Max is the regional winner for Nova Scotia. His work, titled A Family of III (slip casted stoneware, found furniture), is an autobiographical artwork addressing the strain divorce has on families. “To my family and I, dinner and dining together has a strong symbolic meaning of togetherness, yet I have never had the chance to sit down at a dinner table with both of my parents. I reflect this notion by presenting only two chairs at the table and throwing them on their sides, stacked on top of each other, threatening to collapse and scatter at any moment. What prevents the furniture from falling apart are the ceramic chains, symbolizing the family bond that ties everything together,” reads Max’s description.

BMO 1st Art! celebrates the creativity of art school students from over 100 post-secondary institutions across Canada. Every year BMO Financial Group invites the deans and instructors of undergraduate-level certificate, diploma, or degree programs in studio art to select from their graduating classes three students whose ability and imagination place them first among their peers.

Below is a full list of all the BMO 1^st Art! Award recipients. Congratulations to all!

National Winner:

• Anna Kuelken, Father Like Son, ��ܽ����Ƶ University

Regional Winners:

• Kev Liang, Jiā yóu, University of Alberta (Alberta)
• Shannon Pahladsingh, oh thank goodness, University of the Fraser Valley (British Columbia)
• Tayler Buss, Rearview, University of Manitoba
• Alana Morouney, I’ll get you next time/I keep letting you win so that I can hold your hand, Mount Allison University (New Brunswick)
• Bethany MacKenzie, What Will the Worms Think of Me?, Memorial University of Newfoundland (Newfoundland)
• Max TS. Yang, A Family of III, ��ܽ����Ƶ University (Nova Scotia)
• Erin Faulks, The Pandemicock, Nunavut Arctic College (Nunavut)
• Allysha Jacque, Kâkuvunga, York University (Ontario)
• Donald Price, Egg and Chain, Holland College (Prince Edward Island)
• Maggy Hamel-Metsos, No Place to Stand, Concordia University (Quebec)
• Holly Aubichon, Modern Medicine, University of Regina (Saskatchewan)
• Juliet Di Carlo, Consume in a way that makes it look Authentic, Yukon School of Visual Arts (Yukon)

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Fogo Island Arts (FIA) and ��ܽ����Ƶ University are pleased to announce a new internship partnership made possible through the generous support of artist and former ��ܽ����Ƶ faculty member Eric Fischl. The Eric Fischl Fogo Island Arts Internship will offer two ��ܽ����Ƶ University students or alumni the opportunity to gain valuable work experience in arts administration with Fogo Island Arts in 2021-22.

“We are delighted to pursue our work with Eric Fischl and to forge new connections across the Atlantic Region, all in the service of creating exceptional opportunities for learning and exchange,” said Nicolaus Schafhausen, FIA Strategic Director. “We are extremely grateful for Eric’s support as well as the chance to work with students trained within the rigorous creative framework and celebrated history of ��ܽ����Ƶ University.”

Participants in The Eric Fischl Fogo Island Arts Internship program will work as support staff in the offices of Fogo Island Arts, contributing to day-to-day program operations and communications over a three-month period. The interns will receive a stipend and will be provided with housing, travel expenses, and studio space, in addition to invaluable opportunities to engage with FIA’s international artists-in-residence and community members across Fogo Island. The ��ܽ����Ƶ University partnership is the second FIA internship program funded by Fischl and follows the same parameters as the ongoing partnership with the New York Academy of Art (NYAA), established in 2017.

“Fogo Island Arts is a place where artistic exploration, research and knowledge-sharing is nurtured and encouraged,” says Melanie Colosimo, Director of ��ܽ����Ƶ University’s Anna Leonowens Gallery. “This type of learning opportunity is incredibly valuable, as putting practice into play can prove to be a pivotal moment in establishing a career in the arts. The ��ܽ����Ƶ community is fortunate to have access to this internship.”

The partnership between FIA, Fischl, and ��ܽ����Ƶ University reflects a shared understanding of the need for expanded educational opportunities within the contemporary art world, as well as the critical role that art and education play in enriching communities.

Applications will be open to ��ܽ����Ƶ students and alumni in March 2021. For more information on the internship and application procedure, please visit ��ܽ����Ƶ University’s .

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During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, Duane Jones (BDes 2004) launched the #KeepCreating��ܽ����Ƶ initiative to celebrate ��ܽ����Ƶ alumni and friends’ amazing work.

#KeepCreating��ܽ����Ƶ gives our community a chance to both inspire and be inspired.

