THUNDER BAY — A large donation from the Paterson Foundation is being made to the Thunder Bay Art Gallery.
The Paterson Foundation announced on Tuesday that it is donating an additional million dollars to the art gallery.
Alexander Paterson, the president of the foundation, spoke about why the foundation wanted to make the donation.
“Our commitment to the community and recognizing that our waterfront is a place like building a baseball field in a farm field in Iowa, if you build it, they’ll come. That’s what’s happening at our waterfront right now.”
The gallery’s executive director, Matthew Hills, discussed how this contribution will help build the new location.
“It’s moving and profound to hear Alexander’s words about his family and the generational relationship they’ve had to the gallery.
Hills described how transformative that relationship has been over the art gallery’s history.
“To see that realized with a gift that will help us with our future is just profoundly moving and exciting.”
Hills gave an update on the $5M fundraising campaign that the art gallery launched last September.
“This gift from the Paterson Foundation of a million dollars is going towards that campaign. So with the gift, we’re at $1.5 [million] . . . overall.
“We’re at a point now where we’re asking the community to contribute and to step up and get this over the finish line. It’s going extremely well, but we do need that support and we do need to be out there asking in the community.
“So we’re grateful for the significant support we’ve received already, but it’s an ongoing effort.”
It was last reported that costs for building the new gallery were at $57 million. The executive director was asked if there was an updated cost available.
“Well, we are pursuing a construction management process on an ongoing basis and that means that tenders we are seeking value efficiencies and value in the tender and construction process.”
In a request to confirm the current cost to build, the gallery said going the route of a construction management process creates uncertainty.
“The construction management model involves reassessing market conditions at various points in the build, and obtaining updated pricing from suppliers and subcontractors, revising specifications as necessary.”
He called it an “ongoing evolving process” and said that the gallery has identified some “significant savings.”
“At the same time, you also see increased construction costs and supply chain issues – they still continue to be along with inflation.
“So we are balancing, and we are being extremely rigorous in budget management and finding value.”
Hills noted the gallery is also doing an economic impact study.
“It’s a study to better understand how the Thunder Bay Art Gallery contributes to the provincial and local economy. And we’re using those numbers to better understand our overall budget increase as we get into the new space.”
He called the gallery’s new location a game changer.
“The new building is a serious destination at our waterfront – it is going to be an architectural jewel.
“But it’s also something that the whole community can use and that will contribute significantly to our economy, to our quality of life in Thunder Bay and will be a shared resource for everyone to use and that will contribute significantly.”
Hills is confident the new space will open in early 2026, citing that the building is more than 20 percent complete.
LONDON (AP) — With a few daubs of a paintbrush, the Brontë sisters have got their dots back.
More than eight decades after it was installed, a memorial to the three 19th-century sibling novelists in London’s Westminster Abbey was amended Thursday to restore the diaereses – the two dots over the e in their surname.
The dots — which indicate that the name is pronounced “brontay” rather than “bront” — were omitted when the stone tablet commemorating Charlotte, Emily and Anne was erected in the abbey’s Poets’ Corner in October 1939, just after the outbreak of World War II.
They were restored after Brontë historian Sharon Wright, editor of the Brontë Society Gazette, raised the issue with Dean of Westminster David Hoyle. The abbey asked its stonemason to tap in the dots and its conservator to paint them.
“There’s no paper record for anyone complaining about this or mentioning this, so I just wanted to put it right, really,” Wright said. “These three Yorkshire women deserve their place here, but they also deserve to have their name spelled correctly.”
It’s believed the writers’ Irish father Patrick changed the spelling of his surname from Brunty or Prunty when he went to university in England.
Raised on the wild Yorkshire moors, all three sisters died before they were 40, leaving enduring novels including Charlotte’s “Jane Eyre,” Emily’s “Wuthering Heights” and Anne’s “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.”
Rebecca Yorke, director of the Brontë Society, welcomed the restoration.
“As the Brontës and their work are loved and respected all over the world, it’s entirely appropriate that their name is spelled correctly on their memorial,” she said.
In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Vancouver Island art community, a local art dealer has been charged with one count of fraud over $5,000. Calvin Lucyshyn, the former operator of the now-closed Winchester Galleries in Oak Bay, faces the charge after police seized hundreds of artworks, valued in the tens of millions of dollars, from various storage sites in the Greater Victoria area.
Alleged Fraud Scheme
Police allege that Lucyshyn had been taking valuable art from members of the public under the guise of appraising or consigning the pieces for sale, only to cut off all communication with the owners. This investigation began in April 2022, when police received a complaint from an individual who had provided four paintings to Lucyshyn, including three works by renowned British Columbia artist Emily Carr, and had not received any updates on their sale.
Further investigation by the Saanich Police Department revealed that this was not an isolated incident. Detectives found other alleged victims who had similar experiences with Winchester Galleries, leading police to execute search warrants at three separate storage locations across Greater Victoria.
Massive Seizure of Artworks
In what has become one of the largest art fraud investigations in recent Canadian history, authorities seized approximately 1,100 pieces of art, including more than 600 pieces from a storage site in Saanich, over 300 in Langford, and more than 100 in Oak Bay. Some of the more valuable pieces, according to police, were estimated to be worth $85,000 each.
Lucyshyn was arrested on April 21, 2022, but was later released from custody. In May 2024, a fraud charge was formally laid against him.
Artwork Returned, but Some Remain Unclaimed
In a statement released on Monday, the Saanich Police Department confirmed that 1,050 of the seized artworks have been returned to their rightful owners. However, several pieces remain unclaimed, and police continue their efforts to track down the owners of these works.
Court Proceedings Ongoing
The criminal charge against Lucyshyn has not yet been tested in court, and he has publicly stated his intention to defend himself against any pending allegations. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 10, 2024.
Impact on the Local Art Community
The news of Lucyshyn’s alleged fraud has deeply affected Vancouver Island’s art community, particularly collectors, galleries, and artists who may have been impacted by the gallery’s operations. With high-value pieces from artists like Emily Carr involved, the case underscores the vulnerabilities that can exist in art transactions.
For many art collectors, the investigation has raised concerns about the potential for fraud in the art world, particularly when it comes to dealing with private galleries and dealers. The seizure of such a vast collection of artworks has also led to questions about the management and oversight of valuable art pieces, as well as the importance of transparency and trust in the industry.
As the case continues to unfold in court, it will likely serve as a cautionary tale for collectors and galleries alike, highlighting the need for due diligence in the sale and appraisal of high-value artworks.
While much of the seized artwork has been returned, the full scale of the alleged fraud is still being unraveled. Lucyshyn’s upcoming court appearances will be closely watched, not only by the legal community but also by the wider art world, as it navigates the fallout from one of Canada’s most significant art fraud cases in recent memory.
Art collectors and individuals who believe they may have been affected by this case are encouraged to contact the Saanich Police Department to inquire about any unclaimed pieces. Additionally, the case serves as a reminder for anyone involved in high-value art transactions to work with reputable dealers and to keep thorough documentation of all transactions.
As with any investment, whether in art or other ventures, it is crucial to be cautious and informed. Art fraud can devastate personal collections and finances, but by taking steps to verify authenticity, provenance, and the reputation of dealers, collectors can help safeguard their valuable pieces.
