UNews - ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's Faculty of Fine Arts

Smith and SAAG give boost to community arts

trevor.kenney — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 20:58:25 +0000

Growing up in Whitehorse, Marilyn Smith, executive director for the Southern Alberta Art Gallery (SAAG), was surrounded by some of the most beautiful artwork that nature could provide – but it was the artwork created by humanity that truly captured her heart.

"The arts have always interested me. The Yukon is an adventurous, creative place and I'm attracted to that same spirit in the arts; a place where people aren't afraid to push boundaries," says Smith, winner of the 2011 Rozsa Award for Excellence in Arts Management.

Drawn by its size and reputation for Native American and education programs, Smith became a student at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge in the mid-1970s.

"I originally thought about going into art education. I started taking art classes and art history. I realized that was the area I was most interested in, and that I didn't want to teach in a formal school system. Simultaneously, I got a job working at SAAG as part of the gallery's first extension program led by Victoria Baster (now an instructor in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's Faculty of Fine Arts). It was this experience that shifted my concentration to the administrative side of the arts," says Smith.

SAAG executive director Marilyn Smith, middle, is flanked by fellow U of L alumni and SAAG employees Tyler Stewart (far left), David Farstad, Jenn Prosser, Christina Cuthbertson and Ryan Doherty.

After her third year at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Smith went home for the summer where she stayed until 1995 as co-owner and producer of a musical theatre company: Frantic Follies Vaudeville Revue. Ready for a change, she returned to Lethbridge to complete the final year of her multi-disciplinary bachelor's degree in Fine Arts.

"In my first go-round, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ was so small; it was almost like a large high school. Art classes were in the dark, dank basement of the physical education building. When I returned in 1995, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ was much bigger, more sophisticated. There was a wider range of opportunities and a state of the art Fine Arts building. It was quite a big change," says Smith, who is quick to point out that the constant over the years was the quality of the professors and the educational experience.

"The professors are top-notch. My drama professor, David Spinks, was inspirational to me in my first experience at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. He created opportunities to go into local and First Nations communities to perform that really expanded my understanding of this area and the different people who live here. Jeffrey Spalding, the director of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's Art Gallery, was amazing. He made the collection accessible on so many levels; he had such an inspiring, boundless vision," remembers Smith. "The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ introduced me to contemporary art through their exhibitions, speaker series, visiting lectures and art history classes. I have brought that knowledge with me in my career."

In 1996, Smith graduated with distinction and began her career at the SAAG as an education co-ordinator and curator until 1999 when she was promoted to her current position. During her tenure, gallery proceeds have increased 200 per cent.

Recently, Smith oversaw renovations at the SAAG that included an addition of 6,000 square feet of space with a library and new instructional area. Since re-opening in 2010, the gallery has tripled its membership, while programming and sponsorship has increased.

"The focus of SAAG, from the founding board until now, has always been that the gallery would bring the kind of quality programming to Lethbridge that is available in larger centres. It is my privilege to work with amazing colleagues, board and community members. It has been a group effort that brought us to the point where we have an excellent reputation locally, nationally and internationally," says Smith. "I am honoured to have been a part of that."

Smith also believes that the gallery's success is greatly supported by the close connection it has with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

"The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and the SAAG have had a symbiotic relationship over the years. We exhibit artists who teach at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ; many of our artists speak at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's lecture series and we are actively involved in student internships from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ," says Smith. "Currently all our staff are ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ graduates; there is a shared understanding and experience because of that. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has made a huge difference in our quality of life and the fact that we have such a tremendously well-educated group of people to draw upon to fill the expertise needed to run the gallery has significantly influenced the growth of our institution."

This story first appeared in the November issue of the Legend. For a look at the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Matson willing and able to play any part

trevor.kenney — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 15:59:19 +0000

Sheila Matson is adept at playing a variety of roles, whether professionally or on stage. This has served her well in a three-part career at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge that began in 1968 and has no end in sight.

"It's been wonderful," Matson says of her time at the U of L. "I love the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, I don't think there's a better employer in the city and I really don't say that lightly because I've been in many different spots."

Currently, playing an administrative support role in the physics and astronomy department, Matson has seen virtually every corner of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

She began with a job in the registrar's office in 1968, working out of a mobile trailer on the city's south side. Since then she's worked in the Department of Anthropology, as an administrative assistant for the vice-president of administration, the advancement (then development) office, the library and for the director of physical plant. All the while she's moved to England, Medicine Hat, worked for the Lethbridge Symphony and Lethbridge College.

The one constant is that Matson keeps coming back to the U of L.

"It's so neat walking around now and seeing how this place has grown from this one building that stretched across the coulees to what we have today. It's been amazing," she says.

Her ability to adapt to new roles and meet new challenges is surely aided by Matson's not-so-secret talent, musical theatre. She's long been recognized as one of the area's most accomplished actors, recently giving a command performance as Mrs. Lovett in Lethbridge Musical Theatre's presentation of Sweeney Todd.

"I've been fortunate enough to be in sort of a small pond like Lethbridge to be able to play some amazing pieces and have some wonderful parts in all of them," she modestly says.

Her role as Mrs. Lovett was a return to Sweeney Todd, a play she performed here on campus in 1991 with the Centre Stage Players. Her first piece with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's Faculty of Fine Arts did not come until four years ago, when Brian Parkinson cast her in "Noises Off".

"We're an incredibly well-rounded artistic community so I'm thrilled and pleased to be a part of it. I almost feel as though I've taken over Joan Waterfield's role, I've inherited the mantle that she kind of passed down," Matson says. "That's why I've been able to adapt and move through things because nothing stays static. I love the variety and continued challenges you find."

That attitude, coupled with worldly experience, is the main reason she so seamlessly slid into her current position.

"When I heard the job was in physics and astronomy, I wasn't so sure my fine arts background would fit," she laughs. "But this is such a collaborative department in every way. I don't feel like I work for physics and astronomy. I'm treated as a member of the department and I'm involved at all levels. One of the things that I am here for is to be the face the students see and meet and I love that. That's the best part of the job as far as I'm concerned. I'm very proud to be that face and I always have been, whatever job I've done here at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ."

She's open to anyone dropping by the physics department to learn more about its programs but if you don't make it up there, check her out on stage next fall when she participates in the Lethbridge Symphony Association's kick-off fundraising production of Light in the Piazza.

It will be just another face she's eager to try on.

GET THE FACTS

• Matson managed the Lethbridge Symphony from 1998-2000

• Her daughter, Lindsay Pisko, and son, Matt Pisko, both graduated from the U of L

• Matson won the Grace Elliott Trudeau Scholarship for the best actor/actress under the age of 25 at the Dominion Drama Festival in 1970

• She credits longtime director Fran Rude as a mentor, having worked with her on Shirley Valentine and most recently on Sweeney Todd

• The Lethbridge Symphony Chorus spawned the LMT and Matson was a member of the chorus in LMT's first production, Finian's Rainbow, in April 1964

UNews - ��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ's Faculty of Fine Arts

Smith and SAAG give boost to community arts

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Matson willing and able to play any part

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UNews - ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's Faculty of Fine Arts