Painting by Glenn Penner
Looking for that special piece to finish off your space or brighten up a room? Need something different to bring life to your hallway? Check out Forum Art Centre’s Fresh Art Show, which runs Friday, June 14 to Sunday, June 16.
Forum Art Centre (FAC) is one of the city’s oldest independent, educational visual art organizations. This year is FAC’s 48th annual art exhibition and sale.
Daryl Dumanski, FAC’s executive director, says the event is a great opportunity to pick up amazing works.
Daryl Dumanski, executive director of FAC.
“It’s a joy to see the variety, availability, affordability and wonderful selection of art created at the Forum Art. There’s no reason for being quiet here as the conversation of art is part of the experience! And the celebration of actively participating means children can appreciate it as much as adults.”
At Fresh Art Show, you’ll discover unique, one-of-a-kind works by artists in the Forum community; free caricatures by FAC’s art director Tom Andrich; and a variety of prizes to win through the raffle fundraiser.
How do you choose which pieces to buy?
“Art is emotional and doesn’t need a reason or in any way have to match anything,” Dumanski says. “You shouldn’t have to explain it, although I know some professors and art critics may beg to differ. If you keep going back to look at it and you love it for no particular reason – you should probably buy it. It just has to make you feel good when you look at it – that’s all.”
“Unfortunately, there is still a lack of education by the general public in the giant marketplace of local, original art available to them produced by Manitoba artists,” she adds.
Established in 1964, FAC is a registered non-profit that offers art instruction to students aged seven and up. Emerging artists learn to create new forms and ideas, portray their diverse personalities, and stimulate their imagination.
The art exhibition and sale was started to give all the students taking adult art classes the opportunity to show or sell their work in a gallery setting.
“A selection process is subjective as it is only one person’s opinion, so the show is inclusive with students with one year [of] experience to 45 years of experience,” she says.
The Artists’ Village, which will be located in the scenic Coronation Park just behind the Centre, exhibits some unique and interesting works of art for sale.
“Almost all of the art at the Forum Art is original,” Dumanski says. “There may be some prints or cards reproduced from the artists’ original art.”
Art by Dora Giesbrecht
The art varies according to the classes being instructed. You can purchase paintings done in all types of media, drawings, pottery and sculptures. Canvases usually start at about a foot square to about 3′ x 5′ (for practicality many artists paint to the maximum of what will fit in their vehicle!). They display a myriad of subjects.
You can view some of the great pieces here.
New this year, Forum is launching an online Artists’ Gallery during Fresh Art Show.
“If for some reason you cannot attend a gallery show in person, this will be another avenue for the artists’ work to be seen,” Dunamski says.
When asked how art has changed in Forum’s 49-year history, Dumanski says things have only gotten better for buyers.
“The one thing that keeps growing with art is the development of all types of mediums and products which give a greater variety of effects that an artist can create,” Dumanski says. “Because of this, art is no longer just a painting, drawing or sculpture with a static finish or form. There is a huge overlap of classifications of the visual arts which only gives the buyer a greater wealth of art to select from.”
Check out Forum Art Centre’s 48th annual art exhibition and sale from June 14 to June 16 at 120 Eugenie Street in St. Boniface. For more information please visit www.forumartcentre.com.
For even more family fun, this year’s art show is held on the same weekend as the Norwood Grove Community Summer Festival — with Swords & Sabres Renaissance Festival, music, zumba, and all kinds of family-orientated activities. This event will also be held at Coronation Park on Saturday, June 15. Please visit Norwood Grove’s website at www.norwoodgrove.mb.ca to read more about the Festival, and Sword & Sabres’ website at www.swordsandsabres.com.
