|
OUR HISTORY
(Revised April, 2010)
Our Club is in its
twelfth year of successful activity. The years have gone quickly
for those of the members who were there at its founding. Since then
some members have drifted away, some have passed away. Many new
members have joined. With the passage of time, the memory of early
events, the activities of the Club and the people that have made
them possible, has begun to fade.
Over the years, what
started as a “good idea” became a successful reality
that has given its members a sense of camaraderie, a place for their
creative output, and an opportunity to learn and grow. With time,
in addition to the growth in membership, there has been a definite
growth in the maturity and quality of the creative output of the
members, as members have gained in experience, learned from each
other, and benefited from the many workshops sponsored by the Club.
The following, is
an attempt to record something of the Club’s history, so as
to give due recognition to those who helped organize the Club, and
those whose dedication and effort have made it the success that
it has become. This is also intended to chronicle in brief form
the activities and events that have been part of the character of
the organization.
At the time of writing,
the Club is entering a period of revitalized energy and optimism.
Recently there has been concern about the club’s future. The
building, which is owned by the local School Division and leased
by the City, has been in need of fundamental repairs. There were
indications that the City was considering the closure of the current
facilities, and relocation of existing programs to another. Recently,
however, word has been received that the City is prepared to undertake
the renovation of the building and that the work was to begin in
the spring.
1. Date of founding
The Club was formally
founded at a meeting held in Sept. 1998. At that time a provisional
executive was elected consisting of the following:
President: Ray Kolomaya
Vice-President: Lynne Strome
Treasurer: Dianna Wieler
Secretary: Sandra McBain
Registrar: Suzanne Barrow
The first Annual General Meeting was held on April 12, 1999. At
that time the first regular Board and Executive were elected.
2. Club Name
The name, Local Colour,
was suggested by Dianna Wieler, one of the organizers of the Club,
a well-known Manitoba author, painter and miniaturist.
3. Club Logo
The Club logo, which
very effectively represents the flair implied in the Club’s
name, was created by Lynn Huzyk in 1998. Lynn works in the field
of graphics, and has consistently demonstrated her expertise through
the creation of numerous graphics used in the promotion of the Club’s
art shows over the years.
4. Mission Statement
Local Colour Art Group
is an organization of artists dedicated to the creation of art,
and its promotion in the community. While the club was created with
the primary purpose of serving the Kildonan-Elmwood area of Winnipeg,
membership is open to, and includes, individuals from various parts
of Winnipeg and surrounding area. Members are encouraged to work
in a variety of styles and mediums, and while the majority of members
are painters, individuals work in photography, porcelain and ceramics.
The Club provides a forum for members in which to gather to paint
and to share their interests, skills and experiences. It is dedicated
to the development of its members by providing regular learning
opportunities in the form of classes and discussion groups. The
Club provides its members the opportunity to display their work
to the wider community through the regular organization of art shows.
5. Events leading up
to the founding of the Club, and individuals involved in the early stages
of organization
A major moving force
behind the formation of the Club was Roy Fijal, a well-known local
artist and art instructor. Roy’s background had been in commercial
art and, prior to his retirement, he had worked in the advertising
departments of Eaton’s and MTS. Roy had also instructed in
art at Tech-Voc. Early in his career, he had a TV series on art,
and after his retirement he taught art at the community level. His
classes in watercolour and portraiture at the East End Cultural
Centre, in East Kildonan, attracted numbers of students over the
years, many of whom returned year after year to participate in his
classes. Roy was not only an excellent instructor, but his love
of art and teaching, together with his gentle, supportive and enthusiastic
approach, created a friendly and inviting atmosphere in his classes.
Beginners and more advanced students were inspired and reassured
in their creative struggles, through his approach.
