Calling all artists — particularly artists with works inspired by or influenced by the local music scene — a new music themed art gallery is opening at local independent record store, Blueprint. So they need you and your works for the inaugural display, beginning Arts Days, Sept. 17-19.
Known for being a staunch supporter of the local music scene, selling concert tickets and promoting local and touring bands, Blueprint is undergoing a transformation.
The walls are covered with four years of gig posters from venues past and present, and treasure awaits in rows of record and CD bins. However as of Sept. 18, just in time for Arts Days, and Blueprint’s fourth anniversary, the store will be opening a new a new music themed art gallery opening combining Lethbridge’s thriving arts and music communities.
“I was going to renovate anyway. So I was talking with Mike (Maguire, the gallery curator) about the idea of a gallery here and he ran with it,” said Blueprint owner Mike Molloy said adding the Allied Arts Council have been huge supporters of this project. The gallery will be located in the room where his office is currently located.
“What I’m expecting is quite a lot of photographs of shows. I’m looking for as many submissions as possible, so I can pick and choose and actually curate,” added Mike Maguire, noting if all else fails, he has enough photographs to cover the walls of the gallery with his own work.
The first exhibition is themed “live music,” and will be running for three weeks. While they are expecting mostly photographs, all music themed work is welcome. Submissions must be at Blueprint by Sept. 14.
All submissions must be framed and matted and ready for display and possible sale so they should look as professional as possible as they are a reflection of the artist.
All contributors must fill out a simple contract protecting the artist as well as the gallery.
“It’s going to be quite interesting. A lot of people in the community and the media are excited about this idea,” Maguire observed adding he is hoping a lot of them come through with submissions.
“Music is very creative so there is the memory of that creativity on stage. Artists are very creative as well, so if an artist can capture that creativity on stage forever, capturing the art of the music and the artist, then that’s a really special thing,” Maguire continued.
“I spend most of my life at this business, staring at these walls, so I’m excited about having a different perspective on the store,” added Molloy, noting Maguire is quite passionate about the project.
“I like his fascination with music as art, so this seemed like a perfect fit,” Molloy added.
“And I’ve got enough gig posters on the wall, I could stand to take a few of them down,” he said adding the renovations will be purely cosmetic including new paint and of course the new gallery. He may shut down the store an extra day to do the work , but they will be up and running for the gallery’s opening night.
“I’m just so excited about this,” Maguire enthused.
“It’s going to be amazing. It’s a way to recognize the talent in this community. There’s a need to recognize the work people do,” he said.
More information is available at http://web.me.com/mike_maguire/
A version of this story appears in the Sept. 8 edition of the Lethbridge Sun Times
