at the MUSEUM
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MUSEUM
LONDON
at the MUSEUM FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chairperson Patrick Mahon Adam Caplan Mary Lake Collins Ian Dantzer Dale Henderson Gloria Hinton Greg Ludlow Doug Marshman Helen Pearce Julie Rogers-Glabush Diane Thrasher Kadie Ward Paul Way Executive Director Brian Meehan MUSEUM LONDON FOUNDATION President Paul Way Peter Becher Bernie Bierbaum Phyllis Cohen Catherine Finlayson Mary Flannigan Hockin Ron Holliday Damir Matic Rob O’Dowda Paul van der Werf
The last thing one would usually want to think about coming out of a Canadian winter is the North and more snow and cold. But this spring Museum London has an outstanding set of exhibitions and programs built around the subject of the North that you won’t want to miss. Rather than being a vast wasteland of ice and snow, the Canadian North is a place rich in traditional culture, political significance, and a landscape that truly sparks the imagination. Specifically, Irene Avaalaaqiaq: Myth and Reality features this artist’s remarkable wall hangings which reveal the rich tradition of shamanistic culture that exists in the Arctic; Polar Shift examines how the imminent threat of global warming and globalization have affected traditional realities and how a new ‘idea of north’ is beginning to emerge; Arthur Heming: Chronicler of the North examines the career of this celebrated artist and how his wild, even surreal compositions depict the virtues of Canada as a sort of snowy Eden, though one also filled with hardship and death; and The Drawing Board: London’s Illustrators and Canadian Artists as Illustrators offer glimpses into the world of illustration during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and were inspired by Heming who was also an illustrator. In conjunction with each of these exhibitions is a wide variety of films, talks and tours that contextualize the art on display. The North is also the focus of our Art of Eating fundraiser in May which, as a complement to our exhibitions, will feature the food, music and culture of Northern Canada. The evening promises to be a great deal of fun and is also a way to directly support our children’s art and history programs at Museum London. As we transition into the summer, two other highlights that we’ll once again be a part of are London’s Nuit Blanche event on June 16 and the start of outdoor programming and teas at Eldon House in June. There really is a wealth of things to do at the Museum for you and your family in the coming months and I encourage you to take a few minutes to look through our At The Museum and familiarize yourself with all the great things we have to offer. Brian Meehan
Cover: Irene Avaalaaqiaq, Human Love, 2002 (detail), wool duffle and felt, cotton embroidery thread. Private Collection
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Irene Avaalaaqiaq: Myth and Reality March 24 to July 1, 2012 Forum Gallery Irene Avaalaaqiaq has enjoyed a distinguished thirty-year career as one of Canada’s most prominent Inuit artists and a leading member of the prolific artistic community of Baker Lake, Nunavut. A creator of distinctive drawings, prints, and sculpture, she is best known for her remarkable wall hangings, which reveal a rich tradition of shamanistic imagery. Avaalaaqiaq also brings a highly individualistic vision to her tapestries. Her world view, derived from an oral tradition, is expressed by manipulating bold shapes in bright, contrasting colours against a solid background.
Irene Avaalaaqiaq, Husband and Wife, 1999 (detail), wool duffle and felt, cotton embroidery thread. Commissioned with funds raised by the Art Centre Volunteers, 1999, Macdonald Stewart Art Centre Collection
Born in the Kazan River area of Nunavut and orphaned at early age, Avaalaaqiaq spent the first years of her life in relative isolation, learning to sew caribou clothing from her grandmother. After moving to Baker Lake in 1958, she used this skill to create her celebrated wall hangings.
Opening Reception: Friday, April 20, 2012 at 8:00 pm
Organized and circulated by the Macdonald Stewart Art Centre, Myth and Reality is the first critical retrospective of Avaalaaqiaq’s work. Here, exhibition curator Judith Nasby focuses on the artist’s life and art, as well as her commitment to preserving her heritage and making it accessible to an international audience. A catalogue accompanies the exhibition.
