鈥淚t鈥檚 a political thing, at its basis, to assert that making creative work is kind of an anarchistic act. It鈥檚 not driven by the market, but by an impulse toward freedom.鈥�
For Fort 91原创 artist, Suzanne Northcott it was exactly this type of 鈥榓narchistic鈥� creative impulse that led, a decade ago, to the formation of what has become one of the historic village鈥檚 most established art galleries.
The Fort Gallery will celebrate its 10th anniversary this month with 鈥淔ull Circle鈥� an exhibit of work by nine of its alumni artists.
All of the artists participating in the show, which opens on Saturday, Jan. 31, are or have at some point been members of the collective, which was formed in 2005 by Northcott and fellow artist Betty Spackman as a place where creative energy could flow unobstructed.
At the time, said Northcott, there was nowhere to show the kind of work she wanted to make 鈥� work that was not necessarily commercially driven.
She was living upstairs in the 1911 鈥淐oronation Block,鈥� a small heritage building at Glover Road and Francis Avenue, from which she was running both a gallery style shop and yoga studio.
鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 wait to stop doing that,鈥� she said, with a laugh.
One day, while chatting with Spackman, Northcott mentioned an idea she鈥檇 had to turn the space into a gallery.
鈥淏etty said, 鈥業 have a very clear vision.鈥欌��
Spackman suggested the space could be run as an artists鈥� co-op, similar to one she was familiar with in Toronto.
鈥淲e were so on the same page, it was scary,鈥� said Northcott.
鈥淚t was very synchronistic. I had the space and Betty had the idea and a model.鈥�
Beginning with artists whose work was already for sale in Northcott鈥檚 shop and looking around the community, the women approached several other artists to share their vision of a collective.
Among those who came on board was South 91原创 painter Susan Falk.
Bringing with her a background running a business, Falk鈥檚 timing could not have been better.
鈥淣either Betty nor I had any practical inclination. We鈥檙e idealists, full of ideas and passion,鈥� said Northcott.
Much of the business sense the gallery needed, which was initially provided by Falk, was later offered by accountant Susan Beachy.
鈥淲e could not have survived without her,鈥� Falk said.
Over the years, the gallery has done well with sales and the public has been very supportive of the artists鈥� efforts, added Falk.
The collective has also hosted annual fundraising events including their Blue Plate Special gala at the Fort 91原创 Community Hall and Art Farm plein air painting lessons on Falk鈥檚 property.
Many of the basic costs of keeping the gallery open have been covered by artists鈥� fees, with the gallery boasting an average of 20 members 鈥榟olding the fort鈥� at any given time, and more than 50 individuals having come and gone over the years.
However, their numbers have dropped in the past 18 months and the artists are hoping to boost them once again to ensure the gallery remains self-sustaining.
The Fort 91原创 gallery is ideal for artists who are just starting out, as a place to find their niche while deciding how they want to turn their passion into a viable living.
鈥淭hey figure out what to do about the commercial part. What鈥檚 a natural direction to take?鈥� said Northcott.
鈥淓ventually, they find other avenues, but there has to be a beginning,鈥� said Falk. 鈥淚t can be very scary if you鈥檝e never had a show.鈥�
Along with Northcott and Falk, the other artists exhibiting in Full Circle will be Nancy Crawford, Richard Forbes, Terry Nurmi, Fiona Moes Pel, Myrna Pfeifer, Donna Usher and Spackman.
In the spirit of true creative expression, the artists participating in the exhibit have not been given a theme nor any guidelines within which they鈥檙e expected to work.
鈥淭here are no limits 鈥� it鈥檚 whatever they want, whether pieces they鈥檝e displayed before or new work,鈥� said Northcott.
Crawford, a teacher at 91原创 Fine Arts School, was among the Fort Gallery鈥檚 first member artists in its early days. As both an established artist and someone who is engaged with up-and-coming young painters and sculptors every day, Crawford said a gallery where artists enjoy complete freedom is 鈥渆ssential.鈥�
鈥淵ou鈥檙e basically creating a safe place for people to take risks and have dialogue around it. A huge part of creating is sharing.鈥�
She is preparing 14 pieces for the exhibit, which together will make up 鈥淭he Detritus Collection.鈥� Ranging in size from 12鈥� x12鈥� to 12鈥漻 36,鈥� the set of encaustic 鈥� layered wax 鈥� paintings will be displayed together to form one large piece, she explained.
Encased in the first piece is a single coil of rusted barbed wire. In the second piece there is a pair of objects, three items in the third, and so on.
Crawford鈥檚 use of materials others have cast aside to create art is quite deliberate.
鈥淚鈥檓 an avid collector of the minutia of everyday life. What appeals to me is how we attach meaning to objects.
鈥淲hat looks like garbage or trash are actually powerful memory triggers,鈥� she said.
Working with melted wax evokes wonderful memories, in turn, for Crawford.
鈥淢y nana, who I adored, was a candlemaker,鈥� she said.
In encaustic work, the pigment is suspended in melted beeswax and applied one layer at a time. The medium gives the artist an extraordinary amount of control, Crawford said. 鈥淵ou can achieve every effect from transparency to translucency to opacity. It鈥檚 very exciting.鈥�
Using a heat gun or a blow torch, Crawford fuses each new layer with the one beneath it.
鈥淢y palette is a grill,鈥� she said with a chuckle.
Full Circle, an exhibition of contemporary art, runs Jan. 28 to Feb 15, with an official opening on Saturday, Jan. 31 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The Fort Gallery, located at 9048 Glover Rd. is open Wednesday to Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
Visit for more information or call 604-888-7411.
