Category: Oxygen Art Centre

Oh, Columbia!    Exhibition on view from Wed. Jan. 8 to Sat. Feb. 1, 2020 at Oxygen Art Centre
 

Schedule of Events:
Exhibition: 8 January – 1 February 2020
Closing reception: 31 January 2020, 7:00 – 9:00 PM
Gallery Hours: Wednesday to Saturday, 1:00-5:00 PM
Oxygen Art Centre presents Hawaii-based artist Mary Babcock with local artist and writer Susan Andrews Grace in the exhibition, “Oh, Columbia!” The exhibition is the culmination of their collaborative residency that took place in December 2019.
New exhibition, “Oh, Columbia!” opens at the Oxygen Art Centre. The exhibition is the culmination of American artist Mary Babcock’s two-week residency at Oxygen, coupled with the soundscape by local artist and writer, Susan Andrews Grace. The artists worked in a parallel fashion, Babcock in wax paper and Andrews Grace with sound, to explore water as a symbol of climate change. In particular, the relationship between the historic flooding of Columbia River  and the current rapid melting of the Greenland’s ice sheet. Together the artists created a cautionary tale that is both sublime and alarming.
The exhibition will open on January 8th and run until February 1, 2020. The gallery will be open Wednesday thru Saturday from 1 to 5pm during exhibition run for viewing.
Mary Babcock’s semi-translucent aerial map of the historic town of Vanport, Oregon is the dominant feature of the installation, “Oh, Columbia.”  Suspended from the ceiling, this 14’x 9’ quilt-like piece, with its intricate needle work, hand stitching, collaged architectural shapes, and layering of fused wax paper gives a delicate yet transformative tone to the exhibition.
With this piece, Babcock calls our attention to the tragic decimation of an urban centre that was quickly established to house World War II African American ship builders. The entire town vanished due to massive flooding of the Columbia River in May of 1948. Built on a flood plain, Vanport was never meant to last. In the artist’s statement she notes that this “catastrophic” flooding of Vanport provided “a vivid, if misguided, justification for the further damming of the Columbia River in the name of hydro-control and power. It later helped cement the imperfect marriage between Canada and the US – the Columbia River Treaty – delivering promised power, yet also decimating communities, cultures, and ecosystems and threatening future food and water security.” Race, class, and environmental warfare enmesh to catastrophic, and hauntingly contemporary, scale.
On the floor of the gallery, encompassing the viewer and framing the map of “Vanport,”  Babcock creates a glacial melt, which forms the periphery of Greenland. Again, Babcock’s skilled use of wax paper to create a watery world—here, reminiscent of a frozen one–reminds us that as Greenland’s once massive ice sheet melts it will greatly contribute to rising sea levels around the globe. To add another layer, the artist incorporates sea salt to form neuron-like surface features inspired by the watery forms seen during a walk at the Kokanee Park ponds, as they morphed from glassy ice to slush.
As part of the residency and in response to the historical and political themes presented in Babcock’s work, Nelson-based visual artist and writer Susan Andrews Grace created a soundscape for the exhibition. In this new piece, Andrews Grace considers this work a “found poem.” The artist brings together sounds of similar and dissimilar elements inspired from research about the historic flooding of Vanport and the current political climate of the United States alongside sounds of the moving waters of the Columbia River and the ripping of wax paper.
Andrews Grace’s cleverly layers, like Babcock’s wax paper, a mosaic of sounds into a 20-minute loop that will play during the run of the exhibition. Most compelling is the whispering of children’s voices, both her grandson’s and Babcock’s daughter, as they recite the historic bulletin issued by the United States Government to the people of Vanport just hours before the dykes gave way:
“REMEMBER.
 
DIKES ARE SAFE AT PRESENT.
 
YOU WILL BE WARNED IF NECESSARY.
 
YOU WILL HAVE TIME TO LEAVE.
 
DON’T GET EXCITED.”
 