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The Drawing Board: London’s Illustrators March 31 to July 29, 2012 Interior Gallery By the second half of the nineteenth century, London, Ontario, had become a bustling centre for publishing with print and lithography shops springing up to fulfill the demand for reproducible art. Although large newspaper publishing companies had their own in-house artists, they also relied on the numerous commercial artists working for local firms. Many of these commercial artists, particularly in the late nineteenth century, received their training through one of three avenues: limited public school instruction, studio lessons with professional artists, or study at the Mechanic’s Institute, which first introduced public art classes in 1871. From the latter grew the Western School of Art and Design, one of the first art schools in Ontario to teach both fine and applied art. Working on set assignments and commissions, commercial artists helped to pave the way for the proliferation of chap books, pulp fiction, comic art, animation, and graphic design that would come to dominate the twentieth century. This exhibition includes print and lithography artifacts from the Museum’s permanent collection, as well as original and reproduction magazine and commercial art, including that of London’s own Harold West, who worked for much of the twentieth century as an illustrator and comic artist.
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Harold West, The Farmer’s Advocate cover art, 1937 (detail)
Opening Reception: Friday, April 20, 2012 at 8:00 pm
Canadian Artists as Illustrators April 7 to July 22, 2012 Moore and Volunteer Galleries Illustration in Canada began slowly, recording the geography and population of a fledgling country. As technologies improved, and as literacy grew, illustration flourished to meet a wide range of goals. Illustration can be defined as imagery created to be reproduced, often with accompanying text, and can be more challenging to create than artwork produced exclusively from the artist’s imagination. Rather illustration comprises specific assignments, bound by deadlines, client demands, and the constraints of materials. This exhibition focuses on imagery produced for consumption by the Canadian public from the late nineteenth century to the 1950s. During this period, illustration work supported many artists. Often derided as a lesser or “applied” field of expression, this exhibition celebrates illustration as an equally fruitful creative endeavour. It is a tremendous resource highlighting the talent and versatility of artists, the ways in which communities view themselves, and how society and culture changes.
C.W. Jefferys, Cutting Out Yonge Street (detail), watercolour on paper. Courtesy of the Anglo Boer War Museum
Opening Reception: Friday, April 20, 2012 at 8:00 pm
The exhibition includes drawings and prints by Canadian artists such as Franklin Carmichael, J.E.H. MacDonald, Thoreau MacDonald, A.Y. Jackson, C.W. Jefferys, Clarence Gagnon, Clare Bice, and many others.
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Polar Shift April 14 to July 8, 2012 Ivey South Gallery In its art, drama, history, literature, and popular culture, notions of Canada have been intrinsically linked to notions of the North, but with the imminent threat of global warming and globalization, traditional realities have begun to melt away. In their place, a new ‘idea of north’ is beginning to emerge. The site of political, military, religious and, more recently, commercial colonization, Canada’s Arctic has long been a contested space. Since the early half of the twentieth century, the resettlement of Inuit people, the introduction of paternalistic government initiatives and assertions of political sovereignty over the region’s vast natural resources have unleashed an unprecedented reshaping of life and land in Canada’s Arctic. Through the lens of contemporary art, Polar Shift examines the changing landscape of the High North. Featured are paintings and sculpture by former London-based artist Paul Walde, video by Inuk director Zacharius Kunuk and original drawings by Cape Dorset-based artist Annie Pootoogook.
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Paul Walde, Snowball’s Chance, 2011 snow in display freezer, Courtesy of the Artist
Opening Reception: Friday, April 20, 2012 at 8:00 pm
Arthur Heming: Chronicler of the North April 21 to July 8, 2012 Ivey North and Centre Galleries Arthur Heming, The Wolf Hunter, Artwork for illustration in The Drama of the Forests, 1915 (detail), oil on canvas, Collection of the Royal Ontario Museum, Purchase made possible with the generous support of the Sir Joseph Flavelle Foundation.
