COMMON GROUND

Tony Luciani
Pief Weyman
Michael Tweed
Gina Duque

January 2010

Last spring, our artistic director Ilse Gassinger spearheaded a community art project to engage and connect seniors, students and unemployed people through creative activities. The exhibition Common Ground is a snapshot of the project and features original art works and photographic documentation. Eighty-three people from our community, from two to 107 years of age, contributed to the success of the project.

Senior citizens took the lead in transforming the gallery’s backyard into a vibrant and aesthetically pleasing landscape. A paved courtyard (installed to perfection by Paul Lefebvre and family) surrounded by raised flower beds is the stunning focal point of the gallery’s backyard area. The latest addition is a large metal sculpture mounted on the back wall of the building in the first week of January. Come summer, flowers and vine will grow along this elegant structure created by John Smith, Michael Elvidge and Dan Duquette.

Local artists Tony Luciani, Pief Weyman, Gina Duque, and Michael Tweed provided their expertise to the project and engaged students from the Edge Hill School, Kids ’N Us and seniors from Rockwood Terrace in reminiscence-based creative activities. Some of the results are on display on the main floor of Rockwood Terrace, 575 Saddler Street East, in Durham (accessible to everyone during day time).

The next steps will involve the creation of collages based on images and texts that came out of this project. The final works will be transferred to photo panels and banners for outdoor display on gallery grounds and along the Heritage Walkway Bridge, marking our 30th anniversary.

Many thanks to all the wonderful people who helped and contributed to the project as well as to The Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program, the Community Foundation Grey Bruce, the Municipality of West Grey, Paul Lefebvre’s Gardenworth and Georg Maier’s The Hedges.