The Esplanade Art Gallery is pleased to present two new exhibitions, Campbell Tinning: The Newfoundland Paintings and Landwash: Contemporary Newfoundland Art, on display until August 11. The opening reception on Friday, June 15, 2012 from 7 PM to 10 PM is part of the first Downtown Art Walk Roving Art Reception of the year.

Also, on Friday at 7 PM, the City’s Public Art Committee invites all to the ribbon cutting ceremony for the public art commission Reka (River) by Jess Riva Cooper and Rob MacInnis at Batus Park, on Second Street SE.

Campbell Tinning: The Newfoundland Paintings

Campbell Tinning was born in Saskatoon, in 1910. After studying art in Regina and New York, in 1941 he joined the Canadian Army Reserves and became a War Artist in the Historical Section of the Canadian Army. Just prior to being sent overseas, his first Army assignment was to record the east coast defenses, and in late 1943, he was sent to St. John’s, Newfoundland. He was so impressed by this brief visit that he wrote in his diary that he wanted to return and paint there in peacetime – and indeed he did, in 1949, following his service in Italy in 1944-45 as War Artist. Thirteen large watercolours in this exhibition were produced by Tinning during that summer of 1949, painted at Port aux Basques in July, and at Port de Grave in August and September. Tinning settled in Montreal after the war, and exhibited widely in North America in both solo and group exhibitions, including the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Art Gallery of Ontario and the Mendel Art Gallery. Posthumously, his work was included in the national touring exhibition Canvas of War: Masterpieces from the Canadian War Museum. Esplanade Art Curator Joanne Marion comments, “These are strikingly bold paintings that impress visitors – 63 years after being painted – with the rugged beauty of Newfoundland.” This exhibition was curated by Heather Smith, and its tour organized by the Moose Jaw Museum & Art Gallery. THE JUMP – Read the rest of this entry »

If you don’t already know, Midnight Madness is happening tonight from 6PM until well, you guessed it, midnight. As part of the officially kicking off the shopping season, many businesses in the downtown area will be open until midnight, usually offering great deals and sales. You know the drill. There was a couple pages in the Medicine Hat News today announcing specifically what is on sale from most of the downtown vendors, although I am sure once you are down there, you will see the offerings for yourself.

Some of the non-shopping events include tree-lighting in Batus Park at 6PM with choir signing from Medicine Hat High School, free hay rides (6-8PM), and the Monarch will be showing a free children’s movie at 5PM, 6PM, and 7PM. The Medicine Hat Public Library is hosting a book sale until 8:30PM. The Esplanade is offering craft activities in its Discovery Centre from 6 to 8PM. There’s also a ton more going on than even listed here.

Coinciding with the event is the Downtown Medicine Hat Christmas Roving Art Reception which features local art and galleries, taking place in the Hive, Inspire Café and Gallery, and at the Esplanade.

Road closures will be in effect throughout Midnight Madness. Free parking will be available in all city-owned lots, as well as the Transit Terminal Parkade.

Midnight Madness takes downtown tonight Article on Medicine Hat News