My Evil Twin

My Evil Twin October 3, 2009 – January 4, 2010

My Evil Twin Exhibition Opening and Performance Friday, October 2 at 7:30 pm Featuring a performance, Double Self Double, by Maria Hupfield and Merrit Johnson.

My Evil Twin is the third and final exhibition of the MacKenzie’s Mirror Series, which explores how mirrors, mirroring and doubles are used to perform a formal and cultural critique in contemporary art.

The MacKenzie Art Gallery is pleased to present the work of four internationally acclaimed artists in the exhibition My Evil Twin, on view October 3, 2009 – January 4, 2010. This exhibition responds to society’s fascination with multiple births (think “Octomom” and “Jon & Kate Plus 8”) by exploring how representations of twins and doubles in contemporary art function as a sign of social anxieties. My Evil Twin features the work of four artists: Janieta Eyre and Kristan Horton from Toronto, Maria Hupfield from Vancouver and Julian Rosefeldt from Berlin, Germany.

While society is enthralled with multiple births, the public reactions today are not necessarily the same as those of the past. Commenting on this topic, anthropologist René Girard observes that “in some primitive societies twins inspire a particular terror. It is not unusual for one of the twins, and often both, to be put to death.” According to Girard, theloss of clear differences, embodied in the shared identity of twins, is the underlying source of people’s fear.
“Of course, apart from diaper bills, no-one considers twins to be a harbinger of evil today. Nevertheless, the device of the ‘evil twin’ continues to pop up in popular culture pairings such as Austin Powers and Dr. Evil, Battlestar Galactica’s Boomer and Athena, and The Simpsons’ Bart and Hugo to name a few,” says Timothy Long, Head Curator at the MacKenzie Art Gallery. “Each artist featured in My Evil Twin presents a representation of the double that can be related to fears that have their root in the loss of differences which have shaped recent experience in contemporary society
in recent years.”

Together, the work of Eyre, Horton, Hupfield and Rosefeldt form a narrative that grapples with the human need to shape our individual identities, not out of fear, but out of an understanding of our desires for difference and semblance.
This exhibition is curated by Timothy Long and will be accompanied by a catalogue, being produced later this fall, which will be available through the MacKenzie Art Gallery.

My Evil Twin is the third and final exhibition of the MacKenzie’s Mirror Series, which explores how mirrors, mirroring and doubles are used to perform a formal and cultural critique in contemporary art. The first exhibition, Let Me Be Your Mirror, took place in 2008, with the second, Double Space, taking place in 2009.

Image: Janieta Eyre, The Mute Book, #2, 2009
black and white, selenium toned fibre print, edition 1/5, 73.7 x 99.1 cm
photo: courtesy of the artist

Close Strangers; Distant Relations

An artist's engagement with the permanent collection by David Garneau.

September 19, 2009 - January 2, 2010 Audio Tours are available free of charge at the Gallery Shop!

Exhibition Opening and Artist-led Tour with David Garneau
Saturday, October 3 at 2:00 pm

One of the ways the MacKenzie Art Gallery is working to create opportunities for visitors to experience the permanent collection in new and interesting ways is through artist interventions. This exhibition will be the fourth in a series of artist engagements with the Permanent Collection, involving artists as catalysts for engaging audiences with contemporary art. For this exhibition Metis artist and educator David Garneau will create an audio-based storytelling experience with works from the collection. The gallery will be made into a simple, wide maze and the participant will be on a journey with a head set. As she stops before various works of art an audio story unfolds that links each work to the others. The full narrative will take about twenty minutes and is told in twenty voices.

To read more about the exhibition and to download the audio tour, visit our website!

Organized by the MacKenzie Art Gallery with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Saskatchewan Arts Board, and the City of Regina Arts Commission.

Image: Unidentified (Italian)
Portrait of a Woman, c. 1500-1600
oil on canvas, 42.1 x 33.7 cm
MacKenzie Art Gallery, University of Regina
Collection, gift of Mr. Norman MacKenzie

VERNON AH KEE: Blow Your House In

VERNON AH KEE: Blow Your House In
September 12, 2009 to January 3, 2010
Artist Talk & Exhibition Opening Reception: Friday, September 11, 2009 @ 7:30pm

Free event!

For the exhibition at the MacKenzie Art Gallery, Vernon Ah Kee was invited to participate in the MacKenzie Art Gallery’s first artist-in-residence program, which took place August 17 to September 4, 2009. Blow Your House In features some of Ah Kee’s text based works in addition to portrait-based drawings produced during the residency.

