Museum and exhibition impresario, Gail Lord, Lord Cultural Resources, views the ILLUMINATION Crystal Collection before the VIP Opening Reception, October 27th.
Many thanks to photographers Teddy Melvin and John Ortner for documenting the opening reception, and to the Globe & Mail society columnist, Nolan Bryant for kindly covering the ILLUMINATION opening reception event in Canada’s national newspaper.
I would like to personally thank Kelvin Browne, Director and CEO, of the Gardiner Museum, and his wonderful support team including Retail Manager, Michael Orlando, for the wonderful experience I have had exhibiting the ILLUMINATION – “Portraits of Canadian Literature” crystal collection at the museum. It has been a great honour to be the first crystal artist to be invited to have a solo exhibition at the prestigious Gardiner Museum, and I greatly appreciate the support and encouragement during the 3 week exhibition from October 26 to November 15, 2015.
ILLUMINATION guests Cynthia Hancock, with her mother Evie MacDougall, and Sarah Hampson, Globe & Mail columnist.
Greeting the Rt. Hon. Adrienne Clarkson, 26th Governor General of Canada, and her husband, non-fiction author John Ralston Saul, the former President, of PEN International and the Co-Founder and Co Chair, of the non-profit Institute for Canadian Citizenship.
The 2015 RBC Taylor Nonfiction Award winning author, Plum Johnson, views the “Fugitive Pieces” crystal sculpture inspired by the words of author and poet, Anne Michaels.
I would also like to thank the very generous support of our Evening Sponsors who made the VIP Opening Reception such a truly memorable occasion for 150 guests on October 27th. Special thanks go to Linda Mountford, President, Truefitt & Hill North America, Kara Wood, Canadian Director, IZEA Canada, Michael Kacaba, Owner, Kacaba Vineyards and to Heather Kirk, President, ImmediaPR and Media Kitty, for overseeing the event planning.
Kelvin Browne, Director & CEO, Gardiner Museum, greets the 150 guests at the opening reception of ILLUMINATION – Portraits of Canadian Literature, crystal exhibition, October 27th, 2015.
ILLUMINATION guests included the renowned fine artist Anita Kunz, and husband Dick Chin, and Mary Osborne, the Executive Director, of the Writers Trust of Canada.
On the Sunday, October 25th, Penguin Random House Canada, hosted their own annual “International Festival of Authors” reception at the Gardiner Museum, for the visiting international authors and the Canadian literary community, and so the ILLUMINATION Collection had its inaugural unveiling before the public exhibition opened on Monday morning.
New York Times best selling author Joy Fielding, and husband Warren Seyffert, Deputy Chairman, Teck Resources Limited, view “The English Patient” sculpture inspired by Michael Ondaatje words.
ILLUMINATION guests Don Oravec, former Director of the Writers Trust of Canada, with partner Jim Harper, viewing ROOM, inspired by the beautiful words of author Emma Donoghue.
The 12-piece ILLUMINATION crystal exhibition was held in the lobby of the museum, where guests could mingle and view the sculpture along with the 150 projected “Portraits of Canadian Authors,” which were also being shown concurrently at the International Festival of Authors, at the Harbourfront Centre, and at the Toronto Reference Library, and 13 of its Toronto Public Library branches across the GTA. I would like to thank all of the participating authors who have kindly supported the project for their patience and time, and I am delighted that so many Canadian authors have visited the crystal exhibition since its opening.
ILLUMINATION guests Inger Bartlett and husband Marshall Stearns, Bartlett & Associates, interior design firm, enjoying the festivities of the opening reception.
ILLUMINATION guests included arts philanthropists Alison Fisher, Jeremy Riley and Heather Ballon.
Some of the special guests who attended the ILLUMINATION opening on Tuesday, October 27th included former Governor General of Canada, the Rt. Hon Adrienne Clarkson, Justice Norman Dyson, Robert Lawrie, Chair, Hawk Sight Capital, Brian Sullivan, President, SCRS Services, and wife Caroline, Sen. Jerry Grafstein and wife Carole, Toronto socialites Catherine Nugent and June Black, Mark Dorfman, Four Seasons Hotels, Christopher & Nancy Molson, Mary Osborne, Director, Writers Trust of Canada, Krystyne Griffin, jewellery designer and Co-Founder, Griffin Poetry Prize, Jean Riley, Former Director & CEO, National Arts Centre, and husband Jeremy, Bev Tudhope, CEO, Quaternion, and Gardiner Museum Director, and his wife Lyndsay, Geoff Cape, President & CEO, Evergreen, former publisher/author, Anna Porter and husband lawyer/author Julian, Jo Lee Mascioli Mansell, Publisher, JO LEE Magazine and TSN Sportscaster Gord Miller and his wife Sarah.
ILLUMINATION guests Keegan Knight and Cameron Roberts, with the Hon Col. Gerald P. J. Haddon and his wife Amanda.
Patrick and Kara Wood, Digital Analyst, IZEA Canada, and ILLUMINATION Evening Sponsor, with Patrick Forestell, Director, IZEA Canada.
There was also an interesting artistic crowd in attendance including fine artist’s Anita Kunz and husband Dick Chin, Ian Levanthal, Patricia Goss and Andrew Cheddie Sookrah, literary agent Samantha Haywood, and author’s Anne Michaels, Plum Johnson, John Ralston Saul, Charles Foran, Guy Gariel Kay, Katherine Govier, Michelle Berry, Joy Fielding, Eleanor Wachtel, Barry Callaghan, Robert Rotenberg, Kim Moritsugu among many others.
Two of the 150 illuminated authors photographed by the artist for the project included award winning authors Wayson Choy and Susan Swan.
ILLUMINATION guests the incomparable Catherine Nugent and publicist, Mary Symons.
Many thanks to photographers Teddy Melvin and John Ortner for documenting the opening reception, and to the Globe & Mail society columnist, Nolan Bryant for kindly covering the ILLUMINATION opening reception event
ILLUMINATION guests TSN sportscaster Gord Miller and his lovely wife Sarah, with Michel Fortier, Principal, NDB Group Syndication.
ILLUMINATION guest Beverley Birks, vintage clothing expert and exhibition curator, contemplates the”Fugitive Pieces” sculpture inspired by the words of author Anne Michaels.