The Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba is pleased to announce the return of their annual arts and crafts sale. Now in its 34th year, The Gala of Gifts, a unique holiday market, will feature creators from all across the Westman region on Friday, November 25th and Saturday, 26th. New this year is a SoupArt Bowl fundraiser event, where participants will have the opportunity to sample soups from local vendors like Komfort Kitchen, Benny’s Restaurant, and The Dock on Princess, and to take home a one-of-a-kind ceramic bowl, handmade by members of the AGSM community. Tickets are currently being sold on the AGSM website or via phone for $45 each, perfect for staff appreciation closer to the holidays. This year’s event will showcase 17 Westman-based artists and artisans in the Main Gallery. Returning patrons and first-timers alike will be delighted to find a wide variety of items for sale, including honey and bee products from Raven Creek Farm, stylish handmade moccasins and mukluks from Dianna’s Creations, one-of-a-kind oil paintings and pencil drawings by Marin Curtis Fine Arts, and much more! Visitors will be welcomed into the AGSM, which will be transformed into a decorated Winter Forest, by a keen group of volunteers. The youngest family members can satisfy their creativity in the children’s studio during two clay classes on Friday evening starting at either 4:00 or 5:45PM, and Saturday morning at 10:00 or 11:30AM. The Gala of Gifts would not be complete without the return of our raffle, where every ticket purchased is a chance to win one of many items donated from our vendors, as well as other exciting prizes! Admission is just $2, and children 5 & under are free. The Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba is located at 710 Rosser Avenue. It can be accessed either from the Town Centre parkade, or from the first floor of the Town Centre Mall through the elevators near the library. Parking in the Town Centre is FREE for AGSM visitors and on the weekends.

Brandon Wheat King goaltender Carson Bjarnason has had both a busy and rewarding off-season so far this summer; first winning a gold medal with his Team Canada teammates at the recent 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and then backstopping 2112 Hockey Agency to a WSHL Division 1 title earlier this week. The Carberry native appeared in 23 games for the Wheat Kings last year and is listed as one of the "other notable prospects" for the 2023 NHL entry draft by Elite Prospects. What professional athlete would you choose to be your college roommate? Kobe Bryant Your favourite YouTube Channel ? VKGoalie30 If you could play another sport professionally what would it be? Baseball  You get locked in Wal-Mart for 24 hours, how would you pass the time? Find all the best snacks I could and binge watch a show If you could give someone only one recommendation where to go for pizza in Brandon, where are you telling them to go? Boston Pizza Any game day rituals/superstitions? Not anything too special. Tape sticks, eye/hand coordination, and lots of stretching.  What song intro will make you immediately turn up the volume? Jimmy Cooks - Drake Would you rather go hang gliding or whitewater rafting? Hang gliding for the views French fries or onion rings? French fries Who inspired you as a young athlete? Carey Price When you’re not practising or competing, how do you spend your free time? I love to listen to music, play guitar, and sketch in my book Which one of your current teammates will one day make a great coach? Landon Roberts Favourite all-time sports movie? I really like “42”, “Miracle”, and “The Blindside”   What two athletes (1 male-1 female) would you like to see team-up on The Amazing Race: Michael Jordan and Serena Williams. Both highly competitive  The NHL decides to host an exhibition game at the Keystone Centre, what two teams would you like to see take part? MTL vs. Calgary Your fast-food guilty pleasure? Pita Pit club A movie you would watch again tonight? Top Gun Roller coasters or water slides? Water slides Three most commonly used apps on your phone? Messages, Garageband, and Snapchat Favourite restaurant to dine at when on the road with the Wheat Kings? The Red Barn, Moosomin SK

The Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba is proud to host a new exhibition, entitled In Process, featuring Brandon-based youth artists Angelica Campbell Elizalde, Catrina Onyshko, Anthony Conales, and Robyn E., all of whom are in the process of developing their professional art practices. The exhibition will be featured in the AGSM’s Community Gallery from Thursday, July 28th to August 19th, 2022. Focused on the creative processes of emerging artists, In Process highlights their personal approaches to artmaking, as well as the way in which each faces various social, political, and personal issues in their lives. From participation in the exhibition Before I Go To Bed Tonight (Winter 2022), to commissioned work in the AGSM’s gift shop, each artist demonstrated initiative in pursuing an arts-based career path by seeking out professional engagement with the AGSM. While the artists vary in their media, their works interweave to create an exhibition that highlights not only the final product, but also the process of their creativity. Finished acrylic paintings hang beside sketchbook drafts, which document each artist’s personal art practice. This exhibition was curated by George Phillips, the AGSM c uratorial assistant.An emerging artist himself, his primary goal was to highlight the talent of young artists in the Brandon arts community. “I was interested not just in the artist's finished works, but also their development from an idea to the execution, and the parallels of that process to the development of the artists themselves. We chose young, enthusiastic artists specifically because of the initiative they have already shown at the AGSM, and it is an understatement to say it’s a pleasure to see what they’ve been doing with this platform.” The opening reception will be held in-person on Thursday, July 28th at 5 PM. The public is invited to an in-person tour of the exhibition each Wednesday afternoon between 1 P.M. and 2 P.M. Private tours may be arranged on Saturdays by contacting info@agsm.ca before noon on Tuesday. The AGSM would like to thank the Kayes Family Fund, the City of Brandon, Young Canada Works, the Manitoba Arts Council, and Canada Council for the Arts for their continued support of the AGSM’s exhibitions and programming.

Locals supporting Locals was the intent of the Eastside Art Project, and that goal seems to be working. Brandon business owner Jay McCullum, his wife Mary along with local artist Chris Macaluso of "Chris Macaluso Design" set out to make a spot where Westman artists could showcase/sell their artworks without the typical consignment fees that other galleries tend to charge their artists for hanging up their art.   Now when customers go into Eastside Eatery for a delicious meal, they can browse a wide selection of artworks hanging on the walls which has transformed the dining room into an art gallery of local talents. If they see something they like Eastside's friendly staff will be happy to help them with any questions/purchases.   One of the project's bonuses is the artwork displayed at Eastside Eatery has a maximum price tag of $100 so anyone can get a unique locally made piece of artwork for a reasonable price all while supporting local artists. I for one hope to grab one of Tyler Hendersons' awesome pop art paintings soon. Rob Madill-McKenzie 

The Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba is offering a jam-packed month of drawing, painting, puppets, clay classes, cartooning, and much more this July! Children and Teens can dive into the fantastic world of art making this summer and work with talented artists and instructors. Registration begins June 6th for activities and art projects in an inspiring, creative, and supportive setting for learners of all ages and abilities. Please remember - classes fill up quickly, so sign up now to avoid missing out! The Children’s and Teens Summer Art Program begins July 4th and runs until July 29th. Full days or half days are available. Classes range in length from 2-day workshops to 5-day week long programs. The programs accommodate ages 6-9, 9-12, and 13-17. Does your child love to stay busy and have a great imagination? Join Monica Joshi during the afternoons in Week 3 for Stranger Things on the Prairies or Week 4 Escape Into Art this Summer where they will draw, paint, sculpt, and bring 3D artworks to life. Children will have fun making friends as they design imaginative characters and build intergalactic landscapes. Is your teen artist interested in developing advanced drawing & painting techniques with pen, ink, graphite, and watercolour? Be sure to sign up for Brooke Piche’s Drawing & Surrealism class or Art Studio Workshops designed specifically for teens. Youth will find inspiration to take their artwork and ideas to a whole new level and develop techniques in line, shading, and portraiture. Also back by popular demand is a Harry Potter-inspired class for youth ages 9-13. Discover how JK Rowling’s books & movies provide a rich source of inspiration for new art projects, illustrations, wands, potions, and more. Do your little ones love to get creative with paint, clay, rainbow unicorns, and sparkles? Leave the mess to us, and bring your kids to the gallery so they can have fun and set their imagination free with classes such as Colour Catchers, Under the Sea & Summer Scenes, or Path to the Stars! Instructors Jamie Ketcheson and Hannah Seitter will help children to spark their creativity and ignite their imagination in a relaxed and stimulating studio environment. Children will learn step by step how to work with soft, squishy clay, make suncatchers, puppets, superhero artwork, or Go Green with papermaking and mini-robot sculptures. There is something for everyone in a wide range of workshops this summer. These workshops, plus many more, are all listed on the Art Gallery’s website: agsm.ca or contact the AGSM for a printed brochure. To register: please contact us in-person, online or via phone at 204.727.1036.