Presenting Your Artwork Professionally deals with creating artist statements, professional CV’s, artwork documentation and submission packages for public galleries, artist-run centres and commercial dealers. Bring an artist statement and CV to be workshopped.

Grant-Writing for Visual Artists will give in-depth advice on developing applications for various funding sources. Bring a project description to be workshopped.

Both of these workshops are supported by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA). Presenting Your Artwork Professionally is also supported by the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council.

Workshop Dates:

Presenting Your Artwork Professionally: Saturday August 7th, 2-5 pm, Gordon Pinsent Centre for the Arts.

Grant-Writing for Visual Artists: Sunday, August 8th, 2-5 pm, Gordon Pinsent Centre for the Arts.

Each workshop is $20 for members/$10 for student members, or $35/$15 for both workshops.

Non-members rates are $70 for one workshop/$85 for both, $25/$30 for students (includes 1-year membership in VANL-CARFAC).

Pre-register to save your spot in the workshop by using our secure Paypal links below. Contact Dave Andrews at vanl-carfac@nf.aibn.com, or 1 (877) 738-7303 for more information.

About Art Ex

Art Ex 2010 is the inaugural year for an annual visual arts event, which will take place in the Exploits Valley region of central Newfoundland from August 6-8. The three day celebration of visual art will include activities such as youth and adult workshops, panel discussions, talks, interactive art interventions, public artworks and collaborative community based art events. The activities will occur concurrently in a number of municipalities within the region: incorporating both Grand Falls-Windsor, as well as more remote, rural locations to the north-east (Leading Tickles, Norris Arm) and south-west (Millertown, Buchans).

This year’s event will feature an Art Ex launch party with special guest speakers and entertainment, as well as several workshops and demonstrations with local artists and craftspersons from around the region. Art Historian, Dr. Gerard Curtis, will give an entertaining and informative talk on the history and theory of art, and visual artist Marlene Creates will lead two sessions (presented by VANL-CARFAC) entitled “Presenting Your Artwork Professionally” and “Grant-Writing for Visual Artists”. For further information and a complete listing of events, contact the Exploits Valley Economic Development Corporation at (709)489-8700 or edo@exploitsvalley.nf.ca

Single Workshop - Presenting Your Artwork Professionally

Artist Member $20.00 Student Member $10.00 Non-Member $70.00 Student Non-Member $25.00

Single Workshop - Grant Writing for Visual Artists

Artist Member $20.00 Student Member $10.00 Non-Member $70.00 Student Non-Member $25.00

Visual Artists Newfoundland and Labrador

Canadian Artists’ Representation /

Le front des artistes canadiens

AGM WEEKEND 2010

:: Excellence in Visual Arts Awards ::

the fifth annual EVA Awards ceremony

Emcee Angela Antle

8pm, May 28, 2010

Lecture Theatre, Level 2

The Rooms, 9 Bonaventure Ave., St. John’s, NL

Limited Seating. Call 1-877-738-7303 to be put on the guest list.

:: EVA Awards reception ::

reception courtesy of the Rooms

Cash bar

All are welcome!

9pm, May 28, 2010

Level 3

:: Rapid-Fire Artist Talks ::

5 minute artist talks- for members only!

Contact Dave at vanl-carfac@nf.aibn.com or 1-877-738-7303

to sign up for your artist talk – space is limited.

10:30am – 12:30pm, May 29, 2010

The Studio, above Auntie Crae’s, Water St.

:: Annual General Meeting::

Business and Election of Officers

Adoption of constitutional Amendments – a copy of the

new wording is included with this notice

2 o’clock pm

The Studio, above Auntie Crae’s, Water St.

:: Evening Social::

B-B-Q at Luben Boykov’s

Garden Foundry and Sculpture park

Food and non-alcoholic beverages provided. BYOB.

6 to 9pm,

70 Cadigans Road, off of Logy Bay Road

Fee $5.00 per person.

(to help VANL-CARFAC cover food costs)

Friends and family welcome!

RSVP 1-(877)738-7303 or vanl-carfac@nf.aibn.com

To participate in these activities, memberships must be in good standing. Membership renewals available on-site on May 29, fees payable by cash or cheque

This year’s EVA Awards jury reviewed submissions from across the province, representing a wide spectrum of artistic mediums and styles, from painting to sculpture, installation, conceptual art, fine craft, and printmaking. Visual Artists Newfoundland and Labrador extends its congratulations to all the shortlisted artists for this year’s awards.