Vernon Ah Kee is a conceptual contemporary artist based in Brisbane, Australia. Born in North Queensland, Australia, Ah Kee is of the Kuku Yalandji, Waanji, Yindingji and Gugu Yimithirr peoples. His work is represented in several public collections including the Museum of Contemporary Art Sydney and the National Gallery of Australia. In 2007, he was included in the National Indigenous Art Triennial: Culture Warriors (National Gallery of Art, Canberra, Australia) and he has staged solo exhibitions at Artspace, Sydney and the Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane in 2008. His work was also included in the 2008 Biennale of Sydney and at the 2009 Venice Biennale in Once Removed, a group show from Australia addressing issues of displacement, indigenousness and the environment.

MacKenzie Art Gallery receives 2009 York Wilson Endowment Award

Regina - The MacKenzie Art Gallery in Regina is the recipient of the 2009 York Wilson Endowment Award, administered by the Canada Council for the Arts. The Gallery will use the $30,000 award to purchase six works from the Trading series by Saskatoon aboriginal artist Ruth Cuthand.

"The MacKenzie Art Gallery is honoured to be the recipient of this important award," said Stuart Reid, Executive Director of the MacKenzie Art Gallery. "This purchase of Ruth Cuthand's work will add significantly to the Gallery's collection of contemporary Canadian art. By addressing questions of history, identity and colonialism, the Trading series holds particular relevance for the people of Saskatchewan."

The MacKenzie Art Gallery will acquire six of the eleven images in the Trading series which investigates the diseases and goods European traders introduced to the Americas as well as the one disease that was brought back to Europe. "The images of the Trading series are hauntingly beautiful," noted Michelle LaVallee, assistant curator of the MacKenzie Art Gallery. "Through the use of beads, Ms. Cuthand has rendered the viruses as seen under the microscope. The names of the corresponding diseases are painted in white acrylic paint on a black suede-like surface below the intricate beadwork."

According to the artist, "The beads are a visual reference to colonization; valuable furs were traded for inexpensive beads. On the plains beads were a valuable trade item and they replaced the method of using porcupine quills. Trading examines both sides of European trade from the new items that revolutionized Aboriginal life to the decimation of many tribes through disease."

View photos of Ms.Cuthand's work from the MacKenzie Art Gallery's image gallery. Please contact Leah at the MacKenzie Art Gallery at (306) 584-4273 for permission to use the images.

The members of the peer assessment committee for this year's award were Ihor Holubizky, curator at Museum London (Ontario); Josephine Mills, director and curator of the University of Lethbridge Art Gallery (Alberta); and Gaëtane Verna, director of the Musée d'art de Joliette (Québec).

York Wilson Endowment Award
Since its creation in 1997, the York Wilson Endowment Award has been given annually to an eligible Canadian art museum or public gallery to assist with the purchase of an original artwork by a Canadian artist that will significantly enhance its collection. The award, which is the result of gifts of more than $600,000 from Lela Wilson and the late Maxwell Henderson, honours the contribution of Canadian painter York Wilson by assisting Canadian institutions to acquire works by living Canadian painters and sculptors.

MacKenzie Art Gallery
Established in 1953, the MacKenzie Art Gallery welcomes everyone to experience visual art in all its diversity. The MacKenzie Art Gallery is strongly committed to its mandate of serving the people of Saskatchewan by exhibiting, collecting, preserving and interpreting original works of art for the enrichment of the quality of life and for the establishment and maintenance of an artistic and cultural heritage in Saskatchewan.

As one of Canada's leading public galleries, the MacKenzie's permanent collection numbers more than 4,000 works of art including historical and contemporary works with a special interest in Western Canadian art. The MacKenzie's collection of 19th and 20th century European works on paper is regarded as one of Western Canada's finest. In recent years, photography, folk art and work by Aboriginal artists have also been a focal point of the Gallery's collecting.

Ruth Cuthand
Born in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Ruth Cuthand grew up in various communities throughout Alberta and Saskatchewan. With her Plains Cree heritage, Ms. Cuthand's aboriginal culture and memories of her childhood experiences are often the inspiration for her work. Through her work she explores the frictions between cultures, the failures of representation, and the political uses of anger. Ms. Cuthand graduated from the University of Saskatchewan with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and a Master of Fine Arts degree. In 1990, she had the first solo show of her career at the MacKenzie Art Gallery. Currently living in Saskatoon, Ms. Cuthand teaches Art and Art History at the First Nations University of Canada, Saskatoon Campus.

