times, a two-dimensional representation of finished sculptures. At other times they documented other options whether for free standing sculptures or for wall dependent sculptures. Each body of sculptures asked for a different way of rendering the idea(s) in two-dimensional form through a variety of drawing mediums from acrylic paint to charcoal to pastel powders. Some of the works on paper are colour studies for possible future powder coated, aluminum, wall sculptures.
BIOGRAPHY:
Patrick Thibert (b. 1943) was born and raised in Windsor, Ontario and for the last forty years has resided in Mt. Brydges, Ontario located just west of London. Thibert holds a diploma in Chemical Technology from the Western Ontario Institute of Technology, Windsor, (1961‒1965), renamed St. Clair College of Applied Art and Technology, A Bachelor of Fine Art (sculpture) from the University of Windsor (1968‒1972) and a Master of Fine Art (sculpture), from Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, (1972‒1974).
Thibert has been a practicing sculptor and art educator. He taught as a graduate student at Florida State University, in Tallahassee, Florida, (1973 and 1973‒1974). He taught as a sessional instructor at St. Clair College of Applied Art and Technology, Windsor during the 1974‒1975 academic year. Thibert taught full-time, for 28 years, at Fanshawe College of Applied Art and Technology, London, Ontario from 1975‒2003. Over the decades Patrick Thibert has taught drawing, two- and three-dimensional design, and sculpture.
Patrick has been an active member of the London art community since arriving in London in 1975 to teach at Fanshawe College. He was an active member of the Forest City Gallery for 15 years in a number of capacities. He has been on the Board of Museum London. He has also served on the acquisitions committee at the McIntosh Gallery at Western University. Thibert has given talks on his works in a variety of venues from the University of Windsor, the University of Calgary, Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver, and at various museums and galleries in Canada.
Thibert has consistently worked three-dimensionally while also working two-dimensionally producing a variety of works on paper as studies or documentations of finished works. His studio activity has moved from abstraction as an approach through the 1970’s and early 1980’s to working with image-based narrative sculptures from the late 1980’s to 2010. Since March 2011 he has returned to expressing himself within the abstract tradition and continues to do so.
Patrick Thibert has had over 100 solo and group exhibitions since 1974 in Canada and the United States. His works are found in numerous private and public collections throughout Canada, Germany, and the United States. Public art collections include the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Canada Council art Bank, Museum London, The Glenbow Museum, and the Woodstock Art Gallery, along with many others.
Chrysalis
Bealart annual student show.
January 23rd - Feb. 3rd
Chrysalis is defined by the development and growth of youth that is hidden by a cocoon, much like walls of the basement of Bealart. Bealart is a program that encourages uniqueness and diversity at its very roots. However, it is also a program full of talented highschoolers who are experiencing monumentous
changes and developments to their identity. Inspiration for the name came from the idea of transition and drive as we finally get back into the groove of things post-pandemic. Chrysalis at its core is a love letter to the program that nurtured this year’s Specials group during an unstable past few years.
This exhibition will run from Jan. 23rd until Feb. 3rd, and the opening reception will take place on January 26th, from 6PM until 9PM.
Crafted
Our annual handmade artisan market featuring local makers.
November 21st - December 23rd
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Join us for the return of our annual Crafted exhibition! This exhibition features a wide range of handmade creations from local artists, crafters, and more. Crafted is a great way to find unique goods for yourself and your loved ones, and also a great way to what local artisans have been creating!
This event will be taking place from November 21st to December 23rd, and the opening reception for this exhibition will be taking place on Friday, November 24th from 5PM until 8PM.
Frills: Portraits from the Produce Section
A solo exhibition by Craig Guthrie.
October 20th -
November 18th
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“Frills: Portraits from the Produce Section" magnifies the world of everyday fruits and vegetables, elevating its seductive beauty through scale and modern colour relationships. Drawing inspiration from pop art, the series explores our contemporary social, cultural, and economic connections to these grocery store gems, presenting them with detail and poise that is almost bodily in its expression.
