FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 10, 2014, KLEINBURG ON – The McMichael Canadian Art Collection and York Region Arts Council (YRAC) are pleased to announce Markham resident, Kevin Yung, as the apprentice for the second session of the Art Mentorship Project. Yung will work under the guidance of mentor, Bonnie Devine.

The Art Mentorship Project is an exciting initiative that provides support to emerging artists in the form of mentorships. The young artists are paired with established Canadian artists and given professional development assistance on-site at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in several one-on-one sessions. The mentor and apprentice collaborate on a piece or body of work that will be displayed in the gallery from January through March, 2015.

“The Art Mentorship Project presents a unique opportunity for an established Canadian artist to share their professional experience with an emerging artist. This is the kind of knowledge that cannot be found in books, but gained only through experience,” explained Elaine Hoffman, Manager, Community Engagement and Special Projects at the McMichael. “The generosity of the mentor along with the open mindedness of the apprentice can result in some exceptional and often surprising work. The McMichael Canadian Art Collection is committed to nurturing new artistic talent through innovative programs that encourage creativity and exchange.”

Samantha Rodin, Associate Director at York Region Arts Council, also emphasized the project’s importance for emerging artists: “The few years post-graduation and/or the beginning of a professional art practice are delicate years. It is a time where artists choose to either dedicate themselves wholly or embark on another path. The Art Mentorship Project is meant to address the gap in professional development assistance for emerging artists in York Region and encourage them to follow their vision of sustaining a career in the arts.”

For the project’s second term, installation artist, curator, writer, and educator, Bonnie Devine will take on the role of mentor. Devine is a member of the Serpent River First Nation of Northern Ontario (Ojibwa/Anishinaabe). Her work is rooted in sculpture and site-specific installation, but also includes video, drawing, and painting. Devine’s art is about stories—especially narratives, history, or legends of the land—and has been exhibited in Canada, the US, and Europe. She is an associate professor at OCAD University in Toronto.

Devine will mentor the project’s second apprentice, recent York University BFA graduate, Kevin Yung. Yung, who lives in Markham, is a sculpture/installation artist who focuses on process-based explorations through mold-making, casting, and printmaking. Conceptually, Yung’s most recent work explores cultural identity through an examination of personal language barriers. Devine will help Yung fine-tune his artistic practices through technical assistance, theoretical discussions, critiques, and exhibition preparation.

Visitors will be able to observe the two artists working on the gallery grounds on a series of days throughout the summer. Devine and Yung will also participate in an artist talk about the mentorship project on Saturday, September 27, 2014 during the Culture Days and Vaughan Doors Open free admission weekend at the McMichael.

The project is an opportunity for the McMichael and YRAC to promote local talent and encourage artistic exchange. The gallery, situated on 100 acres of conservation land and housing a renowned collection of Canadian art, is an ideal setting for the project. It reflects both the gallery’s and art council’s commitment to nurturing new talent and acting as a creative hub in the community.

Applications for project’s third installment will be accepted in early 2015.

About the McMichael Canadian Art Collection

The McMichael Canadian Art Collection is the foremost venue in the country showcasing the Group of Seven and their contemporaries. In addition to touring exhibitions, its permanent collection consists of almost 6,000 artworks by Canadian artists, including paintings by the Group of Seven and their contemporaries, as well as First Nations, Métis and Inuit artists. The gallery acknowledges the support of the McMichael Canadian Art Foundation. It is located on 100 acres of northern landscape and hiking trails at 10365 Islington Avenue, Kleinburg, north of Major Mackenzie Drive in the City of Vaughan. For more information: mcmichael.com.

About the York Region Arts Council

Incorporated in 2008, the York Region Arts Council (YRAC) is a nonprofit charitable umbrella organization serving the regional arts and culture community. YRAC is committed to fostering a vibrant regional arts and culture sector and supporting the arts, culture and heritage in York Region in all their forms-literary, visual, performing, media and heritage-in an inclusive manner. As the regional liaison and central information resource for arts, culture and heritage, YRAC delivers value to its stakeholders and the regional arts, culture and heritage community as a whole, through marketing, communication, education, consultation and networking facilitation and coordination. For more information: yorkregionartscouncil.com.

For media inquiries:

Wendy Campbell

Manager, Media Relations and Online Presence

McMichael Canadian Art Collection

905.893.1121 ext. 2201

wcampbell@mcmichael.com

Rachel Weiner

Media Relations and Communications Coordinator

McMichael Canadian Art Collection

905.893.1121 ext. 2210

rweiner@mcmichael.com

Samantha Rodin

Associate Director

York Region Arts Council

905.726.3278

samantha@yorkregionartscouncil.com