Exhibitions & Programs
WINTER / SPRING
Judith & Norman Alix Art Gallery
Art is for Anyone!
At JNAAG, we believe art is for anyone, and we’re happy to say that coming to see our art is free! We want everyone, big and small, to come and enjoy the colours, shapes and stories at JNAAG. So, bring your friends and family, and let’s have fun with art together!
GALLERY HOURS
11:00 - 4:00 11:00 - 8:30 11:00 - 4:00 11:00 - 4:00
HOLIDAY HOURS
Family Day Monday, February 17, 1:00-4:00 p.m.
JNAAG will be closed on April 18
Open select First Fridays until 9:00 p.m.
147 Lochiel St, Sarnia, ON 519-336-8127 jnaag.ca
PARKING
Climate change is having a profound impact on global ecosystems and is most dramatically evident in northern landscapes and communities. In the face of these challenges, Inuit knowledge and community-building are increasingly at risk, making it essential to adopt a variety of approaches, in combination with Inuit and settler collaboration.
Dark Ice demonstrates the intersections between the unique artistic, studio, and land-based practices of Leslie Reid of Ottawa, ON, and Robert Kautuk of Kangiqtugaapik (Clyde River), NU. Alongside critical curatorial work, the exhibition features photographs, paintings and videos of Arctic land and ice, and of communities and their experiences.
Together, these two artists create meaningful research and visualizations that foster diversified perspectives around climate change. Kautuk and Reid’s collaboration combines their experiences to develop a dialogue that maps the Arctic and offers a promising path forward in the face of global warming. This exhibition is organized and circulated by Ottawa Art Gallery and curated by Rebecca Basciano.
This exhibition was also realized with the support of the City of Ottawa, the Ontario Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts, as well as the RBC Foundation’s support of the OAG’s Connect: Artist Mentorship Program.
See page 19 for more details.
See page 19 for more details.
Until July 6, 2025
Sculpting Life is an exploration of the Judith & Norman Alix Art Gallery’s Inuit carving collection. The works depict wildlife and the human experience of living in the Arctic—documenting the enduring relationships of northern communities as seen through the skilled hands of Inuit artists.
Predominantly from the Nunavik (Arctic Quebec) region, the carvings were created in the 50s offering a unique perspective of the genesis of the Inuit art movement.
Teen Photography Workshops
with Natali Bravo
Lighting Techniques
Thursday, April 24, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Rules of Composition
Sunday, May 18, 12:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Teen Photo Contest
Submission portal opens April 2, 2025
Ages 13-18
Showcase your creativity in this year’s Teen Photo Contest! The theme, “Stories in Focus,” invites you to tell a story through your lens in one of three categories: Comedy, Drama, or Fantasy. Supportive workshops and presentations are offered by both Lambton County Library and JNAAG to help teens develop their skills. Visit jnaag.ca to learn more.
Submit your photo by April 2 for a chance to be featured in a juried exhibition at the Judith & Norman Alix Art Gallery. The exhibition runs from August 1 to October 5, 2025.
Adult Programs
Art & Ideas
Through engaging discussions with prominent artists and experts, Art & Ideas provides a unique opportunity to delve deeper into the inspiration, techniques, and perspectives behind the art on display.
Beauty of Arctic Wildlife with Shaun Antle
Thursday, February 27, 7:00 p.m.
Free Registration Required
Shaun Antle shares wildlife photography from his Arctic expedition and his dedication to conservation.
Artist Talk with Rajni Perera
Saturday, May 3, 11:30 a.m.
Free Registration Required
Rajni Perera will discuss her work, exploring themes of hybridity, futurity, and marginalized identities.
Influence, Power & Inuit Art
with Professor Pauline Wakeham
Thursday, May 22, 7:00 p.m.
Free Registration Required
A discussion about the intersection of the Cold War, High Arctic Relocations and commercialization of Inuit art.
