Grow With Art: 1985 to 2006
By Robin MacInnis
Many children frequented the Art Sales and Rental Gallery, now known as Teichert Gallery, on Saturday afternoons after the “Grow with Art” program was introduced in 1985. Former Haligonian Katherine Maddox now living in the United States says that 35 years later she still remembers going to the gallery with her mother so she could choose a print to hang in her bedroom.
This program was initiated by ASAR leadership to help introduce children to art. A wide variety of major artists’ work was displayed, and young people generally had no problem stating their preferences. The four framed animal prints donated by Robert Bateman were large and they were huge hits. Robert Bateman sent the prints to Halifax from Salt Spring Island when he heard June Chisholm’s plan to start a children’s art library here. Tom Forrestall also generously donated prints of his work during the early days of the program. ASAR purchased many of the reproductions of the works of well-known artists and others were donated by ASAR volunteers. The selections included artists from the Group of Seven and Impressionists, as well as Emily Carr, Alex Colville, Mark Rothko, Michelangelo and Vincent Van Gogh.
Eventually nearly 200 framed works were available for rent at $2 a month. Each picture had a brief biography of the artist affixed to the back, written by ASAR volunteers with a view to sparking curiosity about the artist and encouraging further research. Having several different art styles and artists meant children could see a variety of ways to be creative and to express ideas beyond words.
Each child could take home one picture a month and then exchange it for another the following month. Representatives from schools could take out four framed works per month. Teachers using the program expressed how they chose artwork which corresponded to a theme being dealt with in English, History, or art classes.
ASAR volunteers sewed several canvas carriers for transporting the work and there were no serious damages or losses while the program operated. “The prints were returned in good condition because the parents who participated in ‘Grow with Art’ appreciated art and passed that appreciation along to their children.”, explains Executive Director Andrea Smith. The program had an added benefit, reflects program founder June Chisholm: more families were encouraged to visit the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia exhibitions.
By 2006, the gallery required space for the ever-growing inventory of work by contemporary artists and digital technology had developed so there were inexpensive ways for people to acquire good reproductions, with fewer people using the program. The collection of about 195 framed reproductions was donated to the AGNS Education Program and in turn some of the works were passed on to schools.
Robin MacInnis was Art Sales and Rental Gallery Executive Director from 1985 to 1998.