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TIRED PAWS AND WEARY WINGS: REMEMBERING PARLIAMENT HILL'S CAT SANCTUARY |
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Gwendolyn and some of the cat sanctuary
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"Mini-Bests" |
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Sarah Baird's cat cupcakes The three amigos
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Tired Paws and Weary Wings
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Two more mysterious residents of the sanctuary
Gwendolyn's next show at ORANGE ART GALLERY will open on May 23.
This very special show will be a tribute to the four-legged and winged residents of Parliament Hill's cat sanctuary, which was taken down at the beginning of the year. The sanctuary held a special place in the hearts of locals and visitors alike, and the cats were more often than not the main attraction on the Hill. Gwendolyn has captured the courageous spirit of the animals, and this show will be like entering the reflected memory of the sanctuary.
The paintings in the Parliamentary Cats Collection are all inspired by photographs taken of the cats in their "parliamentary habitat". We would in particular like to recognize the four main photographers whose images form the basis of the Collection: Brian Caines, Klaus Gerken, Daniel Taurozzi and Sébastien Badour. Thank you for letting Gwendolyn reinterpret some of the scenes from your pictures. And thank you, Brian, for sharing with us your wonderful stories about the many interesting feline characters who lived on the Hill.
We had a special event at Gwendolyn's home to recognize the caregivers who looked after the animals and who kept the sanctuary open for so many years. They will also be the guests of honour at the show's pre-opening evening at Orange (for patrons only).
We invite anyone who has ever been to the sanctuary (including and especially their children!) to come to the show, as well as those who never made it to the sanctuary and who would like to get a feel for the wonderful place that it was.
Please visit (and like!) the Cats of Parliament Hill facebook page, where you can see hundreds of images of the cats taken over the years.
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Gwendolyn is very happy to still be part of the Ottawa Art Gallery's family of artists.
Here she is with Stephanie, the OAG's Office Manager, and several new four-legged gallery residents.
The Ottawa Art Gallery is located in the Arts Courts building at 2, Daly Ave.
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Orange Art Gallery is the official home of Gwendolyn Best's fantastic menagerie of dark creatures. In February 2013, a special Valentine's show was put on for the gallery's artists. Gwendolyn is seen here chatting with Ingrid Hollander of Orange. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Dinesh Anandavel, our wonderful website designer, who has been with us from the beginning, and without whom we would be virtually lost.
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GOOD-BYE 2012! The Orange Christmas Show looked stunning, and we would like to thank Ingrid and Jim Hollander (seen above with Gwendolyn) for everything they have done for local artists, and especially for helping to make Hintonburg the artistic hub it has become. Gwendolyn could not have found a better home for her iconic dark creatures, and many more of them will emerge from her studio in the year to come. Happy New Year to artists and art lovers alike!
WITH THE DARK VISITORS NOW GONE, and the festive season nearly upon us, prepare for new cats and crows to appear. Gwendolyn's next event will be the ORANGE CHRISTMAS SHOW, which will feature a new take on those by now familiar -- and oddly comforting -- creatures. The show opens on Thursday, November 29, and we hope to see you there.
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A new take on familiar faces.
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A GLIMPSE OF THE DARK VISITORS AT ORANGE ART GALLERY. THE VISITORS VANISHED ON NOVEMBER 4.
It was a great show, and many thanks to all who came.
GWENDOLYN BEST greeting cards are now available in these local stores:
In the Byward Market:
Paper Papier
18 Clarence Street, near Sussex Drive
www.paperpapier.com
In the Glebe:
The Papery
850 Bank Street, corner Fifth Avenue
www.papery.ca
In Westboro:
The Village Quire
312 Richmond Road, near Churchill Avenue
www.villagequire.ca
In Hintonburg:
Heavens To Betsy
1111 Wellington Street West, corner Stirling Avenue
www.heavenstobetsy.ca
In Wellington West Village:
Collected Works
1242 Wellington Street West, corner Holland Avenue
www.collected-works.com
Sadly, Collected Works has closed its doors.
This lovely little bookstore will be missed by all who
knew it, and we wish Christopher and all the staff
much luck as they move on into 2013.
PREVIOUS EVENTS IN 2012
OCTOBER 2012
A Very Gwendolyn Best Halloween www.orangeartgallery.ca
Halloween, as imagined by Gwendolyn, will never have looked so beautiful. Her creatures of the night, which you already know and love, will be presented with a slightly new twist. Bring your kids and initiate them to the wonderful art of Gwendolyn Best. Gwendolyn's very first Halloween show, entitled Dark Visitors, will be at Orange Art Gallery, which is where her animals have their official home.
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JANUARY 2012 UNTIL TODAY
Gwendolyn Best at the Ottawa Art Gallery www.ottawaartgallery.ca
In fact, Gwendolyn's animals have found another shelter at the Ottawa Art Gallery since 2011. You can either foster (rent) or adopt (purchase) them, whichever works best for you.
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Stephanie Germano of the OAG and friends
PREVIOUS SHOWS IN 2012
APRIL 10 - MAY 3, 2012
STARBUCKS (Old Ottawa South, 1124 Bank Street near Sunnyside)
A Pike Place Roast and a Cat to go
Gwendolyn's unique and unforgettable creatures will be sure to enhance your coffee drinking experience. Careful that one of them doesn't follow you home!
Two of Gwendolyn's pieces were donated towards the silent auction for Camp Quality, a charity which recently originated in Australia (www.campquality.org.au), but which operates around the world, and which helps kids with cancer have a summer camp experience. Many thanks to Allen, pictured here with Gwendolyn in front of several of her pieces, for inviting us to be part this worthy initiative.
