living feature
“When Jim gifted the property, he looked at several
different options and thought the university was the best
option,” John says. “Part of the process was finding that
fit–Jim wanted to make sure we could fulfill his wishes.”
As a talented watercolour painter himself, Coutts had
played host to many musical and artistic events on the
property over the years. Now there was a chance to move
towards more public programming under the umbrella of
ULAG to bring new people on site to discover its beautiful
surroundings and be inspired by the scenery to create new
artwork.
“You can definitely see that the arts and gardens go hand
in hand–Jim really bridged those two fields himself,” John
says. “He wanted to bring these two things together, and
I’m sure that’s a key reason why he thought the university
was such a good fit to operate the property.”
In 2011, Jim Coutts officially donated over 200 pieces
from his vast art collection, that included works by such
noted prairie artists as Joe Fafard, Barbara Ballachey, and
Illingworth Kerr, to ULAG. He also donated his long-time
family property to the university, creating the newly named
Coutts Centre for Western Canadian Heritage.
Connecting with the Community
“Our interest is in promoting the creation of artwork,
as well as serving the artwork that was donated,” says Jon
Oxley, administrative manager of ULAG. “But we also want
to bring artists to Southern Alberta to work at the Coutts
Centre and be inspired.”
ULAG has already found success in this pursuit with a
variety of programming being developed to attract artists
to the Coutts Centre. The recurring En Plein Air events
offer the opportunity for artists to come together in the
centuries-old tradition of making art outdoors, whether it
be painting, drawing, or photography. Held four times each
year over the summer months, they’ve proven popular with
artists around the province coming to take part.
“It’s a great way to spend the day creating,” Jon says.
Left and below, a former chicken coop
renovated in 1996.
Above, Blue Grama Grass from a native
grass experimental plot at Coutts Centre.
“You’ve gotta admire
someone who can
turn an old chicken
coop into one of the
nicest houses in the
area.”
Photo: Loree Photography.
“Some of the artists are professionals with long histories
and others are amateurs, even some brand new artists, who
get the opportunity to rub shoulders with working artists.”
The program also connects back to ULAG’s activities in
Lethbridge, with an annual En Plein Air exhibition held at
the Penny Building Gallery, giving an opportunity for newer
artists to show their work. In a way, the Coutts Centre has
become an extension of the university itself, acting as a
satellite campus for exploring new ideas and activities.
“The goal is to have more and more artistic interactions
at the site,” Jon says. “From the gallery’s point of view, we
want to see the facility playing a role in the creation of new
artwork that can connect to our programming here at the
university.”
Beyond public programming, a focus on catalyzing new
work by professional artists has also begun. In the summer
of 2016, there was a residency-based workshop of six artists
from across Canada who came together at the Coutts Centre
to trade ideas, which later took shape in an exhibition at
the university. Not only that, but a new large-scale piece
of public art was created at the Coutts Centre, with artist
Donald Lawrence adapting one of the old grain bins on site
into a massive camera obscura. The original photographic
device, let light into a darkened room through a tiny
pinhole, or open aperture, to create a projected image. This
oversized version can be operated by visitors on site to view
images in the same way the inventors of photography did
nearly 200 years ago.
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