This weekend at the Owen\u2019s Art Gallery viewers will have the chance to see new works by graduating fine arts students, and also a number of works created by faculty and students from the early years of the art department at the school. The latter collection features copies of the Owens Art Institute collection, which became the core collection of the new Owens Art Gallery in 1893.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Owens exists because a collection that was formed by the estate of John Owen moved from Saint John to Mount Allison in the late 19th century,\u201d says gallery director Emily Falvey.<\/p>\n
The collection of 388 pictures, 32 plaster casts, and a small library of art books is \u201cone of the oldest of its kind in Canada,\u201d says Falvey. \u201cAnd it was used originally to teach students learning Fine Arts in the Mount Allison Ladies College.\u201d<\/p>\n
Owens preparator Roxie Ibbitson ha\u0219 drawn from the collection to put together the Salon Hanging<\/strong>, which opens Saturday May 14 at the Owens.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Salon Hanging is basically floor to ceiling hanging of over 100 works from the core collection that Roxy [Ibbitson] does in the high wall gallery. So it\u2019s quite impressive,\u201d says Falvey. \u201cIt\u2019s supported by another exhibition [School Effects<\/strong>] that has some historical documentation of the collection hanging in Saint John, but also paintings that students made from the works,\u201d says Falvey. Back then, \u201c[copying] was basically the dominant way that students learned,\u201d says Falvey.<\/p>\n