Canada Council for the Arts
In addition to its principal role of promoting and fostering the arts, the Canada Council for the Arts administers and awards many prizes and fellowships in the arts, humanities, social sciences, natural and health sciences, engineering, and arts management. These prizes and fellowships recognize the achievements of outstanding Canadian artists, scholars, and administrators. The Canada Council for the Arts is committed to raising public awareness and celebration of these exceptional people and organizations on both a national and international level.

Emily Dickinson would have loved Saskatchewan’s warm summer nights!

Join MacKenzie Head Curator, Timothy Long, for a tour of For Emily and finish the evening with a series of Dickinson-inspired poetry performances in the MacKenzie Art Gallery Sculpture Garden, featuring Cindy MacKenzie, Anne Campbell, Judith Krause, and Barbara Dana. Bring your own lawn chair or blanket. This program is free!

Friday, July 24, 2009

7:00pm - 10:00pm

MacKenzie Art Gallery Sculpture Garden

Anne Campbell is an award-winning author of four collections of poetry, with a fifth due, Soul to Touch, due in the fall of 2009. She is presently a Research Fellow at the CPRC University of Regina working on a biography of Arthur McKay, one of the famed Regina Five group of artists. As well as writing with music composer Tom Schudel, Anne’s work has been performed, recorded and published internationally.

Judith Krause is an award-winning Regina writer, editor and teacher whose work has appeared in numerous literary magazines and anthologies. Her most recent publications include her fourth collection of poems, Mongrel Love (Hagios Books, 2008), and a collaborative chapbook, blue transport / the insistence of green (Jack Pine Press, 2007).

Barbara Dana made her New York stage debut at the age of 17 in the off-Broadway production of Arthur Laurents’ A Clearing in the Woods. She appeared on Broadway in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Enter Laughing, Room Service and William Inge’s Where’s Daddy? She was also a member of the improvisational group, Second City, appearing in Chicago and New York. Off-Broadway, Ms. Dana has appeared in a number of movies and TV programs. She is an award-winning author of books for children and young adults. Her first non-fiction book, Wider than the Sky: Essays and Meditations on the Healing Power of Emily Dickinson (Kent State University Press), co-edited with Dickinson scholar Cindy MacKenzie, was published last year. Her latest novel, A Voice of Her Own: Becoming Emily Dickinson is just out, published by HarperCollins.

Cindy MacKenzie is an educator who has taught in many classrooms. After receiving a B.A. and B.E.A.D. degrees in French, and spending a semester as au pair for a family in Paris in the early 70s, she began her career teaching French at Central, Campbell, and Thom Collegiates. Eight years later during a maternity leave, she began to take classes in English at the University of Regina, eventually earning another B.A. Honours. This degree was followed by an M.A. and finally, a Ph.D. from the University of Colorado in Boulder. Her particular interest in nineteenth-century American poet Emily Dickinson began after taking an American Literature class in the mid 80s and since that time, she has pursued her study of this fascinating woman writing both an M.A. thesis and Ph.D. dissertation, as well as several articles, three books, and numerous papers presented at conferences in the U.S., Europe, and Japan. While carrying on her teaching at the University of Regina, she is currently working on another book that emphasizes the relationship between Dickinson’s letters and her poetics. As a board member of the Emily Dickinson International Society, she is convening the 2009 annual meeting of scholars and readers of Dickinson in Regina.

MacKenzie Annual General Meeting - Wednesday June 24th

Everyone is invited to the MacKenzie Annual General Meeting, this Wednesday evening! The AGM is followed by the Wally Dion exhibition catalogue launch, Bob Boyer: His Life's Work online exhibition launch, and Dr. Carmen Robertson's lecture entitled "Smashing China: Resistance and Engagement in Dana Claxton’s Art”.

Hope to see you then!

BAZAART updates: passes, buskers, eco-bags and more!

BAZAART passes are now available in the MacKenzie Gallery Shop!

Buskers wanted for BAZAART - no pre-registration required!

Follow this link for more info about pre-buying your pass or coming to busk at BAZAART: http://www.mackenzieartgallery.ca/News/207/

BAZAART will also feature exclusive MacKenzie Art Gallery eco-bags; these will be sold at the gates to BAZAART on Saturday for only $2 each!
Look here for more information: http://www.mackenzieartgallery.ca/News/201/

We hope to see you all at BAZAART this Saturday! Gates open at 10am, BAZAART is open until 5pm on the grounds of the MacKenzie Art Gallery. Visit the MacKenzie Art Gallery website (www.mackenzieartgallery.ca) for more information about BAZAART and other exciting MacKenzie programs and events.

