Summary
Organized by the participants of the Guelph Emerging Artists Mentorship Program (GEAMP), you can expect to see a broad array of styles, techniques, and messages, from abstract sculpture to surrealism and even musical composition.
“Last Call” is a collective gallery exhibition of thirteen emerging artists from the Guelph and Wellington county cultural scene. The name “Last Call” acknowledges that this exhibition will be one of the last in the Boarding House Gallery space.
Organized by the participants of the Guelph Emerging Artists Mentorship Program (GEAMP), you can expect to see a broad array of styles, techniques, and messages, from abstract sculpture to surrealism and even musical composition.
One of the main goals of the program itself is to pair local emerging artists with experienced working art professionals in the Guelph and Wellington county area. Over a two month time period, mentees meet with their assigned mentors to gain knowledge and experience related to being a practicing professional artist. Depending on the pairing and the artistic focus of the mentee, the skills obtained through the relationship vary. Examples include CV and resume writing, grant writing, active artistic feedback and input from the mentor, organized trips to local exhibitions and art fairs, exhibition planning and logistics, to name a few. The mentee-mentor relationship provides the emerging artist with a guided first-step into the world of professional artistic practice.
A secondary goal of the program enables the participants to mount an exhibition, celebrating the culmination of their experiences. The exhibition is the result of a collaboration between the mentees and the guidance that they receive from their mentors, and gives the participants the opportunity to develop their artistic practise, including the skills necessary to organize gallery installations from start to finish. The mentorship program is a joint initiative of the Guelph Arts Council and the University of Guelph’s School of Fine Art and Music (SOFAM), with continued support from the RBC Emerging Artists Project.
“My goal for participating in the program was to sound out with my Mentor about a community project that would help my fellow artists to find space, time and place to make work. And with Elia Morrison (Ed’s Video) being an excellent sounding board, my concept of building a DIY Artist Residency Program is one step farther in its possibility,” says Mary Kroetsch, one of the mentees.
Liam Reynolds had this to say about the program: “GEAMP is an amazing tool for local artists who are trying to get themselves integrated into their community while also getting a chance to display their work!”
“Through my pairing with Lalani-Jennings Contemporary Art I was able to gain skills directly related to solidifying myself as a professional artist in the future,” says mentee Sarah Fabrizi. “It provided me with useful experiences and connections essential to developing as an artist. I am more confident in my artistic practice as a result of this mentorship.”
The emerging artist participants include:
Alexa Collette: @alexaacollettee www.alexacollette.com
Celeste Carter: @celecartscollection
Eleanor Stewart: @rats_in_pants https://eleanorstewart.weebly.com/
Joseph Leivdal: www.josephleivdal.com
Joshua Bowden: @bowchickabowden @babecharlielive
Katherine Percival: @k.percivalfinearts
Kayla St-Pierre: linktr.ee/kaylastpierre
Paige Quinn: @paigefitzquinn www.paigefitzquinn.com
Liam Reynolds: @reynoldsarts www.liamreynolds.org
Marjan Kaviani: @marjankavianiarani www.marjankaviani.com
Sarah Fabrizi: @sarahfabrizi.art www.sarahfabrizi.com
Mary Kroetsch: https://mary-kroetsch-textile-mixedmedia-artist.com/
Sarah Wilhelm: @sarahwilhelm.artThe exhibition will run from December 5th to 17th, Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm, at the Boarding House Gallery in Guelph. The opening reception will be held on December 8th from 6 pm to 9 pm. Boarding House Gallery is located at 6 Dublin Street South, Guelph.
