Frankville, Ont. Art Gallery opens its doors to the public for Ontario Culture Days
Culture Days are underway in Ontario, with more than 1,200 free events happening across the province until Oct. 24.
"We have major institutions participating, but also community galleries and small collectives," said Ruth Burns, executive director of Ontario Culture Days. "It's a real reflection of the vibrant arts and culture scene that we have in Ontario and in Canada."
Provinces and territories celebrate throughout the year, with Ontario events taking place from Sept. 24 to Oct. 24.
"We have dances, we have hands-on workshops, we have exhibitions," Burns added. "It's a real opportunity to go out and explore with your neighbours in a safe way as the arts and culture sector reopens and welcomes back people into their facilities and into their communities."
Just east of Frankville, Ont., near Brockville, the AOG Gallery is participating, involved with the event since 2017.
Owner Bill Gibbons' personal collection is on display for anyone who wants to learn about Canadian history.
"Every fall we've been opening up, usually with a new guest artist plus the permanent collection at the gallery," Gibbons said.
Paintings, photography and interactive sculptures line the walls and floors. The doors open to anyone by appointment wanting to learn about local and national talent, including pieces from Indigenous artists like Ottawa's Katherine Tekpannie and British Columbia's Sonny Assu.
A photograph by Ottawa artist Katherine Tekpannie. (Nate Vandermeer/CTV News Ottawa)
"Especially with all the news we've had about not treating Indigenous people very well, I think it's important to recognize them and realize they are a vibrant part of our Canadian culture," Gibbons said.
"I go into major galleries in cities and there will be dozens of people and school kids taking tours of the gallery and seeing this good artwork, and I'm disappointed that school children in this area don't get that opportunity."
Upstairs in his gallery, Frankville resident Celia Godkin is showing off her work, which includes oil paintings, botanical illustrations and children's books.
"We need to work together to solve our problems and we need to treat everyone with respect, so that's the message of this painting," Godkin said, referring to an oil painting with a fetus attached to planet Earth by its umbilical cord.
"I've known Bill for a few years since he's had the gallery and so he offered me the opportunity to show here," Godkin said, offering most of her items on display up for sale.
Godkin started her career as a biologist, and transitioned into scientific illustration.
"We formed the botanical artists of Canada to promote botanical art through workshops and exhibitions," Godkin said. "Botanical art encompasses both art and science, so the work has to be scientifically accurate and aesthetically pleasing."
She's also authored and illustrated children's books, and taught art classes at the University of Toronto. Godkin's even been commissioned by the Royal Canadian Mint, with her artwork appearing on more than 20 coins.
"They just found me this week to use a design I had submitted to their design bank," Godkin said. "It will be coming out next year. I'm not allowed to tell you on any details because it's all top secret."
The AOG Gallery in Frankville, Ont. (Nate Vandermeer/CTV News Ottawa)
Burns says it's important for Canadians to learn about and recognize all parts of Canada's history, and help artists get back on their feet.
"It's just a really unique initiative of different organizations and groups from across the county coming together to celebrate that arts and culture is for everyone and it's in every community throughout the country," she said.
"The artists would really benefit from the support as we reopen and recover," Burns added.
Ontario Culture Days runs until Oct. 24 and all events including travel guides can be found on the website.
To book an appointment at Bill Gibbons' AOG Gallery, visit his website at https://aoggallery.ca/
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.