The work of well-known area artist Berdina Beaven is now on display at the Mezzanine Gallery at the Classic Theatre in Cobalt until January 12.
Classic Theatre general manager Kendra Lacarte says the gallery is open Thursdays and Fridays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., or people interested in coming to see the exhibition at a different time can also phone ahead to make an appointment.
Lacarte explained that the Mezzanine Gallery has been closed in recent years due to the pandemic and lack of staff.
Lacarte recently took over the position of general manager of the Classic Theatre, which allows the gallery to resume holding rotating exhibitions, she explained.
Following Beaven’s exhibition, the artworks displayed in the gallery will rotate every two months.
“This is just a quick pop-up one because the walls were empty,” Lacarte stated of Beaven’s exhibition.
The gallery wanted to have an exhibition in place for a Christmas concert at the Classic Theatre December 8 and 9, she explained. The gallery contacted Laura Landers, a local art promoter, member of the Temiskaming Palette and Brush Club, and the operator of Laura’s Art Shoppe in Cobalt.
Landers was asked if she knew anyone who might have enough paintings to hang for the Christmas season, and Landers related that Beaven was the first person she thought of since Beaven recently exhibited her art works at Northdale Manor.
Beaven, now 93, lives with her daughter Lisa Bernat in Haileybury. Landers contacted Bernat and determined that Beaven did have artworks that could be readied for an immediate exhibition.
“Berdina has been a long-time member of the NOAA (Northern Ontario Art Association) and a very established member too. She’s very versatile,” said Landers.
Beaven is especially known and celebrated for her collage work.
“She tears little bits of colourful pieces of papers out of all kinds of magazines and sometimes old paintings and just out of her imagination somehow compiles these beautiful compositions out of it all,” said Landers.
“I have heard that her favourite magazine for the colour and quality of the paper is the LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) magazines.” (Bernat confirmed this fact.)
Beaven still creates art pieces and recently gave a workshop at Northdale Manor.
The artworks, which are 16 by 20 inches in size, are also available for sale.
Darlene Wroe, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Temiskaming Speaker
