Village Squire, 1979-07, Page 26of the property. The search for a new spot
for the gallery ended on York Lane, a back
lane just behind the Ontario street stores
on one side and behind Rundles Restaurant
on the other.
It was just a basement at the time,
Richard Capener, secretary of the gallery
says. The members of the co-operative had
to go to work to turn it into a suitable
space. They installed a new ceiling and
fixed and painted until today it makes a
very pleasant place to see local art.
The original five artist membership has
grown greatly. Three new members were
enrolled in May bringing membership to
21. Before a new member is accepted his or
her work must be judged by the members
of the gallery to see if it is suitable for
inclusion. The artist must bring four or five
pieces of actual work and provide a
background history of themselves and their
work. In addition, they have to be willing to
put in time to help make the gallery work.
Usually this amounts to about eight hours a
month.
Most of the membership of the gallery
comes from the Stratford and Perth county
region although there are members from as
far away as Kitchener and Toronto in one
direction and Goderich in another. The
members close at hand generally put in
their alloted time taking over at lunch hour
or in the evenings. Membgrs from farther
away may work for a whole Sunday to make
up their time commitment. In addition,
each member shares the costs of renting
the gallery at $13 per month. The Gallery
also takes a commission of 10 per cent on
sales of the work of the artists.
This summer the gallery has been
helped out in its staffing problems by the
hiring of a full time student under a
summer employment program.
The variety of art featured in the gallery
means there is something for nearly
everyone. The work ranges from pencil
through pen and ink, water colour, oils to
tapestries, pottery, wood block prints,
batik, seriographs, photography and
etchings. There's even do it yourself art
with Susan Murar's collection of plates for
brass rubbing where you can produce a
picture from imported brass plates, some
nearly life-size.
While there are some pieces on show
that border on the craft side of things the
gallery does not encourage the showing of
crafts. Everything must have an artistic
flare to it to be included.
Thus although there is handmade
jewellery on display it is a very artistic
jewellery, harking back to periods of the
past. It's hand hammered brass by Polly
Bohdanetsky who produces much of the
original period jewellery to compliment
period costumes in Stratford Festival
productions. She'll also be producing
jewellery to be sold in shops when the King
Tut Egyptian historical displays come to
Toronto later this year.
Like Ms. Bohdanetsky, all members of
the gallery have other full-time jobs. For
24 Village Squire, July 1979
them the gallery provides not only a chance
to get their work displayed before the
public but also a chance to get together and
support each other. The members hold a
monthly meeting to discuss gallery
business and look at the work of artists
applying for membership. These meetings,
and the general tendency of members to
drop in at the gallery whenever they've got
some spare time, helps provide a forum to
let people get together to talk about their
work, discuss their latest ideas and
generally recharge their creative batteries.
Mr. Capener, a former animator with the
National Film Board who visited Stratford,
fell in love with it and decided to stay is one
of the executive members of the gallery.
Chairman of the Board of Directors is Joy
Allen of Stratford, Mr. Capener is
secretary and Madelaine Whelan is
treasurer. But, Mr. Capener says, every
member has some position whether it be
involved with maintenance, advertising or
staffing or some of the other duties of
running a gallery.
While the main gallery is a mixture of
the works of all the members there's a new
exhibitions room this year which allows
room for members to have a one man show.
These exhibitions are changed every two
weeks. This new room is also part of an
attempt by the gallery to get more public
participation in the gallery. The gallery has
had a show for children's paper sculptures
and also wants more involvement with
senior citizens and high school art clubs.
And then there's the problem of just
getting people to know where the gallery
is. While local people have been strong in
their support, the main clientelle for the
gallery has to be the huge crowds that
descend on Stratford for the Festival. For
this crowd. it can be a difficult thing
finding the little, out of the way basement
location. That's something the gallery
members are trying to change.
The•hours the gallery keeps are designed
to fit in nicely for those coming to Stratford
to go to the theatre. It's open in summer
from Tuesday through Sunday from 10
a.ni. to 7:30 p.ni. weekdays and 10 a.m. to
5 p.m. on Sunday. It stays open until
Christmas then shuts down for January.
February and March.
From our readers
THE EDITOR,
Please renew our Village Squire. It is a
wonderful magazine so chuck full of local
happenings and places of interest.
I was particularly interested in a past
article from a person who had been at the
Queen's garden party. We also had been at
that very same gathering on that day.
Thanking you again.
Yours sincerely,
Harry W. Nesbitt
Stratford.
THE
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