"Frills" invites you to find magic in the seemingly mundane, explore the connections between nature and human culture, and discover that, often, success in natural selection is about the cheeky, fruity frills.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
It has been a remarkable journey for painter Craig Guthrie since his debut exhibition a decade ago. Throughout this transformative period Craig's artistry has evolved, fusing elements of realism with the playfulness of pop art, all while retaining his unmistakable dedication to detail and his unique ability to capture the essence of light.
A native of Guelph, Ontario, Craig Guthrie now calls London his home, having spent two decades alongside his partner in this vibrant city. For the past 20 years he has developed his skills at the Grand Theatre, where his work as a scenic artist has contributed to stellar sets.
Within the heart of London's downtown, Craig has been a resident of the TAP Centre for Creativity over the past decade, currently nurturing his studio practice in Studio 2B. Craig is a proud advocate for art in downtown London, contributing his vibrant creativity to the burgeoning artistic community along Dundas Place.
His distinctive artistic method, characterized by layering transparent glazes, creates captivating relationships among colours that not only stand beside each other but also flow through one another. This intricate interplay of colour adds captivating depths of visual interest, allowing viewers to see his subjects in an entirely new light.
Craig Guthrie's art has flourished under the support of London's art enthusiasts. He extends his heartfelt gratitude to the London Arts Council and the City of London for their unwavering support. In this artistic journey, Craig continues to explore, innovate, and inspire, and is excited to learn and grow for another twenty years here in London Ontario.
This exhibit will be taking place from October 20th and will run until November 18th. The artist invites you to the opening reception on October 20th, from 6:00PM - 9:00PM.
Forest City Fusion
Art Exhibition
Curated by Simple Reflections for Artists.
October 4th -
October 14th
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Curated by Simple Reflections for Artists, the Forest City Fusion Art Exhibit features 19 London-based artists of 14 cultural backgrounds and diverse artistic styles. Digital, acrylic, watercolour and mixed media pieces will be exhibited with diverse themes such as landscapes, female forms, geometric shapes, light and cityscapes. Support local artists and experience this fusion of culture and community at the Forest City Fusion Art Exhibit.
Opening reception: October 5th, 2023, 6-9 pm.
Preview: October 3rd - 4th, 2023.
Exhibition Dates: October 6th - 14th, 2023.
Featured artists:
Katharina Bilka, Ilona Burghardt, Heather Cabral, Kimberly Doerr, Catherine Eichstedt, Karoline Feagan, Barabar Hamilton, Luiza Kaminska, Cesar Moriss, Dario Novoa, Olukayode Ojo, Kris Popiolek, Selma Popovic, Harley Salamanca, Ashwini Solai, Diego Tamayo, April White, Shane Wilcox, and Amsa Yaro.
For more information visit: www.simplereflectionsforartists.com
In Perspective
A solo exhibition by D'Arcy Balfour
September 19th - September 30th
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Join us for our next exhibition, ‘In Perspective’ by D’Arcy Balfour.
D’Arcy Balfour’s unique artistic style is firmly rooted in the realm of abstract realism. He draws inspiration from every day life and the diverse cultural tapestry that surrounds us, infusing his art with a profound sense of definition and expression. D’Arcy’s works are a testament to their ability to seamlessly blend the abstract with his reality in everyday scenes, transcending conventional boundaries to create captivating narratives.
Influenced by the works of renowned abstract and magic realist painters such as William de Koonig and Remedios Varo, D’Arcy has developed a distinct visual language that intertwines surreal elements with meticulously rendered details. His compositions are carefully constructed, with symbolism and metaphor delicately woven into each piece, inviting viewers to unravel the layers of meaning beneath the surface.
This exhibition will run from September 19th until September 30th, and the opening reception will be taking place on September 22nd, from 6PM until 9PM.
The Shady Artists
8th Annual Shady Artists' Show in support of My Sisters' Place
September 6th - September 16th
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The SHADY Artists are back!
