Spotlight: The Andrew and Laura Mccain Art Gallery
The Andrew and Laura McCain Art Gallery, located in Florenceville-Bristol, NB, was established in 1984 and was the dream of the late Billie McCain. The mission at the ALMAG is to increase art access, awareness, and appreciation in our community. In 2020 the River Art Centre & Studios was donated to the Gallery from McCain Foods and offers various creative spaces accessible to all.
The River Art Centre has an active and full line up of summer, fall, and winter programming available on the McCain Art Gallery website.
Their summer exhibitions include:
“Vanitas: sur la mer / Vanitas by the Sea”, paintings by Barbara Safran de Niverville.
“Isolated / / Together”, a collection of artful masks designed and created by 14 artists from around the province in partnership with the Beaverbrook Art Gallery and the Atlantic Ballet being shown in the West Gallery.
“Currents: Deanna Musgrave and Amy Ash” opens on August 28 from 2pm – 4pm and will run until October 2, 2021.
Their fall exhibitions will be a retrospective of the flower paintings of Irene Tompkins, and “The Last Great Painting Of The 20th Century by Al Smith” opening October 9, 2021, in the West Gallery.
Finally, the year wouldn’t be complete without their well loved “Small Works” exhibition that opens November 20, 2021.
Admission to the Gallery is free.
The McCain Art Gallery has many events planned throughout the Fall of 2021.
What is fall in Canada without a fall fair? Drive up to Florenceville-Bristol for the annual Buttermilk Creek Fall Festival, a festival of arts and crafts which will be held this year at the Multiplex in Centreville. This festival is the opportunity to find beautifully crafted local art works and to support local artists.
pARTicipate Arts & Nature Festival, happening on the first weekend of October when the colours are at their height, will once again be offering a series of workshops designed for all levels of curiosity and experience. With an outstanding line up of artist-instructors including Renata Britez, James Buxton, Stephen Hutchings, Cat Candow, Chris Tompkins, Jennifer Stead, Mary Grant, and Trudy Gallagher, there will be something for everyone. Workshop spaces are limited so register early. Details are available on the Mccain Art Gallery website or visit their Facebook for up to date information.
You may also call the Mccain Art Gallery at 392-6769 and they will be happy to help.
The McCain Art Gallery has been working on completing a number of creative projects, some that have spanned the length of the Pandemic.
The McCain Art Gallery is looking forward to the publication of a collection of critical writing about the 2019 exhibition “Gardens, Beasts and Warriors: Anna Torma, Istvan and David Zsako”. This group exhibition of the art of three artists from one family became the catalyst for all manner of creative responses from writers Sue Sinclair, Brigitte Rivers, Amy Ash, Celine Gorham, Christiana Myers, Kara AU and Kristy Bell. This collection will contribute to the conversation surrounding their art to be released in September.
The ALMAG in partnership with the Town of Florenceville-Bristol has an active Public Art Programme that never stops. In 2020 two new commissions were installed along Main Street and in September 2022, a sculpture by NB artist Colin Smith, titled Local Nature will be unveiled beside the River Art Centre.
Soon to be installed beside the Boardwalk overlooking the Saint John River in the heart of Florenceville-Bristol, opposite the Gallery, will also be an audio recording of a poem by George Peabody called “Atlantis”. Written many years ago, this poetic tribute to the river will be audible to anyone with a device.
To keep up to date with the Andrew and Laura McCain Art Gallery and the River Art Centre visit their website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.