The Large Year Award celebrates a visual artist who has enjoyed an exceptional year, with at least one exhibition and critical recognition. Prize: $1000

The Large Year Award Shortlist

Luben Boykov, Flatrock

Michael Flaherty, St. John’s

Helen Gregory, St. John’s

The Emerging Artist Award honours the promising start made by an emerging visual artist in the early stages of their career. Sponsored in 2010 by The Leyton Gallery of Fine Art. Prize: $1000

The Emerging Artist Award Shortlist

Jason Holley, Amherst Cove

Jason Penney, St. John’s

The Long Haul Award recognizes a substantial contribution to the visual culture of Newfoundland and Labrador by a senior artist. Prize: $1000 and a Lifetime Membership for VANL-CARFAC.

There is no shortlist announced for the Long Haul Award. The winner will be announced at the award ceremony on May 28^th.

The Kippy Goins Award – so named for the small pieces of wood one throws on a fire to “keep it going” – thanks an individual or organization whose efforts have helped to sustain and build the visual arts sector. Sponsored in 2010 by Drs. Angus and Jean Bruneau. Prize: original artwork by Will Gill.

There is no shortlist for this award; the winner will be announced on May 28^th.

March 29, 2010: Three lucky individuals won art collections on Friday, March 26th, through the More Easy Pieces Ticket Draw. The draw was a fundraiser for Visual Artists Newfoundland and Labrador (VANL-CARFAC), to support programming and services including the Colin MacNee Emergency Fund, which supports artist members in times of crisis.

There were three art collections, and a wide variety of work from a diverse array of artists throughout the province. Pieces include painting, photography, sculpture, fine ceramics, and printmaking.

Kaila Bush-Blais of St. John’s was the winner of Collection I, featuring work by Valerie Hodder, David Kaarsemaker, Reed Weir, Jennifer Barrett and Margaret Ryall.

Susan Sullivan of Grand Falls-Windsor won Collection II, which contained works by Candace Fulford, Audrey Feltham, Jay Kimball, Marlene MacCallum and Mavis Penney.

Finally, George Murray of St. John’s takes home Collection III, with work by Michael Pittman, Anita Singh, Charlotte Jones and Colette Urban.

The draw was held at 5 pm on March 26th at Devon House, 59 Duckworth St. VANL-CARFAC would like to thank all those individuals who purchased tickets for this fundraiser for their contributions to VANL’s continued programming. The organization would also like to extend heartfelt thanks to the talented artists who contributed work to this event.

http://castroller.com/podcasts/WeekendArtsMagazines/1450987

Visual Artists Newfoundland and Labrador is pleased to announce that it is launching a Professional Development Workshop series in the new year, with two workshops that will travel to several different locations. The workshops, Presenting Your Artwork Professionally, and Grant-Writing for Visual Artists, will tour to Lab City-Wabush, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Corner Brook, Gander and St. John’s in February and March 2010. Facilitated by visual artist Marlene Creates, these sessions will be a combination of presentation and hands-on workshop.

“The workshop series is an important step towards offering more services to all areas of the province.”, states Executive Director Sara Tilley. “We are thrilled to be initiating this project and hope that visual artists from across Newfoundland and Labrador will take advantage of Ms Creates’ considerable knowledge and experience by participating.”

Presenting Your Artwork Professionally deals with creating artist statements, professional CV’s, artwork documentation and submission packages for public galleries, artist-run centres and commercial dealers. Bring an artist statement and CV to be workshopped.

Grant-Writing for Visual Artists will give in-depth advice on developing applications for various funding sources. Bring a project description to be workshopped.

Both of these workshops are supported by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA). Presenting Your Artwork Professionally is also supported by the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council.

Workshop Dates:

Lab City-Wabush, Two Seasons Inn: May 8, noon-3 pm;  Presenting Your Artwork Professionally

May 9, noon-3 pm, Grant-Writing for Visual Artists

Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Hotel North Conference Room: Feb. 20, noon-3 pm, Presenting Your Artwork Professionally

Feb. 21, noon-3 pm, Grant-Writing for Visual Artists- **bonus special after-session at 3 pm with Donna Roberts from the NLAC

Corner Brook, SWGC Rec-plex: Feb. 27, noon-3 pm, Presenting Your Artwork Professionally

Feb. 28, noon-3 pm, Grant-Writing for Visual Artists

Gander, Sinbad’s Hotel: March 6th, noon-3 pm, Presenting Your Artwork Professionally

March 7th, noon-3 pm, Grant-Writing for Visual Artists

St. John’s, Beatrice Watts Board Room, Room 2014, INCO Innovation Centre: March 13, noon-3 pm, Presenting Your Artwork Professionally

March 14, noon-3 pm, Grant-Writing for Visual Artists - ** bonus special after-session at 3 pm with Katrina Rice of the NLAC, Libby Creelman from CEDP and Kay Anonsen from the City Arts Jury

Each workshop is $20 for members/$10 for student members, or $35/$15 for both workshops.