Keep in mind that this Sunday, Father's Day, is also National Aboriginal Day. We will be celebrating in Wascana Park and at the MacKenzie Art Gallery!

Saturday, June 20, 2009 at 10 a.m. on the grounds of the MacKenzie Art Gallery.

Enjoy an art-filled day outdoors during the 36th Annual BAZAART Arts and Crafts Show & Sale, the MacKenzie Art Gallery's largest and most popular annual fundraiser! SHOP LOCAL, acquire one-of-a-kind creations from over 120 local artisans (including almost 30 new vendors!) and feel good knowing your $5 BAZAART admission sustains FREE MacKenzie Art Gallery attendance and programming! Experience hourly artisan demonstrations and musical workshops, and enjoy delicious food made by the locally-owned businesses featured in the BAZAART food court.

BAZAART will feature a raffle for the work of approximately 80 of the participating BAZAART vendors, making this our biggest raffle to date! Raffle tickets will be sold for $2 each, or 3 for $5. To enhance your BAZAART experience, extra bike racks and an ATM will be available on-site at the MacKenzie Art Gallery!

This year BAZAART will feature more vendor booths, more first-time vendors, and sustainability-minded
alternatives such as BAZAART eco-bags! BAZAART will also include new features such as artisan
demonstrations and musical workshops! Visitors can take in artisan demonstrations throughout the day,
including a canvas beading demonstration by Leah Dorion, a demonstration by New Dance Horizons, a pottery demonstration by Dee Funk, and more. Participants can also spend time on the Gallery lawn swaying to the sweet sounds of the Regina Folk Festival’s “Lordy, Lordy Look Who’s 40” workshop stage, which will feature Dave Lang, Library Voices, Andy Shauf, Shuyler Jansen and Kory Istace, presented as part of an exciting new collaborative partnership between the MacKenzie Art Gallery and the Regina Folk Festival. In conjunction with this partnership, the Regina Folk Festival will feature a MacKenzie Art Gallery art activity tent led by Saskatoon artist Wally Dion in Victoria Park on Saturday, August 8, 2009 and Sunday, August 9, 2009.

The MacKenzie Art Gallery is happy to announce that BAZAART 2009 is proudly sponsored by SaskTel, the presenting sponsor since 2002! BAZAART 2009 is also made possible with support from CTV, Rawlco Radio, The Regina Folk Festival and Combine Design.

BAZAART 2009 raffle contributors and participating vendors include: Parsons Dietrich Pottery, Randal Fedje Ceramics, Zane Wilcox, Feltastic Fibre - Heike Fink, Sisters Stepping Stone & Glass, Gail Daggett Jewellery, Shauna Mitru Art Glass Beads & Jewelry, Wingnut Enterprises… and many, many more!

The workshops will run from noon until 4:00pm and are scheduled as follows:

Noon - 1:00pm Whiskied, Whimsied and World-Wearied: Vocal Styles
Carl Johnson, Brennan Ross and Amanda Scandrett (Library Voices - hosts), Kory Istace, Dave Lang

1:30pm - 2:30pm Broken Prairie Scene: Spirit of Collaboration
Shuyler Jansen (host), Carl Johnson, Brennan Ross and Amanda Scandrett (Library Voices), Andy Shauf

3:00pm - 4:00pm Misery Loves Company: Lovin' and Leavin' Songs
Dave Lang (host), Kory Istace, Shuyler Jansen

Carl Johnson, Brennan Ross and Amanda Scandrett (Library Voices)

Library Voices is a ten piece pop collective from Regina, Saskatchewan. Blending tremolo soaked guitars with analog synths, vintage organs, circuit bent electronics, accordion, saxophone, and glockenspiel, their songs play out like an AM radio jingle; mixing the best of the 60's, 70's, 80's, and today.

Andy Shauf

The backdrop for Andy Shauf's childhood consisted of music at every turn to enjoy, inspire and to play, all of which he did by learning his way around every instrument that came his way. It's no surprise that Andy has been recording demos and bedroom albums as a one-man band since he was 14, but it is a surprise he concealed his love of songwriting from his friends. Andy is making his Regina Folk Festival debut this year!

Shuyler Jansen

As a career artist Shuyler Jansen has spent 17 years expanding the boundaries of his genre. Both lyrically and musically Shuyler is a throwback to an earlier era of country-folk ballad but with a grip steadfast on the fringes of rock and pop.