The SHADY Artists are hosting a two week art show at the TAP Centre for Creativity (203 Dundas St. London), running from Wednesday, September 6th until Saturday September 16th. 20% of the proceeds raised from the sale of art at this show will be donated to My Sisters' Place. My Sisters' Place offers support, a hot meal, and a welcoming safe haven for women in need.
ABOUT THE SHADY ARTISTS
The Shady Artists love to paint familiar scenes in an around London. This will be their 8th annual show.
Sandi McCabe paints vivid scenes from the London area using bold colours and dynamic brush strokes that depict her whimsical nature and daring vision as an artist.
Michele Haley brings a subtle approach to oil painting by effectively combining a variety of brush strokes, intricate textures and subtle hues that produce work that truly captures the artists' emotion.
Janice Howell displays an uncanny ability to invent and exploit colour creating bold designs that add life and and vibrancy to everyday scenes while cleverly incorporating architecture into many of her compositions.
The Shady Artists' Reception is Thursday, September 7th from 4:00PM until 7:00PM. There will be a special welcome for friends, staff and supporters of My Sisters' Place. Everyone is welcome to enjoy the art, live music, and refreshments. All three Shady Artists will be painting here at TAP on Friday, September 8th and Friday, September 15th from 12:30PM until 5PM. Please come and watch the artists at work and have a chat with them! (An artist will be at the gallery every day of the show.
Life Study: From Pose to Page
A Life Drawing Exhibition
August 9th - September 2nd
Figure drawing is hard for many artists but it is so rewarding when it has been mastered; it requires focus, hours of practise, and it demands respect for the model and the other students studying the human form. The works in this exhibit range from gesture to more detailed renderings to capture the likeness or movement of the subject.
TAP provides Life Drawing sessions to participants at all skill levels every Monday night and Tuesday afternoon all year long, along with monthly Costumed Life Drawing Sessions. These sessions would not be possible without the talented and dedicated life models who have posed for countless hours; their professionalism and support for this program is outstanding.
We hope you enjoy the works created by our instructors, session coordinators, and dedicated attendees –these are the individuals who make us passionate about delivering this program.
The opening reception for this exhibition will be taking place August 19th, from 1:00PM to 4:00PM.
Dollirium: The Resurrection
International Art Doll Show
July 5th - August 5th
Art dolls are one of a kind handmade figures created to share an idea or illustrate a story rather than to be used as a child’s toy. Often depicting animals, mythical creatures, or abstract beings, art dolls are made in a variety of styles and materials. Each creation can take hundreds of hours to complete and art dollmakers employ a diverse set of skills and techniques in their creations including design, sculpting, painting, weaving, felting, and costuming.
As an art dollmaker and avid collector, Jacqui Gallant, would travel far and wide in order to meet other unusual like minded art dollmakers. It was a dream for Jacqui to one day host a space where doll artists could come together to learn, create and exhibit their off the beaten path works of art. In 2011, Jacqui opened Dollirium Art Doll Emporium in London, Ontario. During Dollirium’s short lifespan, it was the world's only international art doll gallery that supported over 80 artists from 22 countries around the world. Even though Dollirium shut its doors in the Fall of 2013, its legacy continues to live on.
TAP Centre for Creativity is proud to present Dollirium: The Resurrection. Come and witness the gallery's transformation into the Island of Misfit Toys. Featuring the wildly imaginative works of local and international artists from 11 countries around the world; including Canada, USA, UK, Netherlands, Greece, Serbia, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, France and Spain.
The Resurrection will be showcasing work by art dollmakers: Dagmara Antic, Sandra Arteaga, Melanie Ashton, Kelly Chehardy, Michelle de Pinto, Sara Deck, Kylie Dexter, Chris Elliott, Jacqui Gallant, Pandora Gastelum, Vicky Georgousopoulou, Christophe Goussault, Caroline Jones, Lonnie Jones, Bubu Kamitakahara, Sarah Legault, Kamilla Meesters, Vilia Merton, Kamila Mlynarczyk, Gerakina Pastogianni, Melissa Panth, David Pound, Beth Robinson, Kook Teflon, Tom Taggart, Kat Toronto aka “Miss Meatface”, Anthony Veilleux.
