Developing the artistic world in Durham Region requires us to open our eyes and ears to the diverse variety of art that surrounds us.
On Thursday, March 25, I attended a follow-up session to last November’s The Art of Transition Symposium. This particular afternoon the room was full of artists, gallery administrators, arts association members, city officials and others gathering to learn about the specific results of our cultural mapping process.
The symposium had left us all with a hunger to know what we could do to make the most of our unique creative capital. Curiosity and enthusiasm bubbled in the room. As we went round and introduced ourselves, I was drawn to an elegantly dressed woman who said she was Esther Forde of Cultural Expressions Gallery in the Old Pickering Village in Ajax.
During the reception later on she told me more about what she has been doing to not only capitalize on the artists of Durham Region but to expand our creative consciousness to other cultures and ethnicities. “The make up of our community is changing,” she noted. “I wanted my gallery to reflect this new diversity.”
Her sense that the time had come for this came from her own experience as a woman of colour. “I knew that I wanted to have art in my home that was culturally oriented and reminded me of my heritage. When I tried to find that in local galleries, it didn’t exist there.”
She guessed that if this was an issue for her, it was very likely to be important to others as well. “Consequently, I wanted to include the art of as many cultures as possible.”
"Emerging Spirit" By Passmore Mashaya
And that’s exactly what she has done. Almost three years since opening her gallery, she now represents artists from five continents and over twelve countries—including Canada—through a diverse collection of paintings, sculpture and jewellery.
“I wanted to do more than bring other cultures’ art here,” she declares. “I wanted to be an engaged part of this community as well.” To that end, she has invited local Ajax high school students to the gallery while a sculptor was in residence, hosted a Haiti relief fundraiser, and been an integral part of local Black History Month celebrations. She recognizes that culture comes from within our borders as well as beyond. On June 4 the gallery will be hosting its first First Nations’ celebration as part of the Ajax Arts Festival.
Colour is celebrated in many ways at Cultural Expressions. As we talked about the art she presents, Esther laughed. “If you don’t like vivid colours, this is not the gallery for you.” You can get an idea of the brilliant experience available at Cultural Expressions on her website: www.culturalexpressions.ca.
