Art & Art History Program 10 Graduates

The Art and Art History Program gives graduates a flexible base from which to pursue a range of careers, both within or outside of the arts community. Many graduates remain involved with education by teaching at the primary, secondary or post-secondary level; others have pursued graduate studies in studio art, art history, conservation, or related fields in the humanities, leading to an M.F.A., M.A., or Ph.D. degree. Many graduates are practicing artists who exhibit their work in artist-run, public, and private galleries both nationally and internationally. Graduates have also flourished in commercial art, including graphic design, advertising, and art direction. With its strong art history component, this program has enabled graduates to pursue administrative or curatorial positions in museums and galleries, as well as work in art criticism and journalism.

Read about and see the work of the following alumni

Michelle Gay, Rhonda Weppler, Shannon Anderson, Julie Saunders, Maria Hupfield, Heather Saunders, Richie Mehta, Su-Ying Lee

Michelle Gay

What I am doing now

I am a practicing artist. Last year, I showed my software/hardware artworks and drawings in galleries and museums across Canada. The Dunlop gallery, in Regina, had five computer-based interactive artworks and three digital photo/drawing montage works: they produced a lovely brochure with an essay by artist Bernie Miller. At Articule in Montreal, I was able to present my first large-scale room projection. A piece called stretchpoem was curated into a series entitled Immersion. This was the first exhibition of stretchpoem; although, the artwork was produced in 2000. Using a multi-finger, touch- and pressure-sensitive device, the viewer interactively teases line by line of the poem out from the projection. Articule is publishing a catalogue of the series. The McMaster Museum showed a series titled machine dreams that subsequently traveled to Video Pool in Winnipeg. My work is part of a drawing show that is traveling across Canada to venues such as the MOCCA in Toronto, the SAAG in Lethbridge, Museum London, the Art Gallery of Windsor and Dalhousie Art Gallery in Halifax among others. In Toronto, I am represented by the Birch/Libralato Gallery.

My practice is now a hybrid of drawing and computer technology. I like the immediacy of the drawing and the complexity and possibilities of digital technology. I have learned to build computers to use for my own ‘stations.’ I work very closely with my brother, Colin, who is a particle physicist. We have been collaborating on complex programmed software- and hardware-based art projects since 2000.

I also have my own freelance digital design studio called www.steamworks.net. I have developed such things as dynamic flash games for kids, large sites about the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, sites for artists, printed books for environmental organizations, a cd-rom about Jimi Hendrix, and a site for a national arts and politics magazine, to name just few projects.

How I got here

After the Art and Art History Program, I attended the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design as an MFA student, finishing my degree in 1992. I’ve worked steadily for the past 14 years, making and showing work in various venues. Earlier on in Toronto, I was an member of the artist-collective gallery Red Head Gallery and a board member for YYZ Artists’ Outlet; in Halifax, I was a founding member of a gallery called OO. And I have helped to launch numerous artist-collectives along the way. Being involved in the community in these ways is important: creating your own venues and producing your own exhibitions is an excellent way to keep active and to push the boundaries of our own gallery system in Toronto.

Prior to becoming an art student, I completed a diploma in a data-processing program. After my MFA, I took a ‘multi-media’ course – when multi-media meant Hypercard stacks and diskettes. I fell into a company called Mackerel –a group of ex-OCAD graduates that started a multi-media design studio. They brought me in 'because I was an artist first, and someone who knew technology second.' I stayed with them until we crashed and burned in 1996. I’ve been freelancing ever since.

The role of Art and Art History Program

After I completed high school and started working, it took me a number of years to find my way to the Art and Art History Program at Sheridan and UTM. I was attracted to the blend of studio practice and academics. I found this mixture to be a solid foundation and the working model for my art practice today – reading, research, learning and making. My focus at that time was to become a practicing artist and the professors at UTM and Sheridan were profoundly encouraging to me. They prepared me for my career as an artist with amazing dedication and commitment.

