Art show The Cycle continues in Oshawa
If you ask Councillor Rick Kerr, Oshawa’s local art scene is booming and he wants people to know it.
Earlier this year, Kerr heralded a new public arts project dubbed The Cycle, which he told The Express in March is “meant to break artists out of their shells and create a new way of looking at and creating art.”
“We want to break down silos and get artists working together, and get people out to see how much art there is in Oshawa. The art scene in Oshawa has never been better,” Kerr says.
After a successful inaugural event in March, The Cycle: Hope, Kerr is aiming to continue that achievement with The Cycle: Courage on Saturday, Oct. 28 at the Oshawa Art Association’s Gallery 67, a public art space that Kerr played a role in establishing.
The event will feature a wide variety of attractions including live painting, sculpturing, films, spoken word poetry and music.
Representatives from The Refuge, The LivingRoom, The Paint Factory and McLaughlin CVI will create a 32-foot mural over the course of the day.
“There are more than 50 artists of all genres and cultures participating. It truly is a multi-cultural and multi-themed art exposition,” Kerr says. “All the art will depict different perspectives on one theme – courage.”
Prior to the first event, Kerr wasn’t sure how far the idea would go, but the community support has kept things moving.
“We had a lot of great people in the community come forward and they bought into it not knowing much about it.”
After the success of The Cycle: Hope, Kerr says the buzz surrounding his concept grew.
“A lot of people came out of it thinking it was way more than they thought it would be.”
As a result, the encouragement and cajoling to carry on the program increased.
“People said you have to do another one, and I also wanted to help promote the new space,” Kerr says.
It is a free community event, but donations will be accepted with proceeds going to Denise House Emergency Shelter for Abused Women and Children.
The Cycle: Courage runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Oct. 28, with live performances and demonstrations between 11 a.m. and noon, 2 to 3 p.m. and 5 to 6 p.m.