This combination of audio and visual elements immerses the viewer in a world that is tactile and ephemeral. And in this way, the artists seek to remind us of the catastrophic cause and effects of our avarice lifestyles, political systems, and social hierarchies on this planet that we are dependent upon and collectively share.
“Oh, Columbia” serves as a lament for what has become a chronic environmental condition of loss and is offered to us by the artists as a cautionary tale to highlight the layers of injustice like the layers of wax paper that echo the ecological, social and political disasters that we find ourselves participants in.
The exhibition will be on view from 8 January – 1 February 2020 during hours of operation (Wed-Sat, 1:00-5:00pm). Oxygen will host a Closing Reception and Artist Talk by Susan Andrews Grace on Friday, January 31, 2020 from 7:00-9:00 PM. Everyone welcome to attend.
Artist Bios:
Mary Babcock is a professor of Sculpture and Expanded Practices and Chair of Graduate Program in Studio Art in the Department of Art and Art History at the University of Hawaii in Manoa. She holds an MFA from the University of Arizona, BFA from University of Oregon, Ph.D in Psychology from University of Pennsylvania and a BA in Psychology from Cornell University. Her practice weaves together performance, textiles and mixed media into immersive installations. Babcock is interested in the intersection of art, contemplation and social activism. She holds the practice of mending as a central metaphor in her work. She has exhibited extensively in both solo and group shows around the world including France, England, Poland, Japan and Philippines. Her work is in public collections including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts.
Susan Andrews Grace is a writer and visual artist. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Las Vegas and a BA in Philosophy from the University of Saskatchewan. Inanna Publications (Toronto, York University) will release her sixth book of poetry, “Hypatia’s Wake”, in the fall of 2020. She has written reviews and catalogue essays for artists in the Kootenay region. She was one of the founding faculty of Oxygen Art Centre and teaches Creative Writing there. Her visual art practice includes textile installation, mixed media, and sculpture. “Domestic Fetishes”, a solo exhibition, will open at Kootenay Gallery of Art on August 28, 2020. She has received several awards for her writing and visual art including grants from BC Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts, and Columbia Kootenay Culture Alliance.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Start 2020 Creatively at Oxygen Art Centre! Adult Education Semester Lineup Launched!

Start the New Year off right and sign-up for one of Oxygen’s exciting new courses. With day, evening and weekend courses in an array of different disciplines there is something for everyone.
 
The talented Rayya Liebich will be offering Resurrecting the Lost Art of Letter Writing. Rayya explains her inspiration behind this course: “Modern correspondence through Email, Twitter, and texting provides efficient communication but the old-fashioned letter was a tool that connected us as human beings.” Re-discover the gifts of this powerful literary form by crafting imaginary letters and postcards, letters of gratitude, and time capsule letters.
 
Oxygen is offering two professional development courses for creatives of all mediums and levels. Beyond a Doubt, with poet and visual artist Susan Andrews Grace, starts in February and is a cross-discipline seminar for practicing artists and writers who would like to sharpen their skills for perseverance. The second professional development course is the Inaugural Oxygen Art Shack Workshop with artist Ian Johnston. Ian explains: “It’s a visual arts professional development free-for-all! Over four evenings of group conversation we will harness the hive mind and the experience of the participants and explore a self-identified group of professional development issues such as proposals, statements, audience, networks and researching opportunities”
Do you love the quality of oil paints but avoid them due to their potential toxicity? Well we have the course for you! Introduction to Oil Paints Using a Non-toxic Process with Kristy Gordon is a one-day workshop where students will learn how to select non-toxic materials, their properties and how to use them in oil painting.
Natasha Smith will once again be sharing her love of collage, printmaking, painting and assemblage Be Creative – Mixed Media Explorations, a process-based course that focuses on the act of being creative: developing an idea, experimenting using various media, and evaluating work as it develops.
Beginning in February learn the foundations of drawing and painting with Deborah Thompson in her very popular courses: Pencil to Paper and Beginner’s Brush 1. In Pencil to Paper participants will work from still life, photographs, and their imaginations while investigating drawing fundamentals. Discover the basics of painting in the 2-day weekend course Beginner’s Brush 1: On the first day explore shape, mark, tone, and space and on the second day dive into the very basics of colour mixing and theory as they apply it to painting.
Oxygen is excited to be welcoming interdisciplinary artist, prOphecy sun to the faculty who will be offering an innovative new course: Sonic Imaginaries: Compositions for the Anthropocene. It is a hands-on workshop that explores more-than-human relationships, voice, smartphone technology, improvisational techniques, and found sounds taken from urban and rural environments such as wind, birds, cars and refrigerators.
 