Dave Lang

Dave Lang is an itinerate songwriter working as the musician in residence at the Lyric Theatre in Swift Current, SK. He's written music for film and television. Neko Case covered one of his songs. He's toured with folks like John Wort Hannam, Geoff Berner, and Carolyn Mark.

Kory Istace

Kory believes in getting to the point. His writing is the same. Gritty, truthful, and without pretension, his raspy delivery commands attention while his lyrical style incites laughter, thought, and a desire to hear each song again and again.

The MacKenzie Art Gallery will also be onsite at the Regina Folk Festival presenting an art activity tent led by Saskatoon artist Wally Dion on Saturday, August 8, 2009 and Sunday, August 9, 2009 in Victoria Park.

June Shop Blog!

Some days, I think it would be great to be a kid again – especially the days when we receive new toys in the Gallery Shop! Recently, we have started carrying The Little Experience line, which includes activity kits for building, creating, knitting and stitching. Not only are the activities themselves great, but even the boxes are printed with patterns so they can be turned into something fun. They’ve also won awards from parent and children organizations; Stitch-it Donkey ($21.95), most recently won a Creative Play Award, and the Create-It Robot Kit ($21.95) comes highly commended.

While we’re talking about awards, I should mention the Automoblox line. These sleek and durable cars disassemble to allow children to get creative and design their own cars. They come in a range of colours and models and promote motor skills and problem solving skills. The Automoblox have won many awards including the Oppenheim Toy Platinum Award. Also new to the shop are Puzzibits, flexible puzzle pieces that can be shaped into 2-D and 3-D designs. We had a lot fun testing these out when they arrived in the Gallery Shop. Ranging in price from $13.95 to $32.95, the price point on these toys is pretty great too!

If you’re looking for something a bit more soft and cuddly, we have Adrienne Gibb’s Fabricawakuwaku handmade patch animals ($39.95 each). Using vintage and reclaimed fabrics these little guys – bears, monkeys, cats, bunnies and elephants – are just way too cute! Being a kid isn’t too bad!

Other news to keep on your radar: Friday, June 5, 2009 and Saturday, June 6th 2009, we are hosting our summer Member's Sale in the MacKenzie Gallery Shop! Save 20% on regular priced merchandise in the Gallery Shop simply by being a member! Also, don’t forget to stop by the Gallery Shop on Saturday, June 20^, 2009 while you’re for the 36^th Annual BAZAART Arts and Crafts Show & Sale! The Gallery Shop will be getting in on the BAZAART excitement, so step inside the Gallery and check out our special sale tables… See you then!

Rachel Molnar, Gallery Shop Manager

The MacKenzie Art Gallery encourages everyone to "SHOP LOCAL" and support locally grown artists and artisans!

Wally Dion Exhibition Catalogue Launch Wednesday, June 24, 2009 at 7:15 p.m.

We are pleased to announce the official catalogue launch for the exhibition Wally Dion, which appeared at the MacKenzie Art Gallery last fall. The catalogue provides the first serious look at this Saskatoon artist’s two major bodies of work: his large scale painted portraiture which works with themes including socialrealism and First Nations class struggles in modern Canadian life; and his recent work which involves the use of recycled computer circuit boards for large sculptural pieces.

In the catalogue essay, exhibition curator Michelle LaVallee links Dion’s work to three Saskatchewan pathfinders: Allen Sapp, Bob Boyer and Edward Poitras and discusses paintings from Dion’s Red Worker series and his new sculptural constructions created especially for this solo exhibition. She examines the major thematic and formal concerns present throughout his work and his blending of non-Aboriginal influences and Aboriginal sources that inspire him.

While his work is specific to his own investigations into identity, it is also about two cultures co-existing. Dion is part of an active culture and his interest in grids, history, “portraiture” and “work” have led to the production of two divergent yet connected bodies of work that encourage us to (re)consider subjects that are not often connected with Aboriginal people in mainstream art. LaVallee reflects on his use of material and symbolism and how, through his newest works, he has pushed his process and intent further to create multi-layered works which offer updated symbols for long-standing networks of communication and the continuity of tradition in contemporary culture. The exhibition appeared at the MacKenzie Art Gallery, Regina, Saskatchewan, from June 7, 2008 to September 21, 2008 and featured works borrowed from private and public collections.

MacKenzie Art Gallery Annual General Meeting
Wednesday, June 24, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. in the Shumiatcher Theatre

Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend the MacKenzie Art Gallery’s Annual General Meeting as well as the free programs that follow! MacKenzie Art Gallery Annual General Meeting followed by Bob Boyer: His Life’s Work Online Exhibition website and Wally Dion Catalogue Launch followed by a talk by Dr. Carmen Robertson, entitled: “Smashing China: Resistance and Engagement in Dana Claxton’s Art.”