Rhonda Weppler

What I am doing now

My main means of support is working for a company in Vancouver, British Columbia that manufactures decorative home furnishings. I work three days a week mostly doing faux finishing, mold making, and hand painting. The rest (and the best part) of my time I spend working on my own work. I currently collaborate with another artist, Trevor Mahovsky. We do about five exhibitions a year, including both solo shows and group shows. We show widely across Canada, and also internationally. It is not always easy of course, but I feel like I’m doing what I’ve always wanted to do, and live a life that I was hoping to live (at least for the most part…I still don’t have that villa in Spain!) I love looking at art, thinking of our collaborative projects, realizing them, and getting to travel to show them. It is true that only a rare few artists become really wealthy from their work alone, but I feel like being an artist has allowed me a wealth of fantastic experiences.

See http://www.rweppler.com

How I got here

After leaving the Sheridan/University of Toronto Mississauga Art and Art History Program in 1996, I moved to Vancouver to complete a two-year Masters of Fine Arts graduate degree at the University of British Columbia. At first, I didn’t think I would stay living out west; but, once I graduated, established sculptor Liz Magor hired me as her studio assistant. I worked for her for four years, simultaneously working for the company that I currently work for, and also on my own work. It seems like bit by bit, I have steadily built an art career.

The role of Art and Art History Program

Coming out of high school, I had not much experience really looking at art, or being in art galleries. I think I was like a lot of students; I was enthusiastic and curious, but I came into university with a narrow idea of what art is. The Art and Art History program exposed me to the vastness, variety, and richness of what art can be. The program challenged me. Throughout my experience I had moments of feeling frustrated, encouraged, confused, and enlightened. As I coped with these feelings, I developed problem-solving and critical thinking skills. However, what I am most grateful for is leaving with an understanding of the true importance of art. I find it hard to express this understanding in words, but those feelings connected were strong enough to motivate me to pursue a lifelong commitment to the arts.

Shannon Anderson

What I am doing now

Since 2000, I have been the Curatorial Assistant and Registrar at Oakville Galleries. I coordinate exhibitions of contemporary art and work in a team environment with curators, the installation team and exhibiting artists. I also manage and curate exhibitions from Oakville Galleries’ permanent collection. Since 2004, I have been a member of the Board of Directors at YYZ Artists’ Outlet in Toronto.

How I got here

While studying on the Art and Art History Program and after graduation, I held a series of contract positions with the Art Gallery of Mississauga and the Art Gallery of Ontario. In 1998, I entered graduate studies at Concordia University in Montreal, and earned my Masters in Art History.

The role of Art and Art History Program

The Art and Art History Program’s balance of art history and studio practice has proven to be an important mix for my professional and artistic development. By offering courses in a range of media, I was able to learn both the technical skills behind photography, printmaking and sculpture, while also gaining a solid background in the conceptual theories and issues behind contemporary art practices. In my experience of working in art institutions, I have found it extremely valuable to have a hands-on understanding of how artists make their work. It has allowed me to effectively work with artists from across Canada and internationally, anticipating their needs, and facilitating the exhibition process.

The professors in the Art and Art History Program are among the most supportive I have ever encountered. The collaborative community that grows over the four years of this program, from both students and teachers, continues long after graduation.

Julie Saunders

What I am doing now

I am a Medical Illustrator/Animator with Artery Studios, a Toronto company that produces medical illustrations, animations and interactive media for court cases. My interest in the field of medical and scientific illustration was sparked by a summer job as an undergraduate in Art and Art History at UTM: I illustrated plants for the botany department. After several years working in both publishing (Production Manager at Canadian Art magazine) and the arts (Office Manager, Edward Day Gallery, Toronto), I returned to school to pursue my goal of a career in medical illustration. My graduate work in the Master of Science in Biomedical Communications Program at the University of Toronto was in the field of digital video editing and motion graphics.
www.medicalart.ca