DIDO
Esad Kovacevic's Solo Exhibition
May 30th - June 17th
Encounter visual storytelling through the eyes of Esad Kovacevic. This unique collection features a colourful array of surrealistic paintings and wooden sculptures. These masterful artworks were influenced by nature, social events and the daily encounters that unexpectedly emerged from found materials as they connected with the artist’s toolkit. Inspired by characters from the movies Forrest Gump, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest and Rain Man, Esad shared a secret language with his younger brother; the artist continues to carry on this dialogue within his work. Imaging, heavy in personal symbolism, passionately reflects the experiences he has had in his life and the stories of those around him. Join Esad in his storytelling journey starting from his birthplace Bosnia/Herzegovina to his current home in London, Ontario, Canada. Esad’s work gives the viewer an insight into his life experiences.
About the Artist
Born in Bosnia/Herzegovina, Esad Kovacevic always had a passion for the wilderness and nature’s harvest. After spending a lifetime as a professional baker and wandering the forests of Southeastern Europe in search of mushrooms, Esad became a leading expert in food foraging. During the Bosnian war, Esad's family relocated to London, Ontario, Canada. At this stage in Esad’s life, he produced a large volume of artwork that was heavily influenced by nature and social events. With the ability to transform a piece of found wood or wrinkles on a canvas into a thought provoking storyline using his secret artistic methods, his masterful surrealism style does not go unnoticed. Many people know Esad by his nickname: Dido the Mushroomman (Translation: Grandpa the Mushroomman).
Confronting Mortality
An exhibition of work by Catherine Morrissey and Johnnene Maddison
May 16th - May 27th
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Two painters come to their art with their lives dedicated to creating beautiful, meaningful work. The visual language of these paintings might appear to be at odds. Abstract art is different from landscape. Both types are simply tools of expression. Artists invent ways to express their thoughts and feelings and build on the art of other painters they admire.
Johnnene Maddison originally painted landscapes and has shifted her direction in recent years to paint abstracts. It allowed her to open up to new possibilities. Catherine Morrisey shifted in the opposite direction. She began with abstracts and moved to landscape. It allowed her to express her feelings for place. Both painters celebrate colour, form, and composition. They discovered they have a painting method in common. Both turn their canvases upside down while painting to see them objectively. They ask themselves questions. What is interesting about it? What is its language? What is it saying? How do I bring that to life? How do I make it stronger? Making art gives purpose and meaning to these artists. It is how they confront their mortality.
Join us in the gallery to celebrate the artists and their work during the exhibition reception on Saturday May 20 from 2:00 to 4:00 pm.
Tingfest 2023
Graphic artists show inspired by Merle 'Ting' Tingley, featuring works from artists across SWO
April 18 - May 13
Named after Merle 'Ting' Tingley, London Free Press' editorial cartoonist from 1948 to 1986, Tingfest is an annual celebration curated by TAP Centre for Creativity that showcases the work of past, present, and future comic and graphic artists from Southwestern Ontario.
While this festival is an homage to Ting's work and influence on generations of artists, Tingfest is a rare forum for emerging and established artists to present their work to the public through a gallery show that is complemented with free events and programs.
This year, Tingfest takes place from Tuesday, April 18th - Saturday, May 13th. The opening reception will be Saturday, April 22nd and it will be one for the books. You won't want to miss the party!
REFLEX
40th annual Fanshawe Photography Program Student Image Competition
April 11 - April 15
The photographs are the top finalist in each category of our 40th annual Photography Program Student Image Competition. It features images from the Fanshawe Photography and the Photography Advanced Programs.
