To start the year, the Art Gallery of Mississauga hosted another vibrant New Horizons for Seniors Program, Exploring Colour in Art: Mood, Space, and Texture, led by Toronto-based artist Rachael Grad. Over six weeks, our seniors and youth-filled cohort gathered online to dive into the transformative power of colour—learning how it shapes mood, defines space, and creates harmony. Participants also mastered new techniques to add texture and pattern, elevating their art. By studying influential artists and engaging in hands-on exercises, both seniors and youth expanded their understanding of colour’s impact on drawing!
In another corner of the city, we visited the Clarkson and Meadowvale Community Centres to deliver an engaging Art Hive with Art Therapist and Art Hive Facilitator, Cynthia Morin. We collaborated with different community centres in Mississauga to be able to reach those who may not be able to see us in the gallery. With a focus on bettering the mental health of the larger Mississauga community, we welcomed community members from all walks of life to a community-based, inclusive space designed to foster creativity without the pressure of formal instruction. This month, we’ll be heading to Burnhamthorpe and Malton to deliver more Art Hives to the residents of Mississauga!
In February, we hosted an in-person textile workshop called The Stories We Weave, inspired by our current exhibition, Inside. Outside. Of. Led by Mississauga-based artist Winsom Winsom, participants explored identity through textile portraits, reflecting on their past, present, and future selves. They examined the contrast between self-perception and outward presentation using fabric and paints on canvas. The workshop culminated in a sharing session, where participants openly discussed their works in a space of honest and thoughtful conversation.
We also welcomed students from the University of Toronto Mississauga to the AGM to participate in Alternative Reading Week, a three-day initiative in which small groups of university students volunteer to tackle a challenge or project presented by a community partner. We teamed up with UTM to have 10 students create a program based on our current exhibition, Inside. Outside. Of., and what they came up with was fascinating!
The students planned a workshop that would involve seniors and youth in a togetherness project, hosting the event at a seniors residence and with a special invitation to students from nearby high schools to participate in a multi-media art project where participants would:
- Make a handprint pressed into a clay tablet, a representation of identity to forge a connection between the participating youth and seniors;
- Partake in bracelet making, inspired by the repeated use of beads and chains in the works of Émelie Régnier and Shanie Tomassini;
- And paint various textiles and fabrics based on a prompt related to childhood, environment, and identity.
The students from UTM presented their idea at the university’s Impact Fair, where we were proud to see their hard work displayed! We are so proud of them, and hope to collaborate further with the students.
We thank our funders for allowing us the opportunity to deliver programs online, in the gallery, and in community spaces!