Share your work today by using the hashtag #KeepCreating��ܽ����Ƶ and enjoy what others have made.

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“We will develop a prototype textile that can be used to locally manufacture personal protective equipment, such as surgical masks and garments, to deal with shortfalls in global supply chains, all of which can be produced in the Maritimes,” explained Markle, an Associate Professor, Craft (Textiles) at ��ܽ����Ƶ. “This is a project with local roots and a global reach, in the time of COVID-19. Projects like this demonstrate how craft can have a significant Impact for medical, speculative and economical futures for Nova Scotia in the new normal.”

During normal circumstances, hospitals and clinics rely on international supply chains for supply of their PPE. However, the emergence of COVID-19 has overwhelmed the capacity of these supply chains, leaving medical professionals around the world insufficient access to PPE, such as surgical masks and N95 respirators.

The ability to identify PPE materials and manufacturing strategies that are less reliant on international supply chains is of critical importance for addressing shortfalls in medical supplies during the current COVID-19 pandemic and future pandemics or disruptions.

“This is research that will have an immediate and lasting impact on the well-being of our frontline healthcare workers,” said Dr. Ann-Barbara Graff, Vice-President (Academic and Research), ��ܽ����Ƶ University. “On behalf of faculty and staff at ��ܽ����Ƶ, I want to congratulate Gary and Dr. Frampton on securing this research funding. This is a great example of how we can all work together and leverage our collective strengths to make a difference during this trying time.”

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Siobhán Gallagher (BDes 2012)
Artist Spotlight: Meet Siobhán Gallagher
Siobhán Gallagher grew up in Moncton, obsessing over sitcoms set in glamorous New York apartments and wondering if she was missing out on something more.

Carrie Allison (BA 2014, BFA 2014, MFA 2018)
The Quiet Resistance
For artist Carrie Allison, beadwork is a methodology to decolonize, the pull of threads a memory device to connect through generations.

Shannon Donovan (BFA 2018)
North Sydney native wins award at national art exhibit
A visual artist originally from North Sydney was the recipient of the People’s Choice Award at the opening reception of an exhibit in Edmonton. Shannon Donovan received the award for work she has exhibited at the InFocus Photo Exhibition in the Alberta city.

Karen Crocker (BFA 1992)
Queen musical at Scotiabank Centre ready to rock you
Fittingly for people working on a touring production of a Queen musical, they sometimes come under pressure. Recently, in wintry Ontario, logistical snags came up but the crew handled it like the champions they are. Head of wardrobe Karen Crocker, a ��ܽ����Ƶ alumni, is in charge of caring for the elaborate outfits worn by the cast of the futuristic show.

Susanna Heller (BFA 1977) and Medrie MacPhee (BFA 1977)
Studio visit: Susanna Heller’s endless strength
Before Susanna Heller’s paintings were wrapped and shipped to Toronto for her upcoming solo show at Olga Korper, I brought Sharon Butler by her studio, which straddles the line between Greenpoint and Williamsburg. Susanna and I moved from Halifax to the East Village after we graduated from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in the 1970s.

Stephanie Yee (BFA 2013), Kaashif Ghanie (BFA 2015), Camille Valcourt-Synnott (MFA candidate), Louis-Charles Dionne (MFA candidate) and Jessica Wiebe (BFA 2015)
New Art 2020
Eight rising artists creating the fresh works you need to know about this year.

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****

Audrey knew why the waitress wasn’t coming to take their order.

At the time, she was a young student from Halifax’s north end on a full scholarship at the Nova Scotia College of Art. She and few of the young women in her class, along with their instructor, decided to go out for lunch. They set out from the art college, which was located where the Five Fishermen Restaurant is today, to a popular spot on Barrington Street.

And there, settled into a booth, they waited and waited and waited. But the waitress wouldn’t even catch their eye.

“My classmates didn’t know what was going on but I did,” says Audrey Dear Hesson, 83, recalling the long-ago lunch 65 or so years ago.

She was first Black student to graduate from the art college. Audrey says incidents like that didn’t happen within the school but segregation and prejudice were her daily realities in 1940s Halifax once she stepped beyond its heavy wooden doors.

“The students at the art college were more open-minded, more mature. I think the ex-servicemen studying there made a difference,” says Audrey, settled in her favorite recliner in the corner of her living room. Some examples of her work—screen printed linens, hand-crafted silverware and tooled leather satchels—from her student days are on the coffee table; her pottery is displayed in the picture window of her Dartmouth home.

“Within the art college, I didn’t feel racial tension at all.”

