Grey Gallery: Celebrating Seven Years and Counting
Anne Dondertman reflects on seven years of collaborations and exhibitions, navigating challenges, and transforming a downtown space at Grey Gallery in Owen Sound.
by Anne Dondertman
The Victoria Day weekend in May 2018 was the date we first opened the doors of Grey Gallery. We had purchased the historic building in downtown Owen Sound in January, and had begun renovations so that we could make a residence on the second floor. That summer, we lived in our trailer at Sauble and greatly enjoyed our picturesque and peaceful commute.
At the time we opened, there were at least a handful of other commercial galleries downtown in addition to the Tom Thomson Gallery, and it felt good to be joining an exciting and vibrant arts community.
Although our initial idea had been to showcase the work of Gallery co-owner John Laughlin, along with some collectables and books, we soon found that there was considerable interest from local artists in exhibiting with us. That fall of 2018, we held the first of a series of exhibitions by Raquell Yang.
Over the course of the next seven years, we have curated and exhibited the work of more than 30 artists in solo or dual shows, as well as 200-plus artists in juried or invitational group shows.
The majority of the artists are regional, and it has been a privilege to make the work of so many talented and creative people available for the public to view. The ability to browse, to chat with the curators, and to meet the artists in person is valuable and cannot be replicated online.
Although we hosted a few workshops early on, we soon realized that other venues, including the fledgling GBArts, were doing a much better job of that, and we restricted our efforts to life drawing. From the fall of 2018 until now, with only minor interruptions, we have run weekly uninstructed drop-in sessions, thanks to a wonderfully talented group of models.
Another initiative that started in the first year was ArtWalk. Thanks to the efforts of Maryann Thomas at Ginger Press, who does the bulk of the organizing and promotion, we have carried on ever since, with some modifications due to COVID. Each year, we have had about ten participating venues, and it has become an anticipated event in June.
Grey Gallery welcomes collaborations with other businesses and organizations, and the annual Lunar New Year exhibition is a good example. When the exhibition could no longer be shown at the Tom Thomson Gallery, we began to host it. It has always been a fun experience, giving both hobby and professional artists a chance to participate.
In 2024, we collaborated with Amelia Kraemer, the organizer of the Owen Sound Community Artist Studio Tour, and exhibited the work of all 30-plus artists participating in the tour.
This coming September, we will be collaborating with Amelia again in connection with the Canadian Encaustic Conference. We are excited to be exhibiting the work of an elite group of national and international artists who are participating in the conference.
As time went on, we sharpened our focus on the type of work we exhibit, and for the most part, our mandate now is figurative work and works on paper. The interest in paper also began with the first autumn we were open, with Washi Weekend. That event resulted in Grey Gallery becoming a reseller for the Japanese Paper Place, making high-quality Japanese decorative and art paper available to artists and craftspeople in our region.
Grey Garden is another aspect of our presence in downtown Owen Sound. We purchased the vacant lot adjoining the gallery so that we would have parking, but there was no doubt that it was an eyesore.
As the site of a former fire, it consisted of rubble and gravel and was used as a thoroughfare between 2nd and 3rd Avenues. In the late fall of 2019, after an unexpected rebuild of our south wall, we had a beautiful new surface just crying out for something. Raquell Yang stepped in and created the amazing 50-foot mural entitled Transformations.
We decided to continue transforming it into a welcoming downtown space, incorporating plantings, adding outdoor sculptures, and making it available as an event venue. During the summer of 2020, under the direction of Thomas Dean, we added fencing, excavated beds and planted trees and perennials. The garden has hosted many community concerts and events, and continues to be a work in progress.
Last summer, we worked with Sound Outdoors to add a small rock and gravel garden, and this spring, we will be acquiring additional sculptures. We are always interested in collaborating with individuals or groups seeking a downtown outdoor venue.
So, despite having to cope with building challenges, COVID, a recent flood and downtown decline, we are still here, with plans for outstanding exhibitions right through to the end of the year.
Whether you're an artist, an art lover, or just someone who is curious about what we do, we hope you will stop by the gallery and garden next door downtown. Help us keep Owen Sound a thriving art destination in our region and beyond.