Thursday Night Live! featuring P.J. Perry - Thursday, June 11, 2009 at the MacKenzie

Join us for an exciting night of performance and music at the MacKenzie Art Gallery on Thursday, June 11, 2009, featuring jazz great P.J. Perry ! Click here for your Thursday Night Live! e-vite!

Event Time - 7:30 pm
Cover Charge - $10.00

This month's Thursday Night Live! is presented as part of an exciting new partnership between the MacKenzie Art Gallery and the Regina Jazz Society and is put on in conjunction with MacKenzie feature exhibition Ted Godwin: The Regina Five Years, 1957-1967.

Experience an evening of music presented in a similar style to the artwork in the exhibition Ted Godwin: The Regina Five Years 1957-1967. Join a Gallery Facilitator-led tour of the exhibition, then head to our Jazz Café for an original solo performance by the jazz great P.J. Perry. There will be a cash bar available.

P.J. Perry has been recognized by critics, colleagues and listeners as being one of North America’s premier saxophonists. P.J. has shared the stage with countless jazz greats such as Dizzy Gillespie, Woody Shaw, Michel LeGrand, Pepper Adams, Kenny Wheeler, Tom Harrell, and The Boss Brass among others. In 2007 P.J. was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University of Alberta. In autumn 1999, Justin Time Records released a Juno nominated recording of P.J. and the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. Winner of a 1993 Juno Award for Best Jazz Recording for his album My Ideal, P.J. has received Jazz Report magazine's Critic's Choice Award for Best Alto Sax, a record seven years, from 1993 to 1999. P.J. has recently been performing his own show The Joy of Sax with orchestras across the country. He has also performed with the Edmonton Symphony, Winnipeg Symphony, Saskatoon Symphony, Kamloops Symphony, Hamilton Philharmonic, Montreal Symphony, Kitchener-Waterloo and Vancouver Island Symphonies.

*** Also, please note: the MacKenzie Gallery Shop Members' Sale takes place this Friday, June 5 and Saturday, June 6 and BAZAART 2009 takes place on Saturday, June 20 on the MacKenzie Art Gallery grounds!

Join us for the Gallery Shop Members' Summer Sale!

Friday, June 5, 2009 and Saturday, June 6, 2009!

Current MacKenzie Art Gallery Members will receive an additional 10% off all regular priced items, for a total discount of 20%.

Our hours have changed! The new MacKenzie Art Gallery and Gallery Shop hours are as follows:

Monday to Thursday: 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Friday: 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Saturday, Sunday and Holidays: 12:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Communications

Employment Opportunity

Who We Are
The MacKenzie Art Gallery is a not-for-profit, dynamic community resource with outstanding exhibitions and compelling programs. At the MacKenzie Art Gallery we are passionate believers that art matters. Through our many exhibitions and programs, we invite everyone to get connected and, above all, enjoy!

Who You Are
- Creative. You will work closely with our creative and dedicated staff of professionals and we want you to fit in. You will oversee all of the communications activities of the Gallery.
- Innovative. You have the ability to keep your eye on the big picture while monitoring all communications going out the door. You are able to develop, implement and administer Gallery communication services including marketing and promotional activities, media relations and print production. You must enjoy and have experience with developing and maintaining marketing and promotional activities through the web site and web 2.0 initiatives.
- Strategic. You have the ability to develop and monitor multi-year communication strategies and goals. You have the desire and ability to create opportunities to raise awareness of the MacKenzie. You are able to present information in a clear, understandable and grammatically correct manner.
- Client focused. You are comfortable talking and working with media partners, colleagues in the tourism industry and other arts and culture organizations.
- Organized. You are skillful with planning, monitoring, maintaining and evaluating your work.
- Enthusiastic. You seek an inspiring organization and work environment.

Qualifications
- at least two years of direct experience in a communications position along with a Bachelor's Degree or equivalent in a related field;
- have the need to thrive in a fast-paced environment, where independent action and a high degree of initiative is necessary;
- positive, team-player attitude, as well as a sense of humour;
- be fluid with change, have the unique ability to anticipate needs, and know when to act on them;
- take pride in your work;
- be computer literate – Microsoft Office products, InDesign, PhotoShop, web site, web 2.0.;
- demonstrated writing and editing accomplishments;
- demonstrated design and layout accomplishments;
- demonstrated organizational and project management skills;
- experience working with the public and communications partners.