This retrospective exhibition examines the career of celebrated artist, author and illustrator Arthur Heming (1870-1940). An avid northern explorer, his work helped to entrench perceptions of Canada as the “Great White North.” Many of Heming’s paintings begin with naturalistic elements, which he exaggerated into wild, even surreal compositions intended to accentuate the “virtues” of Canada as a sort of snowy Eden, though one matter-of-factly described as full of hardship and death. This approach differed radically from that of his colleagues in the Group of Seven, who for decades set the very definition of Canadian art. In his time Heming’s exhibitions and books reached a large audience both in Canada and abroad. Although less well-known today, his work enjoys a large cult following, and he is remembered in the United States as an important member of a renowned artist colony at Old Lyme, Connecticut. This traveling exhibition will be accompanied by a comprehensive publication about Heming’s life and work.
Opening Reception: Friday, April 20, 2012 at 8:00 pm
Sponsored by
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TALKS + TOURS Insights into Contemporary Inuit Art Sunday, April 22, 1:00 pm Forum Gallery Cost: FREE Tour Irene Avaalaaqiaq: Myth and Reality with exhibition curator Judith Nasby and curator Cassandra Getty, followed at 2:00 pm by an afternoon of documentaries on Inuit artists in the Theatre. See page 9 for details. Sunday, May 6, 1:00 pm Ivey North and Centre Galleries Cost: FREE
Reinhard Reitzenstein, Lost Wood Series, 1997, Purchased with funds from the Volunteer Committee, 1997
History Hikes and Walking Tours Saturdays, 10:30 am to 12:00 noon, Museum Lawn Cost: FREE
Explorations of the North
June 2, July 14 - Unsettling the Thames June 9, July 21 - River Walk June 16, July 28 - From Castles to Cottages June 23, August 4 - Monuments and Memorials June 30, August 11 - Public Art July 7, August 18 - Murals
Sunday, May 27 Ivey South Gallery Cost: FREE
Learn about London’s public spaces in a series of tours that explore the City’s downtown. A different theme will be presented each week, so join us for all six!
Tour Polar Shift with curator Melanie Townsend and artist Paul Walde, followed at 2:00 pm by an afternoon of historical films on the North in the Theatre.
Focusing on the lives of workers, Unsettling the Thames will share stories about early settlement on the Forks of the Thames, from just prior to European contact up to the late nineteenth century.
Tour Arthur Heming: Chronicler of the North with curator Cassandra Getty.
Eldon House’s highly-regarded River Walk explores the founding of London, historic events such as the Great Flood, and discovers nature in this interactive walking tour around the Thames River. From Castles to Cottages expounds on the architectural transformation of historical buildings in the area as a reflection of growing industry during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Thoreau MacDonald, Hayfield Jungle, Illustration for Clarke Locke’s ‘Country Hours’, c. 1959, ink on paper. Collection of Museum London. Gift of Dr. Lorne Pierce, Toronto, Ontario, 1959
Canadian Illustration Sunday, June 10, 1:00 pm Volunteer, Moore and Interior Galleries Cost: FREE Tour Canadian Artists as Illustrators and The Drawing Board: London’s Illustrators with curators Cassandra Getty and Maya Hirschman.
Monuments and Memorials takes enthusiasts through the downtown core and into Victoria Park, where many statues and plaques have been erected in memory of historical events. On the Public Art walk, you will visit a selection of sculptures throughout the downtown core, and learn more about the artists who designed them as well as the organizations that commissioned them. Walk through the downtown streets and learn more about the Murals that have been commissioned to adorn exterior walls of shops and restaurants, as well as those inside public buildings. Walks will proceed rain or shine. Meet on the front lawn of Museum London.
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FILMS FAMILY FILMS Sundays, 3:00 pm, Theatre Cost: FREE Here’s a chance for children to see quality cinema and short films at Museum London.
An Afternoon of Documentaries on Inuit Artists Sunday, April 22, 2:00 pm, Theatre Cost: FREE Ghost Noise, A Film on Shuvinai Ashoona, Marcia Connolly, 2010, 22 min
April 29 Films and Animations from the North Museum London hosts an afternoon of National Film Board short films, documentaries and animations for children, all about the North. Selections will include the 1949 awardwinning How to Build an Igloo as well as the stories of Tuktu and the legends of Owl. These shorts films span fifty years of filmmaking.
