Vibrance Through New Art and Artists
By Rebecca Martin-Warr
As Art Sales and Rental Society (ASAR) staff, volunteers and Board of Directors reflect on Teichert Gallery’s role in the community, they highlight the importance of being a seed gallery for emerging artists: a space where artists can spread their roots, and gain experience and visibility in the local art community. Artists at Teichert Gallery are able to find encouragement, inspiration, and friendship in the community of over 100 fellow artists.
New work comes to the Gallery through a monthly jurying process. New submissions allow volunteer jury members to challenge their own perceptions and be exposed to new styles, approaches, meaning, and influences in art. Jurying artwork for Teichert Gallery’s collection is no easy feat as the volunteer Accessions Committee must come to a consensus on the artwork before it is accepted into the Gallery, navigating differing personal tastes in art through discussion and critique. These engaging discussions allow the Committee to continually add high-quality artwork to the Gallery’s collection, and support emerging artists in gaining visibility in the Atlantic Canadian art scene.
Looking around the gallery and opening the rolling screens that store the Gallery’s ever-changing collection, it is evident that there is a wide variety of approaches, styles, and media, with enough variety to suit just about any taste. Each new artist who joins Teichert Gallery brings their own perspective and personal style of art to the gallery, which expands the depth of the collection. Some artists have joined Teichert Gallery as emerging artists and are able to now sustain full-time careers as artists. Coming alongside artists throughout this journey as a resource and support is an aspect of ASAR’s 50-year history we are proud to highlight.
Jeremy Vaughan, an artist represented by Teichert Gallery shares his thoughts, and some of his history with the gallery: “I first heard of Teichert Gallery from a client who told me I should show there, probably 15 years ago (maybe more); she was a volunteer at the gallery then. When I realized that the gallery is mere steps away from the original Maud Lewis house in the AGNS, I was so excited. I honestly believe there is some magic in that house, and in the Teichert Gallery. The location is amazing, the volunteers and staff have gone above and beyond, helping me with so many shows.
We asked a few artists who have recently joined Teichert Gallery, and exemplify the wide spectrum of art at the Gallery to describe their experience:
Jane Holbrook, a painter and printmaker shares that her printmaking process is all about experimentation, “I am constantly trying different ways to create images through relief printing using reduction and multiblock techniques to render images that are colourful and textured.” Jane’s background in biological sciences has her leaning towards natural subject matter, focusing on images of creatures and plants, the sea, and landscapes.
Jane shares that she learned about Teichert Gallery because her mother, Mary Holbrook, had work in the gallery in the ’70s and ’80s. “It was a great experience for her and increased her confidence in her ability as a pastel artist. Fifty years on, it’s been great for me to have an opportunity to show my work in Halifax, and confidence building to have success in selling and renting my pieces.”
Lori Deeley specializes in watercolour, ink, pencil, charcoal and conté, on cradleboard or canvas specially treated to accept water-based mediums. She shares, “I like how these mediums interact with each other and bring different textures and visual interest to each artwork.”
Lori finds inspiration in her surroundings in Newfoundland, saying “The place where I live and explore gives me daily inspiration. I am very fortunate to live on the island of Newfoundland with its big landscapes, fierce storms, snowy winters, and warm, soft summers. The landscape and waterscapes are continually changing with each turn of the weather. I live next to the ocean, backed by the ancient Long Range mountains. I swim and paddle in its pristine waters. In December, the snow starts to fall and changes the landscape into a blanket of white with blue and pink shadows until April. I ski and snowshoe through these scenes, bringing this imagery back to my studio. I often take along a small art kit and do sketches during lunch breaks or evenings. Back in my studio, I relive each place and adventure through larger paintings or drawings.
“Teichert Gallery has given me visibility off the island of Newfoundland and introduced my work to a whole new population of people. Living remotely has its perks but having representation in a larger centre is vital to my work as a visual artist.”
Alison Mitchell, who primarily works in punch needle hooked rug artwork, says life in rural Nova Scotia, and what makes it special, are her biggest inspirations. “My portraits are celebrations of the humble, warm, and quirky people here. I also love making pieces that highlight the beauty of the flowers and trees that thrive in our seaside gardens.” Living in colourful Lunenburg, Alison finds nearly endless visual inspiration in the homes, shops, and fishing boats that surround her, helping guide her to the perfect colour combinations, which she dyes by hand in her kitchen, with Atlantic Canadian wool, to get the colours just right. She believes “Dyeing yarn is itself an art and continually learning new techniques has been a delightful part of my art practice in recent years. I love that there's always more to learn, and some new natural dye to experiment with.” Generations of Nova Scotians who used simple, local tools to create the history that lives in the hooked rugs of Nova Scotia continue to inspire Alison, who says, “Their bold design choices and cheerful colour palettes never fail to delight and impress me.
“Working with Teichert as an emerging artist has been wonderful. I have felt seen, welcomed and encouraged right from the start. Featuring my work last year gave me real momentum as an emerging artist and helped open up new opportunities and connections for me.”
We are tremendously grateful for the artists who continue to contribute their art to be sold and rented at Teichert Gallery.
Rebecca Martin-Warr joined Teichert Gallery in 2023 as the Principal Gallery Assistant.