Other Information
Our staff members are good at what they do. It's that simple. It's part of what makes the MacKenzie a nationally recognized Gallery. Our staff members are critical to our success. We offer competitive compensation and a dynamic, challenging culture that encourages individual excellence and teamwork. Here’s what we can offer you:
- A permanent, full-time position, 37.5 hours per week
- Great pay scale of $48,104 per annum
- A supportive, positive, humourous, passionate, and fun work environment;
- A workplace where our staff are self-motivated and take initiative and work with effective communication;
- Flexibility;
- Recognition with accomplishments celebrated;
- A proactive and creative environment;
- Continuous learning, training and development;
- An opportunity to be involved in the amazing programs and events of the MacKenzie;
- Staff get-togethers like bar-b-q’s, great staff parties;
- Yoga classes;
- Group Insurance Plan, Dental Plan, Pension Plan, and Extended Health Benefits;
- Vacation. Ah-h-h, vacation! You'll earn 15 days of vacation in your first year at the MacKenzie. Then you’ll earn 20 days of vacation a year until you’ve worked here for five years. After five years, it just keeps getting better;
- We know your life outside of work is important. We want you to enjoy that and so we give you one extra day every month to do those important things for your family, education, personal goals and the community;
AND
- A beautiful view of one of the best green spaces in Regina, Wascana Park.

How to Apply
Applications should be submitted no later than June 11, 2009, 4:30 p.m., to:
Gaynor Novak, Manager - Administration
MacKenzie Art Gallery, 3475 Albert Street, Regina, SK S4S 6X6
306-584-4266 phone
306-569-8191 fax
mackenzie.hr@uregina.ca

*Successful candidate must submit a satisfactory criminal record check prior to employment.
Please include in the subject line of email applications "Communications".
Information about the MacKenzie Art Gallery can be found online at www.mackenzieartgallery.ca

Curatorial Assistant, Young Canada Works Summer Student Position.

Employment Opportunity

Position: Curatorial Research Assistant
Young Canada Works Program (YCW)
Term: June 9, 2009 – August 28, 2009 (12 weeks)
35 hours per week
Pay Scale: $11.50 per hour

Overview: The MacKenzie Art Gallery is a public art museum with a broad mandate to exhibit and collect historical and contemporary works of art. Our main focus is Canadian art, with a special focus on the art of western Canada and Saskatchewan. This Young Canada Works summer employment position will assist the Curators of the Gallery with on-going research in preparation for a upcoming exhibitions such as Indian Group of Seven and Jack Sures. The student will also have the opportunity to assist with the development of an exhibition based on recent acquisitions to the permanent collection. Furthermore, the participating student will gain important knowledge related to Canadian cultural heritage and the skills necessary to conduct research oriented toward the production of major art exhibitions and catalogues.

Responsibilities:
Research and write biographies and bibliographies of the artists in the Indian Group of Seven and Jack Sures exhibitions
Research photography for essay illustrations
Conduct research for grant applications

Qualifications:
Exhibition Research, Writing, and Production skills necessary for curatorial research and/or assistant curator positions in contemporary art galleries and museums
Third or fourth-year students in BA/BFA programs in Art or Art History
Proficient with word processing, library catalogue searches, and internet searches
Familiarity with databases an asset
Must be a registered full-time secondary or post-secondary student (intending to return to full-time studies)
Must be between 16 and 30 years of age

How to Apply
Respond with a cover letter and resume outlining relevant experience to the contact information listed below by 4:00 p.m., May 28, 2009.
Submit a sample of writing that demonstrates your written communication skills no more than five double spaced pages in length. Any format is acceptable, including previously developed work for other organizations, school work, etc. Writing samples will be examined as an indication of the level of writing skills of the applicant.

Applications should be submitted to:
Gaynor Novak, Manager – Administration
MacKenzie Art Gallery
3475 Albert Street
Regina, SK S4S 6X6
gaynor.novak@uregina.ca
Phone: 306-584-4266 Fax: 306-569-8191

36th Annual BAZAART!
Saturday, June 20, 2009

Check out Saskatchewan's biggest and best Arts and Craft Show & Sale on the grounds of the MacKenzie Art Gallery, beginning at 10:00 a.m.! This is the MacKenzie's biggest annual fundraiser and the $5 admission charge supports FREE MacKenzie programs and attendance! BAZAART is proudly sponsored by SaskTel, with support from CTV, Rawlco Radio, and the Regina Folk Festival. The new BAZAART logo was designed by our new friends at Combine Design.