Annie Pootoogook, Marcia Connolly, Katherine Knight, 2006, 30 min Kinngait: Riding Light Into the World, Annette Mangaard, 2010, 48 min James Houston: The Most Interesting Group of People You’ll Ever Meet, John Houston, 2008, 49 min
Historical Films on the North Sunday, May 27, 2:00 pm, Theatre Cost: FREE This selection from the archives of the National Film Board includes early ethnographic documentaries, docu-dramas and animations from the 1940s through the 2000s.
May 20 The Whale, Suzanne Chisholm and Michael Parfit, Canada, PG Narrated by Ryan Reynolds, the film tells the true story of a young killer whale—an orca—nicknamed Luna, who lost contact with his family on the coast of British Columbia and turned up alone in Nootka Sound. Luna started making contact with people in boats and on the shore, but this contact would not be simple. The Whale celebrates the life of a being from the sea who teaches us that the greatest secrets in life are still to be discovered.
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EVENTS
Art of Eating
Nuit Blanche
Saturday, May 12, 6:00 pm Cost: $125, table of 8 $1000
Saturday, June 16, 9:00 pm to Sunday, June 17, 2:00 am Cost: FREE
Celebrate the majesty of the North with dinner, entertainment, a live and silent auction, and an exhibition experience. Proceeds support children’s art and history programs at Museum London.
Museum London gears up for another festive Nuit Blanche in celebration of culture and collaboration. Back by popular demand is Cailen Dye’s Hide and Seek, Show and Tell Art Party in the Centre Gallery, complete with non-stop bands and DJs for artistic inspiration. The Theatre is host to a variety of experimental films on 8 and 16 mm print—rare footage provided by avid collectors and filmmakers. Finally, VibraTactileFusionLab—a newly formed collective under the guidance of London artist David Bobier and in partnership with the Centre for Learning Technologies at Ryerson University—invites you to an interactive, multi-sensory studio experience that investigates the phenomenon of vibration as an expressive artistic medium. Learn about Emoti-Chairs: a cross-modal display system that reads music created by performers and converts it into vibrotactile stimuli. Activities are scheduled throughout the evening– there’s something for everyone!
Tickets at museumlondon.ca or 519.661.0333. Sponsored by
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PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH HOMESCHOOL PROGRAM Ages 5 to 12 Mondays, 10:00 am to 12:00 noon Cost: $15, members $12, per session April 16 Northern Exposure Inspired by the exhibitions of art from the North, families learn about Inuit printmaking and emulate their designs using print techniques such as silkscreen.
EARLY EXPLORATIONS Ages 2 to 4, accompanied by a parent or caregiver 8 Saturdays, 10:00 to 11:15 am April 14 to June 2 Cost: $100, members $90 Aboriginal Art and Culture Tots and parents learn about art made by the Aboriginal people of North America, and experiment with the materials and techniques they use. The sessions include songs, stories and tours of the galleries.
JUMP START Ages 5 to 8 8 Saturdays, 10:00 am to 12:00 noon April 14 to June 2 Cost: $120, members $100 Northern Lights Inspired by the exhibitions, children will explore the North and the many techniques used in Inuit art, such as drawing and printmaking, silkscreen printing and other graphic arts.
FUN AND FUNDAMENTALS Ages 9 to 12 8 Saturdays, 12:30 to 2:30 pm April 14 to June 2 Cost: $120, members $100 Soapstone Carving Our master carver will teach children to carve and polish organic forms of wood and soapstone, the softest of the stones. Children will tour the exhibitions for northern inspiration, and will also work with other sculpture materials. 8-week programs are eligible for the Children’s Arts Tax Credit
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May 28 Illustrious Illustrators Homeschoolers learn the finesse of illustration, including styles, techniques and materials. They will be given a brief text, and then will develop images for it. Parents are free to accompany their child, but are not required to do so. Younger siblings are welcome.
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY DAY CAMPS Ages 5 to 8 and 9 to 12 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Cost: $45, members $40 each Friday, April 20 Due North Children explore the exhibitions of art from the North to gain inspiration for a day of drawing, printmaking, silkscreening and soap stone carving in Inuit style. Campers learn about the North, its culture and art. Friday, June 1 Photo Op Campers will learn about cameras, shooting, lighting and digital editing, and will try their hand at different genres of photography, such as landscape, portrait and still life. Analogue cameras and film will be explained as well, while tours through the exhibition halls provide insight. Before and aftercare is free, with drop-off starting at 8:00 am and pick-up extending to 5:00 pm. All classes are held in the Clare Bice Creative Studio.
