Kick off Canada 150 celebrations at PAMA with cartoonist Seth and water colour painting

February 15, 2017 · 0 Comments

Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives (PAMA) kicks off Canada 150 celebrations with the re-opening of its art gallery this month.
The gallery opens with two fascinating exhibitions:
• Discover the world of Palookaville with world-renowned graphic novelist Seth.
• Explore the complexities of painting with watercolour in celebration of more than 90 years of the Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour (CSPWC).
Heading to Palookaville: Seth and the Art
of the Graphic Novel
The exhibit runs until March 19, with an opening reception this coming Sunday (Feb. 19) from 2 to 4 p.m.
Artist, cultural critic and world-renowned graphic novelist Seth draws astonishingly rich graphic novels and comics about how family, youthful dreams and life experiences make us who we are. This exhibition considers the complexities attached to the issues of self-identity in Seth’s artistic practice. He is at once an author, artist and cultural commentator, as well as one of the foremost graphic novelists working today.
Seth is the pen name of Gregory Gallant, a Canadian cartoonist best known for his series Palookaville and his biographical graphic novel, It’s a Good Life, If You Don’t Weaken (1996). Seth draws in a style influenced by the classic cartoonists of The New Yorker, in which his work has also been published. His art is highly nostalgic, especially of the early-to-mid-20th century period and of southern Ontario. His work also shows a great depth and breadth of knowledge of the history of comics and cartooning.
“Even though the tools of cartooning are quite simple word balloons, panels and line drawings, the medium itself is quite complex, and I’m hoping that people will see an artist using what they think of as a commercial medium for personal expression,” Seth said.
“Seth is one of the most important graphic novelists and cartoonists working today and is at the forefront of artists defining a new art form that marries words, art and books,” observed PAMA Curator Tom Smart, who chose to showcase this exhibition as the first of many Canada 150 highlights. “This exhibition builds upon a growing body of shows that PAMA has presented over the last few years that showcases modern graphic novelists, words, narratives and comic book artists.”
Water and Pigment: Mysterious Interactions
This exhibit also runs until March 19, with the opening reception Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m.
It investigates the complexities of painting with watercolour in celebration of more than 90 years of the Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour (CSPWC). Paintings will be selected from the CSPWC/SCPA National Diploma Collection, which is housed at PAMA, and will include work by artists such as A.J. Casson, Barb Sutherland, Charles Comfort, Ann Balch and Carl Schaefer.
“I am excited to see everyone’s reaction to the paintings in the exhibition,” Gerrie Loveys, assistant curator at PAMA, said. “It will challenge anyone who thinks they know about watercolour and its limits. Sixty-five watercolour paintings will tell the story of the 90-plus years of the Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour, created by artists who were members from its inception to 2015.”
Operated by the Region of Peel, PAMA is at 9 Wellington St. E. in Brampton. Visit pama.peelregion.ca to learn more.