For full details and to register, please visit: jnaag.ca
Art & Books Club
Free Registration Required
Ages 16+
Join a unique literary experience where art and literature intersect! This collaborative program between Lambton County Library and JNAAG offers book lovers an immersive exploration of contemporary exhibitions.
Register at lclibrary.ca/ArtAndBooks
2:00 p.m. - Book discussion at Sarnia Library.
3:00 p.m. - Exhibition tour at JNAAG.
Thursday, February 20
Those Who Run in the Sky
by Aviaq Johnston
Thursday, May 29 Kaikeyi
by Vaisnavi Patel
For full details and to register, please visit: jnaag.ca
Adult Programs
Workshops
Digital Expressionism with Stewart Fanning
Thursday, Janurary 30, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
$45 (+tax) Member discount available
Supplies included.
Linocut Printmaking with Emily Wright
Thursday, March 27, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
$50 (+tax) Member discount available
Supplies included.
Linocut Printing on Tote Bags with Emily Wright
Thursday, April 10, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
$50 (+tax) Member discount available
Supplies included.
Creative Collage with Dianne Reynolds
Thursday, May 15, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
$25 (+tax) Member discount available
Supplies included.
First Fridays
The gallery will be open until 9:00 p.m. on select First Fridays. Visit jnaag.ca to learn more about upcoming First Fridays dates and events. Winter/Spring First Friday dates include: February 7, March 7, April 4, and May 2.
Inspirational Moments
This specialized art program is for people with dementia and their care partners. In collaboration with the Alzheimer Society of SarniaLambton, JNAAG designs exclusive tours and hands-on art activities.
No experience required. To learn more or register contact the Alzheimer’s Society at 519-332-4444.
jobPath
jobPath is an Employment Discovery Workshop for work-ready people who have a disability. jobPath not only helps people with a disability find a job but specializes in coaching people on how to keep their job and remain successful at work.
To learn more or register email: info@employment-transitions. com
For full details and to register, please visit: jnaag.ca
In
Family Saturday
Saturdays from 1:00–3:00 p.m.
Free Donations are welcome
Discover, create and get curious! Every Saturday afternoon we are working on something in the art studio. All families are welcome to drop-in for a short artist facilitated studio activity inspired by the current exhibitions. The activity changes monthly. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
January 4, 11, 18, 25
February 1, 8, 15, 22
Mixed Media Map Making
Craft a world between paper and paint. Transform maps into living landscapes with scissors, glue, and imagination.
Animal Embossing
Emboss aluminum into wild creatures, transforming flat sheets into textured animal portraits that leap from your hands.
All Ages
March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
April 5, 12, 19, 26
May 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
Dancing Light
Paint the northern lights with your fingertips. Soft pastels dance on black paper, revealing the aurora’s ghostly magic.
Arctic Animal Sculpture
Unleash your imagination and sculpt an Arctic animal from air dry clay.
Flowers of the Future
Imagine what flowers might look like in the future. Use colourful materials to create them in the here and now!
Ages 10-14
Art Pod
Select Thursdays | 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Early arrival welcome at 6:00 p.m.
Free Registration Required
Care partner required to provide support.
Participants should be able to follow one-step directions
Art Pod is specifically designed for youth with support needs and an interest in fine arts. Art Pod provides the opportunity to explore art through self-expression.
January 16
Watercolour Resist Landscapes
March 20
Botanical Monoprints
February 20 Gelli Plate Snowflakes
April 17 Future Flowers
Ages 9-13
TNT: Try New Things
Select Thursdays & Fridays | 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Try New Things (TNT)! Develop your creative skills, make new friends, and explore your community. These programs, led by local artists, are filled with new experience that will allow youth to discover new passions. Spaces are limited.
Field Trips
Explore, Create and Learn at JNAAG!
Bring your students to JNAAG for an immersive two-hour art adventure. Explore our current exhibition with a guided tour, then dive into hands-on art making in our studio. Choose from curriculum-aligned activities that bring the Ontario Art Curriculum to life—all at an affordable price.
Exploring Exhibitions:
Frozen Forms Mixed Media Art Experience
Book your group visit today and discover the power of art to inspire and educate!