Roy had been a long-time member of the Winnipeg Sketch Club and
often expressed regret over the fact that there had never been an
art club in the East Kildonan / Elmwood / North Kildonan area. The
event that prompted a number of Roy’s students to take on
the organization of a local club was Roy’s announcement at
one point, that he was considering dropping his classes. Roy had
been suffering from ill health for a number of years, and on occasion
found it difficult to carry on. His students felt that it would
be a shame to lose the sense of camaraderie and creative expression
that they had been enjoying in his classes.
Others that comprised
the initial planning group included the East End Art Group, an independent
group that had been meeting at the East End Cultural Centre, and
another group that had been meeting with Roy at the Melrose Community
Club.
Roy continued to be
a moving spirit behind the organization and activities of the Club.
After its formation, he gave presentations to members on a range
of art techniques, and demonstrated his techniques in portraiture
at the various art shows. He produced an instructional DVD on portrait
sketching, part of the proceeds of which he dedicated to the Club.
He was honoured with a lifetime membership at a dinner on May 17,
2000. Roy passed away on December 13, 2006.
In the early days
of the formation of the Club, a number of individuals met at a local
coffee shop to discuss ideas and organizational issues. These included
Dianna Wieler, Amy Burr, Pam Dyer, Roy Fijal, Ray Kolomaya, Des
Kurley, Andrew Zurawsky, Sandra McBain, Helen Lindgren, Wally Menzies,
Lynne Strome, Viola Wade, Lynn Huzyk, Bob Brown, and possibly several
others, whose names have unfortunately been lost to history. Several
meetings were held leading up to the founding meeting and the formation
of a provisional executive.
The formation of the
new club was covered in the Dec. 9, 1998 edition of the Herald,
together with the announcement of an open house and art show to
be held on Dec.14 of that year.
6. The Club’s
First Home
Early on in its existence,
the Club began to rent facilities at Good Neighbours Seniors Club,
at 755 Henderson Highway. Members met on Monday and Tuesday evenings
to paint. However, Executive meetings continued to be held in local
restaurants. The Oct. 16, 1999 executive meeting, for example, was
held at Perkins’ on Henderson. As noted, the first art exhibit
took place on the Good Neighbours premises, and was a significant
success. The person responsible for the organization of the first
art show was Bob Boucher. Bob’s exceptional organizational
skills were displayed not only in the success of the show, but in
a manual that he put together, which served as a guide for the organization
of future art shows. The Club’s first Annual General Meeting
was held at Good Neighbours on Nov. 2, 1999. On Nov. 23, 1999 Roy
Fijal presented his first of several presentations on art techniques,
and the Club marked its first year of activity with a cake and coffee.
7. Relocation
Discussions regarding
the possibility of relocating the Club to a more suitable location
began early on. Among other issues, the rent at Good Neighbours
was found to be prohibitive. In the fall of 2000 the Club moved
to the premises of the Elmwood / East Kildonan Senior Citizens’
Association. The decision was not without controversy. At the outset,
some members were against the proposed move, arguing that the Good
Neighbours location was a more desirable facility in terms of accommodation,
and location. However, the majority favoured the relocation.
With this move Local
Colour members also became members the Senior Citizens’ Association.
Local Colour held its first General Meeting in the new premises
on Nov. 18 of that year. The decision had been facilitated through
the efforts of Erl Braaten, who, in addition to his membership with
Local Colour, was a member of the seniors’ group. The move
was seen as being of benefit to both groups: the Centre was looking
to augment its membership, and the Club acquired good affordable
premises for its activities. Erl played a significant role in the
renovation of the facilities that were set aside for the Club, and
subsequently served as president of Local Colour. The renovations
were completed in 2001, and a Grand Reopening was held on October
20 and 21 of that year.
While Local Colour
members had been members also of the umbrella seniors’ organization
they initially tended to identify primarily with Local Colour as
the focus of their interest. However, with time Local Colour developed
a closer working relationship with the seniors’ organization
as a whole, and a number of Local Colour members took on duties
with its board of directors.
The beginning of the
year 2010 is characterized by a general feeling of optimism on the
part of the members of the umbrella organization as well as of Local
Colour, with the prospects for future collaborative effort, and
the anticipated renovation of the facility by the City.
