Beaverbrook Art Gallery launches 'jaw-dropping' exhibit of N.B. artists

Mark Leger · CBC News

· Posted: May 04, 2025 9:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hr ago

About 2 months ago, the Beaverbrook Art Gallery successful Fredericton began showing works by New Brunswick artists successful the Harrison McCain Pavilion conscionable arsenic you participate the lobby area.

They called it the "Made successful New Brunswick" run and regularly switched retired the works to showcase the province's roster of large artists, mostly since the Second World War. 

The archetypal show of works coincided with the onset of the tariff conflict and the ensuing burst of patriotism nationwide.

"We received a large response," said John Leroux, the Beaverbrook's manager of collections and exhibitions. "That was truly arsenic soon arsenic the tariffs came down and [people were embracing] everything Canadian and New Brunswick."

Leroux said they realized they were onto thing and decided to enactment unneurotic an authoritative exhibit, which opens this weekend, of works from their imperishable collection, immoderate of which person ne'er been displayed before. 

He said the pridefulness is genuine and justifiable successful a state that's ever "punched supra its weight," winning 4 Governor General's Awards successful the ocular arts successful the past 20 years alone.

"It's a peculiar spot erstwhile it comes to [visual art]," said Leroux. "Even for maine who knows our collections truthful well, to revisit these works and enactment them unneurotic successful a caller mode has been revelatory."

There are works by well-known artists similar Thaddeus Holownia, Kathy Hooper, Molly Lamb Boback, Miller Brittain and Fred Ross. 

Leroux mentions, successful particular, a ample drafting by Ross, a Saint John creator who died successful 2014. It's a representation of his woman Sheila, who was a dancer. The enactment was "probably his astir prized possession," said Leroux, and it's ne'er been shown successful a assemblage before.

"It could beryllium close retired of the Renaissance, [there] is simply a beauteous benignant of glowing airy coming from her look arsenic she's lounging successful this beauteous 19th period metropolis and Saint John house."

It was fixed to the Beaverbrook by his girl Cathy Ross, who is besides an artist. She has a watercolour connected show close adjacent to the representation of her mother.

As portion of the exhibit, determination are besides lesser-known works similar 10 hand-blown solid pieces from the 1970s by Martin Demaine, who came present from the U.S. and acceptable up the archetypal "flame-powered, hand-blown" solid workplace successful Canada successful Mactaquac. He's present successful his 80s and an teacher successful the solid laboratory astatine the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) successful Boston.

"They're stunning," Leroux said. "They've ne'er been shown."

The exhibit volition proceed astatine the Beaverbrook until July 6.

"It's a beauteous wide show," said Leroux. "I don't deliberation anyone volition permission this accumulation feeling short-changed. In fact, I deliberation they'll travel with their jaw-dropping, saying this is outstanding and fills you with pride."