For fee schedule and booking visit: jnaag.ca/field-trips
Virtual Learning
Add to your classroom learning experience with JNAAG’s School Program Units.:
Unit 1: Body Flips
Explore pencil crayon techniques, collage, and character drawing inspired by Z’otz* Collective. Create interactive artworks and simulate artistic collaboration with JNAAG instructors.
Unit 2: Watercolour Techniques and Group of Seven Inspired Collage
Dive into colour theory, watercolour techniques, and collage-making. This program explores the legacy of the Group of Seven through JNAAG’s collection and virtual exhibition.
Unit 3: Exploring Identity Through Mark-Making
Experiment with playful mark-making and poetry inspired by Darla FisherOdjig’s Beneath the Mask: Symbols as a Healing Phenomenon, creating art that reflects identity and connection.
Pair these engaging lessons with JNAAG’s Virtual Exhibitions to ignite creativity and curiosity in your learners!
For full details and to register visit: jnaag.ca
9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
JNAAG and Lambton County Library are teaming up to celebrate Family Literacy Day! Start at JNAAG to create a letter-stamped air-dry clay pendant with your own message, then head to Sarnia Library for activities, face painting, Dan the Music Man, and a literacy fair featuring booths from local community partners.
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Family Day: Ice Floes
Monday, February 17, 2025 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Free Suggested donation $5/family
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Join in on a collaborative ice paper collage or stop into the art studio to create a mixed media Arctic landscape to take home.
Which tour is right for you?
JNAAG offers a variety of free public tours for each exhibition. Read about your options and register at jnaag.ca.
First Friday Red Dot Tours
February 7, March 7, and April 4 between 7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Free Drop-In
Pop in during select First Fridays for a quick, 15-minute Red Dot tour. Find a docent with an on-the-spot badge and enjoy an impromptu look at one or two artworks in the gallery.
Guided Tours
March 13, 7:00 p.m. (Dark Ice)
May 8, 7:00 p.m. (Sculpting Life)
Free Registration required
Unlock exhibitions in a 45-minute guided adventure. Explore, question, and see art through a whole new lens with our expert guide.
Slow View Tour
February 13, 7:00 p.m. (Dark Ice)
Free Registration required
Take some time to slow down, think, and explore art in a mindful way. Each 30-minute session is led by a trained guide to help you connect more deeply with the exhibition.
For full details and to register visit: jnaag.ca
Rajni Perera Futures
Opening April 25, 2025
Members Reception: First Friday, May 2, 2025, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m Artist will be in attendance I Live music, drinks and light snacks.
Rajni Perera is one of Canada’s most promising contemporary multimedia artists. Experimenting with mediums as varied as painting, sculpture and photography, the Toronto-based artist expresses her vision of imagined futures in which mutated subjects exist in dystopian realms.
This exhibition is organized and circulated by the McMichael Canadian Art Collection.
Rajni Perera, Storm, 2020, mixed media on marbled paper; 76.2 × 61 cm; James McKellar. Photo courtesy of the artist and Patel Brown, © Rajni Perera
STORM WATCH
From the collection of the Judith
22
Lawrence Arthur Colley Panton, Green Cascade (detail), 1936; oil on canvas.
& Norman Alix Art Gallery
Opening April 25, 2025
Members Reception: First Friday, May 2, 2025, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m
As consciousness of the climate crisis grows and our typical seasons and storms intensify, depictions of extreme weather continue to hold the interest of artists. Drawn from the gallery’s permanent collection, Storm Watch brings together both historic and contemporary interpretations of nature’s power.
This exhibition features the work of Canadian artists such as Christopher Pratt, Rita Letendre, A.J. Casson and David Blackwood. Raymond Robinson, Untitled (detail), date unknown; oil pastel on paper. From the collection of the Judith & Norman Alix Art Gallery
Makusi Qaqutu, Man with a Cod Fish, date unknown; stone. From the collection of the Judith & Norman Alix Art Gallery. 2025
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