Students are Getting Arts and Crafty at CUAG
When you consider the life cycle of a work of art, you might think of an art gallery as the last stop in its journey: the place where a finished painting or sculpture is displayed for all to quietly view and appreciate.
The Carleton University Art Gallery (CUAG) is flipping the script on this narrative, inviting Carleton students into the gallery space to make their own art from scratch and meet their fellow creative Ravens.
Hosted by CUAG’s student ambassadors, Art+Friends is a new monthly initiative held throughout the semester where students can drop by the gallery on Sunday evenings to hang out and get crafty.
“It’s a great way to meet new people, take a break from coursework, and engage with something creative,” says Ashleigh Picard, a fourth-year Architectural Studies student and CUAG Ambassador. “It really transforms the gallery into a more interactive and community-focused environment.”
Graduate student and fellow CUAG ambassador Saivani Sanassy describes the first Art+Friends as “a warm day where we came together to create greeting cards and participate in activities like scavenger hunts, while enjoying hot chocolate and snacks.”
“Since I started working at the gallery as an ambassador in September, I have never seen as many people in the space as I do at Art+Friends,” shares Saivani.
The gallery provides participants with materials for printmaking, painting, sculpting, and drawing, as well as snacks and drinks. Over time, a knitting and crocheting circle developed, inspiring Saivani to launch a spin-off event called Fibre+Friends – a free, weekly lunchtime drop-in at the gallery for fibre-focused crafters of all skill levels.
“These events remind me why it’s so important to have third spaces,” says Saivani, referring to sociologist Ray Oldenburg’s popular theory that we need to have spaces to spend time in beyond just our homes and workplaces, spaces where we can freely gather to meet and connect with other people.
“Especially ones that cultivate community building and promote diverse education through exhibitions showcasing racialized artists, queer artists, Indigenous artists, disabled artists, and other underrepresented communities in the arts.”
Art+Friends is part of an overall effort led by CUAG’s Cara Tierney, Academic and Public Programs Specialist, and Danielle Printup, Indigenous Cultural Engagement Coordinator, to make the gallery – located on the ground floor of St. Patrick’s Building in the heart of Carleton’s residence community – even more accessible to students.
This includes setting up an on-site study space equipped with art supplies, hanging a student-led art show in the gallery’s main vitrine, hosting the university’s visual arts club’s meetings, holding student art contests, and organizing a weekly in-gallery visit from a Carleton therapy dog.
“The goal is to give students a sense of ownership of the gallery, so that they show up and feel reflected in the space,” explains Cara. “There’s really been a student takeover of the gallery this past year, in a way that I hope encourages other students to come by.”
The final Art+Friends meet-up for the winter term is scheduled for Sunday, April 5 from 6 to 9 p.m. at CUAG.
“I’d definitely encourage students to come by, even if they don’t usually see themselves as ‘art people,’” says Ashleigh. “Since it’s the last event of the semester, it’s a perfect opportunity to unwind and experience the gallery in a more social and interactive way before exams.”
