U of L summer camps could take many forms

trevor.kenney — Thu, 14 May 2020 19:04:20 +0000

Summer camps at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge will go on — one way or another.

As the Government of Alberta begins to ease restrictions as part of its phased approach to reopening the province, summer day camps (with guidelines) are part of Phase 1 of the plan.

Whether in-person or not, the sumer camp experience is a vital engagement experience for southern Alberta youngsters.

“We are encouraged, and hopeful, with the Government of Alberta’s plan for the Phase 1 lifting of restrictions related to COVID-19 that includes summer day camps (with occupancy limits),” says Valerie Archibald, director of Youth Outreach at the U of L. “As such, we are keeping the majority of our summer programming schedule intact for the time being. Since early April, various U of L departments have been working collaboratively to come up with viable options to address the evolving environment surrounding COVID-19 and its effect on our summer programming – online and in-person (with restrictions).”

U of L teams are working on scenarios and activities that can be accommodated under current provincial guidelines, how to safely check campers both in and out of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, what facilities might be available and how to evolve the strategy should the province move into Phase 2 or 3 as the summer progresses.

“We will continue to monitor the Government of Alberta reopening schedule and guidelines as they evolve and are prepared to alter, adapt or cancel our summer camps as required,” says Archibald. “If your in-person summer camp is cancelled, all registrants will receive a full refund of their paid fees."

Meanwhile, U of L teams are working on the creation of a new initiative — a Mini U online camp for the summer — with registration details to come. Free for households, the program will provide a camp experience at home. Campers will be able to use at-home supplies or purchase full kits with all the supplies they need for an awesome week of learning and fun. They will have the opportunity to meet with other campers and instructors online to participate in hands-on, engaging activities. They will also be able to work at their own pace on various other projects provided throughout the week, all provided collaboratively by Destination Exploration, the U of L Art Gallery, the Conservatory of Music and Sport & Recreation Services.

“We know kids throughout southern Alberta love the U of L summer camp experience as much as we do and we are doing all we can to bring them the same engaging, enriching summer experience they’ve all come to expect,” says Archibald.

For continuing camp updates, visit the Community Programs web page.

Companion pieces by artist Joan Miró reunited after 60 years

caroline.zentner — Wed, 14 Aug 2019 17:36:47 +0000

In 1955, when two drawings by Spanish artist Joan Miró were up for sale at the Curt Valentin Gallery in New York, Roloff Beny (LLD’72), a Medicine Hat-born artist and internationally known photographer who frequently shopped at the gallery, contacted his good friend, Dr. Margaret (Marmie) Perkins Hess (DFA ’04), with a proposition.

The two Miró drawings flank a photo of Beny and Hess taken in 1974.

Beny wrote to Hess about “two small but superb Miró drawings” that he could get a better price on if he bought both. Hess took him up on the offer, buying her Miró drawing from the gallery via Beny the same year.

“The drawing titled Composition stayed with Beny and came to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge in 1982 as a gift from Roloff,” says Juliet Graham, U of L Art Gallery registrar. “The drawing titled Sun Moon & Man stayed with Marmie and ended up here because of her bequest. This is the first time they’ve been together again in 60 years.”

The two drawings are currently being exhibited in the U of L’s Hess Gallery, along with a photo of Beny and Hess taken at the McIntyre Ranch in the winter of 1974 (courtesy of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary Special Collections). The exhibit, Collected by Dr. Margaret (Marmie) Hess: Roloff Beny, explores the relationship between Beny and Hess. The works on display illustrate the scope of Beny’s practice and his influence on the international art Hess collected.

“This show is all about the friendship of Roloff and Marmie,” says Graham. “Marmie followed Roloff’s career and kept a scrapbook of his achievements.”

Beny and Hess met at the Banff School of Fine Arts (now the Banff Centre) in the early 1940s, where Hess was teaching and Beny, 15 years old at the time, was studying with H.G. Glyde, a well-known Alberta artist. Even though Hess was eight years older than Beny, the two stayed in touch and became close friends. Beny advised Hess on many of her art purchases.

Beny passed away in 1984 at the age of 60 and Hess served on an advisory committee to his estate which unanimously determined that Beny’s collection of more than 1,000 artworks should come to the U of L.

When Hess passed away at the age of 100 in 2016, many pieces in her art collection, including her Miró drawing, were donated to the U of L. The drawing might have been lost forever if not for a keen-eyed executor who went through her personal papers and effects one by one.

The Collected by Dr. Margaret (Marmie) Hess: Roloff Beny exhibit is open until Thursday, August 29 in the Hess Gallery, located on the sixth floor of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Centre for the Arts.

UNews - U of L Art Gallery

U of L summer camps could take many forms

Related Topics

Companion pieces by artist Joan Miró reunited after 60 years

Related Topics