This is an opportunity to see the high caliber images created by young emerging photographers. In addition to the finalist, there will be images from various student projects representing first and second year students. The categories are Nature, Portrait, Fashion, Commercial, Unclassified, the Canon award, Nikon Award, Sony Award, John Kippen award.
THAT'S UNFORTUNATE
...But it's not the end of the world.
The 51st graduating class of Fanshawe's Fine Art Advanced Diploma
LIFE SYSTEMS
The Second Year Students of Fanshawe's Fine Art Program
LIFE SYSTEMS is an exhibition of Fanshawe Fine Art second year student artwork from two courses: VISUAL RESEARCH and STUDIO 4. Each course has different approaches, materials and content to reveal and practice for the students. In the future, the student-artist is concerned to realize and determine what avenue to take when they are confronted with their own studio practice; not an easy decision - but crucial.
These first time larger-scale projects in drawing and painting make demands on individual students that they have not encountered before. The project begins with the physical scale and this is immediately felt by students through the making of the support (stretched canvas, mounted paper) as it becomes familiar through care and attentiveness in preparation. Scale can offer a range of new considerations both in use of tools and materials. While also for students, the experience and concerns of their individual creativity is highlighted.
Fear and control are always present when stepping into large-scale. The physical now frames a conceptual approach and although there is a concept predetermined, it too is only a beginning that expands with every new mark.
In the drawings, you create a mark to systematically repeat into an accumulative image dependent on this process. In the paintings, the beginning is a genre (life-model painting) and within it you develop an appearance through observation. In the drawing, you maintain a repeating mark throughout to announce the system that establishes the final image. In the life-model painting, you observe, translate, apply, consider and reapply as an illusion appears and is observed. In so doing, one begins to generate and decide an approach, perhaps a style or system, and although maintained it dissolves into a defined illusion. In both projects, observation and discipline while making are key to an artist’s learning process, even with apparently very diverse systems of approach and production.
In this exhibition we see large-scale artwork with significantly different results. Illusion is revealed and excites us as we now engage and observe through a variety of Life Systems.
Students in Exhibition: Dayanna Alarcon Recinos, Charlotte Buenaobra, Mikayla Fisher, Gregory Krupa, Amber Lynch, Nagla Medni, Georgia Ross, Chengxin Qian, John Weir, and Ian Thomson
The Artists invite everyone to attend a reception on Thursday March 16 from 5-7pm.
Modern Iconography
Sarah Deck
MODERN ICONOGRAPHY is a 10 year retrospective of work created by renowned poster artist Sara Deck. Highlighting cult classic films such as The Bride of Frankenstein, Midsomer, The VVitch, Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, Spider-Man, Alice in Wonderland, Monsters Inc. Nosferatu, Plan 9 From Outer Space, Suspiria, Crimson Peak, Halloween, True Romance, Atomic Blonde; and supporting musicians such as David Bowie, Jack White, Joan Jett, Metallica, and Raconteurs. Sara’s surrealistic-goth style has captured the attention of many notable people in the design, film, and music industry. This includes the final poster collaboration with iconic monster illustrator Basil Gogos before he passed away in 2017, which will be one of the amazing works displayed in this collection at TAP Centre for Creativity until March 12th 2023.
Sara Deck is a two-time Clio and four-time American Illustration award-winning visual artist residing in Ontario, Canada. She studied Editorial Illustration at Sheridan College and began her career working full-time as a freelance artist focusing on pop culture and surrealist art. In the industry for just over 10 years, Sara has illustrated for high profile clients such as MONDO, Marvel, 20th Century FOX, Universal, Disney, Fangoria, Rue Morgue, Paramount and Jack White to name a few. Her recent poster work was commissioned for and featured in Babylon, a Golden Globe Award winning movie written and directed by Damien Chazelle, that has been nominated for multiple Oscars in 2023.
Opening Reception Friday February 10th, 7-10pm.