Non-members rates are $70 for one workshop/$85 for both, $25/$30 for students (includes 1-year membership in VANL-CARFAC).

Pre-register to save your spot in the workshop by using our secure Paypal links below. Contact Dave Andrews at vanl-carfac@nf.aibn.com, or 1 (877) 738-7303 for more information.

Single Workshop - Presenting Your Artwork Professionally

Artist Member $20.00 Student Member $10.00 Non-Member $70.00 Student Non-Member $25.00

Single Workshop - Grant Writing for Visual Artists

Artist Member $20.00 Student Member $10.00 Non-Member $70.00 Student Non-Member $25.00

Both Workshops

Artist Member $35.00 Student Member $15.00 Non-Member $85.00 Student Non-Member $30.00

Many people may see my work on display at various Interpretation Centres throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.  These are codfish dolls that I designed for Parks Canada as part of their Making Fish Program.  These soft-sculpture dolls are designed to be processed:  ie.  you cut off their heads, slice open their bellies, remove their guts and rip out their spines.  Used to demonstrate the process of salting cod, there are over thirty of these codfish dolls floating around Newfoundland and I’ve recently been informed that they were used in a cooking class to show people how to fillet a cod before cooking it!

My most recent accomplishment is winning the 2009 Bank of Montreal First Art Award that is awarded to graduating visual arts students across Canada. My submission was a pink codfish doll that was made to generate dialogue in Toronto (where the show is held) about Newfoundland’s codfishing industry.  I went to Toronto for the opening of this show in October at the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art and had the pleasure of meeting fellow winners and art collectors who showed great appreciation for the codfish doll.

My favourite medium for sculptural work is metal, clay, porcelain and glass.  I am practising my welding techniques in order to create large, sturdy sculptures that resist the elements of weather and time, much like humans do on our life journeys.  The work I prefer to do is site specific installation pieces in nature that are built of natural materials in their natural settings, photographed and left to disintegrate over time.  The ephermeral nature of this work fulfills my desire to be immersed in nature while making work that addresses the fleeting natural resources we have left and the time I have left with which to do it.

10 Questions

1. When did you first realise that you wanted to become an artist?

I don’t think you “become” an artist, rather you are predispositioned to creating obsessively or you are not.  I’ve always spent a lot of time working with my hands, making constructions.  Whether or not I am an artist depends on the viewer.  At any rate, I’ve always done what I am doing now, I just pick up more skills and experience as I age…

2. What mediums do you work in, and why?

I work in metal, textiles, clay and natural materials for my sculptural forms and I prefer screen print and wood block printing when I am making 2D work.  I use screen printing because I like the texture and feel of pushing and pulling the thick inks across the screen, and wood block printing is a meditative process involving natural elements that fulfills my need to be linked to my materials.  Right now I am keen to make multiples of my work as I have an obsessive practical streak that requires me to perfect a technique and prove it by repeating the process over and over again.  I like print making as it is quite a sculptural process and I am waiting until I am old and more immobile to practice my drawing technique. While I am young I prefer the physical labour of sculpture and labour-intensive processes as such.  I do not like to sit or stand still for long periods of time so I will pursue these forms now, while I am strong and healthy, and save painting and drawing for when I get older and calm down more.

3. How do you get ideas for your artwork?

They come to me constantly in everything I do, see, hear or watch.  It is natural for me to take anything I read, feel or think and try to turn those feelings into something tangible.

4. What other artists influence your artwork?

The original native people of North America who made beautiful things for the sake of things being beautiful, practical and functional influence me far more than any contemporary artist today.

5. What are the ‘big’ themes in your artwork?

Respect for nature, respect for the history and work of those people that came before me.  Things that disturb me or memories that need to be revered make up the content of much of my work.

6. What is the greatest challenge that you face as an artist working in Newfoundland and Labrador?

Having to wake up at 3:30am to fly out of here is a pain, but a small one.

