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| Inside the gallery at the opening on Friday, January 15. |
Now
he’s brought his infectious determination to inspire and encourage others to
create art into the public domain.
“I’ve
wanted to have an art gallery here in Oxford for years,” he explained during a
lunch break in his classroom at OREC last week, “but every time I looked into
it, I realized I wouldn’t have the funds for rent and heat. Then I found out
there was some space in the town hall.”
Mathew
sent a proposal to the mayor and council for turning part of the under-utilized
Visitors’ Centre into an art gallery, and, six months later, after a fresh coat
of paint and new lighting, the Riverside Art Gallery opened Friday night.
The
inaugural exhibition, entitled “Oxford Now”, features the art of 29 people. The
60 black-framed, white-matted photographs create a stunning collage against the
red brick interior wall of the gallery.
Mathew’s
purpose in opening an art gallery in Oxford is simple: to inspire everyone in
the community to practice art.
“Everyone can take
a photograph,” he said. “It’s just practice and experience; you don’t have to
go art school to learn photography. That’s why we’ve started with it to get
that message across.”
Mathew is emphatic
that the gallery is for everyone, not just students, but he recognizes that
this gives local students a unique opportunity. Visiting an art gallery is part
of the art curriculum, but for rural students, that means a long bus ride and
missed classes.
“I think it’s going to be inspirational for
all the students at the school. It’s a different experience going to an art
gallery rather than seeing the art on the Internet. There’s a lot to be learned
from other people’s art. It raises your own game.”
Educational
assistant, Archan Knotz, a painter, woodcutter and print maker, didn’t even
realize she had game until Mathew insisted she borrow a school camera and take
some photos.
“In
my previous life, someone told me I didn’t have an eye for photography so when
Mr. Aldred said my pictures were really good, I was like, Really?” said Archan
who has since bought her own camera. “I’m very excited about the Oxford
gallery. We hear so many negative comments about things we are passionate so
it’s important to have this as a positive outlet for the students and for
everyone in the community.”
For Grade 12
student Kat Hickman, being able to study art at school has opened up new
possibilities for her. She only began taking photographs for a class project,
yet one of her photographs in the exhibit, titled Boy, was voted Best In Show by those attending the opening last week.
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| "Boy", by Kat Hickman. Used with permission. |
“I want to bring in
as much contemporary fine art as possible,” said Mathew, who is currently
working on his Masters degree in Fine Arts. “It’s going to be an educational
experience so I’d like to get some emerging artists from the art schools in
Halifax and at Mount Allison.
“It is my hope
that this puts Oxford on the map culturally.”
The Riverside
Gallery is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 to 4:30 at the Oxford Town Hall. For
more information, check out www.oxfordriversidegallery.ca
For more on the art program at Oxford Regional Education Centre, check out http://www.novaartworks.com/
For more on the art program at Oxford Regional Education Centre, check out http://www.novaartworks.com/
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| Mathew Aldred in his home studio in Shinimicas, NS, in 2014. |
This is so great a gallery in Oxford, and students,local artists bringing art to their community. Thank you for your sharing of this venture through word and pictures. Hugs, mary
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