Did you know that you can borrow ukuleles at the Nelson Public Library? So there’s no excuse not to take Beginner Ukulele with Catherine McGrath this spring. The course is designed for people who have zero or little experience playing ukulele and will begin with the very basics.
 
Oxygen keeps class sizes small, hires only experienced professional teaching artists, and works hard to meet the needs of our creative community through the adult education programming.
 
For more information on courses and to register: www.oxygenartcentre.org,  education@oxygenartcentre.org.
 
 
 
Photo cutline: Kristy Gordon – Demo
 
 

Start 2020 Creatively at Oxygen Art Centre! Adult Education Semester Lineup Launched!

FOR   IMMEDIATE   RELEASE: Open Studio & Artist Talk with artists-in-residence Mary Babcock and Susan Andrews Grace on Saturday December 21 from 5:00 – 7:00 PM

Schedule of Events: Residency and Exhibition

Residency: 7 December- 21 December 2019

Open Studio and Artist Talk: 21 December 2019, 5:00-7:00 PM

Exhibition: 8 January – 1 February 2020

Closing reception: 31 January 2020, 7:00 – 9:00 PM

Gallery Hours: Wednesday to Saturday, 1:00-5:00 PM

Oxygen Art Centre welcomes Hawaii-based artist Mary Babcock as the newest artist in residence. Babcock will work collaboratively with local artist and writer, Susan Andrews Grace in stitching together a creative cautionary tale of dams, climate change and the Columbia River Basin. During the residency the artists will explore textiles, sound and space as they work towards the installation of new work. The residency will culminate in an exhibition under the title, “Oh, Columbia!”

The residency will run from December 7th to December 21^st, 2019 with an open studio and artist talk taking place on Saturday, December 21st from 5 to 7pm. Both artists will be in attendance. Admission by donation.

Image: “Oh, Columbia!” Exhibition & Residency poster, Oxygen Art Centre

Artist Bios:

Mary Babcock is a professor of Sculpture and Expanded Practices and Chair of Graduate Program in Studio Art in the Department of Art and Art History at the University of Hawaii in Manoa. She holds an MFA from the University of Arizona, BFA from University of Oregon, Ph.D in Psychology from University of Pennsylvania and a BA in Psychology from Cornell University. Her practice weaves together performance, textiles and mixed media into immersive installations. Babcock is interested in the intersection of art, contemplation and social activism. She holds the practice of mending as a central metaphor in her work. She has exhibited extensively in both solo and group shows around the world including France, England, Poland, Japan and Philippines. Her work is in public collections including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts.

Susan Andrews Grace is a writer and visual artist. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Las Vegas and a BA in Philosophy from the University of Saskatchewan. Inanna Publications (Toronto, York University) will release her sixth book of poetry, “Hypatia’s Wake”, in the fall of 2020. She has written reviews and catalogue essays for artists in the Kootenay region. She was one of the founding faculty of Oxygen Art Centre and teaches Creative Writing there. Her visual art practice includes textile installation, mixed media, and sculpture. “Domestic Fetishes”, a solo exhibition, will open at Kootenay Gallery of Art on August 28, 2020. She has received several awards for her writing and visual art including grants from BC Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts, and Columbia Kootenay Culture Alliance.