8. Local Colour Presidents
Ray Kolomaya 1999-2000
Tammy McNichol 2000-2001,
Erl Braaten 2001-2002 2002-2003,
Norma Balacko 2003-2004, 2004-2005,
Ed Demkiw 2005-2006, 2006-2007,
Norma Balacko 2007-2008
Elizabeth Delgatty 2008-2009, 2009-2010
9. Membership and Club
activities
Growth in Membership
The Club enjoyed a
healthy and active membership from the outset. In its first year
of activity, the membership list contained 49 names. Membership
has grown steadily, totalling 80 in 2009. This was no doubt in response
to the sense of gratification that membership has provided. What
began as a desire on the part of individuals to stay connected,
and to share their common interest in painting, developed into a
broader vision of what a club such as this could represent. From
the outset, members met on Monday and Tuesday evenings for painting
sessions. This was an opportunity to get together, paint, gain inspiration
from each other’s work, and to share information and ideas
on club activities. Along the way, other painting times were added:
…
Social gatherings have been a feature of the club’s activities
from the beginning, starting with early planning sessions over coffee
and donuts, the celebration of the first year of the Club’s
existence, then organizing events such as annual Christmas get-togethers
and end-of-season banquets. Additionally, the Club gradually developed
a series of activities aimed at the developmental needs of its members.
From its initiation, the Club arranged classes and speakers, and
began to engage the community through the organization of public
art shows.
Art Shows
The Club’s first
art show was a one-day event held on May 8, 1999 in the Good Neighbours
facility. The organizing group was led by Bob Boucher and was a
significant success. Subsequent show organizers were Norma Balacko,
Aron Loewen, Bob Brown, Andy Zurawsky, Elizabeth Delgatty, Erl Braaten
and Fred Perchaluk.
With the passage of
time, public attendance at shows steadily increased, due in significant
measure to favourable word-of-mouth publicity. May became the regular
time for annual shows. There was some early experimentation with
a second annual show (Oct. 2002 is an example) but these became
a regular event in Nov. 2006, at the suggestion of the then show
organizer, Elizabeth Delgatty. Since then, there have been regular
Novembers shows in addition to the May events. What began as a one-day
event, changed to a two-day, Saturday and Sunday event. Subsequently,
a formal wine-and-cheese opening was added on Friday evenings.
These shows have enjoyed enthusiastic participation on the part
of members, in terms of the volume and quality of the art submitted,
as well as in organizational work.
The earliest extant
record relates to the May 4, 2002 art show, and indicates that 13
members sold their artwork, totalling $1,334.20. Since then, sales
of formal art have been regular, though relatively modest. The sale
of smaller items such as cards, prints and unframed works, has been
brisk. Draws of donated items have been a feature of the shows,
and have been a modest but steady source of revenue used for Club
expenditures such as library and equipment acquisitions. The Club
has also made a practice of conducting a draw of artwork donated
by members, with proceeds going to charities such as the Cancer
Society and the Humane Society. An attractive feature of Club shows
has been the hospitality room where visitors could enjoy sweets
and refreshments. More recently, the Friday night hospitality events
have featured live music.
The shows have consistently
drawn positive responses from the attending public. As a matter
of fact, the shows have begun to develop a loyal following, with
individuals making annual attendance a practice.
From the beginning
of its activity, the Club explored various venues for the display
of its members’ artwork. In addition to the “in-house
shows”, the Club has held regular exhibits at the Assiniboine
Park Conservatory (beginning in the early years) and more recently,
at the Millennium Library and Great West Life. For a number of years
now, the Club currently has had a standing display at the Henderson
Public Library.
Classes and Workshops
One of the indicators
of a steady growth in the creative skill and sophistication of the
Club’s membership has been participation in art courses. The
Club began to invite guest speakers from the beginning of its existence.
Roy Fijal was the first of these, presenting on “perspective”.
