Gallery 101

Spring is in the air and we’ve got lots going on this weekend to celebrate!

After what was, for most, a short week, we have arrived at yet another beautiful summer weekend in this great city. With so much going on, you’ll want to read through and plan ahead to make the most of your precious weekend time. As we all know, it is never quite long enough.

March has certainly been flying by, and this weekend is the calm between the storms of St. Patrick’s Day and Easter, so take a moment to breathe as spring officially begins. I don’t think any of us were expecting to see grass and open water so soon, so take advantage of the weather and enjoy some sunshine, or some sugar shacks perhaps?

On Friday, October 13, at Gallery 101 in Ottawa, the Moving Art Gallery married high art and fashion in their debut runway Haut(e). The show spotlighted works by two local designers, Comfort Survival and Stidwill.

It’s *technically* the second weekend of Winterlude, but after a rollercoaster week of weather, the Rideau Canal still hasn’t opened and ice carvings are starting to melt (despite the best efforts of NCC staff!). That said, there are still some great Winterlude-esque activities to enjoy this weekend, plus a number of other great Ottawa events.

The Ottawa Art Gallery’s (OAG) Give to Get Art Auction begins tonight with a Gala celebration, and continues all weekend with online bidding.

This Saturday, I had the pleasure of attending a vernissage for a new exhibition by Michelle Sound, We Take Care of Us, currently on display at Gallery 101. The reception began with a beautiful opening ceremony by Grandmother Irene. Every guest participated in the traditional cleansing smudging ceremony, and then we all sang a song to welcome in the spirits. I’ve never been to an event where everybody could participate in the ceremony and it was incredibly meaningful and impactful.

COVID-19 cases are on the decline, vaccine rates are rising, and restrictions are easing in Ottawa. There is plenty to get out and enjoy this summer weekend in the city. From farmers’ markets, to vintage markets, live music, to art exhibits; there is a little something for everyone. Without further ado, here are the details on this weekend’s happenings.

We’ve somehow managed to make it through to the final month of 2020 and, for that, I think we all deserve a bit of celebration. As this weekend approaches, we’ve got a bunch of great ideas for you all as to how to properly go about it during this festive season.

The opening drew a capacity crowd of appreciative viewers.

Yeah, it’ll be cold. But there’s still plenty to do in Ottawa, from concerts to galleries to skating. See you out there!

Xenia Fink, Guillermo Trejo and Jinny Yu explore the ambiguous relationship between the individual and the nation in this new exhibition.