Allan and Gwendolyn and a hanging menagerie
APRIL 17 - APRIL 30
STARBUCKS (Westboro, 421 Richmond Road near Roosevelt)
When we realized that this Starbucks was also raising money towards Camp Quality, we offered to donate a few pieces, and Angie, the manager, accepted three cats, which we hope will help send more kids to camp.
APRIL 21 - APRIL 30
STARBUCKS (Little Italy, 349 Preston Street)
As with the two other Starbucks outlets, this one is also holding a silent auction for Camp Quality, and we were happy to donate a few more pieces, which will hopefully fetch some good bids by the time the event closes at the end of the month. Thanks to Sol and Angela for including us in the fundraiser.
APRIL 26 - MAY 13, 2012
ORANGE ART GALLERY (233 Armstrong Street, beside the Parkdate Market) www.orangeartgallery.ca
Cats, rats... and introducting bats!
Discover a new addition to Gwendolyn's mysterious yet charming family of animals, as only she can paint them. Check out the HUGE billboard featuring one of Gwen's cats (ironically named Fido) on the roof of the gallery. (You can find it on Orange's website). The kitty cat looms over the roofscape and adds a touch of the surreal to the Parkdale Market.
See Kristy Strauss' article in Ottawa West EMC (www.emcottawawest.ca), Thursday, May 3, 2012 edition.
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MAY 2 - JULY 2, 2012
LES SAISONS (232 Old Chelsea Road, Chelsea, Qc) www.lessaisonscoffee.com
A Gwendolyn Best Enchanted Spring
Share spring fever with Gwendolyn's delightful creatures at Les Saisons Coffee House, located at the main entrance to Gatineau Park, and take a moment to view the whimsical little youtube clip (gwendolyn best exhibit at les saisons) created by Richard Austin (www.richardaustin.ca) of Chelsea, Quebec.
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AUGUST 1-30, 2012
FRANCESCO'S (857A Bank Street in the Glebe) www.francescoscoffee.com
A Whole Latte Cats ... with a Side of Rats
Sip a delicious coffee at Francesco's while gazing at Gwendolyn's dark creatrues. Her enigmatic cats and winning, original rats will be sure to pique your curiosity.
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Gwendolyn and a few of her coffee cats
AUGUST 23 - September 20, 2012
GALERIE 240 (240 Guigues Street in Ottawa's downtown Market area) www.galerie240.com
Summer Menagerie on the Market
Bring your family and out-of-town friends to meet yet more of Gwendolyn's captivating two-legged and four-legged critters, set loose in the Market this time. Meet Gwendolyn at the vernissage, which will be held on Thursday, August 23 from 6 to 9 pm.
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| Gwendolyn and Galerie 240 owner Brenda Gale Warner on the steps of the gallery. | Serenade for Cats performed by Mary Lise Chauvette and Adam Cwin. |
SEPTEMBER 22-23 and 29-30, 2012
West End Studio Tour www.westendstudiotour.ca
Thank you to everyone who came to visit Gwendolyn at her home during the West End Studio Tour. We hope you enjoyed meeting Gwendolyn and seeing her studio, which is where all of those enigmatic creatures emerge from their creator's imagination.
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PAST EXHIBITS AND EVENTS
NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2011
"THE BEST OF ORANGE CHRISTMAS SHOW" - Group Show at ORANGE ART GALLERY, 233 Armstrong Street in Ottawa's Hintonburg art district.
"GREAT BIG SMALLS VII" - The seventh annual Christmas exhibit at CUBE GALLERY, 1285 Wellington West, Ottawa.
"SMALL BLESSINGS" - A Christmas group exhibition at GALERIE 240 in Ottawa's Byward Market.
AUGUST 2011
"MOVIE NIGHTS" - A fun-filled summer group show featuring the works of 15 artists, each finding inspiration from their favorite movie. ORANGE ART GALLERY, Ottawa.
"FUR, FEATHER AND FACES" - Paintings by Gwendolyn Best, Ellen Schowalter and Karol Partridge. The STONE SCHOOL GALLERY, Portage-du-Fort, Quebec
MAY - JUNE 2011
"CATS, RATS AND RAVENS" at ORANGE ART GALLERY. Opening night, Thursday, May 26. Gwendolyn's first solo show was a great success and expanded her following for her iconic animal creatures.
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Dinesh Anandavel, Gwen's web designer, Gwen and Dagmar at Orange Art Gallery (May 2011). |
Opening night of "Cats,Rats and Ravens (May 2011). |
"Cats, Rats and Ravens" (May 2011). |
DECEMBER 2010
"GREAT BIG SMALLS VI" - The sixth annual Christmas exhibit at CUBE GALLERY, 1285 Wellington West in Ottawa.
"FIRST CHRISTMAS SHOW" - ORANGE ART GALLERY, 233 Armstrong Street, Ottawa. Orange has since become the official home for Gwendolyn and all of her enchanging creatures.
OCTOBER 2010
"CATS AND CROWS" - A solo exhibit featuring the distinctive style of Gwendolyn Best at the Glebe Community Centre, 175 Third Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
JUNE 2008
"WITNESS" - An exhibit of Gwendolyn Best's unique cats at Irene's Pub and Restaurant, 885 Bank Street, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
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Gwendolyn with "Miowww" at the Orange Art Gallery (February 2011). |
Gwendolyn and Richard Banister, owner of Snapdragon Art Gallery (now closed) in front of "Summertime" (January 2011). |
Gwendolyn with artists Anita Utas and MaryAnn Camps in front of "Watching" at Orange Art Gallery (February 2011). |