Joan Duma has been responsible for a number of years for the organization
of in-house art workshops and classes. Her responsibilities have
entailed researching available instructors and presenters, the development
of a calendar of events, the booking of participants, and the facilitation
of specific events. Under Joan’s watch, the Club’s calendar
has been filled with varied and interesting presentations of a high
calibre. The result of these events has been a flowering of new
ideas, approaches, and use of media on the part of the members,
sometimes dramatically evidenced in the new artwork displayed at
the next art show.
Art Talks Discussion
Groups
Chu Pei pioneered
the idea of periodic discussion groups on topics pertaining to the
creative process and on related issues of interest to those who
produce art. Club members have been meeting on a monthly basis.
Garth Palanuk became involved early on in assisting with the scheduling
of dates and presenters. Members have participated in making presentations
on various topics, and the sessions have been well attended.
Sketch Club
The Sketch Club was
organized in late 2009 as an outgrowth of the Art Talks groups.
The idea was first promoted by Carleigh Duncan-Doyle, Thora Barnett
and Judy Sutton and rapidly developed an enthusiastic following.
The group has been meeting on a monthly basis to sketch from live
models, usually volunteers, but at times professional nude models.
Library
Ruth Kamenev has served
as Club librarian for a number of years, having taken on the responsibility
for the organization and management of the Club library and the
purchase of new books and magazines. Under Ruth’s leadership,
and with the support of other members, the library has grown into
an impressive resource centre. Ruth has also been involved in organizing
and monitoring a permanent display of members’ art at the
Henderson Public Library.
Newsletter/ Website
The Club began publishing a newsletter early on in its existence.
The first newsletter was put together by Deanne Miller. Among other
things, It announced the Annual General Meeting scheduled for April
12, 1999, and the first art show set for May 8. Subsequently, Lynn
Huzyk joined Deanne in putting together periodic publications. The
newsletter eventually evolved into a Club website, created and managed
by Deanne. In addition to information about the Club, the website
contains photos of artwork by various members.
Constitution
The origin of the
Club’s Constitution is a bit unclear, but it seems that an
early version was adopted in the first year of the Club’s
existence. It was subsequently revised under the guidance of Ed
Demkiw, a retired lawyer, on Sept. 30, 2003, and amended under the
presidency of Elizabeth Delgatty on May 26, 2008.
Incorporation
The Club was incorporated
on Nov. 10, 2000, under the presidency of Tammy McNichol. The Club’s
Manitoba Incorporation Number is 4294816. Incorporation has allowed
the Club to transact financial arrangements, including charging
membership fees, the maintenance of a bank account, and the sale
of art at shows. An audit committee, drawn from the membership has
been conducting annual audits of the Club’s financial affairs.
Carrie Stefanik who was involved in the process of incorporation,
has been heading the audits.
10. Members that have
passed away
Sadly, over the years
the Club has lost a number of members, through death. Each of them
had contributed to the Club in a unique way, and each left a memory
behind:
Bob Brown
Joan McKimm
Tak Hirose
Roy Fijal
Marjorie Simpson
Emma Young-Colvin
Marianne Peters
Des Kerley
The Club has made
it a practice to honour the passing of a member at one of the art
shows with a display of the individual’s art-work, and a short
tribute
11. Administration
The Club’s ongoing
business is conducted by its Board at monthly meetings. In keeping
with the provisions of the Club’s Constitution, the Board
is elected by the general membership at Annual General Meetings.
The Executive is elected by the general membership from the elected
Board members. Two other general membership meetings are held in
the course of the year in order to involve the membership in discussion
and decision-making.
The enthusiasm and
dedication of the club’s members have been reflected over
the years in the composition of the Board of Directors, and their
executives. Creative and energetic individuals have come forward
to provide organization and leadership, and each successive Board
contributed to the growth and
development of the Club with new ideas and initiatives. The following
is a list of the Boards of Directors over the years.