MEDIA RELEASE: Oh, Columbia! American artist Mary Babcock joins creative forces with local artist and writer Susan Andrews Grace to create a cautionary tale of ecological disaster.

Schedule of Events: Residency and Exhibition
Residency: 7 December- 21 December 2019
Open Studio and Artist Talk: 21 December 2019, 5:00-7:00 PM
Exhibition: 8 January – 1 February 2020
Closing reception: 31 January 2020, 7:00 – 9:00 PM
Gallery Hours: Wednesday to Saturday, 1:00-5:00 PM
Oxygen Art Centre welcomes Hawaii-based artist Mary Babcock as the newest artist in residence. Babcock will work collaboratively with local artist and writer, Susan Andrews Grace in stitching together a creative cautionary tale of dams, climate change and the Columbia River Basin. During the residency the artists will explore textiles, sound and space as they work towards the installation of new work. The residency will culminate in an exhibition under the title, “Oh, Columbia!”
The residency will run from December 7th to December 21^st, 2019 with an open studio and artist talk taking place on Saturday, December 21st from 5 to 7pm. Both artists will be in attendance.
The exhibition will open on January 8th and run until February 1, 2020. There will be a closing reception on January 31st from 7-9pm. The gallery will be open Wednesday thru Saturday from 1 to 5pm during exhibition run for viewing.
Having lived in Oregon, the fate of the Columbia River is of concern for Babcock. She has worked creatively with social and political issues concerning the Basin for over a decade, and as climate change and Trumpism escalate Babcock has focused her art practice more acutely on social, political and environmental activism.
In 2010, for example, Babcock collaborated with artist Christopher Curtin to create “Deluge,” a site-specific installation in a historic gillnet repair station located in Astoria, Oregon. As part of the project, Babcock dredged the delta to salvage abandoned gillnets (leftovers from the once vibrant fishing industry) with these relics she explored ideas around loss and reclamation. Babcock will continue to navigate these same issues during her residency.
Babcock will utilize household wax paper as the central material for “Oh, Columbia.” Chosen for its the paradoxical and metaphorical nature wax paper is meant to preserve and protect yet is itself fragile and impermanent. Wax paper as a textile is perfect for domestic processes such as stitching, ironing, ordering and entwining. For Babcock, these processes are modes of gathering information, of understanding, of engagement, and of passing down information from one generation to another primarily through the hands of women. In the labour-intensive creation of a massive flood plain Babcock will use the act of mending as a personal and political gesture of restoration and repair.
Research for the project references archival information about the 1948 tragic flooding of the Columbia River when Vanport, Oregon—a pop-up city built to house African American workers—was destroyed when a dike broke carrying enormous volumes of water over the city. 18,000 people were left homeless. Layers of injustice haunt this ecological, social and political disaster today.
The title, “Oh, Columbia!” with its obvious reference to “Oh, Canada” is also a nod to the history of the river. “Oh, Columbia (Columbia Calls)” is an illustration of a young woman draped in the American flag, which was used by the U.S. Food Administration as propaganda to garner support for World War One. This image associating woman and nature served as a plea to ensure Government’s control over food distribution. In using this title and its historic reference, the artist locates the project in a continuing debate on the managing and control of Columbia River for political and capitalist reasons. It is Babcock’s hopes that the installation is a cautionary tale to heighten awareness of the atrocities and avariciousness that fuel an ecosystem out of balance.
Of the collaboration, Babcock welcomes the process for its unimagined outcomes, synergy of minds and dynamic nature. As part of the collaboration, Andrews Grace will be creating a soundscape to accompany the material-based aspects of the installation. The two artists met in 2013 while attending an international conference on Contemplation at the Mir Centre for Peace. Forming a curious interest and admiration for one another’s work, the seed was planted for some sort of future creative endeavour together.
The public is invited to meet the artists and to learn about the project in progress during their residency on Saturday, December 21, 2019 from 5:00 – 7:00 pm. The exhibition will be on view from 8 January – 1 February 2020 during hours of operation (Wed-Sat, 1:00-5:00pm). Oxygen will host a Closing Reception on Friday, January 31, 2020 from 7:00-9:00 PM. Everyone welcome to attend.
 