7. What is the best thing about working as an artist in this province?

The geographical and mental space available to me in Newfoundland and Labrador is liberating.  Here I can think clearly and without much of the nonsense found in massive cities.  There is solitude here…

8. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Let the winds blow me where they may…

9. If you weren’t an artist, what would you be doing?

I’d rather not say…

10. If you could have one wish granted, what would it be?

Harmony around the block.  Also, I wouldn’t mind being invisible with the ability to travel back and forth through time….

Jennifer Barrett is a painter, printmaker, and comics artist from Paradise, NL. She holds a BFA from Sir Wilfred Grenfell College, and has been on the board at St. Michael’s Printshop since 2004. In 2009, she had her first solo exhibition at Eastern Edge Gallery, called Werebears and Only Children. Her comic of the same name appears bi-weekly in The Scope and on her website. She was also an NL Arts and Letters Awards winner and was selected as Emerging Visual Artist at the VANL-CARFAC Excellence in Visual Arts (EVA) Awards. She is represented by The Leyton Gallery of Fine Art in St. John’s, and her work can be seen at http://jbarrettart.com .

10 Questions

When did you first realize that you wanted to become an artist?

Since I was small; I used to make little books and copy comic strips and would incorporate drawing into any school project possible. But not seriously until after my first year of university.

What mediums do you work in and why?

I mostly make acrylic paintings these days, and I have also been making some water-based linocuts. My comics are hand-drawn and then touched up and coloured in Photoshop.  These are materials that are safe and easy to use in the small working environment I currently have. And they dry fast and are easy to find. I would like to do more screenprinting.

How do you get ideas for your artwork?

Most of my paintings now are based on blind-contour drawings. Sometimes I will just go for a walk and take a sketchbook and make some drawings if I happen to see something interesting. Alternatively, I’ll take one with me when I hit the zoo or the park, where I know I’ll want to make drawings. For example, I went to Marineland a while ago and was sure I would want to draw some whales. Turns out they swim around pretty fast and I couldn’t get a sketch I was satisfied with.

What other artists influence your artwork?

Charles Schulz, Bill Watterson, Seth, Darwyn Cooke (and many other comics artists). Also, many pop artists, Marcel Dzama, and Will Gill. Probably quite a few more, that’s how it goes.

What are the ‘big’ themes in your artwork?

Mostly humour. Either trying to make others laugh, or to humour myself. I’ve also done a lot of animal drawings lately. This is because they look funny I suppose.

What is the greatest challenge you face as an artist working in Newfoundland and Labrador?

Trying to get the art supplies I want easily, and at a reasonable price. I’m currently in Toronto and it’s amazing that I can walk down the street and buy pretty much whatever I need whenever I want.

What is the best thing about working as an artist in this province?

The artist community is pretty lovely, once you take the time to get yourself in there. There is a lot of support if you want it.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Making lots of comics and selling t-shirts on the internet.

If you weren’t an artist, what would you be doing?

I did a year of engineering at MUN before heading to Grenfell. I’d like to think I could have continued on with that if I wanted to. I doubt it though.

If you could have one wish granted, what would it be?

Unlimited wishes, of course.

Want to be our next Member of the Month? Email your answers to the 10 Questions, plus a short bio and a photo to sara@vanl-carfac.com before the first day of the month to qualify for the random draw!

Artists interested in applying for the Artist Talk Series can check out the full guidelines and obtain an application form here.

Craig Francis Power is an artist and writer from St. John’s.

1. When did you first realise that you wanted to become an artist?

When I was a kid. 10 years old, maybe.

2. What mediums do you work in, and why?

I generally work in video, installation, performance and drawing. I like the instantaneousness of these mediums.

3. How do you get ideas for your artwork?

I get ideas through looking at art, reading, watching films, paying attention.

4. What other artists influence your artwork?

David Askevold. Manet. Courbet. 70s Conceptual artists. Mike Kelley. Folk art. Merle Haggard. Walter Benjamin. Duchamp.

5. What are the ‘big’ themes in your artwork?

Kitsch. The idea of the rebel. Humour. Having fun. Creepy things like ghosts. Issues pertaining to class. Rural life. Craft.

6. What is the greatest challenge that you face as an artist working in Newfoundland and Labrador?

Lack of exposure to contemporary art and artists, and a complete lack of critical engagement on the part of artists and critics in the province.

7. What is the best thing about working as an artist in this province?

Because we’re removed from the major centres, there’s a real freedom to experiment. There’s no pressure to become an art star.

8. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Hopefully still making art.

9. If you weren’t an artist, what would you be doing?

Farmer.

10. If you could have one wish granted, what would it be?

World peace.