1999-2000
President: Ray Kolomaya
Vice President: Lynne Strome
Treasurer: Norma Balacko
Secretary: Tammy McNichol
Directors: Roy Fijal
Bob Boucher
Deanne Miller, Registrar
2000-2001
President: Tammy McNichol
Vice President: Erl Braaten
Secretary: Deanne Miller
Treasurer: Norma Balacko
Directors: Roy Fijal, Honorary life member
Bob Boucher
Ray Kolomaya (Immediate Past President)
Suzanne Barrow, Registrar
2001-2002
President: Erl Braaten
Vice President: Norma Balacko
Secretary: Deanne Miller
Treasurer: Ruth Kamenev
Directors: Bob Brown
Tammy McNichol (Immediate Past President)
Roy Fijal, Honorary life member
Elfriede Schroeder, Registrar
2002-2003
President: Erl Braaten
Vice President: Norma Balacko
Treasurer: Ruth Kamenev
Secretary: Ed Demkiw
Directors: Tammy McNichol
Roy Fijal, Honorary life member
Bob Brown
Deanne Miller
Erl Braaten
Penny Morka, Registrar
2003-2004
President: Norma Balacko
1st. Vice President: Joan Duma
2nd. Vice President: Suzanne Barrow
Treasurer: Wanda Lovell-Hobbs
Secretary: Ed Demkiw
Directors: Roy Fijal, Honorary life member
Erl Braaten (Immediate Past Pres)
Carol Harrison, Registrar
2004-2005
President: Norma Balacko
1st. Vice President: Joan Duma
2nd. Vice President: Suzanne Barrow
Treasurer: Darlene Funk
Secretary: Ed Demkiw
Directors: Erl Braaten
Roy Fijal, Honorary life member
Ruth Kamenev
Aron Loewen
Carol Harrison, Registrar
2005-2006
President: Ed Demkiw
1st. Vice President: Joan Duma
2nd. Vice President: Suzanne Barrow
Treasurer: Anna Peters
Secretary: Sharon Routley
Directors: Erl Braaten
Ron Bewski
Aron Loewen
Ruth Kamenev
Pete Suderman
Roy Fijal, Honorary life member
Norma Balacko (Immediate Past President)
Edith Toews, Registrar
2006-2007
President: Ed Demkiw
Vice President: Suzanne Barrow
Treasurer: Anna Peters / Garth Palanuk
Secretary: Sharon Routley
Directors: Andrew Zurawsky
Aron Loewen
Elizabeth Delgatty
Lynn Huzyk
Norma Balacko
Roy Fijal, Honorary life member
Janet Schab, Registrar
2007-2008
President: Norma Balacko
Vice President: Elizabeth Delgatty
Secretary: Sharon Routley
Treasurer: Janet Schab
Directors: Lynn Huzyk
Aron Loewen
Joan Duma
Ed Demkiw (Immediate Past President)
Garth Palanuk, Registrar
2008-2009
President: Elizabeth Delgatty
1st. Vice President: Suzanne Barrow
2nd. Vice President: Garth Palanuk
Secretary: Patricia Wilson
Treasurer: Janet Schab
Directors: Louise Kollinger
Marilyn Pollock (Visiting Committee)
Peter Suderman
Fred Perchaluk
Carrie Stefanik
Norma Balacko (Immediate Past President)
Garth Palanuk, Registrar
2009-2010
President: Elizabeth Delgatty
1st. Vice President: Garth Palanuk
2nd. Vice President: Peter Suderman
Secretary: Patricia Wilson
Treasurer: Suzanne Brown
Directors: Louise Kollinger
Fred Perchaluk
Carrie Stefanik
Judy Johanson
Judy Sutton
Garth Palanuk, Registrar
Date of Publication: June, 2010
Historical Committee:
Erl Braaten
Pam Dyer
Lynn Huzyk
Aron Loewen
Andrew Zurawsky
In preparing this
material, the Committee made every effort to gather all relevant
information and ensure its accuracy. We regret any errors or omissions,
particularly as they may relate to individuals who have played a
role in the creation and running of the Club.
|
|
