You No Longer Need To Get Called Down To The Principal’s Office To See Some Exceptional Canadian Art
Pictured at Kawartha Art Gallery with the loaned artwork are left to right:
Bruce Reain, TLDSB Board Chair
Jennifer Johnston, TLDSB Superintendent of Learning
Susan Taylor, Kawartha Art Gallery Executive Director
Mark Cossarin, TLDSB Principal of LCVI
In 2020, Mark Cossarin the Principal of Lindsay Collegiate and Vocational Institute (LCVI), a secondary school in Lindsay, Ontario, knew that the school had some significant pieces of Canadian artwork on the walls of the school, and contacted Kawartha Art Gallery in Lindsay, Ontario, to discuss the possibility of a long-term loan of the artwork to the Gallery.
“I had worked as a teacher here in the past and I knew the school had some significant pieces of art that just sat on the walls of the principal's office and almost nobody: a) knew they were there, and b) ever saw them. They were originally gifted to the school, or the Victoria Board of Education. Two of the pieces of artwork are original artworks by A. J. Casson, the last of the original Group of Seven. The larger painting by Casson was actually a gift to Isaac Ernest Weldon, for the financial contributions he made to the School Board. Weldon wanted the School Board to keep the painting. I felt it would be a great opportunity to connect with the community and loan the artwork to Kawartha Art Gallery. More people need to see the artwork.”
“Our school community has been fortunate to receive these wonderful pieces of art created by famous Canadian artists and I am so pleased they are on display for all to enjoy,” states Wes Hahn, TLDSB Director of Education. Working with Wes Hahn, the Director of Education for the Trillium Lakelands District School Board (TLDSB), Mark Cossarin, the Board and staff of TLDSB and the Board and staff of Kawartha Art Gallery, a loan agreement of the artwork to Kawartha Art Gallery was realized in 2022 and in September of 2022, the Kawartha Art Gallery was thrilled to welcome the following artworks of:
Alfred Joseph Casson of the Group of Seven: “Rain in the Cloche Hills” and “Muskeg East of Bird’s Creek”
William Arthur Winter: “Pink Fences”
Sir Edmund Wyly Grier: “J.C. Harstone, Portrait of the First Principal of LCVI”
George Agnew Reid: “The Pasture Stream” and “The Community”
Florence Wyle: “Penelope”
“The loan of this wonderful art means more people have access to appreciate it and the Kawartha Art Gallery is the perfect place for these to be displayed” says TLDSB Chair of the Board, Bruce Reain.
“The Board of Kawartha Art Gallery is grateful to the TLDSB for the opportunity to receive this loan of significant Canadian artwork into the Gallery. As the stewards of a Permanent Collection of Canadian artwork for the citizens of the City of Kawartha Lakes, Kawartha Art Gallery is dedicated to responsible stewardship of this Collection and meets recommended conservation and security standards.
The artwork is now on display at Kawartha Art Gallery, and the Gallery is excited to announce that a full exhibit of the Collection and the stories behind each piece of artwork will be in place at the Gallery in February 2023,” Kawartha Art Gallery Executive Director, Susan Taylor.
Kawartha Art Gallery is located at 190 Kent Street West, 2nd Floor of The Lindsay Public Library, Lindsay, Ontario K9V 2Y6. The Gallery is open from 10:00am to 4:00pm Tuesday to Saturday. Admission is free.
Interested in knowing more, please contact:
Executive Director Susan Taylor at Kawartha Art Gallery art@kawarthagallery.com