The role of Art and Art History Program

I chose the Art and Art History Program because of its equal emphasis on studio and academic courses, and because taking courses in other disciplines (I did a minor in Anthropology) was encouraged. It gave me the chance to develop both my artistic skills and my skills in research and writing— a vital combination in all of my subsequent jobs. I also chose the program because of the partnership between Sheridan and UTM, which provided strong studio and academic resources. What I didn’t realize at the time was how valuable it would be to study fine arts in the Toronto area where the majority of arts-related jobs are located. My former teachers and fellow graduates have put me in touch with many rewarding opportunities through the years.

 

Heather Saunders

What I am doing now

I am the art librarian at Purchase College in New York, where I support the research needs of students and faculty in art and design, art history and arts management. As a faculty member, I am encouraged to exhibit my artwork professionally, and to be active in the arts on campus and in the community. If you are interested in learning more about becoming an art librarian, please visit http://www.arlisna.org.

How I got here

Several years after graduating from the Art and Art History Program, I returned to the University of Toronto to earn my Masters in Library and Information Studies and my Masters in Art History, with the goal of becoming an art librarian. My interest in art libraries stemmed from administrative experience in art galleries. I have worked as administrator of Edward Day Gallery (Toronto); director of White Water Gallery (North Bay); and research intern at the Library and Archives of the National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa).

Working in galleries also revived my interest in my own creative practice, which ebbed and flowed after graduation. I make feminist fibre art that addresses gender socialization manifested through clothing. Essentially, I scour clothing stores for garments that reinforce stereotypes of femininity and use these ‘found objects’ in stitched assemblages. My secondary interest is in the status of fibre art and specifically, in its validity as a medium for sculpture.

The role of Art and Art History Program

The Art and Art History program exploded my notion of what constituted art. Before entering the program, I didn’t even know that fibre art existed beyond the world of craft. The immensely supportive studio instructors introduced a host of possibilities, which the art history professors aptly contextualized.

Working intimately with other students in small classes gave me insight into the creative practice of artists, which is essential for supporting their research needs as an art librarian. In addition, the exhibition opportunities offered through the program gave me the skills to assist in the preparation of exhibitions at Edward Day Gallery and to mount exhibitions independently at White Water Gallery. Meanwhile, the art history classes introduced me to the vocabulary for discussing art, whether in conversation with gallery visitors or in writing press releases or catalogues to promote exhibitions.

The social aspect of the Art and Art History Program also offered a number of opportunities. Through extra-curricular groups like the Fine Arts Student Association, we created further exhibition opportunities for ourselves, and we shared our thoughts on local exhibitions in The Medium, the UTM student newspaper. I started out as an arts writer for The Medium, and subsequently became arts editor. This student job ultimately led to several jobs in publishing, including arts publishing.

Richie Mehta

What I am doing now

I direct feature films.

How I got here

After completing my Art and Art History degree, I attended Sheridan's Advanced Television and Film Program and spent three years making short films. I've just completed my first feature, which I shot in India, and I look forward to making more films.

The role of Art and Art History Program

The Art and Art History Program was crucial in my development as a filmmaker because it taught me to communicate to myself. I don't treat my films as industry projects, but as my own art projects, with themes and craft relevant to my growth. As I progressed through Art and Art History, I found the studio instructors focused less on what medium I stuck to, and more about what I had to say, and how I said it. This trains one for any and all communication-related work, journalism, art, film, even politics or law (all of which are involved in filmmaking!) It was a treasured experience.

Su-Ying Lee

What I am doing now

Currently, I am an independent curator and have recently worked in collaboration with Suzanne Carte-Blanchenot to co-curate an exhibition of the work of two other Art & Art History alumni, Alison Kobayashi and Gintas Tirilis. The exhibition, Motel, was on view from June 25 to July 26, 2009 at Xpace in Toronto. In my overall curatorial practice, I am interested in collaboration and building relationships: I see the role of the curator as that of an active agent, co-conspirator and accomplice, rather than as tastemaker or connoisseur.