SUMMER CAMPS Ages 5 to 8 and 9 to 12 8:30 am to 4:30 pm July 3 to 13 (no class on July 2) Cost: $325, members $300 Arctic Art Students cool off as they head north to learn about the Arctic and explore Inuit art including drawing, printmaking, soap stone carving and textiles. Inspired by the textiles on view, emphasis will be put on techniques such as felting, weaving, knitting and quilting. Students will work individually as well as collectively on group projects. July 16 to 27 Cost $350, members $325 A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words Work with both old and new technology such as Polaroid, analogue and digital cameras to explore photography and, in particular, the portrait and self-portrait. Inspired by the exhibitions, children will learn to draw the face and figure, representing it loyally, and then will deconstruct it with various mixed media techniques. July 30 to August 10 (no class August 1) Cost: $325, members $300 Addition and Subtraction (Sculptural, that is!) Three-dimensional design skills such as space, volume and balance will be explored as children learn about fabricating armatures using both traditional and found materials. Basic sculpting techniques and materials will be taught, such as paper clay, mould making, plaster and plasticine.
SUMMER ART CAMP FOR TEENS Ages 12 to 14 and 15 to 17 August 13 to 17, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Cost: $200, members $175 Me, Myself and I Explore the self and identity through a variety of photobased media using disposable cameras, video diaries, digital imaging and photo-booths. Inspiration comes from our exhibitions, and the emphasis will be on portraits and self-portraits, both real and invented. A great opportunity to build your art portfolio! Summer camps are eligible for the Children’s Arts Tax Credit
YOUTH COUNCIL Ages 12 to 18 Thursdays, 6:00 to 8:00 pm Cost: Free April 12 to May 24 Spring Session May 1 to 7 National Youth Arts Week May 24 Open House and Reception
IMAGINATION STATION Sundays, 1:00 to 3:45 pm This drop-in program for families will stimulate communication, collaboration and creativity. Let the Museum be your muse. Visit one of our many exhibitions and then drop in for an afternoon of artmaking. Our staff monitors will provide guidance and introduce you to a wide range of artmaking through painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking and more. We’ll supply the ingredients. Just roll up your sleeves and add your imagination. Enjoy quality time with a child in your life as you cook up something new together in the Imagination Station.
The Council is so much more than an art class! It is comprised of curious teens who learn about exhibitions, engage in workshops, interview curators and artists, visit nearby galleries, host events, participate in current public programs, document their activities with photography, video and voice recorders, and update the Council’s social media portals. Our Council is free AND you gain volunteer hours for getting involved. If you’re between the ages of 12 and 18, join us anytime-and bring a friend! All you have to do is call 519.661.0333 or email bbourque@museumlodnon.ca to register. museumlondonyouthcouncil.tumblr.com facebook.com/museumlondonyouth All programs are wheelchair accessible. APRIL - JUNE 2012
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CLASSES FOR ADULTS THAT’S LIFE (DRAWING) 8 Tuesdays, 7:00 to 9:00 pm April 10 to May 29 Cost: $160, members $145
Peter Lam, Lake Louise, Courtesy of the Artist
WATERCOLOUR AND ACRYLIC STUDIO 8 Mondays, 1:00 to 3:00 pm April 2 to June 11 (no class April 9 or May 21) Cost: $160, members $145 Perfect your drawing, painting or watercolour techniques in this relaxing afternoon studio environment. Different themes will be explored, such as still life, landscape and human figure drawing. Students will work in the media of their choice. Instructor Peter Lam studied watercolour and oil painting at the Hong Kong Academy of fine Arts. He is also a potter and a sculptor in clay, bronze, ice and snow.
