Details from artwork available through auction, left to right: Loraine Wellman, Manning Park - Autumn, acrylic on canvas; Pamela Holl-Hunt, Safe Harbour, oil on canvas; Pat MacBain, Grass and Trees-West Dyke, oil on canvas; Chrissy Cheung, Outsides, acrylic on canvas

Message from Director/Curator

Hello and welcome to the RAG E-Newsletter, Issue #9.

The RAG is operated by the Richmond Art Gallery Association and is the City of Richmond's Public Contemporary Art Gallery. On behalf of everyone from the City of Richmond's Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services, and of course, our Gallery Association, I want to thank the City of Richmond, the BC Arts Council, the BC Gaming Commission and the Canada Council for the Arts for their generous financial support. I must also thank our Volunteers, Staff and Members for their ongoing efforts. They consistently provide the solid foundation all RAG activities and programs depend on.

You and your friends are invited to the opening reception of RICHMONDARTS: "The Changing City", a juried exhibition of original works by artists living and working in Richmond, Thursday, June 7 from 6:30-8:30pm! "The Changing City" features many participants from previous Artists Among Us and Arts Centre User Groups Exhibitions within an exciting new thematic context. There will be a related Art Market Day, Saturday, June 23, from 10am - 4pm, in which participating artists will offer a wide variety of items for sale, and an Open Studio Event during the weekend of July 7 and 8. Please visit www.richmondartgallery.org for more details.

I am very pleased to announce a new Online Auction Summer Sale!
Over 25 original works donated by artist-participants in the Art Access rental service are waiting for your winning bids right now! Visit www.richmondartgallery.org to peruse the art up for auction and bid on your favourites.

Our sincerest thanks go out to all those who have generously donated their works. Bidding closes at the end of August and works can be purchased immediately by matching the set closing bid listed on-line. All proceeds will go directly towards daily operational expenses at the RAG. This is a fantastic opportunity to support the Gallery while acquiring original works by local Lower Mainland artists!

Join us this Spring/Summer and enjoy all of the great programming, activities and exhibitions the RAG has to offer.

Jeremy Todd, Interim Director/Curator

RAG Community Members Feature –
In this issue: Mary Castellanes and Louise Hudson
Would you like to nominate someone for the next Community Members Feature? Email us!


Mary Castellanes joined the RAG as a graphics volunteer in the summer of 2005 and has been a true asset to the Gallery ever since. Mary is a skilled designer with an exciting creative flair. She is also a devoted volunteer with an inspiring work ethic and excellent ideas. Mary has developed numerous graphic design projects for the Gallery including the Phantasmagoria online exhibition and the window box posters at the Gallery entrance. Most recently her talents made the 2007 Arts for Life brochure our best yet. When Mary isn't helping us at the Gallery she is busy studying Communication Design at the Emily Carr Institute. We are very fortunate to have her with us and look forward to all the great projects she will realize in the future.

Louise Hudson has been an integral part of the RAG community from the very beginning, promoting the value of art in our everyday lives for nearly four decades. As a founding member of the Richmond Art Gallery Society Louise has been an instrumental lobbyist in the expansion of municipal support for the Gallery, resulting in more staff, financial support and even the realisation of Richmond's Cultural Centre. Louise has also been an invaluable member of the RAG Exhibition Committee for 20 years and has helped instigate fruitful partnerships with the Richmond Art Centre, the Richmond School Board, the Richmond Women's Centre, the Richmond Museum, the Gateway Theatre amongst many others. There's so much more one could say about Louise's accomplishments and her importance to our Gallery community... We would not be where we are today without her hard work, political savvy and fierce commitment.

Looking Back

 
Richmond secondary students participating in the Artist Trading Card activity at Arts for Life; Panel Discussion with (l-r) Diyan Achjadi, Ann Marie Fleming and Chad Smith

Arts for Life Conference 2007 – April 24th, 2007
The Richmond School Board and the RAG held the 15th annual Arts for Life Conference this past April. This conference is always a special day for us at the RAG, as we know how important and inspiring it is for Richmond youth to hear personal experiences from professional visual artists. The day was a grand success, with over 120 secondary students attending this year. We thank all the Richmond secondary teachers and RSB Assistant Superintendent Mr. Jim Martens for their assistance in coordinating this large event. We also thank all the presenters this year, who made this event so memorable: Liz Magor (multi-disciplinary artist), Danny Singer (photography), Kevin McKenzie (sculptor), Eliza Au (ceramic artist), Diyan Achjadi (printmaking, multi-media artist), Ann Marie Fleming (film-maker), and Chad Smith (production artist).

RBC Foundation
RBC Foundation presented a cheque for $9700 in support of the Family Sunday program on April 21 at our Asian Heritage Month opening reception. Presenting the cheque to the Family Sunday crew are Financial Planner Jenny Liang Chen and Branch Manager, Michael Edgson. To date RBC has donated $44,900 to this program and over 6000 parents and children have participated in this free monthly program. In addition to making contemporary art accessible, Family Sunday provides skill building opportunities for teens. Volunteer Richmond high school students working with a facilitator plan the exhibition related projects and run the program on the 4th Sunday of each month. Thank you RBC!!

News

Fond farewell and best wishes!

Vanessa Hall-Patch
The Richmond Art Gallery bids farewell to Family Sunday facilitator, Vanessa Hall-Patch. Vanessa’s work commitment has grown at Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design where she works and teaches and she has had to give up facilitating this popular Gallery program. For over two years Vanessa has been the guiding force for the 10 to 12 students who run the program. Staff, students and families will miss Vanessa and her enthusiasm and expertise. She has promised to keep in touch so we hope to see her occasionally in the Gallery.

New Exhibition at City Hall

Nancy Halifax, Wetland, at City Hall

Richmond-based artist, Nancy Halifax's Wetland, features a selection of paintings from a series that reflects on the impact of natural disasters on the people living in affected areas and beyond. The exhibition runs from May 29 to August 27.

An OPEN CALL to ALL ARTISTS & NON-ARTISTS

Artist Trading Card (ATC) Exhibition
July 13 - September 7
(in what was previously the Gallery’s Art Access Rental Space)
Closing Celebration & Trading Session Friday - September 7, 7pm

What To Do: Send 9 – 18 Artist Trading Cards (2 ½”x 3 ½”) in Plastic Sleeves w/ a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the Richmond Art Gallery: 7700 Minoru Gate, Richmond BC, V6Y 1R9 – ATTN: RAG ATC Exhibition

Deadline: Entries must be postmarked before June 22, 2007.

For additional information please contact RAG Curatorial Assistant and ATC Organizer Carie Helm: (604) 247-8317, chelm@richmond.ca

Jeremy's Quiz Contest Feature
Answer the following three questions correctly and win a RAG publications package, complimentary drinks at a RAG opening of your choice and the honour of being mentioned in the next E-Newsletter!

E-Newsletter Issue #9 Questions:

1. Who was the guest curator of the 2003-4 RAG group exhibition "Thinking Textiles"?
2. Who is the current President of the Richmond Art Gallery Association?
3. Who was the first Director of the Richmond Art Gallery?

Think you can win?
Email your answers to the Gallery. The first responder to correctly answer all three questions wins the contest.

New "Letters" Feature
We Want Your Feedback. What are your thoughts about the Gallery, Gallery activities and/or exhibitions? Email us and you might get your opinions published in the new "Letters" section of the RAG E-Newsletter Issue #10. Please be sure to type "Letters" in the subject heading of your email.