ELORA – The Elora Centre for the Arts is thrilled to invite the community to a soft opening celebration of its newly renovated gallery and atrium spaces. Everyone is invited to an afternoon in the refreshed gallery to meet the artists of ‘Loops, Layers, Shapes & Shadows’: David Brown, Heejung Shin, Laurie Skantzos, and Michael Stecky.
An Artist Reception will take place on Sunday Nov. 16 from 2-4 p.m. Admission is free.
Submitted photo.
These Toronto- and Guelph-based artists explore the dynamic relationship between process, material, and meaning. Through distinctive approaches, they investigate themes of transformation, rhythm, identity, and cultural heritage – reshaping everyday materials into striking art objects that challenge traditional perceptions of their mediums. Across paint, paper, plywood, beeswax, and reclaimed materials, the artists are united by a willingness to challenge their habitual methods and embrace uncertainty. In doing so, they remind us that it is never too late to explore, play, and find new ways of doing.
Their works become both artefacts and evidence – traces of process, curiosity, and the courage to wander beyond the comfort zone. Transformation lies at the heart of this exhibition. Laurie Skantzos reconfigures the discarded into the refined, finding sculptural beauty in the overlooked. David Brown folds, layers, and reshapes the human form into rhythmic geometries. Michael Stecky reinterprets the pulse of music through painted puzzle fragments, translating sound into visual rhythm.
Heejung Shin deconstructs and reassembles traditional Hanji paper, honouring cultural memory while creating something distinctly contemporary. “We are working furiously to finish up the gallery to feature this group of artists in our new gallery space,” says Lianne Carter, Executive Director of the Elora Centre for the Arts. “It’s very fitting that the essence of their exhibition is all about renewal and transformation—which is exactly what we are all about here at the moment!”
Construction of the interior of the Elora Centre for the Arts. Submitted photo.
This special soft opening event offers a first look at the beautifully refreshed spaces and an opportunity to enjoy creative conversations, hear behind-the-scenes stories from the artists, and mingle with the community.
“We’ll have an official grand opening of the new space later in the New Year,” adds Carter, “but this is an awesome way for people to get a sneak peek at the spaces and enjoy a very compelling exhibition that reminds us to give ourselves permission to play, take risks and begin again”.