Designed for those who want to explore the human figure in depth, these sessions delve into the details of working with a live model while being guided by an experienced instructor. Students will work with artist Neil Klassen (MFA Western) to depict the figure capturing its surrounding space and character. Suitable for all levels and media. Materials are not included. All classes are held in the Clare Bice Creative Studio. Space is limited. Call 519.661.0333 to register.
SCULPTURE AND CLAY WORKSHOP 8 Wednesdays, 7:00 to 9:00 pm April 11 to May 30 Cost: $160, members $145 Working at your own pace, this open studio class in clay sculpting gives participants a chance to explore threedimensional forms in air-drying clay, and learn about surface texture, marking, stretching and manipulating. Ceramist Geordie Shepherd (MFA New Mexico, BFA Concordia) will demonstrate how to build armatures and teach sculptural elements such as proportion, scale, balance and texture.
DRAWING IN THE GALLERIES Second Thursday of the month, 7:00 to 9:00 pm April 12, May 10, June 7 Cost: FREE Improve and refine your existing skills or start fresh with this hands-on exploration of works in our galleries, led by experienced drawing and painting instructor Neil Klassen (MFA Western). Participants are asked to bring their own sketch pad and dry drawing instruments for an enjoyable evening among artworks. For all skill levels.
Have you missed the first class but are still interested in signing up? Register for remaining classes on a pro-rated basis.
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TOURS Sunday Tours Meet a tour guide every Sunday at 2:00 pm at the reception desk for a free tour of our exhibitions. Ask questions and engage in discussion.
Group Tours Museum London and Eldon House welcome group visits. For groups of ten people or more, we request notification two weeks in advance by calling 519.661.0333. For visitor enjoyment, and the safety of art and artifacts, we recommend all groups be accompanied by a tour guide or historical interpreter. Elementary and secondary school classes, and all groups that wish to visit in the morning prior to our regular hours, must be accompanied by a tour guide or historical interpreter. Cost: $5 per person; $4 per person for those under 14 years old. For groups of children, we require one adult supervisor for every five children under eight years old; and one adult supervisor for every ten children under 14 years old. Adult supervisors will not be charged a tour fee. To book a tour call 519.661.0333.
School Programs Museum London offers a wide variety of interactive, curriculum-based art tours and hands-on studio experiences for both elementary and secondary students. History programs are available at Museum London and Eldon House. School programs and tours can be booked throughout the school year, September through June, Tuesday to Friday, 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. Please call 519.661.0333 for more information or to receive an education program brochure. Sponsored by
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ART & TRAVEL The Volunteer Travel Committee to Museum London presents the following tours:
Art Gallery of Ontario: Pablo Picasso & Jack Chambers
Tuesday, May 8, 2012 Cost: $95; Seniors/Museum London members $85; AGO members $75 Join us for an exciting day at the Art Gallery of Ontario and see Picasso: Masterpieces from the Musée National Picasso, Paris. Also tour the exhibition of London’s own Jack Chambers. For more information contact Marnie McGarry 519.434.7177 marniemcgarry@rogers.com or Loré Brown 519.473.3691 lorebrown@start.ca
Niagara-On-The-Lake Wednesday, October 3, 2012 Cost: TBD View the early nineteenth century St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church which was burned down during the war of 1812, followed by a visit to the Pump House—a lovely little gallery on the river—and the Shaw Festival for the musical Ragtime. Escorted by Shelagh Martin 519.672.3294 smartin260@hotmail.com and Loré Brown 519.473.3691 lorebrown@start.ca
Museum of Inuit Art & Collection of Sprott Asset Management, Toronto Friday, October 12, 2012 Cost: TBD (maximum 15 participants) The Museum of Inuit Art houses the permanent collection of works purchased by Eric Sprott and is the only public museum south of the Arctic devoted solely to the display of art made by Inuit living in Canada. Also view Eric Sprott’s collection of Van Gogh, Monet, Gauguin, the Group of Seven, Alex Colville, and much more. For more information contact Nancy Wright 519.672.1593 nawright@sympatico.ca or Wilda Thomas 519.660.1065 wthomas@odyssey.on.ca
Boston September 27 to 30, 2012 Cost: TBD
Depart from London via Air Canada to Boston. Enjoy visits to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Harvard University Museums including the Fogg, and a city tour. Also included is a welcome dinner and Sunday brunch. For more information contact Gloria Hinton 519.645.6864 gloria.hinton@sympatico.ca or Julie Doran jdoran@ivey.ca
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CONTINUING EDUCATION LECTURE SERIES
VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE LECTURE SERIES
These art appreciation courses are offered in conjunction with the Western Centre for Continuing Studies at Western University. Register and pay securely online uwo.ca/cstudies, in person at the Continuing Studies office, Citi Plaza location, or by phone at 519.661.3658.
