Visions From The Varley
Creative business opportunities abound as the Varley Art Gallery feeds our spirit and opens our world.
The primary role of any art gallery is to stimulate creativity, open an understanding of the world around us, help people learn new skills and – when it really works – feed the human spirit. Another exciting benefit is the creation of opportunities to strengthen business connections for the community. In 2006 the Varley Art Gallery will open it doors to hundreds of people of all ages and take its show on the road through nine exhibitions that explore themes of cross-cultural understanding, human achievement, historical roots and just plain great art from across Canada.
In 2004, the gallery sent an exhibition of Markham artists to Markham’s economic twin city Cary, North Carolina. In September, Markham residents will have the opportunity to enjoy Cary’s cultural offering at the McKay Art Centre. This is one of the very positive results the economic twinning of the two communities can achieve.
Varley’s recent “Tribute to African Canadian Artists” garnered coverage on CBC’s Newsworld and in the Toronto Star, providing important recognition for artists from our diverse community that might otherwise go unnoticed. As an active participant in Career Bridge (www.careerbridge.ca ) The Town of Markham looks for opportunities to give new Canadians an entry to the Canadian job market. The Art Gallery recently hired an art historian from the Middle East through this program to help build relationships with diverse communities in the GTA. By engaging everyone in the community we can achieve greater prosperity together.
The gallery reaches beyond Markham’s borders in other important ways. Opening doors to foreign diplomats helps create business relationships for Markham and opportunities to showcase the Town. The recent exhibition of three Victorian period women artists provided just such an opportunity when the British Consul General Nicholas Armour participated. Later this year the Austrian Consul General will lend his name and is expected to visit Markham for a retrospective exhibition of Ernestine Tahedl’s work.
Innovative partnerships also expand the gallery’s reach into the local community. Last summer, in a partnership with Harmony Movement, an exhibition of William Ho’s work raised money for children with Aids in Africa and China. This spring the Varley partners with the Kidney Foundation to deliver an exhibition on Group of Seven artist A.J. Casson. This exhibition will tour Oshawa, Barrie and Brampton during the year. Two other exhibitions from the Varley Gallery will tour Owen Sound, Barrie and Minden in 2006.
This summer the gallery will focus on that most Canadian aspect of our identity and economic future – the Arctic. The exhibition will use Varley’s 1938 trip on the famous supply ship Nascopie as a focal point and explore how later artists such as Doris McCarthy and A.Y. Jackson viewed the Arctic. An exciting feature of this exhibition is the work of contemporary artists who responded to a national call for their interpretation of the subject.
Exhibits and events such as these respond to our community’s interests and promote Markham’s reputation further afield. In 2007 the 10th anniversary Varley show will be seen in four cities across the country.
To contact the Varley Art Gallery on Main Street, Unionville, please call 905.477.9511 or via e-mail: jryerson@markham.ca.
2600 John Street, Unit 207, Markham, ON L3R 3W3 T: 905.475.5222 F: 905.475.6369