Catching Stride
The Students of the Bealart Program
Catching Stride is a collaboration in opposition to the past few years of isolation. Students in the Bealart program at H.B. Beal Secondary School form a community of unique and creative individuals who range from those beginning their artistic journey to those moving on to their post-high school lives next year. Together, these students developed Catching Stride, in which they not only created the artwork, but designed the exhibition as well. Teams cooperated to manage, curate, install, and promote a show that would reflect what Bealart means to them. Through a range of media from ceramics and textiles to film and dance, the students hope Catching Stride reveals their diversity, creativity, and collective strength.
ORIGINAL SISTERS: 365 Portraits of Tenacity and Courage
Anita Kunz
This collection features 365 original illustrated portraits and stories of courageous women who have greatly influenced future generations and changed history. Searching for inspiration during the uncertainty of the pandemic, Anita Kunz (OC DFA) researched hundreds of women from all backgrounds and cultures, and inspired by the ways in which these women shaped our world she committed their stories to paper.
Commissioned to create the cover art for celebrated magazines such as The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, and Time Magazine, Anita has been recognized for her influential work with accolades and awards including induction into the Royal Canadian Academy of the Arts and appointment as an Officer of the Order of Canada in recognition of her outstanding achievements as an illustrator.
The portraits in this collection bring the accomplishments of these trailblazers, leaders, mentors, and rebels together in a series of paintings that embody Anita’s approachable and engaging style. This is the first time that the entire Original Sisters collection will be on public display, giving us an opportunity to come together to celebrate these individuals and acknowledge their contributions as they pushed against the social and political norms of their time.
AMARCORD
Eric J Drummond - TAP Resident Artist
"We exist to express, whether it be artistically or through other means. Our disciplines are our expression. Artists, however, do not express needlessly but from a desire to seek sources much more profound and transcendent than what the natural world cares to show us. Within all the things we see on a consistent basis, a source or beauty lies within. Humanity has and more specifically, artists, have contemplated this since our earliest existence. As a result, through our predisposition to express we have passed on an ever-growing heritage.... or lineage, to describe beauty and truth.
Beauty does not discriminate. It can be found in tragedy and in triumph. Through complexity or from stillness. It can be discovered or recalled. And it pertains entirely to the individual with capacity enough to express it in their fashion. We recall beauty in our inspirations, and we discover beauty through our methods. Anything that exists today is the result of what has come before. It is all a heritage of our species; we inherit the things that were said once and find those to be echoed again today. Sometimes we forget what we have said before, and therefore it must be stated again. Nothing has ever existed within a void.
This passing down of heritage mirrors that of a memory. The feelings that arise when we recall traumas, or the moments shared of a past loved one. Like a stone cast into still water, the feelings recalled ripple outwards from the soul. We find a divine source within the wistful return to some period in our minds. We recall our most human selves so quickly. “It’s like it was yesterday” is the common phrase. What becomes of it is a passing of culture, elapsing our understanding of time itself.
Behind my eyes is an inexplicable feeling of homesickness. A constant desire to go back. My solace is found in an understanding that memory and culture are not bound to time. Relatable feelings from past experiences surface as I view the works done by those long before. In my work, the dried tears weigh the fur of the teddy bear she holds, the jacket as vibrant as the pride poised in the gaze of her eyes, a brother’s hands crown his expression. From work to work, this lineage leads me on. Memories, heritage, and culture is echoed in the marks chosen to describe a beauty searched for.
Moments we share with each other formulate our nature. We are the sum of all our experiences past, we are all living memories, brought up by cultures cultivated by generations long before, crossing each other's paths. I labor in the standards I’m inspired by; I express the inner truth of the subjects I see, exiling myself of the superficialities of the world today. But while I balance these feelings and techniques, time never bounds me...because Amarcord - I Remember. " - E. Drummond
Pop-up exhibition of some of our favourite panels.