Canadian Art, Eh? 6 Wednesdays, 7:00 to 9:30 pm March 28 to May 2 Course: ACLT6221 003 Cost: $202.27; Alumni/Senior/ML members $182.04 (HST included) Join award-winning instructor Sonia Halpern on a unique discovery of Canadian art. This illustrated series of lectures will explore the artistic styles, groups, issues and trends that have shaped Canadian art from the late nineteenth century to the present-day. Featured artists will include Paul Peel, Emily Carr and Alex Colville among many others.
In the Footsteps of the Impressionists: The Suburbs of Paris 5 Tuesdays, 7:00 to 9:30 pm September 18 to October 23 (no class September 25) Course: ACLT6201 Cost: $246.45 (HST included) Dr. Paul Davenport invites you to walk with him on a historical and sensory tour to the suburbs of Paris, the Forest of Fontainebleau, and the Normandy beaches, as you explore the villages and sites that inspired French painting from 1850 to 1890. Discover the work of the Barbizon School, Realists, Impressionists, and post-Impressionists, and learn how they all contributed to the dramatic changes in painting after 1850. Work by artists such as Millet, Courbet, Monet, Sisley, Renoir, and Van Gogh will be featured. Explore the links between composers such as Bizet and Offenbach and writers such as Baudelaire, Maupassant and Zola, all under the lively tutelage of Western’s former President and unabashed Francophile. No need to wear comfortable shoes, but do bring along a vivid imagination! The last evening will include a typical Parisian meal at the French bistro Chez Michel, on the campus of Western University. Find out why this course has received rave reviews over the last six years!
The Flowering of Renaissance Florence 6 Thursdays, 1:15 to 3:45 pm March 15 to April 19 Cost: $229, members $200 Join Mary Redekop as she explores the work of the painters, sculptors and architects of Renaissance and Mannerist Florence with in-depth discussions of the literary, philosophical, religious and economic factors that shaped the attitudes of both patrons and artists. Among our subjects of discussion will be the importance of Humanism, NeoPlatonism, the Platonic academy, the Medici family and their friends, and Savonarola. Some of the artists whose work we will admire in depth are Donatello, Verrocchio, Brunelleschi, Alberti, Fra Angelico, Ghirlandaio, Benozzo Gozzoli, Botticelli, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Bronzino, Pontormo and many others. We will also visit the great palaces of Florence including the Medici-Riccardi, the Rucellai and the Pitti Palace. To register call 519.661.0333.
ELDON HOUSE EXHIBITIONS Victorian Tweets April Twitter is now an important part of our daily lives just as letter writing was in the Victorian period. Take a peek at some of the extensive Harris family correspondence including diary entries, letters and letter writing materials.
Behind the Ropes Sunday, May 6 Tours begin at 1:00, 2:00, 3:00 pm Admission by donation Join historical interpreters for a special tour of Eldon House and explore the variety of curiosities that will amaze and delight. Visitors see the “nooks and crannies” of Eldon House not often open to the public, including the attic and cellar. Closed toe, flat shoes are recommended for your safety. Call 519.661.0333 to register.
Exclusive Nooks and Crannies Tour
NEW!
Sunday, May 27 10:00 am to 12:00 noon Cost: $20
John Harris: on Land and Sea May and June Without John Harris there would be no Eldon House. Learn about the founder of the home, from his role as a sailor in the early nineteeth century to his immigration to London, Upper Canada.
The Party April to June Vintage clothing will be on display in the elegant drawing room at Eldon House. A selection of party dresses from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries will be exhibited with an explanation of the customs of social gatherings enjoyed over a hundred years ago.