The focus is on handmade and locally produced items. We encourage you to join the more than 7,500 attendees and SHOP LOCALLY with purchases of stylish, practical and unique alternatives to mass-produced items which contribute to the sustainability of independent artists and craftspeople!

Mark it in your calendar!

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The MacKenzie Art Gallery loves to connect with art lovers everywhere... that's why we have joined Twitter!

We're new to the scene, so we're still a little shy, but looking to make new friends. Are you on Twitter? Want to follow us? We'd love to keep you updated on all our exciting events.

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MacKenzie Art Gallery's Celebration of National Aboriginal Day
Sunday, June 21, 2009 2:00pm - 4:00pm

Join the MacKenzie Art Gallery community in celebrating National Aboriginal Day! There will be guided tours of the permanent collection exhibition, Dana Claxton’s Buffalo Bone China, followed by facilitator led art activities exploring the art of our Saskatchewan Aboriginal artists. All are welcome and admission is free!

The first day of summer has been chosen as National Aboriginal Day. It is an opportunity for everyone to celebrate the important cultural richness and contributions of Inuit, Métis and First Nations peoples. Activities for National Aboriginal Day are organized across Canada every year. For more information about the day's events and activities, visit the Indian and Northern Affairs Canada website at www.inac.gc.ca. To find out more about the National Aboriginal Day festivities taking place in Wascana Park, you can email the Regina National Aboriginal Day Committee at regina.nad@accesscomm.ca or call Orenda Yuzicapi at (306) 546-4006.

Champagne & Lace

Fashion event fundraiser supporting the "Joints in Motion" marathon, September 26, 2009

The Champagne & Lace fashion event fundraiser, put on by local boutique NWL, took place on Thursday, February 12, 2009 at the MacKenzie Art Gallery. Guests were excited for a fabulous event of champagne, delicate appetizers and a runway show featuring a stunning collection of dresses from NWL with jewellery from the MacKenzie Gallery Shop, and this fashion event did not disappoint! Presented with a modern fashion industry feel, guests lined the New York City style runway in the MacKenzie Art Gallery Agra Torchinsky Salon. The show was hosted by Amy Matysio.

Nadia Williamson, owner of NWL was thrilled to announce the support of the following sponsors: MacKenzie Art Gallery Shop, Marler Shoes, VIP Men's Wear, The Edge Model & Talent Agency, UrbanRoots Media, Dekka Designs, Blush Beaty Bar, Il Biondo and Moxie's Restaurant. Click here for Nadia's list of Thank Yous.

For more information about opportunities for putting on your own exciting events at the MacKenzie Art Gallery, contact Krista Milliken at krista.milliken@uregina.ca!

Photos by Carey Shaw.

Upcoming Events!

Ted Godwin
The Regina Five Years: 1957–1967
Organized and circulated by The Nickle Arts Museum. May 9 to August 30, 2009

Opening: Friday, May 8, 2009 at 7:30 pm
Ted Godwin: The Regina Five Years, 1957-1967 opening reception and discussion with Ted Godwin. Free admission. Cash bar.

Painting by Numbers: Screening of A World Away: Stories from the Regina Five and artist talk with filmmaker Mark Wihak. Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. Free admission.

Thursday Night Live with P.J. Perry!
Thursday, June 11, 2009 at 7:30 pm
Join a Gallery Facilitator-led tour of feature exhibition Ted Godwin: The Regina Five Years, 1957-1967, then head into our Jazz Café for an original solo performance by the jazz great P.J. Perry to match the improvisational spirit of painter Ted Godwin. This program is presented in partnership with the Regina Jazz Society. Cash bar. Cover Charge: $10.00



Free Public Tours of Ted Godwin: The Regina Five Years, 1957-1967
7 p.m. on Fridays
3 p.m. on Saturdays
3 p.m. on Sundays

Head Curator Timothy Long speaks about Ted Godwin in April 30 issue of the Leader Post!

Click here to read Nick Miliokas' interview with MacKenzie Head Curator, Timothy Long, where Timothy discussed upcoming feature exhibition Ted Godwin: The Regina Five Years, 1957 - 1967.

This exhibition opens May 9, 2009, with the opening reception taking place on May 8, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. Ted Godwin will be at the opening reception to give a talk about his work... Don't miss this exciting event!

Image:
Ted Godwin
The Interior of the Red Box, 1963
acrylic on cotton duck, 198.1 cm x 213.4 cm. Collection of The Nickle Arts Museum