Artist Bios:
Mary Babcock is a professor of Sculpture and Expanded Practices and Chair of Graduate Program in Studio Art in the Department of Art and Art History at the University of Hawaii in Manoa. She holds an MFA from the University of Arizona, BFA from University of Oregon, Ph.D in Psychology from University of Pennsylvania and a BA in Psychology from Cornell University. Her practice weaves together performance, textiles and mixed media into immersive installations. Babcock is interested in the intersection of art, contemplation and social activism. She holds the practice of mending as a central metaphor in her work. She has exhibited extensively in both solo and group shows around the world including France, England, Poland, Japan and Philippines. Her work is in public collections including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts.
https://marybabcock.com/
 
Susan Andrews Grace is a writer and visual artist. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Las Vegas and a BA in Philosophy from the University of Saskatchewan. Inanna Publications (Toronto, York University) will release her sixth book of poetry, “Hypatia’s Wake”, in the fall of 2020. She has written reviews and catalogue essays for artists in the Kootenay region. She was one of the founding faculty of Oxygen Art Centre and teaches Creative Writing there. Her visual art practice includes textile installation, mixed media, and sculpture. “Domestic Fetishes”, a solo exhibition, will open at Kootenay Gallery of Art on August 28, 2020. She has received several awards for her writing and visual art including grants from BC Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts, and Columbia Kootenay Culture Alliance.
http://www.susanandrewsgrace.com/
Image: “Oh, Columbia!” Residency & Exhibition poster
Image: Mary Babcock, Installation in progress, 2015, Courtesy the

 
Press Contact:
Deborah Thompson
Exhibition & Residency Coordinator
Oxygen Art Centre
zwadi@telus.net
 
 
 
 

Join us at Oxygen Art Centre for the third and final “The Big Draw” event on Sunday, November 17th
 

Events:

1. Sunday, September 29, 2019 from 11:00am-4:00pm
2. Sunday, October 20, 2019 from 11:00am-4:00pm
3. Sunday, November 17 from 11:00am-4:00pm

 
Oxygen Art Centre transforms the gallery into a community open studio over three Sundays this Fall. This all-ages three-part series of collaborative drawing workshops is in connection with the world-wide event known as “The Big Draw.”
 
Facilitated by Oxygen Art Centre member and artist Anita Levesque, “The Big Draw” theme for 2019 is #DrawnToLife and explores the healing and unifying impact of mark making and drawing.
 
These family friendly drop-in art making sessions run from 11:00am to 4:00pm over three Sundays through the Fall. Each session will focus on a different theme. Events are free or by donation. Open to everyone, whatever age or experience.
 
The third and final session will be held on Sunday, November 17, 2019 from 11:00am-4:00pm. The theme for this session is “Diversity is strength.” Explore mark making through experimental drawing tools and drawing machines, drawing with sound, building a collaborative community large scale temporary mural directly on the Oxygen Art Centre walls. In addition to visual art marking we will build a community feedback loop to be shared on Kootenay Co-Op Radio, “Poetry for Keeps.” It will be reverberated throughout the community, a collaboration you will not want to miss.
 
Oxygen Art Centre is committed to ensuring all exhibitions, programs, and events are accessible to visitors. Our facilities are wheelchair accessible and equipped with one accessible washroom. Please contact Oxygen if you have any questions or concerns about this event.
 
“The Big Draw” is generously supported by Osprey Community Foundation, BC Lions Club, and Nelson and District Credit Union.
 
 
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