The main purpose of the Art Gallery is to hold monthly exhibitions of original fine art by local artists. All decisions concerning these exhibitions are made by the Art Gallery's "Exhibition Committee".
2. Exhibition Committee
The Chairperson and members of the Exhibition Committee are elected by the members of the Art Gallery.
3. Membership
The only requirement for membership is payment of the $35 per year fee, Membership entitles you to enter your works of fine art in the Art Gallery's exhibitions. The Exhibition Committee has the final say as to which pieces are exhibited. Additional benefits of membership include general access to the facilities (kitchen, library etc.), opportunity to have a web page in this web site, oportunity to have a file on the Gallery display computer, the chance to participate in Gallery painting groups, art critiques, potlucks, etc..
Members are expected to give their input to management concerning Gallery matters, either informally or at meetings.
4. Associate Membership
TheArt Gallery has an open door policy to the general public who want to be part of the art scene. Examples of envolvement include helping out with our hospitality and social programs, assisting with the web site, offering a course in a foreign language or yoga, procuring work for the Sculpture Garden, publicizing the gallery by distributing fliers at public events etc.. These volunteers can become card-carrying Associate Members and enjoy most of the benefits of membership free of charge.
5. Workshops
All of the numerous workshops and courses are open to the general public and no membership fee is required to participate. The Gallery welcomes applications from anyone who wishes to offer a course or workshop on any topic (art or otherwise).
6. Organization
The Sunrise Gallery Art Centre is a not-for-profit artists' collective of over100 members whose main purpose is to hold exhibitions of original fine art by local artists. The operation is run entirely by volunteers.
7. Finances
The Sunrise Gallery was founded by Martin Nye and his wife Christine Averinkwho own the building. Except for their first floor apartment they have donated the property and grounds for use by the Members. Included in that donation is all the rental income from thestudio spaces etc..
Important financial goals of the Sunrise Gallery Art Centre are:
to be financially self-sufficient
to be independent of external institutional grants
to minimize time-and-money-wasting burocracy
Our sources of income are:
rental income from studio space etc.
membership fees
donations from members who have sold art-works in our exhibitions
donations from leaders of workshops
fundraising
annual ear-marked donations from Martin Nye and his wife Christine Averink
So far the Sunrise Gallery Art Centre has not been running at a loss using the following sources of income:
8. Contacts
Martin Nye manages the building and grounds and may be contacted on these topics and general policy and steering matters.
Kristina Kirkwood is the current chairperson of the Exhibition Committee and is the person to contact on all exhibition related topics.
Christine Averink manages the office and the finances, and can be contacted on most general topics.
Sue Gunter is a useful contact on general topics and particularly workshops.
9. History
The Sunset Gallery on Sunset Avenue in West Hamilton closed its doors in 2001. In February 2006 it re-emerged as the Sunrise Gallery at 765 Beach Boulevard on Hamilton Beach close to the Skyway bridge which is shown in the website logo above.
10. Location
This painting by Cindy Riach of the Sunrise Gallery shows the three storey building as seen from the Lake Ontario and the Lake Ontario Waterfront Trail. The other image is a sunrise as seen fro the window of the Gallery.
11. Vision
When Martin Nye and Christine Averink donated the building for use by the local artists' community, it was with the understanding that the space would be used as an unregistered charitable organization known as The Sunrise Gallery Art Centre (Sunrise Gallery).
Martin and Christine's Vision is that each activity at the Sunrise Gallery Art Centre should have as its underlying goals ;
encouragement of personal development,
enhancement of the quality of life and
if possible, attention to the needs of the less fortunate
Click here to read a 2008 progress report by Jeff Mahoney of the Hamilton Spectator. For another article by Jeff Mahoney in December 2009, click here. http://www.thespec.com/article/695017
12. Facilities
There are three large gallery rooms with high ceilings:
And threerentable studio spaces (all are rented at present):
The Marla Panko Studio (second floor with balcony)
The Waterfront Trail Studio (converted garage space)
Third floor studio (great view of the lake)
And there is rentable space in the Sculpture Garden:
13. Space Rental
All three studio spaces are rented at present, but other rental oportunities are open:
Both Gallery and Garden spaces are available for meetings, small social and charity events. Full kitchen and dining facilities are also available.
Rates are VERY reasonable especially for members or charity activities.
14. Lake Ontario Waterfront Trail
The Gallery borders on and has direct access to the Lake Ontario Waterfront Trail and is located at the spot marked on the trail as being 1800 metres southeast of the Burlington Canal Lift Bridge. Directly across the waterfront trail there is direct access to Hamilton Beach a sandy 7 km section of Lake Ontario's shoreline. This location is ideal for Plein Air painting and for collection of flotsome and jetsome for art work.
15. Exhibitions
There is an active schedule of exhibitions in the three gallery rooms. The exhibitions feature both juried solo art exhibitions and group shows of art-work by members of the Sunrise Gallery Art Centre collective. The exhibitions change every month. The Sculpture Garden features more permanent works.
16. Call for submissions
The Gallery invites applications to exhibit at any time from artists living within a fifty kilometer radius from the Art Gallery. These applications are screened by the Art Gallery's Exhibition Committee. There are several categories of Exhibition:
Solo Exhibitions (for established and emerging artists)
Group exhibitions (for members of the Art Gallery)
Annual Juried Exhibition
Annual Children's Exhibition
Exhibitions to support a charitable cause
Exhibition of single outdoor sculptural works on an annual basis
