44 Gaukel Artists' Talks

Hey DTK! I’m Eric Rumble, coordinator of arts & creative industries for the City of Kitchener, where I contribute to public art development and an affordable artists’ workspace project at 44 Gaukel. I’ve started creating the “How I Made…”  artists’ talk series this spring to share the backstories of local public artworks from the local artists who created them.

A free artists’ talk series is launching at 44 Gaukel this spring. The talks will feature artists who are based in the region describing what they put into the development and installation of one of their artworks in the public realm in the K-W area. Artists of different disciplines and perspectives will share these creation stories and attendees will have the chance to ask questions too.

Header photo: John Spaulding

Sandra Dunn: How I Made Spinal Column

Wed May 8^th 7:30pm

Sandra Dunn was commissioned to create Spinal Column by the Region of Waterloo as one of a series of artworks at ION stations. Sandra forged the bench out of a light rail track and her concept reflected the region’s manufacturing backbone and the new transit network as its spine. It’s an incredible touchable sculpture.

Sandra has been blacksmithing for 30 years. She owns and operates Two Smiths, a design and prototyping studio in the Bridgeport neighbourhood that turns steel, copper and bronze into incredible sculptures, functional objects and stunning architectural details.

Go see Spinal Column at the Grand River Hospital ION stop and hear Sandra explain how she created this amazing public artwork at 44 Gaukel by grabbing free tickets for this talk.

Carol Bradley: How I Made The Necklace

Wed June 5^th 7:30pm

Carol Bradley was commissioned to create The Necklace by the City of Kitchener during her Artist in Residency in 1996. The 42’ sculpture elegantly strings together more than 100 white earthenware vessels on steel rods and brackets to decorate the curved outer wall of Kitchener Council chambers.

Carol has created ceramics & other art forms for decades, including three other pieces in the City of Kitchener’s public art collection: Strata (1997) at Country Hills Community Centre; Thalia’s Curtain (2001) at Conrad Centre for the Performing Arts; and The Pool (2003) at Forest Heights pool. She also ran an art tile studio, Rivertile, with her partner Tilman Lichter in Kitchener from 2001 to 2011.

Check out The Necklace on Kitchener City Hall’s 2^nd floor and hear Carol explain how she crafted this gorgeous sculpture by snagging a free ticket for this artist talk at 44 Gaukel.

Right Photo: John Spaulding

Sharl G. Smith: How I Made Embrace II

Wed July 3^rd 7:30pm

Sharl G. Smith has hand-stitched glass bead sculptures for a dozen years. Embrace II is one of a series of more recent experiments that dramatically upscales the materials and presences of her creations, which explore careful relationship-building, structural integrity, points of light and feminine power.

Embrace II has been displayed beside the Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery’s front steps since fall 2023. A recent acquisition campaign was successful, so the sculpture’s 250 or so large stainless-steel beads will continue welcoming gallery visitors with its immersive and irresistibly otherworldly reflections for years to come. If you have not yet peeped your multiplied, distorted self in its mirrors, please do.

Scope Embrace II at the Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery and hear Sharl talk about assembling this eye-popping artwork by scooping a free talk ticket.

Illustrated designs by Bilal Farooq. Follow @44gaukelarts for more 44 Gaukel events and details.