SPECIAL TOURS Sunday Afternoon Tours April 29, May 27 and June 24 Tours begin at 1:00, 2:00, 3:00 pm Admission by donation Enjoy a guided, 50-minute tour of Eldon House with a costumed historical interpreter who will provide an in-depth history of the house and the Harris family who lived there.
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This intensive, fully-guided tour takes visitors to areas of the museum and carriage house that have not been open to the public in decades. Closed toe, flat shoes are recommended for your safety. Refreshments to follow. Call 519.661.0333 to register.
SPECIAL EVENTS Musical Entertainment Sunday, April 8 and Sunday, June 3 2:00 to 4:00 pm Admission by donation Tour Eldon House while classical music is performed in the elegant drawing room, designed in 1877 for excellent acoustics. Music provided by students of the Don Wright Faculty of Music, Western University.
Children’s Easter Egg Decorating Party Sunday, April 1 1:00 to 4:00 pm Cost: $3 Decorate eggs, play games and make crafts. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Groups of eight or more are requested to arrive at 3:00 pm.
WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES In the Eldon House Interpretive Centre
Parlour Games Sunday, April 15 1:00 to 3:00 pm Cost: $20 includes supplies During the Victorian Era, group “parlour games” were an extremely popular form of amusement. Join Danielle Oliphant to play many now-forgotten games, learning the rules and history of each. Take home new diversions to share in your parlour. Ages 10 to adult.
Fashion Plates 5 Saturdays, April 21 to May 19 10:00 am to 12:00 noon Cost: $110 includes supplies
TEA AT ELDON HOUSE Mother’s Day Tea Sunday, May 13 Seating at 1:30 and 3:00 pm Cost: $10 for adults, $5 for children Spend a delightful afternoon with your mother-tea and treats will be served in the Interpretive Centre. By reservation only. Call 519.661.0333.
Historical fashion illustrations in women’s magazines such as Vogue, Godey’s Ladies Book or Vanity Fair were given the name of “fashion plates”. During these classes, you will make sketches from Museum London’s period costume collection, adding colour and detail to create authenticlooking fashion plates.
What a Bee Sees: Drawing Workshop Sunday June 10 1:00 to 3:00 pm Cost: $20 includes supplies Back by popular demand! Join instructor Sally Glanville to learn the art of drawing botanical subjects. After selecting blooms from the Eldon House gardens, you will use pastels and coloured pencils to create a dynamic and detailed image from a bee’s-eye view. Call 519.661.0333 to register.
Strawberry Social Sunday, June 17 Seating at 1:00, 2:00, 3:00 pm Cost: $10 for adults, $5 for children Join us for our annual “Strawberry Social,” celebrating the coming of summer’s harvest. Strawberry shortcake and tea will be served on the beautiful lawn of Eldon House, weather permitting. By reservation only. Call 519.661.0333.
Summer Tea Program July 3 to September 2 Tuesday through Sunday 2:00 to 4:00 pm Cost: $7 for tea, $10 for tea and house tour Tea, scones and jam are served on the beautiful lawns of Eldon House, overlooking the Thames River. By reservation only. Call 519.661.5169.
APRIL - JUNE 2012
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APRIL - JUNE 2012
APRIL - JUNE 2012
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OUR MISSION Inspiring human experience through art and culture
MUSEUM LONDON 421 Ridout Street North London, Ontario Canada N6A 5H4 T 519.661.0333 F 519.661.2559 museumlondon.ca HOURS Tuesday through Sunday 12:00 to 5:00 pm Thursdays 12:00 to 9:00 pm ADMISSION By donation
ELDON HOUSE 481 Ridout Street North T 519.661.5169 eldonhouse.ca HOURS April Saturday and Sunday 12:00 to 5:00 pm May Wednesday to Sunday, 12:00 to 5:00 pm June to September Tuesday to Sunday, 12:00 to 5:00 pm ADMISSION Adults $6, Students (age 14 and older) and Seniors $5, Children (age 13 and younger) $1, Families $11 Wednesday and Sunday by donation