“Ghosts of Historic Medicine Hat” Photography Show Fall 2011 at Medalta 5th Annual Exhibition

Ghosts to Make An Appearance
Local sponsorship supports local talent

After being re-scheduled, the Medicine Hat Photography Club is excited to celebrate the opening of its 5th Annual Exhibition on Saturday, November 19th, 2011. Entitled “Ghosts of Historic Medicine Hat”, the exhibit steps back in time to showcase the vast history of Medicine Hat, captured through the “passionate camera eyes” of club members. Join club members (and ghosts) for the official ‘Show Reception’ between 7-9pm in the beautifully renovated gallery of the Medalta Potteries National Historic Site.

Support from local business makes it possible, once again, to shine the spotlight on Medicine Hat’s local talent. The support of sponsors such as Medalta, Heredity Homes, London Drugs, Tidy Truck Boxliners and Boylan Imaging plays an integral part in bringing this exhibition to the community.

In excess of 40 submissions are expected this year, the theme for which is a result of collaboration between the Medalta Gallery Committee and club members. With a theme as rich in possibilities as Medicine Hat is in history, club members are sure to demonstrate their talents through a diverse collection of works.

Photography Club President, Tye Carnelli, describes the upcoming show “as the culmination of a year-long personal photographic journey unveiling people, places and ideas that for many are now only memories and historical remnants and suggestions… A challenge that each [photographer] has answered eloquently…”
The free exhibit will be on display from 14 November through until 16 December.

The Medicine Hat Photography Club meets the second Thursday of each month at the Cultural Center, beginning at 7pm. They are the voice of photography within the community, exploring the limits of today’s technology and technique, helping understand the jargon and getting down to the essentials of it all, “making photographs.” The group is active through exhibitions, seminars, field trips, photo contests, and meetings that are always informative, exciting, and inspirational.

Rumours have been around for years that Medalta is haunted. It can certainly feel like it when you’re here at night.

On Saturday, October 29, we invite you to find out for yourselves. the Medicine Hat Paranormal Investigation team will be leading evening tours of Medalta, including the very-creepy old factory where little has changed since it closed in 1954.

The cost is only $15/person to tour between 8:00pm & Midnight. There is limited space so if you want to register, call Quentin Randall at 403.529.1070 or email quentin@medalta.org. Payment can be made in advance or at the door.

Through the month of July, nine artists from Canada and the United States are visiting Medicine Hat and working in Medalta’s contemporary ceramics studios.

On July 28 (7:00pm), Medalta’s open house and art reception are taking place, providing an opportunity to meet these artists who have spent the month in our community.

As members of Medicine Hat’s cultural community, you’re encouraged to attend and show these visiting artists how much we appreciate the Arts in Medicine Hat.

Marc Leuthold is one of the artists brought to Medicine Hat by Medalta. Marc’s large sculptures have entered the collections of the Metropolitan and Brooklyn Museums and the Museum of Art and Design. Critic John Perreault has remarked: “One looks and looks for artists who break up history, who bend the descent, who force one to connect the dots in new ways, even turn away from some. Leuthold is one of these.”

Sukjin Choi, who is leading this month’s residency at Medalta, is a Korean artist, educator and writer currently working in Virginia. Her practice ranges from the seemingly effortless production of traditional Onggi jars, to the large scale multimedia installation art.

This is a no-charge, informal event. Complementary food and drinks will be served. For more information, check out our newly-designed website.

Today a whole new group of artists have arrived in Medicine Hat and will be spending a month in Medalta’s studios.

For the next two weeks, we are hosting artists’ talks so you get a chance to meet the group and learn where their inspiration comes from. They’re always fantastic events and after that talks, everyone gets a chance to have a drink  & something to eat while speaking with the artists.

We hope to be able to show these visiting artists how much Medicine Hat appreciates the Arts.

For more information on the artists, visit the MIAIR website.
If you aren’t sure where we are (or exactly how to dodge all the construction), check this handy map from the Esplanade to Medalta.

