January 20, 2020

With its tall ceilings, movable white walls and intricate lighting system, Medicine Hat College’s (MHC) One on One Gallery is a blank canvas in itself, perfect for showcasing creative works of art produced by students, local artists, as well as artists from across the nation.

Since opening in 2014, the intention behind the space has been to function as a real-world gallery, with a versatile display and capacity to host reception events, explains Clint Lawrence, visual communications program coordinator at MHC.

The One on One Gallery is geared towards showcasing student artwork from the visual communications program, however the opportunity for community collaboration also exists.

For instance, the gallery hosts an annual high school art show and reception, where students experience first-hand what it’s like to display their work in a professional setting. This event also serves as an introduction to MHC’s visual communications program and increases awareness of the gallery in the community.

Lawrence highlights a new and exciting opportunity for students participating in the High School Art Show this year, which will run from Feb. 7 – 27, 2020.

“Typically, there are prizes for the first, second and third place pieces in the show. However, this year we’re adding even more incentive to the competition by awarding these winners with a guaranteed spot in the Visual Communications program, as well as waiving the registration fee.”

The One on One Gallery is not limited to local artists, as they host a Visiting Artist series twice a year where artists from all over Canada are invited to submit their work for display. The submissions are then juried by MHC faculty and the top selections are featured in the series for the community to enjoy.

The current show in the One on One Gallery opened Jan. 17, 2020 and features the work of current visual communications students.

“The cool thing about this show is that it is fully driven by the students. They pick the theme and create the poster, handle the process of collecting the work and jurying the submissions, and take care of setting up the exhibit including hanging the art and setting the lighting. They get a hands-on experience of what it all takes and the exhibit is a great showcase of the talent we have in our community,” explains Lawrence.

Above: Tyrel Anderson, president of Visual Arts Student Society.

Tyrel Anderson, president of the Visual Arts Student Society (VASS), says, “Our goal for this show is to have art that is experimental-based, uses non-conventional materials or challenges the viewer in an odd way. It's pretty open and the stranger the concept the better.”

“The Obscured” is on display in the One on One Gallery, located in the Cultural Centre at MHC, from Jan. 17 – 30, 2020. The reception will be held on Friday, Jan. 24 at 7 p.m. with beverages, hors d’oeuvres and desserts to be served.

The gallery and reception is open to the public at no cost and the community is invited to attend. A list of upcoming exhibits and further information about the One on One Gallery be found online here.