Comic Jam: Pages Pop-up
An exhibition of some of our favorite panels from the ever popular "Comic Jam" sessions. Every month artists gather at TAP to participate in a free monthly comic series where someone starts by drawing the first panel, then slides it across the table to see what the next person adds to the story. At the end of the night there are piles of pages, and at the end of the year there are oodles of pages! This is our opportunity to share these pages with you in a pop-up exhibit that honours the artists that gather at this creative table.
The Shady Artists Show
Annual Exhibition for 2022
The SHADY Artists are back! The Shady Artists share a love of plein air painting. This will be their 7th annual show together.
Sandi McCabe paints vivid scenes from the London area using bold colours and dynamic brush strokes that depict her whimsical nature and daring vision as an artist.
Michele Haley brings a subtle approach to oil painting by effectively combining a variety of brush strokes, intricate textures and subtle hues that produce work that truly captures the artist's emotion.
Janice Howell displays an uncanny ability to invent and exploit colour creating bold designs that add life and vibrancy to everyday scenes while cleverly incorporating architecture into many of her compositions.
20% of the proceeds raised from the sale of art at this show will be donated to My Sisters' Place. My Sisters' Place offers support, a hot meal, and a welcoming safe haven for women in need.
Anne, Anna & Annabel
Anne Hamilton, Anna Wilson and Annabel Biro Resident Artists of TAP
This exhibition features the work of three of TAP's resident artists: Annabel Biro, Anne Hamilton and Anna Wilson. During the last two years these artists worked in the studio spaces above the closed gallery, connecting when they could with each other and with the community.
Their subject matter focuses on the familiar: people, objects, and spaces but their approaches to their subjects are unique to each. Annabel's soft painterly style is reminiscent of the personal photos that inspired her work. Anne's illustrations reveal her experimentation with new materials to play up the translucence in her objects. And Anna's exploration of blank space and imagined place creates new corners and depths to envelope the viewer.
REFLEX
Fanshawe College's 39th annual Photography Program Student Image Competition
Winners' Gallery
Hover or click for more information
REFLEX - The photographs in this exhibition are the top finalist in each category of our 39th annual Photography Program Student Image Competition. It features images from the Fanshawe Photography and the Photography Advanced Programs. This is an excellent opportunity to see the high calibre image created by young emerging photographers. In addition to the finalist, there will be images from various student projects representing first and second year students.
(un)ADJUSTED
The 2022 Graduating Class of Fanshawe College's Fine Art Programme
(un)ADJUSTED - "Fifty years ago, in Fanshawe's first Fine Art Graduating Class, 1972, students came to class, bought art supplies, learned and worked in studios together coming and going as schedules required. This learning environment webbed and flowed continuously in each era until March 2020. COVID abruptly changed everything. A murky digital horizon intercepted education. Adjustments centered around safety, and primarily distance learning, with unusual, changeable obstacles and challenges which no art class at Fanshawe has ever faced before. Quietly, unmistakably, art practice was challenged too. As you will note from this milestone exhibition, strength, patience, and courage arise in the many individual approaches experienced. Students crave social interaction, investigating and studying with peers. Cherishing, laughing, advancing, reflecting, smiling and seriously making Art. This Art confronts us now with joy."
--Gary Spearin, Coordinator, Professor, MFA, BFA
SOS: Society of Selfishness
The Second Year Students of Fanshawe's Fine Art Program
SOS - Society of Selfishness is a research/creation project completed by Fanshawe College Fine Art second-year students in their Visual Research course. Responding to our natural world in crisis, students have worked with textiles to create large-scale soft sculpture installations or wall hangings that address current pressing ecological issues wrought by human intervention, and ultimately human selfishness – the Anthropocene Epoch. Using both synthetic and natural fabrics, found materials, and thread, and adopting creative techniques that are associated with domestic handicrafts, gendered labour, and care (sewing, quilting, and embroidery), they subvert these decorative arts to speak to a looming environmental catastrophe, while also offering sparks of hope for a regenerative future where nature will prevail.