Danny Michel

Eclectic singer-songwriter Danny Michel, with local opener Danny Dyck, are in concert this Friday, March 4th, 8PM at the Medalta as part of the Tongue on the Post concert series presentation.

Tickets are $25 at www.tixx.ca or at the door. Look for more info at mhfolkmusic.com.

Preview of Danny Michel’s Music
More information on Danny Dyck

Twenty five years ago, I bet we were all watching Top Gun and wondering if Oprah was ever going to make it. Sports fans watched the Mets win the World Series (do you remember Bill Buckner?) and millions of Americans lined up for Hands Across America.

Al Capone’s vault was opened (spoiler alert … nothing was in it), Pixar opened its now-famous animation studios and we saw Halley’s Comet. And closer to home, the Friends of Medalta Society was formed on the heels of Medalta gaining National Historic Site status.

2011 is a pretty big year for us. We managed to rescue Medalta from the wrecking ball and have turned it into a museum, contemporary ceramic artists’ centre and production pottery studio.

It’s our twenty-fifth anniversary this year (and ninety nine years since the building was built).

This month’s newsletter also features news from a lot of Medicine Hat’s cultural community, including The Hive, The Esplanade, The Monarch Theatre, Inspire Gallery, Studio and (soon) Cafe and Medicine Hat’s folk music scene.

We’re always looking for content so if you know of something we should be including, email Quentin the info and we’ll do our best to include it.

The Medicine Hat Photography Club is presenting “The Road Less Taken”, a gallery showing of photography from club members, taking place at the Medalta. The full show is running from July 5th through until the 30th, but the gala opening is taking place tonight (July 6th) at 7PM.

There will be snacks, drinks and a live performance by Poet Lark. A table will be set up with a guest book and a chance to win a print of your choice.

If you don’t know, the Medalta is located at 713 Medalta Avenue SE and the work will be shown in the Medalta Squared Gallery.

The First Year students in the Visual Communication program at The Medicine Hat College are holding an exhibition at the Medalta Squared Gallery to showcase their best work so far in their career as artists.

The show runs from January 21st to February 1st and the opening reception is on Friday, January 29th at 8:00PM.

There will, as usual, be snacks and drinks for guests to partake in. Go have a looksee.

Nightmare at Medalta Poster

Halloween is creeping up fast and as per usual, the Visual Communications program is gearing up for their spooktacular show.

If you are looking for something to do on Friday, October 30th, then you may want to come on down to the Medalta Squared Gallery to check out some spooky art, which has been created primarily by students in Poul Nielsen’s Drawing III class.

Prizes will be awarded for the best costume, so feel free to dress up like your favourite groovy ghoul, or if you are not feeling that festive, then come down dressed like you normally dress, you just might win on your own.

The show begins around 7:30 PM and will continue on well into the evening. I Hope to see some fantastic costumes!

The official flyer can be downloaded here (3.5 MB).

Robert Harrison, the man behind the Historic Clay District’s easily-recognizable sculpture – the Medaltarch – will be speaking at the Medalta Potteries National Historic Site at 5:30pm on Saturday, September 19, as part of Medicine Hat’s celebration of Alberta Arts Days.

Harrison’s sculpture at the Medalta Potteries National Historic Site was created during his time as an artist in the Medalta International Artists in Residence (MIAIR) program in 1999 and is an example of his site-specific sculptures that can be found in Hungary, Italy, Taiwan and other locations around the world.

In addition to Harrison’s talk, the Historic Clay District is also offering two free, two-hour pottery classes and a museum open house with hourly demonstrations in the Working Pottery. Anyone interested in hearing Harrison speak or participating in the classes are encouraged to contact the Historic Clay District at 403.529.1070.

This is a great opportunity for everyone interested in meeting an internationally recognized artist and understanding how he fits into Medicine Hat. There is an exceptional amount of artistic talent in our community and it is wonderful to be able to showcase it for all Hatters.

Thank you for supporting arts in Medicine Hat.