More than a half-century since she graduated with the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia’s medal for highest standing at the college, Audrey is enjoying renewed interest in her work.

The spotlight has been beaming on and off since 1998’s In This Place exhibition at the Anna Leonowens Gallery; in preparing for the exhibition, curator David Woods discovered the picture of a young Black woman sitting at a loom in a 1951 edition of The Chronicle Herald and tracked her down. Subsequent exhibitions include The Art of Audrey Dear Hesson at the Halifax North Branch Library in 1999 and The Soul Speaks at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia in 2007.

All the work featured in those shows dates to her student days. After graduation, she worked for six years as a “craft worker” in the occupational therapy department at the Nova Scotia Hospital and left when she and husband Bob Hesson, who worked in the navy, started their family. The couple has three daughters.

“I’ve always knitted and sewed and made clothes for the kids … later, I was the volunteer who designed the posters and the tickets. And when a float for the Natal Day parade was needed, guess who got called?” says Audrey, with a laugh. “Creativity has always been a part of my life. I wasn’t a practicing artist but I was an active volunteer and I took on leadership roles. I can’t look back with regret because I have a wonderful life.”

Lately, she’s been getting lots of attention from friends and neighbors who didn’t know about her artistic past.

“I’m a part of history and it’s kind of cool,” she says. “And here I am still kicking!”

Even so, she sometimes wonders ‘what if?’ What if she had been able to further her studies as D.C. MacKay, the principal of the art college, had urged her? She still has the glowing letter of recommendation he wrote for her, along with certificates of each of the classes she took. As well as being the school’s first black graduate, she was also among the first to enroll in the school’s new four-year art education program.

“I’m proud of what I accomplished and I feel emotionally connected to the things I made. They’re an expression of me. No, I don’t look back and regret but I can’t help but wonder how much more I might have done given the opportunity. Everyone looks over their shoulder I guess.”

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��ܽ����Ƶ welcomes a new president, Dr. Aoife Mac Namara

Aoife jumped into the role feet first, and has spent her first four months meeting key partners within the ��ܽ����Ƶ Community as well as supporters from the community at-large – locally, nationally and internationally. These meetings will continue into the near year and are informing Aoife’s vision for the institution as the art school of the future. This vision will focus on strengthening partnerships with communities in and around the province, recognizing the value of ��ܽ����Ƶ’s contribution to the economy, environment and creative industries. Moreover, ��ܽ����Ƶ is excited to continue consultations with partners, including Develop Nova Scotia, around the possibility of developing campus facilities close to the AGNS building. We look forward to completing our facilities review and being in a position to announce a final decision in 2020.

��ܽ����Ƶ shines bright at Nocturne

Nocturne 2019: Art at Night saw a record number of artists affiliated with ��ܽ����Ƶ. More than 50 Nocturne participants were ��ܽ����Ƶ students, faculty, alumni and staff. “Nocturne brings so much energy to the city, and the art festival is especially captivating as it shines brightly into the night. It’s easy to see why so many members of the ��ܽ����Ƶ community want to contribute,” said Catherine Allen, manager, Extended Studies. Catherine collaborated in Embed and Embody, a workshop led by ��ܽ����Ƶ student facilitators, in partnership with newcomers from Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS). The finished products were on display at the Anna. Read more: /nocturne2019/

Commitment to supporting significant research, pedagogy, and creative production

��ܽ����Ƶ celebrated the signing of the Dimensions charter, demonstrating our commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). The program addresses obstacles faced by, but not limited to, women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible minority/racialized groups, and members of LGBTQ2+ communities. ��ܽ����Ƶ understands that – when EDI is a priority – an institution will benefit from improved access to qualified potential participants, enhanced integrity of a program’s application and selection process ��ܽ����Ƶes, strengthened research outputs and increased overall excellence in research.

In addition, the new Strategic Research Plan was completed and shared widely, detailing the university’s direction for 2019 – 2022. ��ܽ����Ƶ’s research is driven by the goal to demonstrate its leadership in four distinct themes: visual and cultural literacies, sustainability and adaptability, material exploration, and art/design education and pedagogy. The Strategic Research Plan can be viewed here: https://issuu.com/nscadadmissions/docs/nscad_strategic_research_plan_2019-2022_online

Lastly, ��ܽ����Ƶ successfully launched the new Master of Arts in Art Education – accepting its first students in September 2019. The graduate program is designed to develop educators and researchers with the advanced knowledge to lead art education initiatives in a range of settings, including museums, art galleries, heritage sites, and community and educational organizations. More on the program can be found here: /study-at-nscad/graduate/master-of-arts-in-art-education/

��ܽ����Ƶ on the road – Alumni events in Ottawa and Toronto a great success

In the fall, ��ܽ����Ƶ hosted two alumni events in Ontario to connect with ��ܽ����Ƶ grads and introduce them to Aoife. Both events were well attended, and it was great to see many familiar faces. We are looking forward to planning more alumni events in 2020.