I have curated a number of exhibitions for the Art Gallery of Mississauga including Explorers and Dandies in an open letter to Canada Post: Frederick Hagan & Kent Monkman; Couch surfing in Mississauga/Couch surfing in Syracuse: Alison S.M. Kobayashi & Christina Kolozsvary; a video screening titled Bedroom Community. I have commissioned a project by Harrell Fletcher and Wendy Red Star that will be exhibited in November of 2009.

I also participate in the art community as a member of the Board of Directors of Toronto artist-run centre Mercer Union. Since my time as an undergrad in the Art & Art History Program, I have remained involved with University of Toronto at Mississauga’s Blackwood Gallery as a member of the gallery's advisory committee. In the summer of 2009, I volunteered to assist Commissioner/Curator Barbara Fischer at the Canadian Pavilion of the Venice Biennale. It was a great opportunity to contribute to Canadian cultural production on an international platform and to catch a glimpse of what is involved in realizing such an ambitious project.

I met Barbara Fischer when she was Curator of the Blackwood Gallery, and I both volunteered and took on a work-study position at the gallery while a student. In September of 2009, I will once again become a student at U of T, entering the Masters of Visual Studies in Curatorial Studies stream headed by Professor Barbara Fischer. After working for several years in an institutional setting, this will allow me to examine how my practice is developing and further evolve my interests.

How I got here

My exploration of curating began with volunteer work at the Blackwood Gallery that evolved into a work-study position. At that time, I also took the Curatorial Studies course that Professor Barbara Fischer was teaching. Subsequently, I worked as a summer student at the Art Gallery of Mississauga with Curator Stuart Reid, and learned much about both the creative and administrative process of curating.

After graduation, I worked with independent curator Eileen Sommerman, and then was hired at the Art Gallery of Mississauga — first as Gallery Assistant, then Curatorial Assistant, and later as Assistant Curator. My curatorial work greatly benefited by my efforts to keep active and current through reading about cultural practices nationally and internationally, as well as through my frequent visits to galleries to observe not only artwork but the use of exhibition spaces. For me, the ideal trip or vacation includes the opportunity to view exhibitions.

My advice to anyone who wants to curate is just go ahead and curate. Find a space, develop a theme, and seek out artists to work with. There are many ways to creatively use available free spaces. Emerging artists are the most easily accessible. However, I found that established artists can be surprisingly receptive as well. Jennifer Matotek (another Art & Art History alumna) and I used this strategy, mounting exhibitions together in available space at 401 Richmond Street in Toronto. This gave us the opportunity to develop practical experience and to experiment.

The role of Art and Art History Program

During my time in the Art & Art History Program, I found the professors invested in the students who took responsibility for their own learning. Being a small program with its own space within a larger institution fostered a sense of community, cooperation and engagement among the professors and students. Professor Paul Kipps was particularly good at distilling the essence of what individual students were good at when they couldn't see it themselves. Professor Carmelo Arnoldin enthusiastically supported me in my interests, and kindly made the referral that got me my summer position at the Art Gallery of Mississauga. Professor Barbara Fischer is now not only a mentor but colleague as well. I have named only a few faculty; however, my experience was that all of the professors I studied with at both UTM and Sheridan were genuinely interested and encouraging, and they remain so when I encounter them now.

I think rather than saying that the Art & Art History Program taught "critical thinking," I would say that the program introduces both the concepts and applications of critical thinking. Prior to that, I could see how models of cultural production differed, but didn't know how to describe or critically examine the implications of those differences. These skills are introduced early on in order to give students a sense of how they will develop if they remain in the field of study. Many students are able to take their experiences in the program and apply this knowledge to a range of work in the contemporary art field.

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