Kanata Art Club — On the Move to Carleton Place!

There’s some big news in the visual arts community of the Ottawa Valley — the Kanata Art Club is moving to Carleton Place! This highly respected organization has been providing top-notch instruction and support to artists for over 50 years, so the news is being heralded with much enthusiasm by local creatives as well as groups like Arts Carleton Place. theHumm caught up with Kanata Art Club (KAC) president Kie Delgaty to get a fuller picture.

theHumm: The KAC has been active since the 1960s — that’s quite a legacy.

Kie Delgaty: I’ve only been around for the last ten years, but many of our older members remember the days when KAC meetings and studios were hosted by the various members in their homes and annual exhibitions were held in church basements. At some point, the Executive were able to rent a studio in the March Central Community Centre, and we’ve held most of our learning events there for at least 15 years.

What first drew you to the organization, and in what capacities have you been involved with it?

My wife Lynn and I first discovered the KAC in 2016. When we learned they were offering a weekly portrait studio, we were thrilled. We both signed up immediately. The Club also offered a weekly painting class with Kathy McNenly. We loved the bright, well-lit studio space, the small library, and the warmth and congeniality of the Club.

The KAC was, and still is, the only arts organization in the Ottawa area that has its own dedicated space. As rental and operating costs increased, so did the need for more income-generating activities. When I joined the Executive in 2017 to support programming, we saw a unique opportunity to bring in exceptional artists from across Canada and around the world. Our first national and international workshops were very exciting and remarkably successful. Before long, we had filled our space with classes, studios and workshops throughout the year.

By the time Covid closed us down in 2020, I had assumed the role of President. That was a challenge. Fortunately, the City of Ottawa forgave us several months of rent during the worst months. But our members were starving for inspiration and some form of shared artistic experience. We soon discovered ZOOM and delivered our classes, workshops, and a Speaker series online.

The KAC provides such a wide range of offerings — workshops, classes, studio space, a speaker series, even urban sketching outings. How do these pieces fit together, and is there a common thread that ties them to the club’s mission?

Our members range from beginner to professional. What we all have in common is a love of art and a desire to share the journey of improving our skills with like-minded people. The Club is all about learning, and having fun doing so. As it says in our Mission Statement, “At the Kanata Art Club, we welcome and celebrate the artistic contributions and traditions of every culture and corner of the world, and we recognize art as the international language that brings us all together.”

What’s driving the move to Carleton Place, and how did that decision come about?

The City of Ottawa recently shared the assessment of City engineers that the roof on the current building will not likely last throughout 2027. We understand that the building is slated for demolition. Knowing that our time in the current studio was quite limited, we decided to look for a new home where we can settle in and continue to flourish. We found the perfect location in the Carleton Place Collective.

How do you think the move will affect your programming and membership? What are some of the new opportunities it will afford?

We’re hoping to bring most of our current members with us. Our new studio is bright, spacious, and easy to access. We’ll have room to grow, so we hope to attract new members as well.

How can artists engage with the KAC this fall and beyond?

We have some pretty exciting programming to offer in oil, acrylic, watercolour, drawing, printmaking and more. We hope artists will explore our website at kanataartclub.com and choose to join us as we learn together in a convivial atmosphere of enthusiasm and support.

We’ll also be opening our doors to the community on Monday, October 12 from 11am to 4pm at 155 Industrial Ave. We invite everyone to visit, to have a coffee, see a demonstration of printmaking and/or calligraphy, and enjoy some of our members’ artwork.