The revival of the ��ܽ����Ƶ Lithography Workshop

The ��ܽ����Ƶ University Lithography Workshop was established in 1969, earning international recognition and redefining the artistic potential of print in the 20^th century. It had a significant and lasting impact on the world of art and design, and included several famed artists from Canada and around the world. After two years of hard work and dedication from ��ܽ����Ƶ’s Anna Leonowens Gallery Systems, the official revival of the workshop took place in November 2019.

Artists Shuvinai Ashoona, Jordan Bennett, Shary Boyle, Brendan Fernandes, Amy Malbeuf, Ed Pien, Derek Sullivan, and Ericka Walker, in collaboration with Master Printer Jill Graham, created new, compelling and diverse lithographs that represent the new direction the project will take moving forward. The lithographs are available for purchase through nscad.litho.ca, the proceeds of which will be reinvested in collaborative printing and the ��ܽ����Ƶ Press. Read more: /lithographyworkshop/

��ܽ����Ƶ honours and hosts creators, curators and visionaries

The 2019 ��ܽ����Ƶ University graduation saw Rebecca Belmore, Michael Donovan and Robert Storr each awarded with a Doctor of Fine Arts. By honouring these three remarkable individuals, we recognize their substantial contributions to art and art education.

��ܽ����Ƶ also hosted an array of significant visiting artists and guests, including Paula Fairfield, Ben Pike, Raphaëlle de Groot, Mary Anne Jordan, Misha Horacek, Ufuk Gueray, Louise Perrone, Lauren Schaffer, Patrick Cruz, Hedi Kyle, and Paul Roth, among others.

Numerous distinctions merited by students and alumni

��ܽ����Ƶ students and alumni were well decorated this year, and we are very proud of their accomplishments. A few notable alumni wins were the BMO 1^st Art Award (Seamus Gallagher, BFA 2019), Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia Masterworks Arts Award (Ursula Johnson, BFA 2006), Emmy Award (Paula Fairfield, BFA 1984), TIFF’s FIPRESCI prize (Heather Young, BFA 2009), Governor General’s Literary Award (Sydney Smith, BFA 2006), among others. Students Ada Denil and Jessie McLaughlin were awarded the Nova Scotia Talent Trust Award –  Ada the recipient of the Susan Wood Award and Jessie the Charlotte Wilson-Hammond/Visual Arts Nova Scotia Award. Rebecca Devenish won the Mattinson Scholarship Program for Students with Disabilities, and students Emma Allain, Tyler Anderson, Drayden Decosta, Megan Kyak-Monteith, Alex Linfield, Liv Mansveld, Luke Mohan, Kim Paquet, Mark Sark and Wiebke Schroeder were all shortlisted for the 2019 Starfish Student Art Award, with Paquet winning the grand prize.

2020 at a glance

Key events to keep in mind in the new year (dates to be announced as they become available):

• Portfolio Day
• Wearable Art Show
• Fashion Show
• Graduation
• Public Lecture Series – Mark Dion (March 10, 2020, 6 p.m. Halifax Public Library) and Eames Demetrious (March 18, 2020, 6 p.m. ��ܽ����Ƶ’s Bell Auditorium, Fountain Campus)

Keep an eye on nscad.ca for additional events and details. Thank you to everyone who made 2019 such a success at ��ܽ����Ƶ!

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��ܽ����Ƶ alumni Danny Hussey (BFA 1990) is our kind host, welcoming everyone to his Central Art Garage, with Group Exhibition 19 on display. The reception is from 5:30-7:30 p.m., 66 B LeBreton Street North, Ottawa.

Dr. Mac Namara will be joined in Ottawa by Dr. Ann-Barbara Graff, Vice President Academic and Research, and Linda Hutchison, Associate Vice President University Relations. They look forward to hearing about your ��ܽ����Ƶ experience!

Please RSVP to rsvp@nscad.ca by Tuesday, November 19. We can’t wait to see you!

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When: Tuesday, September 10, 2019 at 5:30
Where: Art Bar +Projects space (1873 Granville Street) on the Fountain Campus

Join Zoom Meeting
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