Exhibitions at the Public Art Centre take place in our Gallery ONE, TWO and THREE. Tours are free of charge and can be organized in advance for school and community groups. For more information please see Education Programs.


 

Current Exhibition


Between the Boards

Group Exhibition

April 12 - June 7, 2025

Galleries One & Two

 Please join us on April 12, 2025, from 1-3pm for the awards presentation and opening reception of Between the Boards.

A combined effort occurs Between the Boards as the light streams through the gaps. It is not a space that separates two things but a connection of the two that affects and encompasses both.

Many artists return to locations continually to try to capture the subtle changes in the landscape. In doing so, they document these settings and nuances and record the ever-changing and sometimes disappearing surroundings. Clark McDougall was one such artist, and the interior barn paintings he created are, in part, the inspiration for this project.

The works in this exhibition showcase the collaborative effort and creative synergy of the artists involved, highlighting innovative approaches and unique perspectives that emerged during the Between the Boards project held in August 2024.

Thank you to Ian Begg for providing the awards and the inspiring location.  A very special thank you to the judges,

Catherine Elliot Shaw, Ciabh McEvenue and Kevin Morrell.


Echoes of the Past: Clark McDougall’s Barns

April 12 to June 7, 2025

Gallery Three

The “Echoes of the Past: Clark McDougall’s Barns” exhibition invites you on an expressive journey through the heart of rural Elgin County highlighting a selection of McDougall's artworks from the Public Art Centre’s permanent collection.  The selected artworks has help to define and document the family barns that dot the landscape of Elgin County. Through his unique artistic technique, McDougall captures not just the physical structures but the stories, memories, and histories that these barns once embodied.

These barns, often seen as mere agricultural structures, are transformed by McDougall's hands into symbols of family heritage and community. Each artwork serves as a tribute to the generations of farmers and families who have nurtured the land and relied on these buildings for sustenance and shelter. Through his lens, McDougall invites us to reflect on the passage of time, the changing landscapes of rural life, and the enduring spirit of those who once called Elgin County home.

 


Upcoming Exhibitions


Jeff Suchak

A Covenant of Reciprocity

Galleries One & Two

June 14 to August 9, 2025

Artist Reception Saturday June 14, 2025 1-3pm

Jeff Suchak is a contemplative fine art photographer who works in film and digital formats. His photography is informed by the Traditional Peoples and transcendental poets throughout history who view the landscape as sacred, entrusted as stewards and caretakes, living in partnership with the land.

 As we are now witnessing climate catastrophe and disruptions around the world as regular occurrences, the resulting societal impacts are becoming more apparent.  We are now living it.  So how do we live in this new reality of catastrophe understanding it will continue to grow in frequency and devastation?

In the exhibition, A Covenant of Reciprocity, Jeff asks what is the nature of our relationship with the Natural World?

 His selection of images often go unseen. Many are close and invite you in. Seeing the unseen. Will the experience evoke a sense of mystery, of wonder, of awe? Can the image contribute to one giving thought to their relationship with the natural world and possibly awakening into a new one?  

The exhibition, A Covenant of Reciprocity asks us to ponder our relationship and to give consideration to entering into a new covenant with the Natural World.