This weekend: Brampton's Best Undiscovered Comic Artist contest at Stadium Comics' Free Comic Book Day

Think you have what it takes to impress in the world of comic art? Submit a sample of your work to us on Free Comic Book Day. The submissions will go up on Stadium Comics' Facebook page, and the public will vote on which one is the best!

The winner gets a $25 Stadium Gift Certificate, and a two-week exhibit at Visual Arts Brampton's Fridge Front Gallery. The winner gets the "three door" case to themselves, and can display whatever comic art they'd like. The winner chooses the start date for this show, which can be anytime between June and August.

For Free Comic Books Day, Stadium Comics has invited a tons of guests, including Marcio Takara and Alex Milne. Both artists exhibited at Artway Gallery this January, in an exhibit presented by VAB and Stadium Comics. New this year is Ken Lashley, whose titles include Black Panther, X-Men, and The Flash. There's also a ton of stuff on sale in store, an exclusive t-shirt offer, costume creation company Heroes in Tights, raffles, contests, and giveaways.

The most notable giveaway is the reason for the international event, free copies of select comic books. This year's lineup includes titles based on Superman, Ironman, Thor, The Simpsons, Archie, Toy Story and more. But be warned, there's only a limited supply, and they go extremely quickly.

  

Here's two pictures from last year's event, that VAB posted to Twitter.

Tons of art in Hamilton this week, at Doors Open

Door Open Hamilton is on this coming weekend, May 1 and 2. There's quite a variety of sites on the tour, all free to the public.

• Fieldcote Memorial Park & Museum: This site includes an art gallery. Last year, it featured works by local youth. This year?  Guennadi Kalinine, a landscape artist.
• Carnegie Gallery: Once a Carnegie Library, just like what we have in Brampton, it's now the Dundas Art and Craft Association's gallery and shop. Currently on display is their 30th anniversary show, plus work by local two high schools.
• Rock Chapel United Church: Some art will be on display at the church.
• Art Gallery of Hamilton: Current shows on the first floor are Posing Beauty in African American Culture, Ritual Evidence: Tim Whiten, Arctic Passion: The Inuit Art Collection, End of the American Road: Terence Byrnes, and david merritt: sham. On the second floor, Max Streicher: Architecture of Cloud, Robert Mason, Shaped By Light, and Kim Adams' Bruegel-Bosch Bus. Various art talks happen throughout the weekend, plus an art sale.
• Lincoln Alexander Centre: A former movie theatre, now an entertainment hall, an art show is on display.
• The Studios at Hotel Hamilton: Tenants of the building are putting on an art show.
• Workers Arts and Heritage Centre: The only national labour history museum, it also includes an art gallery. On display are gold paper cutouts, inspired by Chinese wallpaper, works by labour union members, and vintage songbook covers.
• McMaster Museum of Art: McMaster graduating students and selections from the permanent collection are on display.
• Engineering Technology Building, McMaster University: Inside are various permanent artworks. The new building opened in 2009.

Beyond all of the attractions directly related to art, there's tons of interesting places, from a nuclear reactor to a planetarium, Dundurn National Historic Site to a waterworks (where they film the exteriors of Murdoch Mysteries, if I'm not mistaken).

Two articles in recent Guardian

In case you missed the two articles about Visual Arts Brampton in last week's Brampton Guardian, both are available online.

First is an interview with Ryan Thompson, relating to his comic Villains of Mercy, on display at Artway's annual Laughlines exhibit. Also included in the show are works by Steve Nease, Peter Emslie, Rob Penman, and Debra Ali.

Included on the same page was a mention of additional open studio time at Visual Arts Brampton, taught by OCAD-trained artist and VAB member Jacqueline Veltri.

Annual General Meeting, April 19 at 7:30 pm

Visual Arts Brampton's Annual General Meeting will be held the evening of Monday, April 19, 2010. All current members are welcome to vote in person, or fill out a proxy. Proxies are available at the studio. As always, the AGM will feature a report of the year's past happenings, scheduled future events, and budget.

The Board of Directors is established during the meeting. Positions are open on the VAB board, and any member is welcome to seek election; you may nominate yourself the night of, but we'd prefer to be informed in advance, via an other board member. Most members serve with formal position titles, and the board meets roughly 8 times annually.

Hope to see you there!

Painting Open Studio: new times, two options

Visual Arts Brampton member and artist Jacqueline Veltri's Painting Open Studio timeslot is moving and expanding.

Jacqueline's new session times are Thursdays from 10 am to 2 pm (starting April 8), and Saturdays from 3 to 5 pm (starting April 10). Jacqueline is available to offer help and encouragement as you work in acrylic, water-based oil paints, and/or watercolours. A graduate of the Ontario College of Art, she has years of creative experience.

Sessions are $3 for members, $5 for non-members, and free for Crea8tif level members. Times are drop-in, so students don't have to commit to every week, and can stay for a while or the entire session length.

The studio will still be open Thursday evenings, with Keith Moreau at the helm; artists may use any medium in this time.