The Charlotte Street Arts Centre is celebrating its 10 anniversary this weekend with the Artifact (re)Make show and exhibition of artwork made from the Centre’s original architecture. Old wooden beams, square head nails and windowpanes from 1884 are just a few of the items getting a facelift.
About 35 artists including Janice Wright Chaney, Brigitte Clavette and the Centre’s own Kaylee Stevens have pieces in the exhibition.
Stevens is the program director at the Arts Centre and she’s created a piece titled Splinterbox, a wood sculpture that’s also a self-portrait. She’s excited to see the other work because the Centre has played a huge role in her development as an artist.
“Being able to take one of the original beams that was holding up the school and make something valuable and meaningful out of it [and] to be able to take things that have been lying around in the basement and make them into something meaningful – it feels good.”
Stevens has taught art classes at the Centre in the past, something she says strengthened her attachment to the building.
“There are a lot of people here that gave me a lot of guidance in my artistic practice, but also in my professional practice,” says Stevens. “Charlotte Street has character when you walk in the building – you can feel the history, you can hear it in the floors and see it in the walls.”
Stevens is encouraging everyone to attend the show, even if they’ve never been to the Centre or an art show before.
“Just getting people through the door to see what the space is all about – it’s always buzzing with life and new ideas so it’s a really inspirational space just to even walk through.”
The show starts at 5 p.m., and tickets can be purchased at either Read’s newsstand or at the Charlotte Street Arts Centre.
