| About Routes Gallery |
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In order to live the life of an artist, and not cut off one's ear, a person has to cover some ground, so to speak. One aspect of art making to consider is to actually make the art. So a studio may be handy. Then one needs a place to have it be seen, discussed (hopefully), appreciated (thankfully), and perhaps even purchased (desperately). In this line of thinking, an art gallery would be handy. What about collaborations within the community, especially with other sectors, like music and theatre? How would that affect the art making and the appreciation of said art? Oh, and then there are the other artists, emerging and established. One wonders what can come of social circles such as these, and how it in turn affects the artist in question, or the community in which a wealth of art is being exhibited and discussed, appreciated, and so on... And finally, if one happened to also be a teacher, wouldn't it be great to have a space within the community to, well, teach the art? These were the questions I faced when I rather serendipitously stumbled upon the United Church of Tessier, which had recently been put up for sale, in the fall of 2007. Frankly, I couldn't have imagined a more perfect space. Simple, straight-forward, a blank canvas in a sense. Hard wood flooring exposed, characteristic features like swinging wooden doors and coat hooks in the entry way. And one circular stained glass window at the front of the building above the altar. Subtle tones, and not overly literal in symbolic content (after all, this had always been a church). These walls could be covered in art, they were begging for it. What was almost funny too though, was the musician-performer in me. This building was also, in my mind, a perfect concert hall. Great atmosphere, quaint space. Possibly a place where musicians would love to play, and music lovers love to indulge. As a young girl who grew up in a prairie town where a Cultural Centre was at its core, I knew what this could mean for Harris and its surroundings. Art Gallery, Studio, Concert Hall, Community Centre for the Arts. This is what Routes Gallery would be. And as of May 24th, 2009, that is what Routes Gallery has become. |
| Last Updated on Monday, 09 March 2009 16:16 |